App
June 14, 2018
Dear Brethren,
We had our Elders’ Conference, May 2-5, at the Greater Cincinnati Airport Hilton Hotel. This was the 18th year that we held it there. They just finished a complete remodeling of the hotel, so it was like coming to an entirely new location.
We had the best conference ever! During our sessions, many of the elders spoke. We had reports from overseas, as well as from the local areas in the U.S. It was clearly evident to all, as each session progressed, that God blessed us with His Holy Spirit of love, power, and oneness of heart and mind—making it the best conference ever!
We had morning and afternoon sessions May 3 and 4, with most of the men reporting on their areas. Especially interesting were the reports from our overseas offices. Roy Assanti is compiling a nice booklet with highlights of the conference, which we will send to you. It will probably be several weeks until it is ready. In the meantime, with this mailing, we are sending a number of their messages that they gave during the conference. This way we can share with you the inner workings of the conference. Since there is so much material, we cannot send them all at one time on one CD—so additional segments will come later.
On the Sabbath, May 5, we had services morning and afternoon, with a tremendous meal between sessions. That morning we had two ordinations—a new elder, Albert Lee Jones, from Michigan, and Eduardo Elizando, from northern Ohio, as a new deacon.
Roster of Attendees for the CBCG Elders’ Conference, May 2-5, 2018
- Fred R. Coulter, Hollister
- Roger & Emy Kendall, Vermont
- Marlin & Nancy Fannin, Ohio
- Norbert & Denise Bohnert, Canada
- Duncan MacLeod, New Hampshire
- Gene Palm, Ohio
- Roy & Manola Assanti, Australia
- Roger & Sherry Tointon, California
- Lawrence Burchfield, Oklahoma
- Ben & Kaye Ambrose, Georgia
- Guilebaldo Elizondo, Texas/Latino countries
- Andrew Moses, Malaysia
- Albert & Charlotte Jones, Michigan
- Russell & Laura Kemp, Tennessee
- Mr. & Mrs. Steve Durham, Ohio
- Tom & Rhonda Fannin, Ohio
- Stan Timek, Pennsylvania
- Dana Glatz, guest elder from Montana
Green Elders not able to attend
- Helmut Burger, South Africa
- Frans Petters, Netherlands
- Lyall Johnston, New Zealand
Deacons and Other Attendees
- D James D. Lineberger, North Carolina
- D Bill Wax, Oklahoma
- D Noland & Faye Joseph, Florida
- D Eduardo Elizando, Ohio/Latino countries
- A Steven & Cynthia Green, New Mexico
Brethren, I want you to know that God has blessed the CBCG with very fine elders who love God, know their Bibles, and are dedicated to serving the brethren. We are very thankful to God the Father and Jesus Christ for such stalwart, converted men and their wives. Please keep them in your prayers.
I am sure that many of you on our mailing list do not realize that we have 20 ordained elders, as well as a number of deacons, who serve local fellowship groups. In spite of this fact, we are still a very scattered church.
However, in addition to the over 4,000 people on our mailing lists, with today’s digital technology we can actually reach out to people around the world via our Web sites, videos, CDs, our Bible, books, and booklets. We also have our publications in digital and audio format on our Web sites: truthofgod.org, churchathome.org, and afaithfulversion.org—which has the entire Bible, The Holy Bible In Its Original Order. At afaithfulversion.org, anyone can download the entire Bible—with Commentaries and Appendices, text and audio—to a smart phone at no cost! This way people can have the Bible with them at all times, to read or listen to!
Elders’ Godly Covenant: In the churches of God, there appears to be a covenant between Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church, and all the elders—also called “overseers,” not overlords. While their relationship to God the Father and Jesus is not directly called a covenant, their responsibilities, as we will see, are given covenant qualities. In addition, all elders are reckoned by God as stewards, as the apostle Paul writes: “Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come—all are yours; and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. So then, let every man regard us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Beyond that, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful” (I Cor. 3:22-23; 4:1-2).
In today’s world, little is known about what a steward is. A steward is defined as: “A person put in charge of the affairs of a large household [The Church in general is referred to as the “household of God” (Eph. 2:19).] or one’s estate, whose duties include supervision … management … of another’s property or finances,” according to the owner’s instructions for the benefit of the owner (Webster’s Dictionary, College Edition).
When Paul was going to Jerusalem for the last time, he called for all the elders to come to Miletus to meet with him one last time. There he gave them this warning, in which he also described their actual work as stewards of God: “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this: that after my departure grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:28-30).
