of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered...

newer company in orderto have more time with hisfamily—risking both his jobsecurity and the comfortablelifestyle made possible by thehigher income—not to mentionthe wounding of his pride.• God calls an “empty nest”couple to sell their houseand belongings and becomemissionaries in Africa.• God asks a mature ministerto step aside so that otherscan have an opportunity tominister and learn. She isasked to take on a mentoringmore than a performing role.In each of these situations, God askssomeone to give up something they value inorder for Him to enrich their lives in otherand new ways. Is this not an invitation to“die” to something? Of course we are notgoing to want that, and will typically resistit as long as we can, but when we finallyunderstand that God’s purpose is to freeus from bondage and fear, we can learn toembrace this “death.”The husband fears losing control andbeing humiliated. The wife stands to loseher sense of spiritual superiority over herhusband. The teenager risks losing socialstanding. The employee risks financialdeprivation. The older couple must facetheir fears of not being taken care of in theirold age. And the minister will lose whateverboost to her self-esteem she gained inperforming as an effective minister.But in every one of these cases, can wenot see that the resurrection power of Godcould bring much deliverance? The husbandcould find less control but more love andacceptance. The wife could find more joy,peace, and personal fulfillment. The teenagercould find better friends with similar valuesand less pressure to conform to what isconsidered “cool.” The employee is freedfrom the need to keep climbing the corporateladder and finds satisfaction in reasonablejob expectations and a richer family life. Theolder couple finds greater satisfaction in livinga life of serving and loving that completelytrumps their fears. And the minister discoversto her delight that she derives more pleasurefrom seeing others succeed with her help thanfrom performing herself.Suffering and TrialAfter we have declared our commitmentto doing the will of God, we should expecta reaction from our flesh, and from Satan,who plays upon the strings of our flesh likea master cellist. The world will test ourcommitment to God, and we will suddenlyhave multiple opportunities to break ourword. Whether we have determined tolose weight or to witness more, we shouldexpect that our commitment will be metby spiritual opposition. But “this too willpass.” We must stand strong in these timesof trial, letting them wash over us. Ratherthan trying to gut it out on our own, we mustkeep asking the Lord to give us strengthin these times to help us overcome. To dothe will of God requires that we have thepower of God—the power of resurrection.As Jesus bravely accepted the trial of hisfaith, not becoming angry and resentful, somust we. Learning to love, be at peace, findjoy, and be kind to others while in a faithtrial is good training in Christ-likeness.Facing “Death”Feature ArticleIt is interesting to consider that,according to the Bible, all bondage orlimitations on our freedom come from onesource: the fear of death.Hebrews 2:14 and 15(14) Since the children have fleshand blood, he too shared in theirhumanity so that by his deathhe might destroy him who holdsthe power of death―that is, thedevil―(15) and free those who all theirlives were held in slavery by theirfear of death.So it is only logical that in order toexpand our freedom to love and serve, wemust overcome the fear of death in all itsforms. There have been literally thousandsof phobias identified, but they all haveone thing in common: a fear of death. Incounseling settings I have often heardpeople speak of death when expressingtheir feelings about having to changesomething in their lives. If they were togive up control, they would “just die.” Ifthey were to admit they were wrong aboutsomething, they would be trampled todeath emotionally by those who overpowerthem. If they were to accept some negativefeedback about themselves, they woulddie. If they gave up their commitment toappearing youthful, they would quicklyslide into senility and death. But the truth is,all these “deaths” are fictional, and hold usin bondage. Once we face them and refuseto be tyrannized by them any longer, andtrust that God will be there on the other sideof letting go of these things, we discovergreater faith, peace, joy—all the things thatonly God can provide.So losing our fear of death in all formsis a great way to expand our freedom. Andcan’t we expect our loving God to work inus to free us from this fear of death in allits forms so we can love Him and othersmore? Facing and enduring trials of faithcan bring about an increase of faith in God’spower to deliver and resurrect. But theyalso often involve us giving up some ofour attachments: to comfort, to knowledge,to ease, to looking good, to being the giverrather than the one in need, etc. We have toallow these things to die in us before we willsee the great power of God in our lives. Pauloften speaks of death as that which frees usto serve God and bring life to others.Romans 7:6But now, by dying to what oncebound us (i.e., the law), we havebeen released from the law so thatwe serve in the new way of theSpirit, and not in the old way ofthe written code.2 Corinthians 4:10-12(10) We always carry around inour body the dying of Jesus, sothat the life of Jesus may also berevealed in our body.(11) For we who are alive arealways being given over to deathfor Jesus’ sake, so that his life maybe revealed in our mortal body.(12) So then, death is at work inus, but life is at work in you.2 Corinthians 6:4, 5a and 9b(4) Rather, as servants of God wecommend ourselves in every way:in great endurance; in troubles,hardships and distresses;(5a) in beatings, imprisonmentsand riots;…(9b) …dying, and yet we live on…The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Feature ArticleThe Power of His ResurrectionBelieving that God would raise Isaacfrom the dead is what enabled Abrahamto be obedient to sacrifice him (Gen. 22:5;Heb. 11:17-19). Our faith in the resurrectionpower of God in Christ Jesus will enable usto put to death anything in the flesh that islimiting our ability to love and serve God.Nothing else that we believe will help us asmuch as recognizing that whatever we giveup, or put to death, God will resurrect intosomething far more beneficial.In a way, we grow spiritually likeorganisms that have exoskeletons ratherthan internal skeletons made of bone. Forthem to grow, they have to shed their oldhard “crust” and grow another, bigger onein its place because what has protected themin the past is now stifling their growth. Wedevelop such “skins” of self-protection--abilities that we depend upon too much, orformerly successful ways of being that areno longer helpful or fruitful. In fact, theyare killing us. We must shed the old andtrust that God will give us something betterin place of it. We must believe that Hiscreativity and resourcefulness is sufficientto provide what we need.Living in “Newness of Life”The last stage of the pattern Christ gaveus is what we might call “the lifestyle ofgrace.” As we continually live in humility,acknowledging our weaknesses and theinfirmity of our flesh, we are transformedmore and more by grace into the likenessof our Lord and Savior. We live as thosewho have been purchased with the price ofhis life, and allow him to live his life in usthrough our obedience. By living under hisauthority, and acknowledging his Lordshipover all aspects of our lives, we relinquishour pride, our autonomy, our self-will, andwe come to desire to please the Lord morethan pleasing others or ourselves. We knowthat his wisdom is vast, and his spirit iswithin us, enabling us to live every minute asif we have been raised from the dead. Whatjoy was set before Jesus, enabling him to gothe Cross knowing that he would be raisedagain to glory. So too we can face our liveswith joy, knowing that our God and our Lordwill give us grace to overcome our trials,and resurrection power to be raised from thevarious “deaths” we are called to die.This has been a basic exploration of apractical perspective on the resurrection ofJesus Christ. As his resurrection is the mostimportant fact of the life of Jesus Christ,so living in the power of his resurrectionis the most important key to enjoying theabundant life that he promised. This is not alife without trials, but one full of deliveranceand the overcoming of obstacles. It is alsoa life marked by the joy that comes frombeing loved by One so wise and wonderful,who can be trusted to the uttermost. ☼Additional Source:Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in theHealing of Addictions, Gerald May, M.D., (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 1988).Saved? From What?I (John Schoenheit) remember when I used to ask this question. I was not raised aChristian, but grew up with many Christian friends, and occasionally one would ask meif I were saved. One of my stock answers was, “From what?” That seemed like a goodquestion to ask, and whatever their answer was, I don’t remember. In any case, the answeris clear as a bell to me now: “from death.” God sent His Son Jesus Christ to save peoplefrom everlasting death. To be sure, God is a gentleman about it, and does not force HisSon on anyone. He allows us to choose between living forever or being dead forever.We all deserve death, of course. Why? Because all of us have sinned against God.Think of it this way. None of us “deserved” to be given life in the first place. Life is aprecious privilege, given to us by our Creator, God. Every woman produces thousandsof eggs that will never be fertilized and become a person. Every man produces millionsof sperm that simply die, when under slightly different circumstances they might havefertilized an egg and thus continued on. Since the dawn of time, millions of billions ofpotential people have not been born. Those of us who have been born have a responsibilityto recognize, love, be thankful to, and serve, the One who gave us life. That makes sense,does it not?But even the most noble and most generous of us struggle with giving back to Godthe life He gave us. Even after being a Christian for more than 35 years, I still strugglewith what I think should be “mine”—my time, my stuff, what I want. I try to put God first,but I too often fail. Too often I sin against my Creator, who made me for His purposes, notmy own. Thus, I deserve death, for the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Scripture tellsme everyone else has the same problem. We all sin (Rom. 3:23), and thus we all deservedeath.God, who gave us life in the first place, loves us, and does not want anyone to dieforever. He knew that Adam and all his descendants would sin and therefore deservedeath, so He sent His Son to die as a substitute for those who decide they want life. As aresult, anyone who wants to live forever can, no matter how badly they have sinned. Allwe have to do to be saved and live forever is accept the substitute who God sent to die inour place, Jesus Christ. We accept him by confessing him as Lord and believing that Godraised him from the dead—which is much easier than living a sinless life.Romans 10:9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heartthat God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.I may be a member of the “sin” crowd, but ever since I made Jesus Lord I am part ofthe “in” crowd when it comes to living forever. Are you? Why not make Jesus your Lordand live forever? It’s a decision you will long live to enjoy.(If you are saved, and want proof, read our article about speaking in tongues onwww.TruthOrTradition.com TOPIC: Manifestations “What is Speaking in Tongues andwhy does God say to do it?”). The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Feature ArticleWho is Jesus Christ?By John LynnThe Bible is the Word of God. It tellsus about the life and death — andresurrected life — of the greatest man whoever lived. His name is Jesus Christ. Forcenturies men have debated the identity ofthis unique man. How did he do the thingshe did?We assert that the answers lie in theBible. If so, the question is: “What doesthe Bible say?”We believe that Jesus Christ is acompletely unique (one of a kind) humanbeing.Why?There are few questions that deserve more attention than this one.He is the only man ever born by wayof God putting a seed in the womb of avirgin (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35). God put aperfect seed in the womb of Mary so thatJesus would be born without the sin naturethat every other human being inheritedfrom the First Adam. Therefore, Jesus isthe only-begotten Son of God (John 3:16-KJV) and the Son of Man (John 5:27).He is the only man who is called“the Last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). As theonly-begotten Son of God, Jesus was thegenetic equivalent to the first “Son ofGod,” Adam (Luke 3:38). As the only manborn without inherent sin, Jesus was thusthe only man equipped to be the Saviorand Redeemer of mankind. Romans 5:12-21 is the classic comparison of these twoAdams and the respective impact eachhad on mankind.He is the only man who had perfectfaith in God, and who, by his free willchoices to trust God, lived a sinless life,always doing the will of his Father (John8:29). Jesus was not a robot, programmedto obey God. If so, he could not have beengenuinely tempted to sin, just like all menhe came to save (Heb. 4:15). The absenceof a sin nature was not the reason whyJesus did not sin. We know that becausethe First Adam also had no sin nature, andhe sinned royally.He is the only man who died as theperfect sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 10:12-14;1 John 4:10). By his virgin birth, Jesuswas the “genetically” perfect sacrificefor the sin of mankind. By his lifelongobedience to God, all the way to hisdying breath on the Cross, he became the“behaviorally” perfect sacrifice for thesins of mankind (Heb. 2:17). Thus, he wasthe complete propitiation for fallen men tobe redeemed.He is the only man God ever raisedfrom the dead in order to confirm thathe was who he had said he was—theSon of God (Acts 17:31; Rom. 1:4). Theresurrection of Jesus Christ was Godkeeping His promise to His Son, and alsoHis affirmation to all men that Jesus is“…the way and the truth and the life…”(John 14:6).He is the only man whom God highlyexalted as “Lord” and “Head of the Church,”and to whom God has given all authorityin heaven and on earth (Dan. 7:13-14;Phil. 2:9; Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:22; Matt.28:18). As Pharaoh exalted Joseph to hisright hand and gave him all authority inEgypt (Gen. 41:37-46), so God has givenJesus functional equality with Himself.Jesus Christ is now God’s “right hand man”(Eph. 1:20), carrying out the work that willeventually restore this fallen world.He is the only man who is now theMediator between God and mankind(1 Tim. 2:5). It is Jesus Christ to whomGod has given the power to “save to theuttermost” all who call upon his name,because he ever lives to make intercessionfor us (Heb. 7:25).He is the only man who will gathertogether all Christians to meet him “inthe air” (1 Thess. 4:17) and give eachone a new body like his own (Phil. 3:21).As the promised “seed” of the woman(Gen. 3:15), Jesus Christ will producefruit after his kind, a race of people livingforever.He is the only man who will one dayreturn to the earth, destroy all evil men(and eventually destroy Satan and hisevil spirit cohorts), and rule the earth asKing for 1000 years (Rev. 19:11-20:7).At his first coming to the earth to Israel,Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God, buthe will come again as the Lion of Judahto save his people, Israel, and destroy allGod’s enemies.He is the only man who will raisefrom the dead every human being who hasever lived (John 5:21 and 25). As God hasgiven Jesus “life in himself,” so he willraise up all people.He is the only man who will judgeall men and women of all time (John 5:22and 27). Jesus will righteously judge allpeople, granting everlasting life to thosewho deserve it, and annihilating all thewicked (Acts 17:31; John 5:28 and 29).He is the only man who will restoreon a new earth the Paradise that the FirstAdam lost (1 Cor. 15:24-28). As “the LastAdam,” Jesus was God’s ContingencyPlan to salvage His original plan thatAdam’s disobedience thwarted, that is, aperfect race of people living forever on aperfect earth. Amen. 1He is the only man who is our Savior,our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Lord,our constant Companion, our Best Friend,our Big Brother, the Light of our lives, ourPeace, our Joy, and our Mentor in the artof faith.He is the Lover of our souls, and thatis why we love him and confess him asLord (Rom. 10:9).Endnote1. For more information on this future “Paradise” seewww.TruthOrTradition.com Topic: Christian’s Hope.The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Conference Reportto the personal rocks, each group wasgiven a larger rock, which was to be witha group member at all times throughout theweekend. This was an attempt to “bear oneanother’s burdens,” that is, to live in theawareness of what it feels like to carry theextra weight of another person’s burdens.Live Out Loud ReportThe LOL conference was a time to connect with God’s plan.More than one hundred and fifty peoplemade the journey from around thecountry for our annual “Live Out Loud”youth conference in Kalamazoo, Michiganon New Year’s weekend. This excitingevent brought together Teens & Twentiesfor a weekend of fellowship, teachings,personal growth, and deliverance.We opened Thursday afternoon withPraise & Worship, followed by dynamicteachings that set the vision for theweekend’s theme of “Culture Exposed:God’s Plan Revealed.” We learned that partof God’s plan for our lives is to understandour own significance and believe that ourvoice does matter. The evening concludedwith small groups, or cabin time, duringwhich each participant was able to connectwith others in a similar stage of life. Thesmall groups continued to meet periodicallythroughout the weekend, which proved tobe an awesome opportunity for personalgrowth and relationship building.