The massive advertising campaign for the Ryrie Study Bible has, unfortunately, taken away the attention of the evangelical public from The New Amazing Sermon Bible, known to the trade as the NASB. Published by Alliteration Press, this new edition of the Bible is exactly what the sermonizer needs. Let me describe its many features.
Instead of the usual concordance in the back of the Bible, there is a complete Roget’s Thesaurus (third edition), an indispensible tool for the man who writes sermon outlines that stand out. Following the thesaurus there is a rhyming dictionary. If the first point of your sermon is “Condemnation,” you can look up other -ation words and complete your message: invitation, vindication, ventilation, and so on. This rhyming dictionary opens up a whole new field for the serious homiletician.
There is a concordance of sorts at the end of the book, but it contains only Bible words that begin with the letter P.
Now for the pièce de résistance, an idea worthy of a genius, and also a masterpiece of the printer’s art. Get this: the initial letters of the key words in each chapter are printed in different colors! For example, in Psalm 23:1, the letter L in “Lord” is printed in blue, the letter s in “shepherd” is printed in green, the letter w in “want” is printed in brown, and so on. By using the series of plastic overlays that comes with the Bible, you can spot instantly every word in a chapter that begins with the same letter. Our printers have developed 26 distinctive colors, including a new shade of magenta for the letter x. We call it neomagenta.
Is there a system of cross-references? Of course there is, but it is so unique that all other systems pale in comparison. Our system connects words and phrases that begin with the same letter. By using these cross-references, you can locate every phrase that begins with “let us” or “we say” or “let there be.”
We feel that the New Amazing Sermon Bible will be a best seller, and Alliteration Press is looking for salesmen. Please send them your appellation, address, academics, and the appellations of three advocates who have been acquainted with you at least one annum. Be the first in your church to have this unique book. No crowding, please!
EUTYCHUS X
Ecclesiastical Palaces
A word of appreciation for the articles by Ron Sider and Tom Howard on ecclesiastical palaces (Aug. 17). It seems to me that Howard’s position represents a supplement, rather than a refutation, to Sider, and that Sider’s arguments against ecclesiastical extravagance are unanswerable. Certainly we must make room for those occasional acts of lavish abandon in our worship of God, but it is all too easy to twist this allowance into a justification for a lifestyle foreign to the spirit of Jesus.
Having been a member of Eastminster United Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas, I was pleased that Mr. Sider used our church’s response to the situation in Guatemala as an example of thoughtful stewardship. I’m wondering, however, when our pastor, Frank Kik, changed his name to “Kirk.”
KELSEY MENEHAN
McLean, Va.
We regret the error. The pastor’s correct name is Dr. Frank Kik.—Ed.
A beautiful church, whether “expensive” or not, can and should be a testimonial to the congregation’s stewardship. Beauty is a gift from God entrusted to his servants—be it physiological, musical, pictorial, architectural, or whatever. As with every such gift, it can be made an end in itself, an object of worship without giving proper credit to the source. Stewardship is the name for our responsibility not to let this happen.
ROBERT A. SCHADLER
Editor
The Intercollegiate Review
Bryn Mawr, Pa.
While many congregations use good materials to construct their buildings, they often skimp on the selection of a good church architect. The result may be a well-constructed building with a dull, squalid design. The Lutherans with their denominational architectural consultants might be an example of the leadership needed in this regard.
LOREN J. DYKSTRA
Elmhurst, Ill.
When you decide to print articles on the rights and wrongs of church buildings, please ask pastors to write your articles rather than seminary professors and professional writers. I appreciate the armchair lieutenants, but let me hear from the guys in the trenches on such an important and practical issue.
REV. CARL W. BAKER
Grace Church
Fresno, Calif.
Your oblique swipes at Bob Schuller and his Crystal Cathedral will delight small minds everywhere. The Crystal Cathedral may well become almost as big a drawing card as Disneyland, will be visited by people from all over the world, and may well be a magnificent tool for God’s Spirit.
JAMES L. ROHRBAUGH
Seattle, Wash.
Sorry, no swipe intended.—Ed.
Expensive churches do not take money away from giving to other causes—they inspire such giving. Those who have labored to erect them know what sacrificial giving is. They have set high standards. As Christians, how can we settle for anything less?
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BRIAN W. ASHURST
Carmel Valley, Calif.
I am weary of the frequently heard criticism that America is taking undue advantage of the less fortunate parts of the world and living in affluence at the expense of the underdeveloped and emerging nations. Where does this wealth that Mr. Sider deplores come from? It is created by hard-working, diligent Americans. It is not extracted. Our affluence has all been made possible by the simple ingenuity of Americans.
Let me also say that my wife and I give a 40 percent tithe yearly, have two Ethiopian refugees in our home, and sponsor a family of six Cambodian refugees. Waterloo, Ind.
DONALD RUEGSEGGER
As an architect, the logic of both Ron Sider and Tom Howard leaves me very cold and disappointed. The questions of “how much money” or “if money ought to be spent” are the wrong questions, as the ambiguous conclusions of these articles illustrate.
The real issues are (1) what is appropriate to honor God as we fulfill our roles as creators made in his image; (2) how are we best inspired to corporately worship God through the liturgies of our various traditions; and (3) what are the appropriate symbols for churches in the secular, structural surroundings, and in relation to God’s natural physical setting.
JACK KREMERS
Munroe Falls, Ohio
Southern Baptists
Your news article on the Southern Baptist Convention (“Feuding and Finessing in The Family,” Aug. 17) was perceptive and enlightening. However, one minor point needs to be clarified. You say, “Harold Lindsell … held two news conferences in which he discussed his new book, The Bible in the Balance.…” This gives the impression that the press conferences were called to discuss the book, which is quite inaccurate.
They were called by the Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship to discuss the situation in the Southern Baptist Convention. The only reason I was there is that I happen to be the president of the fellowship at this moment. The conferences were not designed to discuss my book or anyone else’s for that matter.
HAROLD LINDSELL
President
Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship
Countercultural?
Klaus Bockmühl’s analysis “Is Christianity a Counterculture?” (Current Religious Thought, Aug. 17) was valuable. A biblically Christian counterculture will be active and participatory, not secretive and evasive. Too long have we misapplied “separation of church and state” and avoided “worldliness.” We have done so to the detriment of an evangelistic witness to the American people.
GLEN DICKERSON
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Christian Focus, Inc.
Lubbock, Tex.
We call attention here to a mistake that appeared in Dr. Bockmühl’s article. A sentence that read, “Is it true that only Christians must not reject homosexual relationships?” should read as follows: “Is it true that only Christians must reject homosexual relationships?” We regret the error.—Ed.
Distorted Reporting
In a subtle way your news article on Dr. Carl McIntire (“Carl McIntire: On the Move from Cape to Cape,” Aug. 17) had the characteristics of an editorial. Curiously, some very important things McIntire has done were talked down or completely ignored, such as his providing housing for senior citizens, aiding refugees from Communist Asian countries, and providing tuition-free education at Faith Seminary.
The secular media have tried to make McIntire look foolish in his stand for the Bible and against Communism. Is it any wonder when a “Christian” magazine is fearful of reporting fairly about a minister?
LINDY VALENTINE
Lakewood, N.J.
Your article gave a distorted picture of the International Council of Christian Churches by discrediting its leader, Dr. Carl McIntire. Christians from all over the world have united with the ICCC to stand for the fundamentals of the faith, and to oppose false doctrines and movements. It was established to counter the impact of the World Council of Churches. The ICCC should be lauded, not dragged through the mud.
REV. MARK W. EVANS
Bible Presbyterian Church
Greenville, S.C.
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