What message would you tell the world if you could use only 50 letters at a time and would be given 30 seconds to deliver it?
Not too long ago, we made a survey of people who were asked the question as to how they most often heard about a particular business, with at least half responding: “on-site signage”. More than TV, newspaper and radio combined, the overwhelming advertisement which caught their eye was on a building’s sign display. When combined with the adage of real estate agent’s three most important factors in buying a home: “location, location, location”, we believed that it was incumbent upon us to literally let our light shine in downtown Toronto. In this, the fourth largest city in North America, in a building at the very heart of the city, we sought to investigate a more prominent, public display to extend the borders of Israel. Our view was to become to our surrounding community what our duty compels us to be: “the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill (and) cannot be hid” (Matt 5:14): a shining light-stand to all those around us. We have seen far too many ecclesial meeting places close down in the past years in Ontario (and know of at least three Christadelphian signs needing a new home), and we realized that a building exactly as old as the reborn state of Israel needed to remain. So the question was asked, “What do we say on our sign board?”
It seems that in this day and age, the world at large has generally grown ever more Biblically illiterate. However, I still come across sincere church goers with a readiness to discuss their faith, but quite often are ignorant of the most basic Scriptural information. That is why we need to stay away from “esoteric” language when we witness, which, by definition means understood only by the select few; intended for an inner circle of disciples”. These apparently private or secret words to a society at large would see “Christadelphian Ecclesia” as foreign and would tend to shy away, not being of that “nationality”. Since most of us can’t speak the
language of the New Testament anyway, we do well to witness in simple language and not assume listeners have any ecclesiastical background. I was recently told by a brother that in pioneer times, the title of our congregation, it was suggested by John Thomas, ought to be “The Royal Association of Believers”1to distinguish our community’s place of worship. A unique idea. This would stand apart indeed nowadays and, in actuality, presents the fact that we are a Kingdom of priests in the making. However, I’m sure our interested friends, inclined to pay us a visit, would be extremely intimidated, perceiving that their lowly position was unworthy. And it is just this very humility which is the type of attitude we would want in the people visiting us. Certainly, we couldn’t turn them away with such a lofty banner above our door. Interestingly, the word “chapel” has been used in times past, as well as sometimes in these days, and is a much more accurate title for our assembly halls. This word has always suggested a humble place of Christian worship, synonymous with a country setting, sequestered away; small and intimate. The word often also refers to a smaller venue set aside from the main hall, such as is found in hospitals and other institutions. Surprisingly, one of the dictionary definitions was amazingly appropriate for us: “this British derived word also refers to chapels as a place of worship for non-conformists, and is the word for non-conformist doctrine and practice itself.” Seems these early brethren really got that one right! So, to be ever the more welcoming, it is best to be simply understood, that the place that we meet on a Sunday morning is associated with Biblical Christianity as the world about us would try to understand it. No Christadelphian sign that I know of was ever erected for us, it was put there to reach our neighbors. The sign is in fact one of the best preaching tools we have. Let it therefore be understood by those with whom we wish to share the Gospel. We know who we are, the public does not.
The Barrie Ecclesia has had a sign on the side of a highway for many years and millions of vehicles pass by, exposed to a thought provoking message, mostly on a regular basis. Certainly, this constant message has been a landmark to the many passersby and has identified us, in their minds, as a Bible-based community. Also, some time ago, on a rural route in the farm country of Shelburne, Ontario, there stood three markers, alone in a field, on the 10th Line at the 25th Side Road. Many years have come and gone since they were first erected, yet they were a landmark proclaiming the Christadelphians and the ASK organization, asking, “Is this a closed book to you?”, referring to the Bible. Today, on a busy downtown Toronto street, there is another landmark now erected to declare that there is a God in heaven Who continues to watch over mankind and will one day soon send His Son, our Lord, to ensure that, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:9). Even so come Lord Jesus!
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One