“Live Out Loud” included powerfulPraise & Worship, exciting dance, andmoving dramas! Afternoons included freetime in the gym (it had a rock climbing walland pool), as well as workshops for morein-depth discussions on topics such as: Howto Find Your Voice; Speaking In Tongues;Doing a Teaching; Men’s & Women’sIssues. This allowed participants to gainmore knowledge and experience in an areaof spiritual importance to them.The teachings focused on the lies of ourculture, such as the messages regarding selfimage,communication, gossip, forgiveness,the power of words, and the value of eachperson. Then we looked at God’s plan andHis message: that we have a purpose, thatHe designed us in His image, that we dohave power and can make a difference.In order to identify with what it meansto be burdened by the lies of our cultureand the world, each participant was givena rock to carry in their pocket. In additionThen on Saturday evening we hada “Rock Ceremony,” which symbolizedthe laying down of our burdens. Afterconsidering what burdens they wantedto leave behind, each participant wasinstructed to meditate upon what it meansto be free of these burdens by laying themat the foot of the Cross. One by one, eachperson came forward to lay down theirrocks. The ceremony concluded with apowerful dance, prayer, and ministering,after which communion was served by theYouth Council and clergy in honor of thesacrifice Jesus made for us so that we canlive in grace and freedom.At least three campers accepted Jesusas their Lord on Saturday night as part ofthe “Rock Ceremony,” and many othersrededicated their lives to the Lord. Wethen broke out in to a rowdy dance partyBNN - “Believers News Network”& sparkling-cider toast as we praised andprayed in the New Year. The weekendconcluded Sunday morning with a fewsharings, as well as exhortations to go outand make a difference, to be aware of theschemes of the Enemy, and stay focused onGod’s plan for each of us!We look forward to this year’s Teens& Twenties Camp at our Camp Vision inBloomington, IN July 16-22, which will beanother opportunity to gather together forsweet fellowship. ☼[Check out our Jan/Feb 2006 CD/tape of the month forsome “Live Out Loud” teaching highlights! See page 4of the enclosed price list.] The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Figure of SpeechFigures of Speech:Keys to Effective CommunicationAntonomasiaBy John W. SchoenheitGod is the Author of language, and theability to communicate by words isone thing that sets apart man from all othercreatures. Figures of speech add emphasisand feeling to what we say and write. Noone has ever used language as preciselyas does its Creator in His God-breathedrevelation to mankind. When we recognizethe figures of speech in the Bible, we areable to more fully enjoy the richness of theWord of God, and also learn much moretruth from it. It is important that we becomeat least somewhat familiar with the figuresof speech in Scripture, of which there aremore than 200 varieties. 1The “Figure of the Month” that weare going to cover is Antonomasia, or“name change.” This is a figure that manypeople use naturally without realizingit. Antonomasia is the figure of speechin which a person’s proper name isexchanged for another person’s name or anepithet. The new name brings attributes orcharacteristics that are the reason for theexchange.When my son was little, he used tolove to jump on the couch (and other cushyfurniture). When I would catch him, I mightsay, “Stop that, Tarzan!” By calling my son,“Tarzan,” I imported the characteristicsof Tarzan, such as running and jumpingaround wildly, to my son. Similarly, thosewatching a basketball game might yell out,“Nice shot, Michael!” to someone who hadjust made an impressive shot. Someonewho made an amazingly long drive on agolf course might hear, “Nice drive, Tiger.”In each case, there was some importantcharacteristic imported into the situationwhen the new name was used.When Antonomasia is used amongacquaintances, the names are familiar,and so the meaning is clear. We all knowTarzan, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods.However, in the Bible we must pay closeattention to what is literal and what is not,and learn about the characters and theculture to understand the meaning that isbeing imported into the situation.A very good example of Antonomasiaoccurs in 2 Kings. When Jehu was comingto kill the wicked Queen Jezebel, shelooked out her window and said to him,“…Have you come in peace, Zimri, youmurderer of your master?” (2 Kings 9:31b).Jezebel knew Jehu was not “Zimri,” sowhy did she call him that? When Elah wasking of Israel, Zimri murdered him to gainthe throne, and then had the distinction ofhaving the shortest reign of any king ofIsrael, a whopping seven days (1 Kings16:8-15). By calling Jehu “Zimri,” Jezebelhoped she would get Jehu to recall thatpeople who killed the king in order to beking usually did not do very well, and thismight save her life. Thankfully, Jehu wasnot bothered by being called “Zimri,” andkilled her and took the throne.Another example of Antonomasiaoccurs in the book of Malachi, whichforetold that the prophet Elijah would comebefore the Day of the LORD.Malachi 4:5“See, I will send you the prophetElijah before that great anddreadful day of the LORD comes.When Jesus’ disciples realized he wasthe Messiah, they naturally asked why theteachers of the law said Elijah must comefirst (Matt. 17:10). Jesus told them that Elijahhad come first, but the religious leaders didnot recognize him (Matt. 17:12). Then thedisciples realized that “Elijah” was Johnthe Baptist (Matt. 17:13). Like Elijah, Johnwas a tough man and a great prophet, livingin the wilderness, without any recognizableteacher, working directly with the peopleand in conflict with the political leaders ofthe day. Calling John “Elijah” certainly fitswell, but the Antonomasia can be confusingif we do not pay careful attention to thebiblical text.The last example of Antonomasiawe will study occurs in Ezekiel 34:23-25.These three verses mention “my servantDavid” and “David my servant.” However,a close reading of the context shows that“David” refers to the Messiah, and theprophecy is about the Millennial Kingdom,when Christ rules from Jerusalem. Thewhole chapter refers to people as sheep,and contrasts this world in which shepherds“do not take care of the flock (Ezek. 34:3)with the Millennial kingdom, when therewill be “one shepherd” who will be princeamong them and tend them, Israel will besafe from both human and animal threats,the land will be blessed, and “showers ofblessing” will fall. Calling Jesus Christ“David” is appropriate because David wasa shepherd, and the figure adds richness tothe biblical text, but Bible students mustread carefully and pay attention to thecontext to fully understand what God iscommunicating in His Word. ☼Endnote1. E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible(Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted1968).Calendar CornerLearn more about our events at:www.STFonline.org/events2006March 25Camp Vision Work WeekendBloomington, INApril 5-9Spring Bible Study(Open to the first 30 registrants)Camp Vision, Bloomington, INApril 21-23Women’s ConferenceSpringdale, ARMay 26-28European ConferenceMunich, GermanyJune 20-25Family CampEvent CanceledJuly 9-15Leadership Development Workshop(18 and up, by invitation & application)Camp Vision, Bloomington, INJuly 16 pm - 22Teens & Twenties CampCamp Vision, Bloomington, INRegister online atwww.STFonline.org/registeror call us toll free at:888-255-6189 or 317-255-6189M-F 8:30 to 5 (EST)The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

