"And thou shalt remember all the way in which the Lord
thy God hath led thee these forty years..." (Deuteronomy
8:2).
Although with this issue of
this little paper we commence its forty-fifth year, this year
marks a particular point in our history. With last month we
completed forty years since we moved into what has been known as
The Christian Fellowship Centre, Honor Oak. It was a real move of
faith, but with such evident tokens following that it was truly
of the Lord. In the years immediately preceding that step the
Lord had been doing a wonderful work of reconstitution on
spiritual principles, making very real the meaning of the Cross,
revealing the true nature of the Church, and leading into an
apprehension of the fullness of Christ. This meant that a company
of His people was being prepared to serve Him in a much greater
way than that of a local community. A vision was given of the
three greatnesses of Divine revelation - the Greatness of Christ:
the Greatness of the Cross: and the Greatness of the Church. In
this way the Lord, who saw further ahead than we did, prepared
for the big step which would have to be taken. So it was that in
December 1926 we occupied the premises which were to see the
development of a worldwide spiritual ministry, not unlike that of
the church in Thessalonica: "From you sounded forth the
word... everywhere..." (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
The details of that transition
and occupation make a story of Divine grace, wisdom, and
sovereignty, which lead us to bow in worship when we
"Remember". I have been reading through the records of
that work during those early years. The gathering of
ever-increasing numbers of the Lord's people and servants from
ever-extending distances: the steadily expanding ministries in
many places: the goings out of younger brothers and others both
to near and far places to preach the Gospel and minister to
believers: the strength and vitality of the local fellowship in
prayer and the Word: and (for this is also a very real mark of
anything that counts for God) the growing opposition from
without, and more than a little suffering within, by which the
believers were ever kept on strong outreach to the Lord. It is no
small battle against the power of Satan that things should be
maintained in essentially spiritual purity. Yes, there is
something to remember in those Forty Years.
But only heaven and eternity
will show the true measure of values which have to be hidden from
our eyes for safety's sake. That was certainly something that the
Lord wanted in order to serve a purpose. Through and by the
medium of a company constituted on the principles of the Body of
Christ a ministry has gone spontaneously from Far East to
Far West. A door was opened to the nations. We know from the case
of New Testament churches that, for a time, they were lights and
vessels to the nations. The churches are no more, but what God
gave and did lives on. The spiritual values live for
ever. We trust that it will be like that from these past years.
That ministry continues in and through those who have gone to
other spheres, some to far places, and what God has done in His
people can never be undone. Also in this little paper and the
related printed books the ministry continues in life and is ever
expanding. Of course, in the period of forty years many have gone
from our midst into the presence of the Lord, where "His
servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face".
A new generation is fast
replacing that passing one. Some of us who have been in from the
beginning may not have much farther to go. But - and this has
always been our position and testimony - time and natural
features are not the criterion. It is the God of resurrection and
Divine life who is "our life and the length of our
days". This is where we stand today, and what He wants He is
able to perform. There have been many times in the forty
years when appearances were that the end had come, but "God
who raises the dead" had other thoughts. It might be thought
that after so much battering and toiling a period of respite
would be given, but the fact is that this ministry is being more
fiercely assailed today than at any time before. By printed and
radio opposition, falsehood and calumny are being disseminated
against us. No effort is made to ascertain the truth or
"prove all things". Perhaps, in this, we have to accept
what we have so often said - that the battle will be fiercest as
the end draws near. It does truly seem that all those who have
stood most utterly for "the testimony of Jesus" are
having fierce and relentless pressure and trial today. Many who
do not know of our own pressure write from far places telling us
of the intensifying trial of faith and spiritual pressure. There
is consolation to be drawn from the fact that we know without any
doubt in our conscience that we have stood - and are standing -
only for the greatness and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
not for anything that we 'hold dear to ourselves' as of this
world.
What this new year may hold we
do not know, but what we do know is that "He
abideth faithful, for he cannot deny himself". There may be
more in the foreknowledge of God in our being led to make the
motto for this year what it is. How often in the forty years has
the motto just fitted into the year's need!
Let me repeat what I have said
more than once before. We only look upon this ministry as an
auxiliary or complementary ministry. We thank God for all that
which is of Him and for Him. We know our calling. It is
not the thing and superior to other ministries, but just
to supplement them. It is for the "building up of the body
of Christ". How we love to preach the Gospel to the unsaved,
and love to hear it truly so preached! But the Lord has held this
ministry to the purpose of maturing those who are being
saved. This is perhaps a more difficult function, for several
reasons. Deepening is something which is peculiarly costly, and
means that the vessels have to be taken into deep places. Then
evangelism so often has quicker and more apparent results, and is
therefore much more popular; it gives so much more exhilaration
and pleasure for such reasons. The realm of 'teaching' is fraught
with so many more perils, and is therefore watched so closely for
any ground of controversy and suspicion. Perhaps the devil has a
particular fear and hatred for the increase of Christ. I
think that the New Testament bears witness to that.
Now, in closing this preface to
another year, I just must thank those many faithful, loyal, and
appreciative friends who have given, and still do keep our hands
held up, by prayer, helpful letters, and other means. It is
impossible to send letters to all who write, but our thoughts go
out to you - even to the remote places far off - with
thankfulness to God for your encouragement. May this year with a
seven in it - 1967 - be a year of spiritual fullness for
you, for seven is the symbol of that.
Yours in His grace,
T. Austin-Sparks
Editor