Magyar Egyház, 2002 (81. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2002 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 7. oldal Evangelism, that is, their pastoral work fully justified the ministers’ outstanding role in the communities (and was, simultaneously, evidence of their higher education). The minister, for the believers, is sent by Jesus Christ to preach His Word. Differences of education and culture were not granted any importance in the definition of the respective roles of ministers and elders because the foundation of the elders’ role was their election by the parish community which, in principle, was expected to examine and evaluate in advance the faith and moral of future elders, and their capabilities to serve the community. As a consequence, I consider extremely important the training of elected and to-be-elected elders. 4. The vocation of the Hungarian Reformed Churches of America It is without doubt that the problems discussed above require a new conceptualization of the vocation and of the future of the Hungarian Reformed Churches in America. First of all, and this has to be said even if it is extremely painful: does it make any sense to call such Hungarian parishes or communities in which the Hungarian language is hardly spoken or only in a limited measure, which merged in the overall shapeless society of modern America, and of which many members are not of Hungarian stock? (Perhaps, this was the reason that part of the parishes decided to join the “United Church of Christ”?) This conclusion concerning identity is not a criticism but the establishment of a fact which characterizes the life of many other denominations and churches not only the existence of the Hungarian Reformed Churches. My most important conclusion, however, concerns the impact of modernity, the constant reference to the customs and requirements of today’s society, to the churches becoming a “social club”: All Christian churches - today or at any given point in history, in the American, or European societies - cannot have any other vocation than to announce the Good News to the people. If the church is adapting to the society, if it endeavors to follow the society’s fads and fashions, then it loses its justification of being Christ’s church, its proper mission. Not the society has to have an impact on the church, but the church has to influence the way of life of the society. One has to insist particularly on this in our late modern times, because the dominant trends of modernity: the devastating materialism and the exclusive reign of money and individual pleasures corrode every religious faith, every expression of spirituality, every transcendent moral values, that is, those not from this world. Another great sin of our age is to “sacralize” man, that is, to transform the human being into a god, a Baal, who is omnipotent through its science and technology. If the church renounces, in such times, of its fundamental vocation which is preaching to the world the Word, the Evangelism, just in order to be part of this materialistic society or to attract more people in its community, then the all-powerful God will not only punish the community members, not only the elders, but, in the first place, His servants, the ministers. Rev. Victor Segesváry NEW MINISTRY IN POLAND “There is an openness in Poland - some think we are on the verge of something great here.” Says Rev. Marek Znidericz, Director of The Bible League’s new ministry outreach in Poland. “The Bible League offers Poles a real chance for training and support.” The League established its new ministry program in this Central European country In January. They committed to providing Poland with Bibles and related materials, as well as training and study courses to bring people into a relationship with Christ and His Church. “The Polish people need to read the Bible and seek God and find the living Christ through the Scriptures. Many people in Poland already have a Bible but they do not read or study it.” “I really believe in the mission of The Bible League to not just provide Scriptures, but to also introduce Bible study courses to bring the Scriptures to the people,” Rev. Znidericz continued. “This is what Poland needs. I am very excited for the prospect to partner with churches in Poland and to let them know that they are the missionaries.” According to Rev. Znidericz, evangelical church growth has been slow in Poland in recent history. “In one major evangelical denomination the average number of church starts has only been 1-2 per decade. The training is designed to equip church planters with the practical skills they need to introduce people to Christ through small group Bible studies, and establish new evangelical churches in areas where none exists. The League estimates that more than 700 of Poland’s 900 towns and villages currently do not have an evangelical church.