What Paul warned here is nearly exactly what Jesus admonished Peter. In one of His last meetings with some of the apostles, Jesus emphatically instructed Peter three times on how he should serve the Church, and serve Him as well. The apostle John writes of this in the last chapter of his Gospel: “Therefore, when they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me more than these?’ And he said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’ He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things. You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep’ ” (John 21:15-17).
In his first epistle, Peter showed that he had indeed learned this vital lesson. He instructed the leaders: “The elders who are among you I exhort, even as a fellow elder, and an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that is about to be revealed: Feed the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion, but willingly; not in fondness of dishonest gain, but with an eager attitude; not as exercising lordship over your possessions; but by being examples to the flock of God. And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you shall receive an unfading, eternal crown of glory” (I Peter 5:1-4).
Jesus likewise instructed the apostles to not be overlords: “But Jesus called them [the apostles] to Him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them. However, it shall not be this way among you; but whoever would become great among you, let him be your servant; and whoever would be first among you, let him be your slave; just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:25-28).
The entire purpose of the ministry—all elders or overseers—is clearly defined by Paul: “And He gave some as apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we no longer be children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men in cunning craftiness, with a view to the systematizing of the error; but holding the truth in love, may in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, even Christ from Whom all the body, fitly framed and compacted together by that which every joint supplies, according to its inner working in the measure of each individual part, is making the increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:11-16).
There are many other aspects that can be added to completely delineate the duties and responsibilities of elders in serving the brethren and in protecting and preaching the truth.
The Process of Conversion: Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). Why is that? It is because only the few actually repent! As the apostle Peter proclaimed on Pentecost, 30 AD: “Repent and be baptized each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you yourselves shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God may call” (Acts 2:38-39). Repentance means to stop living in sin—which is the transgression of the laws and commandments of God—and to turn around and begin living God’s way.
On the one hand, many in this world are too wrapped up in carnal pursuits to be bothered with God—just as Jesus describes in the parables of Matthew 13. On the other hand, for those who answer God’s calling, the spiritual process of conversion actually begins with the operation of God’s grace in our lives and minds. Then, God the Father starts to draw us to Himself through Christ (Matt. 11:27; John 6:44-45; 14:6). IF we continue to respond by seeking God with all our hearts (Matt. 7:7-8), He leads us to repentance and baptism (Rom. 2:4, 13; II Cor. 7:9-10). God the Father personally rescues us from Satan the devil: “Giving thanks to the Father, Who has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the light; Who has personally rescued us from the power of darkness and has transferred us unto the kingdom of the Son of His love; in Whom we have redemption through His own blood, even the remission of sins” (Col. 1:12-14).
All of this is the operation of the grace of God the Father and Jesus Christ who are dealing with us through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul describes the process this way, beginning with when we were still living in sin as captives of Satan: “Now you were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you walked in times past according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan the devil], the spirit that is now working within the children of disobedience; among whom also we all once had our conduct in the lusts of our flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and by the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest of the world.
“But God, Who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, has made us alive together with Christ…. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this especially is not of your own selves; it is the gift of God, not of works [our own carnal works], so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, being created in Christ Jesus unto the good works that God ordained beforehand in order that we might walk in them” (Eph. 2:1-5, 8-10).
What are those good works God has ordained? They are: Loving God with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with all our strength; loving our neighbor as ourselves; loving the brethren as Christ has loved us; and keeping the commandments of God in their full spiritual intent. All of these can only be accomplished through the grace of God! We then become the spiritual “workmanship of God”—that is, He is creating within our hearts and minds His holy righteous character, as we begin to be perfected as God is perfect (Matt. 5:48).
This brings us into a personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ—as John called it, “our fellowship.” He writes: “That which we have seen and have heard we are reporting to you in order that you also may have fellowship with us; for the fellowship—indeed, our fellowship—is with the Father and with His own Son, Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3).
The Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives: When we are “begotten again” (I Pet. 1:2-3) by the Spirit of God from the Father, the Holy Spirit is conjoined with our “spirit of man”—and we receive the gift of sonship from God. We are then His begotten children (I John 3:1-3, 9): “[T]hat we might receive the gift of sonship from God. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Gal. 4:5-6). God then leads us with the power of His Holy Spirit: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Now you have not received a spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we call out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Rom. 8:15-16).
With our daily active participation in our relationship with God—through prayer and study, keeping His laws and commandments by His steadfast active grace—He continues to convert us, first, by writing His laws into our hearts and minds: “And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after He had previously said, ‘This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days,’ says the Lord: ‘I will give My laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds; and their sins and lawlessness I will not remember ever again’ ” (Heb. 10:15-17).
Then, with God’s grace and love for us combined with our love for God, we develop the mind of Jesus Christ—the converted Spirit-led mind, as Paul writes: “Now then, if there be any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any deep inner affections and compassions, fulfill my joy, that you be of the same mind, having the same love, being joined together in soul, minding the one thing [the Kingdom of God]. Let nothing be done through contention or vainglory, but in humility, each esteeming the others above himself. Let each one look not only after his own things, but let each one also consider the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:1-5).
This is how Christ is “created” or formed in us (Gal. 4:19) through the power of the Holy Spirit: “Even the mystery that has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been revealed to His saints; to whom God did will to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; Whom we preach, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:26-28). Remember, we are His workmanship.
Thus we imitate God as we are led by the Holy Spirit: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:1-2). Consequently, we develop the fruits of the Spirit—godly character: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control…” (Gal. 5:22-23).
John expressed it this way: “If anyone is keeping His Word, truly in this one the love of God is being perfected. By this means we know that we are in Him. Anyone who claims to dwell in Him is obligating himself also to walk even as He Himself walked…. By this standard we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (I John 2:5-6; 5:2-3).
Yes, we will make mistakes, stumble and fall because of human weaknesses and sin; but when we repent and cry out to God, He forgives us through the blood of Christ. John writes: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And yet, if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father; Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world…. If we confess our own sins, He is faithful and righteous, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us [through the “washing of the water by the Word” (Eph. 5:26)] from all unrighteousness” (I John 2:1-2; 1:9).
In truth, this is how we are the children of God—in a special sonship relationship with the Father. It is the Father who also gives us the will and desire to grow, change, and overcome: “For it is God Who works in you [because He is dwelling in us] both to will and to do according to His good pleasure…. So that you may be blameless and without offense, innocent children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:13, 15).
We are the workmanship of God, which He will complete unto perfection: “Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God on every remembrance of you, always making supplication with joy in my every prayer for you all, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:2-6).
Paul also encourages us with these words: “The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own spirit, testifying that we are the children of God. Now if we are children, we are also heirs—truly, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer together with Him, so that we may also be glorified together with Him [in the first resurrection]” (Rom. 8:16-17).
Thus, at the resurrection we “shall be perfect as [our] Father Who is in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Paul writes of the glorious first resurrection to eternal life, which we will receive IF we hunger and thirst for it: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; accordingly, it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became an ever-living Spirit.’ However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural—then the spiritual.
“The first man is of the earth—made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, so also are all those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly one, so also are all those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” (I Cor. 15:42-55).
This is the glory of eternal life that God has promised to us. This is what we need to keep fixed in our hearts and minds, knowing that regardless of what we may face in this world, we will always be looking to God the Father and Jesus Christ to be with us and to strengthen us with the power of the Holy Spirit within us: “[L]et us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entraps us; and let us run the race set before us with endurance, having our minds fixed on Jesus, the Beginner and Finisher [Perfecter] of our faith; Who for the joy that lay ahead of Him endured the cross, although He despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).
With this spiritual mindset, we know that nothing can stand against us—because as God’s children, God the Father and Jesus Christ are for us: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, because those whom He did foreknow, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His own Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
“Now whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He Who did not spare even His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how shall He not also grant us all things together with Him?
“Who shall bring an accusation against the elect of God? God is the One Who justifies. Who is the one that condemns? It is Christ Who died, but rather, Who is raised again, Who is even now at the right hand of God, and Who is also making intercession for us. What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
“Accordingly, it is written, ‘For Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are reckoned as sheep for the slaughter.’ But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ ” (Rom. 8:28-39).
Therefore, we can claim this steadfast promise of Jesus: “[F]or He has said, ‘In no way will I ever leave you; no—I will never forsake you in any way.’ So then, let us boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’ ” (Heb. 13:5-6).
Brethren, we are living in difficult and trying times; let us draw close to God every day in heartfelt prayer and in the study of God’s Word. This is how we can continue to grow in grace and knowledge as we develop godly character and love in preparation for Christ’s return—so we can reign with Him as He rules, and brings salvation to, this world.
As always, we thank God the Father and Jesus Christ for their goodness and mercy. Once again, we thank you for your love and faithfulness to God and to each other. Thank you for your prayers for us and for all the brethren. We thank you for your steadfastness in tithes and offerings, as we continue to reach out to new people and to the brethren. We pray that God will continue to bless you in everything, and that He will watch over you and protect you in every way. We pray for you daily—for your health and your healing through God’s love and grace.
With love in Christ Jesus,
Fred R. Coulter
FRC