The Contenderastonishment in man. We certainly see that inthe life of Jesus. Everywhere he went he didwonders, and men were astonished. So oneof the things the Jews should have known tolook for in their Messiah was a man who didwonders and caused astonishment amongthe people.The second name is “Counselor,” aword that is straightforward and easy tounderstand. The coming Messiah would bea counselor, one who gives needed adviceand wisdom. Many kings give advicethat benefits them or their kingdom, butIsaiah said the Messiah was going to be atrue counselor. He would give advice andcounsel that would be in the best interestsof the people in his kingdom.The third name is, in Hebrew,el-gibbor. Although the majority of versionstranslate this as “Mighty God,” that is dueto the influence of Trinitarian doctrine. TheHebrew does not have to be translated thatway at all, and it is safe to say that no Jewwas looking for God to come in the formof a human. “El” can refer to God, but itcan also refer to lesser “gods,” either spiritbeings or human rulers. The Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon shows that el can refer toa number of different things, including1) “men of might and rank,” 2) “angels,”3) “gods of the nations,” 4) the proper nameof a specific god, 5) “as characterizingmighty things in nature,” i.e., mightymountains, and 6) “the one and only trueGod.”Scripture contains examples of these;for instance, Exodus 34:14a states, “Do notworship any other god [el]….” The idolaterof Isaiah 44:10, 15, and 17 makes a god (el)and worships it. In Ezekiel 31:11 el is usedof a human ruler, and gets translated as“ruler” (NIV), “despot” (NASB), “prince”(NJB, NRSV), and “mighty one” (KJV).The word gibbor means strong ormighty, and refers to someone who isbold or audacious, strong or valiant. 6 Thephrase “el gibbor” is used in the plural inEzekiel 32:21(ESV, NRSV, RSV), whereit is translated “mighty chiefs,” “mightyleaders” (NIV), “strong among the mighty”(KJV), “mightiest heroes” (NJB), and“mighty warriors” (Moffatt). Given thatgenerally an “el” is a ruler in some sense,and gibbor means strong or mighty,“Mighty Ruler” would be a good choicefor the translation in Isaiah 9:6, and that isexactly what the Jews were looking for intheir Messiah.No wonder they were surprised whenJesus did not attempt to seize the reigns ofpower from the Romans and liberate Israel.No wonder Mary and his brothers thoughthe was insane (Mark 3:21), and no wonderwhen Jesus said he would die, that Petercould not accept it (Matt. 16:22). Yet we,looking back at Jesus’ life and forward to hisreign as king, can see that Jesus was, is, andwill be, a Mighty Ruler. Who but a MightyRuler could live like Jesus, wanting only toglorify his Father? Who but a Mighty Rulercould live a sinless life of self-sacrifice? Andwho but a Mighty Ruler could administerthe world to come? “Mighty Ruler” is amost apt name for the Messiah.The next name of the Messiah is“Father of the Age to come.” 7 Isaiahforetold that the Messiah would be thefounder of the Messianic Age. In biblicalculture, when someone started something,he was the “father” of it. Thus Jabal isthe “father” of the nomadic people whodwell in tents and herd cattle (Gen. 4:20),Jubal is the “father” of those who play theharp and flute (Gen. 4:21), and Abrahamis the “father” of all those who believe(Rom. 4:11). By saying the Messiah wasthe “father of the Age to come,” it was clearthat he would initiate the Messianic Age inwhich the blessings of health, safety, food,and much more, would finally be restored tothe earth. The disciples knew this, and justbefore his ascension they asked Jesus if hewere going to restore the kingdom at thattime (Acts 1:6).Although most versions translate “…Father of the Age to come…” as “EverlastingFather,” that is not a good translation. Theonly “Everlasting Father” is THE Father,God, the one whom Jesus addressed as“Father.” In neither Trinitarian nor BiblicalUnitarian theology is the Son ever knownas the Everlasting Father. Significantly, theRoman Catholic Douay-Rheims Versionof the Bible (revised into its more modernform in 1749 and still available today) reads“…the Father of the world to come….”The last name in Isaiah 9:6 is “Princeof Shalom.” Most translations read “Princeof Peace,” because “peace” is the usualtranslation of the Hebrew word “shalom.”However, shalom means more than just“peace.” It refers to an overall wholenessor soundness, a general state of well-being,peace, tranquility, and contentment. Byreferring to the Messiah as “the Prince ofShalom,” the Word is saying that thosewho live under his rule will not only have“peace,” i.e., lack of disturbance and war,but also wholeness, contentment, and wellbeing.Isaiah 9:6 certainly gave the people ofIsrael a vision of the Messiah to whom theycould look forward with great excitementand expectation. Their Messiah would be“Mr. Wonder,” both doing wonders andcausing wonder and amazement in thosearound him. He would be a Counselor,carefully guiding the hearts of his people,giving them the wise advice they wouldneed to be successful. He would be a MightyRuler, doing mighty acts in support of hispeople and ruling with a firm and fair hand.As the Father of the Age to come, he wouldinitiate the Messianic Age, complete withall its blessings, and as his rule continuedthrough the Messianic Age, he would be thePrince of Shalom, assuring that everyonelived in a state of well-being, contentment,and tranquility. ☼Endnotes1. More attributes of the Messiah’s kingdom, and moredocumentation for the points presented above can befound in our book, The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor ofthe Soul, pp. 61-65. See page 5 of the enclosed price list.2. John Schoenheit is leading a team of revisers andtranslators of the 1901 American Standard Version(ASV). This new version, called the RASV, willreflect the textual and theological work of ChristianEducational Services. Our goal is to make this the mostaccurate Bible translation in English.3. Technically, Hebrew expresses past, present, andfuture differently than English, but for our purposes tosay the prophecy is in the “past tense” is correct.4. For more on the prophetic perfect, see our book, OneGod & One Lord, pp. 375-379, or for a fuller treatmentsee, our book, The Christian’s Hope, pp. 223-240. Bothare listed on page 5 of the enclosed price list.5. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the OldTestament: Vol. VII, Isaiah (William B. Eerdman’sPublishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted1976), p. 252.6. F. Brown, S. Driver, C. Briggs, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (HendricksonPublishers, Peabody, MA, reprinted 2000), p. 150.7. We italicize “to come” here for the same reason thatKJV and NASB italicize words; to show they are notin the original text, but can be supplied to clarify whatis being spoken of.The Sower Mar/Apr 2006 13

Feature ArticleWhat is a CultIt is important that we use this word correctly.By Shawn MercerMuch controversy has arisen in recentyears concerning “cults.” There hasbeen much discussion attempting to clarifywhat a cult is and which groups are cults.These questions have become especiallyimportant in light of the loaded nature ofthe word “cult” and the suspicion that arisesaround any group labeled as such. Tragicevents, such as those involving Jim Jones inGuyana, are often the first thing people thinkof when hearing “cult.” It is certainly true thatthere are a large number of organizations,both religious and non-religious, that aredestructive cults. Unfortunately, it is alsotrue that the term “cult” is liberally used bymainstream Christians to label any groupswho disagree with their ideology andtheology.It is generallyaccepted that a cult is agroup of people who unitearound the charismaticleadership and ideologyof a particular leader orgroup of leaders. Thoseleaders often manipulatepeople in the organizationin order to achieve theirdesired results. A genuinecult characteristically holdsthat the ultimate vision ofthe organization justifiesany action, even if it isunethical. Steven Hassan,a leading exit-counselorand author of the book,Combating Cult MindControl, writes, “Any group that engagesin outright deception to pursue its ends,whether religious or secular in its apparentorientation, I define as a destructive cult.”The International Cultic Studies Associationwebsite provides the following:One of the more commonly quoteddefinitions of “cult” was articulatedat an ICSA/UCLA WingspreadConference on Cultism in 1985:“Any group thatengages in outrightdeception to pursueits ends, whetherreligious or secularin its apparentorientation, I defineas a destructive cult.”-Steven Hassan“Cult (totalist type):A group or movementexhibiting a great orexcessive devotion ordedication to some person,idea, or thing, and employingunethically manipulativetechniques of persuasion andcontrol (e.g., isolation from formerfriends and family, debilitation,use of special methods to heightensuggestibility and subservience,powerful group pressures,information management,suspension of individuality orcritical judgment, promotion oftotal dependency on the groupand fear of leaving it, etc.),designed to advance the goals ofthe group’s leaders, to the actualor possible detriment of members,their families, or thecommunity (West &Langone, 1986, pp.119-120). 1People in cults havea high risk of abusedue to the excessivepraise and glorificationof their leaders. Oftenthis environment leadsto corruption and abuseof the members as theleaders gain in theirpower. 2 It is importantthat we stay far awayfrom any organization asdescribed above, becausethere is no purpose thatjustifies the practices of cultic control andmanipulation.Not everyone is in agreement with theabove definition for “cult.” For mainstreamChristianity specifically, the definition of acult has expanded to mean any group thatis outside of its current orthodox beliefsconcerning God. Walter Martin (nowdeceased), author of the popular book,Kingdom of the Cults, writes, “I may addto this that a cult might also be defined asa group of people gathered about a specificperson or person’s misinterpretation of theBible.” 3 It is unfortunate that the loadedterm “cult” is used to describe those whodissent theologically. In an effort to createunity, many in the Christian Church haveemployed fear tactics. Christians today aregiven the option: orthodoxy or damnation.How sad that “orthodox” teaching is nowthe standard for salvation. By this standard,is there any Christian movement that wouldnot be a cult when compared to the shiftingsands of orthodoxy throughout history?Given the drastic theological shifts inChurch history, orthodoxy is not safe groundupon which to base our judgments of truth.We assert that it is arrogant to designate allgroups that vary theologically from one’sown group or theology as a “cult.”Because of our stand for Jesus as theSon of God, but not “God the Son,” Spirit& Truth Fellowship International has beencalled a “cult” by mainstream Christians.It saddens us that there are Christianswho may be afraid of our ministry simplybecause we differ from the “majorityposition” in Christianity. Our ministry isstructured similarly to many mainstreamChristian organizations, and we base ourdoctrine on the Word of God. This beingtrue, secular sources correctly refer to us asa religious organization, a designation wegladly accept.We are proud of the ministry we have,and we encourage you to get to know us,and to examine the way our ministry isorganized and how it functions. We arearguing for biblical positions that have beenheld by many Christians throughout history.It is our commitment to set a new tone intheological debate, one of freedom to thinkwithout fear of exclusion or being labeled.We sincerely desire to be a support to you asyou grow in your relationship with God ourFather and the Lord Jesus Christ. Please visitwww.STFonline.org for more informationconcerning all aspects of our ministry. ☼Endnotes1. Cultism: A conference for scholars and policymakers. Cultic Studies Journal, 3, pp. 117-134. Foundon ICSA “International Cultic Studies Association”website: http://www.csj.org/infoserv_articles/langone_michael_term_cult.htm.2. Ibid.3. Walter Martin, The Kingdom of the Cults, (BethanyHouse, Minneapolis, MN, 2003) pp.17.14 The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Pursuing Paradise Together► Coming Next Year Nov. 2-4, 2007...Is the Trinity Biblical?consider the question, find the solutionThe InternationalBiblical Unitarian ConferenceAn academic conference for all who are interested inthe textual and historical foundations of the BiblicalUnitarian faith and the identity of Jesus.► www.OneGodConference.comSpirit & TruthFellowshipInternationalEvent Sponsored by: www.BiblicalUnitarian.com & www.STFonline.orgConference will be held in Indianapolis, IN. See conference website for details.The Sower Mar/Apr 2006 15

Partner Profileto be just mediocre. The Lord Jesus Christneeds people who will go the distance forhim and lovingly serve to the max. We havealways wanted to live life to the fullest,which means losing our lives for our LordJesus Christ, that we might find our truestfulfillment in serving him and our HeavenlyFather.Cara and I have long had it on ourhearts to build a strong, unified communityhere in Rhode Island and throughout NewEngland. What has so amazed and blessedus is how the leadership has supported us inour ministry. They have taught and inspiredus not for their gain, but to truly help usmove God’s Word with our people in ourarea.Partner ProfileDave & Cara HansonCara and I first connected with the Spirit& Truth Fellowship community in thesummer of 2002 when John Lynn cameto spend a weekend with us. We plannedthe weekend for John to not only teachthe Word, but also to hang out with us andshare about the heart of the ministry.Frankly, we were hesitant to becometoo involved with Spirit & Truth because ofour past experiences with another ministry,but John made two great statementsregarding this ministry. First, he exhortedus not to change any of our beliefs untilwe were convinced from God and HisWord. Second, he told us to look at thehearts of the leadership and what they weretrying to do. This reminded us of Paul in2 Corinthians 12:14-KJV, “…for I seeknot yours, but you…” What a refreshingbiblical perspective – to be loved andsupported by believers who expect nothingin return!After the weekend, we began topurchase some books and classes. Webecame partners, not because we weretotally convinced about being locked inwith Spirit & Truth yet, but because thematerials so ministered to us.The following year, they announced aconference in our area, and we volunteeredto help run it. This time, John Schoenheit,Dan Gallagher, and Billy Darr came toNew England, and we began to really seethe heart of this ministry. These men loved,served, and ministered tirelessly to blessour people and, needless to say, we wereso thankful to be involved. What we sawwas that this ministry was not just aboutserving people only to bless them, but alsoto inspire them to go as far with God aspossible in serving the Lord Jesus Christ.Our personal goals in life were to dojust that, to serve God and our Lord JesusChrist to the absolute best of our ability.We never wanted our lives and ministriesBeing partners with Spirit & Truthhas allowed us opportunities to grow andserve in a much deeper, more spiritual waythan ever before. We recently increasedour partnership amount and allocated theadditional gift to the research websites.After seeing what the ministry is doingthrough the Internet, it is exciting for us tohelp out in this way.Today we serve God and the LordJesus Christ and watch them bless ourfamily. We live each day for them. We aretotally comforted in our God and in ourLord, knowing that there are saints wholove and support us and who are there forus if we need anything at all. We rejoiceknowing that, as the song says, “somebodyis praying us through.”The saints of this ministry have blessedus both spiritually and personally. Theyhave inspired us to reach up and out morethan ever before. We count it an absolutejoy to be able to give of our financialresources to promote God’s heart throughthis ministry that has so blessed our lives.May God bless you richly!We love you!Dave & Cara HansonWickford, RITogether We Can!16 The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

Feature Partnership Article PlanPartnership PlanTogeTher we are reaching ouT and Teaching abouT The greaTness andgoodness of god and his son, our Lord Jesus, aLL around The worLd!Partners will receive: The Tape/CD of the Month, Partnership newsletterOne Vision, One Heart, and a 15% discount on most of our merchandise.TogeTher we can!Your partnership plan will begin on the date of your first contribution and will continue until you tell us otherwise. If youwish to change your pledge at any time, please let us know. We are so thankful for your heart to partner with us. Togetherwe are making a difference, “Speaking the Truth in Love” all around the world!Your pledge allows us to forecast a monthly operating budget, plan publications, seminars, and international events. Weare confident that the Lord will bless you back for your commitment. Our promise to you is to spend every penny wiselyand honestly before our Lord Jesus.PLEASE NOTE: The IRS requires you to deduct our cost of the materials we give you from your total annual gift. Youwill receive a reminder, along with our cost for the material, with your year-end financial summary.Fill out the information below or sign up online by going to www.STFonline.org/partnershipMy monthly pledge is $:__________($25 minimum)I am enclosing a check for $:__________Audio Tape Compact Disk(please check one)Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerfulgiver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, sothat in all things at all times, having all that you need, you willabound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:7 and 8-NIV).I will contribute via a check, cash, or money orderCharge my credit card or debit card on or about the 12thof every month. My credit card number is provided below, orI will call with that information.Set up an automatic monthly bank draft, processed duringthe first week of each month (approximately the 5th). We willsend you an authorization form.I prefer to waive receipt of the tape/CD of the Month and the 15% discount.(The above IRS regulation will not apply if you choose this option)_____________________________________________________________I prefer to waive receipt of the tape/CD of the Month or the 15% discount. Pleaseindicate above which one you do not wish to receive. (The above IRS regulationwill only apply toward those materials you choose to receive.)Name:Address:Home Phone: Work Phone: Cell Phone:Fax:E-mail:Visa/MasterCard/Discover/AMEX:Sign up online at www.STFonline.org/partnershipPlease make checks payable to Christian Educational Services and mail your form to:2144 E. 52nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46205Expiration Date:or call toll free 888-255-6189 (1-317-255-6189), M-F 8:30 to 5, or fax 317-255-6249.Thank you and God bless you. What a blessing you are!The Sower Mar/Apr 2006 17

Feature Fuel for Article the FireFuel for the FireFuel for the Fire is written by the Teens and Twenties of Spirit & Truth Fellowship International.Contact your Youth Council at youthcouncil@STFonline.orgDoes Jesus ChristHave a God?Sometimes the simplest questions we ask can bethe most challenging to theological doctrines.By Ryan MaherHello and God bless! Ryan Maher hereat the Spirit & Truth Home Officein Indianapolis, IN. I want to take thisopportunity to share my story with youbecause I find it very relevant to the topic(s)being discussed in this issue of The Sower.I’m 24 years old, and I became aChristian in 1997 because one of my unclestook a risk by sharing the Gospel with me.I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord andSavior and started learning as much as Icould about the Bible and Christianity.My uncle gave me many Christian books,which I read and from which I learned alot of doctrine. I later joined a church andgot involved with other Christians at myschool. Life was great and I was pumped.During that period of time in“orthodox” Christianity, I was told that themost amazing thing about God was that Hewas willing to become a man and die on thecross so that we could have forgiveness. Ithought, “Wow, what a loving God! That ISamazing!” I was deeply touched that GodAlmighty was willing to do that. That ideabecame the cornerstone of my faith, and Ipreached it to everyone to whom I talkedabout Christianity.[Here is where the story getsinteresting:] In the fall of 2001, a closefriend who asked me to look at a fewScriptures to see if they lined up with whatI believed challenged my “cornerstone.”To my surprise, I was challenged like neverbefore. My world was shaken because forthe first time I felt as though what I believedcould possibly be wrong, and I didn’t likethat one bit.So for the next year I made it my jobto find out what the Bible really says andwhat makes sense to me. After studyingthe Scriptures and comparing them to whatI had been taught about “the Trinity,” Ifigured out something monumental: Wordshave meanings, definitive meanings thatcannot randomly be changed. I began toread the words in the Bible in a new wayby taking them at face value. For example:Revelation 1:1aThe revelation of Jesus Christ,which God gave him to showhis servants what must soon takeplace….In this verse, God gave Jesus Christrevelation. The word “God” is present inthe same verse as “Jesus Christ.” Now thelogical mind says, “1 + 1 = 2.”This should make you raise an eyebrowif you believe that Jesus Christ is God. Notethat this verse does not say that “the Father”gave Jesus revelation; it says “God.”If you are a Trinitarian, your definitionof “God” is something like this: “A threefoldpersonality existing in one divinebeing or substance; the union in one Godof Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as threeinfinite, co-equal, co-eternal persons; oneGod in three persons.”The problem is that the above verse, aswell as those I will set forth in the remainderof this article, contradicts that definition ofGod. Scripture makes it abundantly clearthat God and Jesus Christ are two separatebeings, and perhaps Jesus himself said itbest in his classic prayer to God, his Father,as recorded in the following verse:John 17:3 (NKJV)And this is eternal life, that they mayknow You, the only true God, andJesus Christ whom You have sent.18 The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

In the rest of this brief article, let uslook at verses plainly stating that the “onlytrue God” is the God of Jesus Christ.Revelation 1:5b and 6(5b) …To him who lovesus and has freed us fromour sins by his blood,(6) and has made us to be akingdom and priests to servehis God and Father―to him beglory and power for ever andever! Amen.Whose God is Revelation 1:5 and6 talking about? Jesus’ God. “What? Ithought Jesus was God?” The logicalquestion that should hit your mind is,“How can Jesus be “God” and have a“God” at the same time?”Even in the book of Revelation (afterJesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension),when he has all authority in Heaven andon Earth, seated at the right hand of God,the Lord Jesus still refers to his Father as“my God.”Revelation 3:12“Him who overcomes I willmake a pillar in the temple of myGod. Never again will he leaveit. I will write on him the name ofmy God and the name of the cityof my God, the new Jerusalem,which is coming down out ofheaven from my God; and Iwill also write on him my newname.”There are many more verses showingthat Jesus Christ has a God. Here are afew of them:Ephesians 1:17I keep asking that the God of ourLord Jesus Christ, the gloriousFather, may give you the Spiritof wisdom and revelation, so thatyou may know him better.1 Peter 1:3Praise be to the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ! In hisgreat mercy he has given us newbirth into a living hope throughthe resurrection of Jesus Christfrom the dead.Fuel for the FireJohn 20:17 (NASB)Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging toMe, for I have not yet ascended tothe Father; but go to My brethren,and say to them, ‘I ascend to MyFather and your Father, and MyGod and your God.’ ”Hebrews 1:9You have loved righteousness andhated wickedness; therefore God,your God, has set you above yourcompanions by anointing you withthe oil of joy.”Romans 15:6So that with one heart andmouth you may glorify the Godand Father of our Lord JesusChrist.2 Corinthians 11:31 (KJV)The God and Father of our LordJesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not.In conclusion, I have learned that theBible makes sense as it stands, and thatI need not change the simple meaningsof words like “son” or “my God.” Norshould I import extra-biblical terminologyor concepts into a discussion of a biblicaltopic. If what you believe about JesusChrist does not make sense, I hope you willkeep searching the Word for something thatdoes. God is not a God of confusion, and Hewants us to have an intimate relationshipwith Him and His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John1:3). I will leave you with this:2 Corinthians 1:3Praise be to the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, theFather of compassion and the Godof all comfort. ☼What aboutJohn 1:1?Good question - Visitwww.BiblicalUnitarian.com for avery detailed biblical explanation.2006 Teens &Twenties CampComing July 16-22Bloomington, INCamp VisionThe Sower Mar/Apr 2006 19

