Volume 46   Number 3                                                         November 2003

0n Sept. 18, 1895, Booker T. Washington addressed the Cotton States Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia. Speaking to a racially mixed audience, he related a story about a ship lost at sea following a storm. With drinking water gone, the distraught captain was overjoyed when he spied a friendly ship. A signal was sent: "Water, water; we die of thirst!" To his dismay, the answer came, "Cast down your bucket where you are." Surely there was a miscommunication thought the captain, and the same urgent message was sent. Again the reply came, "Cast down your bucket where you are." After sending two additional messages and receiving the same reply, the furious captain finally complied-and found-not ocean water, but fresh water from the mouth of the Amazon River! In the speech Washington masterfully employed the same injunction numerous times as he coaxed both races to turn to each other in the task of reconstructing the South.

The task of restoring New Testament Christianity requires similar cooperation among believers of different backgrounds. In Galatians 3:27-29, Paul wrote of the elimination of barriers: salvation is for all! Another barrier that has been dismantled is a clergy/laity distinction. Christians comprise a priesthood of believers with Christ serving as high priest (1 Peter 2:5-10 & Hebrews chapter 5-10). As a people, we need to be reminded of the duties of priesthood and not trade our religious freedoms for the ease of being told how to act or what to believe. We have the responsibility of letting down our buckets where we are. Different from babes born into a Jewish family, those born into Christ's kingdom have a requisite knowledge of their relation to God and the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12).

Responsibility requires effort, though. Hence, passing the buck becomes a convenient temptation. An eloquent preacher whose sole job is filling the pulpit, we rationalize, can study for me, can teach me, can inspire me. Brethren, faith must be placed in God's word because man will fail us. Few churches have remained faithful to the Lord longer than 200 years, and schools of advanced learning associated with the Restoration Movement in America have had much shorter periods of allegiance. Hebrews 11:6 was written to every member, not just church leaders: "But without faith, it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him." Wise elders will equip the saints (Ephesians 4:12), not increase their dependence on mercenaries! Instead of hiring a preacher, congregations need elders worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17): able to teach, to preach, to ordain and oversee evangelists.

Churches of Christ today are very much like churches were at the turn of the 20th century. We are facing multiple challenges as to whether we will stay committed to the New Testament pattern. Many preachers are abandoning the restoration plea of returning to the New Testament for authority. Many large churches are imploding as elders allow unscriptural practices in a vain and secular attempt to reach more people. Institutions built on the generosity of Christians have become Towers of Babel, symbols of pride and agents of apostasy. May we desire living water (John 4:10). May we trust what God says rather than hoping in what he may allow. Let us exercise wisdom and discernment before drinking deeply and fully from any source, whether new or familiar. Search the scriptures (Acts 17:11). Test the spirits (I John 4:1).

F.D. Srygley in 1899 similarly expressed alarm at the willingness of members to relinquish priestly responsibilities. In a lengthy commentary on "professional preachers" he wrote: 'This weakens the confidence of the people in their ability to read and understand the Bible without the help of the schools. The effect of this is to discourage efforts among people who cannot attend such schools to study the Bible for themselves, form their own conclusions as to what it teaches, and preach the gospel exactly as it reads in the New Testament. Instead of robust individuality in Bible study and independent vigor in faith, people accept the doctrine promulgated from the schools, even though it is contrary to what seems to them to be the plain teaching of the Bible. They gradually come to have more confidence in the dictum of the schools than in their own understanding of the Bible." (Gospel Advocate, Vol. 41, p. 97).

Now is a crucial time to reflect on the roles and training of evangelists, elders, deacons, and members. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). The buck must stop here! The church at large is only reaping what it has allowed to be sown. Ignorance has destroyed many a people (Hosea 4:6) and cannot be tolerated (Acts 17:30). Mutual edification, the sharing of teaching responsibilities among local members, helped preserve the church in the Midwest from much of the apostasy of the 19th century. Those congregations that depended on seminary graduates and adopted the pastor system of the denominations soon embraced other denominational errors and went the way of the Disciples of Christ or the Christian Church.

In Kirksville we encourage our members to find a ministry-to let down their buckets where they are. When it comes to the ministry of preaching, principally the elders and deacons take turns preaching in the worship assembly, personally that usually means one exhortation a month for me. The outline is given to the Wednesday night teacher who extends and seeks practical applications for the Sunday sermon in our midweek class. Sunday evening we have a children's class in the front of the auditorium followed by an adult class. Our teachers generally volunteer on a quarterly basis. We try to develop preaching talents of members by giving them opportunities in teaching or assistant teaching, scripture reading, extending the invitation, and making announcements which we couple with song leading. As a speech teacher and elder, I take great satisfaction in seeing members develop their talents and have often met with members to help them prepare and practice their talks.

So you don't have a regular pulpit preacher? There is no need to be forlorn or to be so cast down. Cast down the bucket!

Another way that you can dialogue with me about these thoughts is to visit our Discussion Board at: