“This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:39).
When the Apostle Paul visited Lystra he made a happy acquaintance with Timothy, whose father was Greek and mother and grandmother, faithful Jewish women. He observed the young man’s character and found him a more Christ-centered disciple than any other he had met in his travels With a keen eye for the next generation to continue Christ’s work, he eventually drew Timothy into his special team of missionary workers.
“For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (1Cor 4:17).
“I have no one else like him [Timothy], who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:20-21).
“And the things you [Timothy] have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim 2:2).
The Apostle John’s approach was similar; he wrote to the “elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth” (2 John 1). She was so hospitable that being alone, she was vulnerable to brethren of perverted doctrine if invited into her home. Though an old man himself, John was especially concerned for the spiritual well-being of these isolated children who could be adversely influenced by ungodly visitors (vv. 9 – 11). “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth” (v 4).
Regional ecclesias and the challenge elsewhere
In many (but not all) of North America’s larger cities, our young people find many Christadelphian friends in their own or nearby ecclesias. This social experience is not the essence of our life in Christ but it does provide the support of friendship and encouragement that makes the Truth more attractive. While certain small, isolated, ecclesias have grown in recent years, history shows that such ecclesias often struggle to maintain numbers and this limits the opportunities in Christ for adults and their families.
Consider a family of four children, with a local ecclesia of 10 members that meets 30 miles away. Father works long hours, contact with any brother or sister during the day is unlikely, mother would rarely see her fellow sisters mid-week, a sisters’ class is unlikely to exist, the children are the only Christadelphians in the local school, Sunday school has multi-age classes and the chances of always having enthusiastic teachers are not high.
These children live in a different world as far as the Truth is concerned. If they are making a healthy stand for their beliefs then they invite a cold isolation. It is inevitable that the events of the town and area will have more relevance to them than if they were in the company of an active and warm ecclesia and youth group. All children seek friends of their own age group but as they reach teenage years the strong likelihood is that these contacts will expose them to dangerous temptations that could quickly compromise their spiritual life. It is rare to find Christadelphian families in isolation whose children mix with principled friends of their own age, even of other denominations, outside the Truth.
These are the latter days and we knew that this general deterioration would come.Consider the challenges facing Christadelphian parents in semi-isolation. Wise advice is challenged most days by strong allurements at school and about the area. It is hard for our isolated children to avoid the sporting and social interests of their school friends.
How can we help?
Some would say “it’s just too dangerous to live in isolation with children. They need company beyond their family and worldly attractions are likely to influence their minds and take them away”. It is not hard to agree with these sentiments. But must all such parents pull up anchor and move to a city where the ecclesias are readily at hand? And if they did, our witness in the regional areas would be even less than it is now; not to mention the increased isolation of those who could not move.
In the earliest days of Gospel preaching there were ecclesias in relatively isolated areas. “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mark 16:15) does not sound as though the Truth was to be only found in a few large congregations with nothing in between. Family connections, employment, business opportunities and inheritance are all factors that ensure that there will always be some members living in isolated areas and this is important for a continuing witness to the Truth. Are there ways we might better help families in isolated areas? Answers to the following questions may enable us to hold out a strengthening hand to our brothers, sisters and children in isolation.
- How could our ecclesia develop a “special” relationship with one in isolation?
- How could our ecclesia conduct occasional joint events with the young people or Sunday School of an out-of-town ecclesia?
- Could our ecclesia provide staff for correspondence Sunday school?
- Could our ecclesia contribute to a roster of visitors to isolated ecclesias?
- When visiting distant ecclesias do we remember the children of that meeting and ensure we take our own children with us?
- Does our young people’s group ensure that young people in isolation are regularly informed of the youth program and accommodation is offered to encourage attendance?
- What gifts could we take to isolated families? What recordings of talks, what books etc., are suited to the ages and needs of the family?
- Has our Sunday school and young people’s group ‘adopted’ children in isolated areas so that they enjoy frequent contact with larger ecclesial families and their children? Involving mother, father and their children in spiritual relationships between larger and smaller ecclesias is likely to increase the success rate.
- What can isolated brothers and sisters do to enhance contact between themselves, their children and families in larger ecclesias? Fraternity is a two-way street. Is the isolated ecclesia an attractive site for an occasional ecclesial camp?
- Could our ecclesia offer accommodation to isolated young people who are coming to their local area for study or work?
Conclusion
In this busy age those in distant places may be easily overlooked. Let us bear in mind the wider Christadelphian community and in particular respond to the anxieties of those parents in outlying areas who pray for their children to be in the Truth and not be swept up in the passing interests of their local community. When we care for isolated children, we strengthen whole families and benefits accrue at several levels; the family’s spiritual health increases which can lead on to vigorous preaching in their local community. When the Truth is preached with enthusiasm, ecclesias grow, if God wills, to His praise and glory.
Notes:
- Based on Australian Association Christadelphian Ecclesias (AACE) Issues paper — Country Children, August 2012.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One