Family News, Views, and FeedbackFamily News, Views, and FeedbackDo you have something to share with the Spirit & Truth Family of believers that would edify, encourage, and inspire?If so, send it to us and we may publish it. To contact any of these folks, contact us and we will forward it on.(We reserve the right to edit for readability and length, and unless you tell us otherwise, we will print your name, city, and state.)Dear Sower,Greetings in the Name of our L-rdI have for YEARS struggled with the factthat the Trinity makes no sense and appearsto be flatly contradicted in numerous placesthroughout Scripture. I struggled to reconcilemy faith in Jesus as Savior and Messiah withthe fact that the idea of a Trinity is totallyalien to Jewish culture, which I come out of.I had to fight with the idea coming at me thatJesus (Yeshua) is G-d, which cannot be soin light of verses where Jesus says he hasa G-d.I am an elder in a very Trinitarian churchin north central Florida, and it is rough, let metell you. I totally support Jesus presented asthe only way to G-d, and all that the churchhere is doing in that direction, which is somuch more than most churches nowadays.But I have to admit I cringe when I hear Jesusproclaimed as G-d. That contamination ofour faith constantly rears its head in virtuallyevery service, and frankly is nothing shortof confused polytheism masquerading asmonotheism.I prayed that the L-rd would helpme understand his truth, and after somedays I came upon your website (www.BiblicalUnitarian.com). I thank G-d for this,and thank you for being there.I ask that you pray that I will have thechance to open people’s eyes to the glory ofwho Jesus really is and how wonderful G-d’sreal plan given in him truly is! Right now,even my wife of 30 years is not willing toconsider anything other than Jesus beingG-d. It is very hard, even though she knowshow the doctrine of the Trinity polluting ourfaith has bothered me for years. I think itfrightens her to consider anything else.Thank you for praying and may theG-d who answers prayer be blessed forever!Baruch Hashem!David ben Jochanan Kaufman20 The Sower Mar/Apr 2006Dear Sower,I have to start off by saying howthankful I am to have had the chance to goto “Live Out Loud.” I am always amazedby God’s power and grace in my life. I waspraying day and night about going, andhow I would manage to get there. I wasoverwhelmed with the financial aspectof it (being from California and flyingto Michigan) but I simply decided that ifGod wanted me to go, He would have tofind a way for me to get there.When I heard my ticket was boughtand paid for, I was surprised to see howfast God had answered my prayer. Theway He went about providing for mebuilt my faith and prepared my heart to bethere. The theme (God’s Plan Revealed:Culture Exposed) could not have beenmore relevant to my life now. I have beenstruggling with body image issues andwith the way our society demands thatwomen be extremely thin.Kristin Burke’s teaching really spoketo my heart about that, and John Schoenheitin particular helped me connect with howmy not getting that I am loved is cloudingmy perspective and relationship withGod. I knew that already, but I just didn’tunderstand that my feelings sometimeslie or are not based on truth in relation towhether I am loved by God or not.I am glad to know that I don’t have todepend on my own understanding/feelingsbecause there are times when I can’t standthe way I “feel.” For all that I learned, Iam forever thankful and in debt to youall. I was most blessed by the amazingpowerhouse women God provided in mygroup. I feel honored to have had the levelof honesty that we did and the chance toconnect with deep spiritual matters suchas our integrity and our longing to bewoman representatives of God. I also wantto publicly thank Gary Smith for his mostgenerous heart and kind efforts.Thank you all for yourgiving hearts and love.Patricia VazquezSan Jose, CADear Sower,I just wanted to take this opportunityto say THANK YOU to everyone whodonated money that made it possible forme to attend “Live Out Loud” this pastweekend (December, 2005). I cannot tellyou what a blessing it was to be able tocome to Michigan to serve and get blessed.It was incredible to see the power of Godworking, and to see so many young peoplewith a desire to seek our Lord. It was justamazing. I am so thankful to be a part ofsuch a powerful ministry full of love andtruth.It was my first time coming to aministry event back East, and I was blownaway. It was so inspiring to see people myage really rising up as leaders willing toserve. I left feeling fortified, and excited toserve my Lord. It really reaffirmed for methat the Lord is calling me out to serve hispeople, and that is so much more importantthan anything this world tells me to serve.Seeing people get saved and delivered thisweekend reminds me that there is muchwork to be done.Being a young person living inCalifornia, and struggling to start a career,there is no way I could have afforded tocome out there on my own. I am incrediblythankful, and humbled by your willingnessto give. So thank you! I know that Godwill honor your generosity. May God’speace, grace, and love be with you. Thanksagain!!!Blessings,Kristin BurkeSan Fransisco, CA

Website FeedbackWebsite Feedback w w w . T r u t h O r T r a d i t i o n . c o m w w w . B i b l i c a l U n i t a r i a n . c o m Dear Sower,I wanted to express my gratitudefor the hard work you’ve put into thissite (www.TruthOrTradition.com). I amlocated in Anchorage, AK and am currentlyinvolved in three small Bible study groups,only one of which I’ve felt led to voice anycontrary opinion on the sacred subject ofthe “Trinity” (the belief in a “three-in-one”God: God the Father, God the Son, and Godthe Holy Spirit).It is difficult to discuss this matterwith most Christians, as many feel thatbecause they have gone to great lengths toswallow this intellectually bitter pill - anunderstanding of something that makesno sense - that must be faith. It’s a veryemotional subject, but I hope that as peoplestudy the Word, God will be able to makeknown the truth for everyone. Anyway,thank you for your effort. It is a greatblessing to have this resource website, andI’m going to donate right now.Matt SchierlingAnchorage, AKDear Sower,Your articles have helped metremendously! They have answered so manyquestions and given me new understandingin many areas of life. Thank you so much!I thank God for people like you who arehelping others see what a wonderful Saviorwe have in Jesus Christ. I have always lovedJesus, but in understanding what he did andwho he really is, that love has grown andbecome so wonderful. Again, I thank youfor www.TruthOrTradition.com.Sincerely,Linda W.Indianapolis, INDear Sower,Your article on “Slainin the Spirit” went into greatdepth -- thanks. I’ve beentrying to educate my church on thistopic. I have been moderately successfulwhen first pointing out that in the phraseitself, the word “slain” always refers tomurder in the Bible, and I think that alonetestifies to its own error.Joie Brunger[To read this article, please go to www.TruthOrTradition.com Topic: FAQ 2 “Whatis Slain in the Spirit.”]Dear Sower,Before I read this article (“What isSpeaking in Tongues and Why Does GodSay to do it”) I used to think that speakingin tongues was a gift for a select few. Infact, I never thought speaking in tongueswas even a useful ability. Not too long agoI went to a church, and after talking withthe pastor he asked me about speaking intongues. I told him what I thought of it,which wasn’t much.Shortly thereafter I came upon thissite (www.TruthOrTradition.com Topic:Manifestations). After reading your articleI felt compelled to try. I was so nervous andscared. I didn’t think I could do it until Iread the part that said that if you have faithyou will try. So I tried. Something cameout of my mouth that sounded unfamiliarto my ears. I wasn’t sure if I was justmaking up words, so I continued to try withincreased fervor. I became almost ecstaticwhen I heard non-English coming from mymouth. I immediately told my family inhopes that they would also try. I had neverknown that each Christian can do it untiltoday.Thank you for spreading the truth, andthank the Lord.Sean CorradoDear Sower,Coming across your website (www.TruthOrTradition.com) is an answer tomy prayers! Everything on your site iswhat I believe. I had been unsatisfiedwith mainstream Christianity for a longtime, yet I was hesitant to commit to acertain denominational church. I’ve felt soalone in my quest for truth, not fitting in atmainstream churches, misunderstood by somany Christians around me.I’ve been patiently waiting to find youfor so long!!! Thank you so much!!! Youcan’t understand what a burden has beenlifted from my shoulders tonight.LeahDear Sower,I’m from Finland, so my Englishskills aren’t very good, but I wanted towrite to you in spite of that. I found yourwebsite today (www.TruthOrTradition.com) and I have already read manyarticles. I think that they give manypeople hope and strength to believe. Godbless you with your important work. Iwill pray for you.Kirsi MarttinenFinlandWould you like to be a part of sowing God’sWord all over the globe? If so, considersowing into the website marketing fund.Every dime can help us reach one personsearching the internet for biblical answers.The Sower Mar/Apr 2006 21

