Jump Start # 3904
Proverbs 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments.”
I was at a concert recently, the performer, now nearly sixty years old, pulled out a song that he had written when he was a teenager. It was one of his first songs. I thought, after all those years, he still preforms that song, amazing. Often on Thursdays, people will post a picture from the past. They call it “throwback Thursday.” I was thinking about all of that the other day. For four decades I have written weekly articles for church bulletins.
With this Jump Start, I am introducing “Throwback Thursdays,” an article of mine from the past. Our verse today from Proverbs, is from a father telling his son to remember his instruction.
Today, I share an article I wrote from 1989.
Reading Church Records
In the past year I have had the opportunity to read the history of three different congregations as they have been preserved in their records or minutes. Of these three groups, one has been around for over 100 years. I must say that I thoroughly inhaled every word on every page of these histories. These are the accounts of our brethren. And I learned many things that I never knew existed. There are some common lessons that I would like to share with you:
First, each congregation has a few pillars. The most noted item one will find in any church history are names. And as one begins to read through the passing years you find a constant stream of new names. But there are always a few names, year after year that are repeated. These names were active in the Lord’s work. It is these names that house visiting preachers, take charge of the treasury, teach the Bible classes and see after the meeting house. They are the Priscilla and Aquila of their times. When one of these names crosses over to Heaven’s side, much loss is noted in the church records. One becomes a pillar by steady and persistent working in the Lord, being active, taking interest and year after year being there. Thank the Lord for such church pillars.
Second, People change over the years. The church histories prove this. One will read of some who are active and earnest and destined to be a future church pillar only to later find their name mentioned among the “spiritually sick” of the congregation. The list includes the names of preachers, who got into some moral or illegal trouble and it ruined them. How is it in life that some become pillars in a congregation and others become a problem? The answer must be in one’s faith and choices in the Lord. Through the years many things happen to us, and whether we are made the better or the worse by it depends upon our faith. James 1:2-4 shows the upside to the tests of our faith.
Third, Congregations have trouble. All three of the records that I read listed the problems that threatened the welfare of these brethren. Reading some secretary’s account of these incidents can be quite amusing. A squabbling couple of sisters caused heartache and perils upon the eldership and even embarked a division. Long ago, many church buildings had two front doors. One was for the men to use and the other for the women. In one account, a brother was discipled because he kept using the wrong door.
Trouble comes in some innocent forms such as these examples or in the ugly form of false teaching. It is reassuring to know that trouble passes and brethren can once again refocus their attention upon saving souls and bringing glory to the Lord. One church record began with a division and after a couple of decades, the brethren untied once again. So one should not be too surprised when every so often some problems arise within the church. As we stick with the Lord and His word and strive to resolve things based upon the Bible, we will be fine.
I sure enjoyed looking over the names of beloved preachers, some of whom have been gone for a long, long time now and knowing that the work and the words that they proclaimed were not in vain in the Lord. If you ever get a chance to look over a church record, do it. You’ll learn so much.
Roger
March 1989