B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #9
B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #9
May 8, 2003
I Cor. 16:9 “a wide door for effective work has opened…and there are many adversaries.”
NEWS FROM THE ECLA (KENYA)
Pastor Samson has sent this report on their work with AIDS children. The congregation started a school for these children on 13th January 2003 called St. David Kinship Academy. The number of children registered were 80 with two volunteer teachers. The congregation contributes something for the two teachers in the amount of 800 Kenya Shillings. The children are being taught Bible stories, Kiswahili and English languages, Praise songs, counting numbers. For the few months they have been together, the children have shown signs of good companionship, enjoying the learning. They live with their guardians. These children have lost their parents to AIDS and live with guardians. There are needs in the areas of: clothing, teaching materials, food and medical care. It is hoped a building may be built in the future, but as of now the
church building is being used.
CHURCH PROGRESS – The Etago (Kenya) congregation has started a small branch with 25 members who are under catechism instruction ten kilometers away from main Etago. There is contact with a Baptist congregation that has inquired about the church.
PRAYER ALERT – Pastor Samson asks that you pray for the congregation’s work.
SINGULAR TEACHINGS – We believe that we have the whole Word of God and that the Holy Spirit reveals to us through that Word. The 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament constitute God’s Word. There are others though who claim to have received visions from God, that God has spoken directly to them in dreams or direct prophecies. Some even claim other books to be revelations from God. We listen to the serious warning of Rev. 22:18-19 “I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book? If we compare what the supposed ‘new revelations’ say, they do not fit with the rest of Scripture. I Jn. 4:1 We have the Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Ps. 119:105 We need no other. We know that all the Bible is inspired and with no error. I Tim. 3:16, Jn. 17:17 When we consider these supposed ‘new revelations’ which have sprung from the mind of man we see they contain wrong things. Let us continue in the Word alone and we will know the truth. Jn. 8:31-32
NEWS FROM THE NCLC (NIGERIA)
Pastor Karl Stewart from the USA has arrived to work among the brethren. The second house for an institute teacher has been completed. Pastor Udo will use it. It will be dedicated to the glory of God by Pastor Stewart and the NCLC men. The NCLC pastoral conference set up a committee to investigate how to carry out a catechism competition. This would be among the congregations to test the young people on memorization and explanation of the parts of the small catechism.
SINGULAR TEACHINGS – CREATION
There was a time when all Christians believed that God created the world in six normal 24 hour days. Now the devil has fooled many into believing that it took millions of years. The creation account in Genesis 1:1-31 is clear that the ‘day’ is 24 hours, evening and morning each day. Those who say it took God millions of years are basically not letting God be God. God is all powerful. They are also not letting the Word speak clearly, but confusing things with their own ideas. Moses says, “for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them…” Ex. 20:11 In the following two passages the word ‘day’ is used figuratively as clearly seen by the context. “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Pet. 3:8 “For a day in they courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” Ps. 84:10 We let Scripture interpret Scripture. The context of Ps. 84 and 2 Pet. 3 indicate the word ‘day’ there is figurative. The context of Genesis’ creation account indicates that we see the term ‘day’ in its normal, everyday literal use. And the Exodus passage reminds us it is a normal ‘day’ in Genesis. We let God be God and we let Scripture
interpret itself to us.
Pastor D. Koenig