Many months ago Michael Mantock ofLondon, England invited Mark andKaren Anne Graeser to conduct a “GoodNews Class” there, and they all had beenin prayer about the timing of when to doso. Finally, they decided that the end ofOctober 2005 would work for all partiesconcerned. Meanwhile, we continued toreceive through our websites more and moreinquiries about our ministry from people inEurope. We sent an email and a letter to allour European contacts to see who might beinterested in a visit from us, and heard backfrom a number of countries, three of whichwe had never visited: Belgium, Austria,and Poland. We were also interested inscouting a location for our first “EuropeanContinental Conference,” and if possible,to visit the Russian believers whom we hadnot seen for many years.Michael Mantock is quite an evangelist,and the “Good News Class” (pictures 1 and2) in London was principally the result of hisefforts. Plus Andy and Suzi Rawlins cameup from Southampton, and Lynn Thomasfrom the Philippines happened to be inLondon visiting with friends at the time.The class ran on the weekend of October28-30, and was well received. Michael nowsees it as a very helpful tool to help himintroduce more people to God, His Son, HisWord, and His family, and has plans to runmany more. Two European countries havenow run “Good News Classes”: Englandand Sweden.Before going to London, Mark andKaren Anne spent a few days in Irelandvisiting with believers. Michael andMargaret Heron (picture 3) met them atthe airport and escorted them to a nearbyhotel for soup and coffee, and to help themfind their way by rented car to Enniscorthyin Wexford County, where the Sweeney’slive. After successfully navigating narrowcountry roads at night in the rain, drivingon the left side of the road and shiftingwith the left hand, they enjoyed a visit withPat and Tina Sweeney and their two boys,Jonathan and Matthew. Patrick and Tina arePartners and were featured in the Nov/Dec2005 issue of The Sower (picture 4). Finallythe sun came out and Mark and Karenwere treated to many rainbows cascadingover the hills (but no gold or leprechauns)(picture 5).Feature Trip Article ReportAnother highlight of their time in Irelandwas an overnight stay with Steven and VeraNwabuye, Nigerians who heeded God’s callto move to Navan, Ireland, a small townnorth of Dublin (picture 6). They and theirfriends had found out about us through thearticle on tithing on TruthOrTradition.com,having just experienced how the teaching ofthe tithe can be used to tyrannize and abusea congregation. They found our article to bevery helpful, and liberating.Karen Anne then went back to theUnited States, and Mark went on to visitan independent Pentecostal ministry inBelgium, also composed mostly of Africanimmigrants. Sebastian Kema (picture 7)found us on TruthOrTradition.com. LobeBokene, the pastor, has helped establishtwo churches, one in Antwerp and one inBrussels. Mark first met informally with afew of the leaders of the fellowship (picture8). He then taught at an open meeting thelast night (picture 9) on the integrity ofScripture and our authority in Christ to dothe same work he did, followed by a timeof healing and deliverance from oppressionand sickness. He found the people inBelgium to be very thankful for his visit,and very open to learn and grow. The realitythat Europe has become a post-Christiansociety is brought home in this picture ofthe only remaining Christian bookstore inall of Belgium (10).While Mark was in Belgium, DanGallagher and Nathan Graeser traveled toSweden to visit Walter and Berit Williams(picture 11) and the saints up there in thenorth country (picture 12). Meanwhile,Mark went on to Munich to visit with Rainerand Barbara Schroeder and Peter and KimLamm who meet together for fellowship.Americans Gary and Donnell Nicks droveseveral hours down from the Air Force basewhere they were stationed (picture 13).Since being in Munich we have made thedecision to hold the first annual EuropeanContinental Conference in Munich May 26-28 (see the flyer at STFonline.org/register)because of its central location to all ofEurope and ease of transportation to andfrom there.Dan and Nathan met up with Mark inMunich, and together they all traveled bytrain to Vienna, Austria. On the train theysaw “Schonheit” (picture 14) in a headlineof a German paper, and thought maybeJohn had made the news (turns out hisname means “beauty” in German!). RoseOngeri, from Kenya, has lived in Vienna formore than 20 years, and is a part of a small,independent Protestant church there. Sheinvited Mark, Nathan, and Dan to stay inthe church, where they conducted two Biblestudies on successive nights. They found thepeople (picture 15) to be very serious Biblestudents who asked insightful questions andwere very excited to be shown some thingsabout the integrity of God’s Word that theyhad never seen.In Vienna, Mark, Nate, and Danhappened by the grace of God upon amuseum that had a terrific collection ofartifacts from Ephesus, including a life-sizereplica of the goddess Artemis describedin Acts 19! (picture 16). They consideredthis an extra personal blessing from God tothem.From Vienna, they took a train toWarsaw, Poland, where Jerzy (Polish for“George”) and Danuta Madej (picture 17)extended to us their warm hospitality andlots of delicious food (picture 18). Jerzy isa professor of Mechanical Engineering at auniversity in Warsaw and teaches graduatestudents. He holds many patents for trainengine design, and is a serious and analyticalstudent of the Bible, as one might imagine.He and the church that meets in the chapel/basement of their house are strong believersin One God (picture 19). There are manybiblical Unitarians still in Poland, who cantrace their roots to the days of Socinus in the1500s. Nate and Dan remained in Poland,teaching at the church on Saturday (they area Sabbath-keeping fellowship) and blessingthe precious people there with their energeticand fun loving ways that transcended thegulf of language and culture.Mark, meanwhile, went on to Russiawhere he met with a remarkable group ofbelievers in Moscow. Avel and NatalyaElisayev have faithfully continued tobuild a church in Moscow despite havinglittle support from outside the country andvery little accurate teaching of the Bible inRussian. But providentially, Andrei Dolbin,a man who found us via the internet and hadbeen translating One God & One Lord, hadmoved with his family to Moscow from theUkraine. Andrei and Avel met when theyEuropean Trip Report22 The Sower Mar/Apr 2006

19172111931041812came together to meet Mark at the airportin Moscow (picture 20). Andrei translatedfor Mark at the meetings at Avel’s. In thecourse of a weekend, Avel and Mark becamefriends despite the limitations of neither oneknowing the other’s language. But muchcan be communicated without words whenpeople share the same love for the Lord!56141320So many people attend Avel andNatalya’s fellowship held in their flat thatthey cannot all come at once. They meet forfellowship daily, and different ones comeon different days. To give you an idea of thespace limitations, Avel has to take the dooroff its hinges in the living room so they canmake enough room for the people and hismusical instruments (picture 21).71521Though in so many obvious waysEurope is growing darker spiritually, thereare many bright lights who continue toshine around the continent. We look forwardto doing more to help these preciousfellowships thrive and interconnect in thefuture by holding conferences, leadershiptrainings, and organizing translation work.With God’s abundant help, we envision arenewal of enthusiasm for the Scriptureand the power of God. The continent thatlaunched the Protestant Reformation is inneed of Transformation, and we hope to bea part of that process. ☼816The Sower Mar/Apr 2006 23

“Believe in God, Believe also in Me.”-Jesus (John 14:1)For research articles concerning the identity of Jesus, visit► www.BiblicalUnitarian.com2144 East 52nd StreetIndianapolis, IN 46205888-255-6189 or 317-255-6189Hours: M-F 8:30 to 5 (EST)STF@STFonline.orgwww.STFonline.orgNon-ProfitU.S. PostagePaidPermit #5677Indpls. IN“Forwarding Service Requested”TIME SENSITIVE MATERIALPLEASE EXPEDITENEW3rdEditionFor further study, please read our book “One God & One Lord: Reconsidering theCornerstone of the Christian Faith.” See page 5 of the enclosed price list. You can readkey chapters online at www.BiblicalUnitarian.com Topic: Recommended Reading.