Magyar Egyház, 1981 (60. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1981-09-01 / 9-10. szám

leaders and elders should know, that according to our Calvinistic teach­ings, we believe in the priesthood of all believers! Ministers are elders, preaching the word of God. Our theological education and minis­terial licence grants us the authority to preach the word of God. But as to the governing and leadership of the congregation, the responsibility rests equally upon all of us, who accepted any office and stood before the Lord’s Table and uttered the solemn oath: ''I shall faithfully perform my duties of the office, to which I have been elected: / ...so help me God!” Who among us would be able to say, that he or she has faithfully performed all his or her duties? Therefore, the minister cannot say, that he is unable to do anything with his church council: but neither can the leaders and elders shirk their responsibilities, saying that this or that, does not belong to him, for it is the duty of the minister. We all must work together! God forbid it to hap­pen, that we elders and ministers should beat one another__ the pastor the elders, — the younger mi­nisters the older ones, one groung the other!!! Not only should we work for the bigger success of our social affairs with which most of our meet­ings, church life and reports are filled, which are all the sign and seal of materialism. Lord, open our eyes, that we may see the spiritual beauty of Thy heavenly gifts and dare to reach out and have more bible-studies, where we may gain a deeper insight to our faith. Especially let the bible be de­sirable to the leaders of our churches, let us read in it all of God’s faith-strengthtening promises. Lord, open our eyes, that we may see the decadence of humanity in our modern world, that has reached dangerous heights especially the si­tuation of our children and youth, who can only survive amid the manifold temptations if we have a spiritually strong, continuously teaching, never-tireing church! Lord, open your eyes, that we may see the result of our own indifference and negligence in this respect. Only, when we learn to pray and suppli­cate for the change of our miserable condition can we reach the second step and apply the soul-shaking words of Jonah to ourselves, which MAGYAR eCYflAZ are recorded in the 3rd chapter of the prophet. 2. ‘‘Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: Arise and go to Niniveh, that great city and proclaim to it the message that I tell you!” So he went to the city and proclaimed God’s message, that in 40 days Niniveh will be destroyed. The people believed God and ordered to have fasting, small and great in the city put on sack-cloth. This news reached the king, who also cast off his festive clothing, put on sack-cloth and sat in ashes. When God saw, that the people were converted from their evil ways, He did not destroy them. The ques­tion is: do we elders and ministers hear this message of the Lord, which was meant not only for the people of Niniveh, but it is also a warning to us?! Translating this into our own language, it may be put into the fol­lowing words: only a few more de­cades and in America where we live, in this land of material wealth, amid the most modern achievements of technology an ethnic church, the Hungarian Reformed Church in America shall perish. The neutron bombs, which shall be produced, neither the multitude of unknown weapons of the future can save us from total annihilation. Only one thing can help us, and that is sorrow and humility: we must bow down before the Lord! Those chief elders, presbyters and mi­nisters, who would like to sit on the throne of their office must cast off their “self righteousness” and turn to God in true confession: O Lord, I have been an unfaithful servant, and apply the word of Jesus to my­self: as it is recorded in John 10:11 “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep!” Who is the good presbyter, the good chief elder and the good mi­nister? Only Almighty God can answer this question, but it shall be revealed on the other shore! We may have a beautiful funeral, but the case is not complete with this, be­cause the Eternal Judge shall not be touched by the beautiful speeches or writings... The question will come: You, Oh man, how many souls were led out of the swamps of sin by you? To how many of my little ones have you given a glass of water? Re­member how many times you es­caped your responsibility and as Jonah, you laid down in the bottom of the ship, when the times were perilous? How many times you heard the cry: get up, o sleeper, there is danger all around you! and you and hid yourself behind the imaginary actions of your life? Yes, the danger is imminent, the waves of sin and godlessness are rag­ing on the sea of life. We should all embark on the saving expedition and go out into the wide ocean, but we hide in the ports of quiet, mean­ingless Church council gatherings, liturgical actions and build our walls of defence. What can we do? we ask? I believe there can be only one answer: we should pray more faith­fully!!! When our grandfathers ploughed the fields, and the soil was hard and dry, they pressed on the handle of the plow with all their might. Do we know, that the person, who puts his hands on the plow cannot look back? No matter how painful it is, we must declare the truth: that not only our church, but all Christian churches are under the judgement of God. We must face the facts, though they are distressing, we can prolong the life of our churches with financial manouverings, we can arrange more social and fund rais­ing activities, we can raise the membership fees, etc. etc., but these are only like a magic formula pre­scription for a dying person. The terrible end is fast approach­ing. Perhaps, the leadership of today shall not live to see it. Brethren, wether we die or retire, the largest portion of responsibility is ours! I the leader of the present time, have not done what I should have done. In these critical times, I did not use the weapon, that I should have used, I have not used the God given opportunities granted to me. Although this may sound strange to our ears, but I must em­phasize: prayer!!! We have to pray more and with more zeal! We must pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, until the future of our churches will not be the matter of vital concern of all ministers, leaders and members, the inevitable end of the church cannot be reversed or stopped. Let us ask the question: when did _____________________11. oldal

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