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The Aee Journal is published quarterly by the editors. The views expressed in articles and letters publishedin the Journal are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the editors, regular contributors,reviewers, or other members of the Apostolic Christian Church (ACC). The articles and letters selected by theeditors are believed to be relevant to ACC members and generally helpful in improving the quality of churchthought, discussion and practice. The ACC Journal is intended to serve as a free and open forum ofexchange. Contributions and responses are welcome.

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Regu lar Con t ribu to rs f ReviewersRollen Easter; Tremont, IL Joseph Haring; Pasadena, CADennis Feucht; Portland, OR David Kapusinski; Norton, OHJim Fodor; Edmonton, Alta. Dan Simon; Issaquah, WA.John A. Swinford; Pasadena,CA

The imagery of fishing and fishermen is dominant in the New Testament. Many of Jesus' disciples, of course,were fishermen and often Jesus developed analogies in his parables and teachings between the activity ofcatching fish and the activity of preaching the Gospel to unregenerate men. The sketch that adorns the coverof this issue of the Journal is that of a fisherman casting his net in the prospect of a good catch. However, theyield of his catch depends greatly on his skills and knowledge of fishing. Similarly, the results of our efforts toevangelize or missionize are contingent to quite a large extent upon our skills and knowledge in this area. Inthe leading article by Debbie Gasser an attempt is made to alert Americans of the good prospects that arepresent right at home. Fishing may be just as good on this side of the ocean as it is on the other.

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[l@ liU@ rr U@ U [fu@ [g@ oU@ [FRichard RobertsToronto, Canada

In response to your editorial entitled, "The Making of Creeds" (Vol. 3, no, 3, pp. 3-4 ), I feel that thecomparison between the creative efforts of Handel's Messiah and the creative aspects that produced theChristian creeds is an inappropriate one. In fact the question I would put forth is: Are our creeds a result of acreative act in the first place or were they discovered as the church grew in the knowledge of Holy Scripture?There is a difference, it seems to me, between a discovery and a creative act. The centuries of church historythat produced our creeds were also centuries in which Christians were interested in what is true and what isfalse theologically and not just primarily in the creative act itself - as found in the sixteenth century Renaissance.The sixteenth century was also an age of discovery.The making of creeds or doctrine- as Isaiah records it (Isa. 28:10) - is always "precept upon precept, line uponline, here a little, there a little," and not just a sudden outburst of creativity from an individual or church council.Great works of Christian art, poetry, music and literature such as Handel's Messiah are the creative productsthat issue from our creeds and doctrines and rest on these foundations. Therefore, our creeds are not creativeacts but part of that foundation upon which all true Christian expression results.The second point I would like to refer to is the question of the authorship of creeds. While it is true that thecreeds seem to indicate singular authorship (note that the Apostles' Creed starts with the word "I" and not "we"as in "I believe ... ), this does not mean that the expression of faith is Singular in focus. The phrase "I believe"when spoken and affirmed in unison as the body of Christ can become "we believe." It is with one accord thatwe as members of the body of Christ believe. Those churches that uphold the Apostles' Creed as part of theirdoctrine often recite this creed in unison even though they use the word "I". The reference to "we" is alsounderstood. The Apostolic Christian Church does not recite creeds as part of their church worship, butpublishes such 'creeds' or statements of faith (in the Church Directory, for example). These expressions offaith and doctrine begin with the word "we" to clearly indicate what the church believes.The word "creed" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word creda or the Latin word credo which means "I believe."The meaning of this word in itself does not indicate singular authorship of any creed but personal belief. Thispersonal belief however needs credence and it is through the testimony of others, and not. through anyindividual creativeness in authors or church councils, that these creeds have their impact and validity. In sodoing these creeds become not just individual expressions of faith, but ones in which the whole church isinvolved.In conclusion I believe that the making of creeds are:

(a) not a creative act bu t a gradual scriptural discovery(b) not from individuals or church councils but from many Christians as theyapplied and grew in God's Word(c) creeds and doctrine are the foundation upon which all true Christian art is

based(d) the phrase "I believe" can be used in a collective sense; thus the synonymitywith the phrase "we believe"

(e) the word "I" does not always i.ndicate singular authorship but ratheremphasizes the personal nature of the belief expressed(f) the credence of our creeds involves testimony which is shared by the wholech.Jrch(g) the making of creeds are too important for one individual, or a fewindividuals, or even as church council, to be fully credited with.

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by Debbie Gasser

Debbie is a former short-termmissionary to Papua New Guineawhere she worked as a Nteracycoordinator, In this article shechallenges the reader to re-thinkmissionary strategy in terms ofreaching internationals presentlyliving, studing and training inAmerica as a way of missionizingpeoples in foreign lands,

Bombay is a hard city to work in, butthe response to the Gospel amongRamchand's people has been phenomenalsince be began sharing the truth withthe Hindu believing SindhL Osama and Somar have not had such obvious results in Saudi Arabia because ofthe strict Islamic law, but many friends have been asking why they have been talking about Jesus more thanabout Mohammed lately, Uttam has been having regular evanglistic meetings in northern Bangladesh, usinghis small boat to provide transportation in that roadless district. Uttam works long days but he does not mind; heis just glad that he has the freedom and opportunity to share the Word of God with other Bengalis like himself.The Lord has been preparing Abdi for a long time, but it was worth it After years of leadership training the Lordmade Abeli one of the most influential and respected evangelists Somalia has ever known, As he shares Jesuswith his people, they listen and often beg him to tell them ali he can,

These situations are not real, but the people are:" In real life, however, there is one big difference - none ofthem knows Jesus, In fact, they probably do not know much at all about the Bible, Since they are from so manydifferent nations, including countries that are closed to missionaries, the possibility seems quite remote thatthey could ever be effectively reached with the Gospel. Perhaps if God gave someone a supernatural "knack"or gift for language and culture acquisition, along with an unlimited expense account for t ravel, then he mighthave a chance of sharing Jesus with these people, Maybe God has another way, All five of these people arecurrently living in the United States and attending the local universtity not more than three miles from ourchurch, To reach them God may only have to stir up His children to see the opportunities surrounding themand the power available to them,

To be effective in missions the church needs to be aware of the opportunities thaI arise, Our ministry shouldremain up-to-date, flexible, sensitive. and creative as we reach out to the lost The trontters of missions are nolonger limited to Tibet, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka when citizens of those countries reside as close as Columbus,Los Angeles, and Washington, D,C, Our challenge is to start thinking in terms of people, not just geography,While the Lord still calls some of His people to cross geographical boundaries to share the Word, this alternatestrategy in missions deserves as much attention (Hanna, p. 11),

Five million high-caliber visitors are ternporaiiy residing in the United States, These spiritually neglected peopleare most often students, doctors, professionals, and diplomats, Their perception of America is quite differentfrom that of an enthusiatic tourist. To them the United States often looks formidable and lonely, rather thanhospitable and friendly, They have moved beyond the initial fascination with new surroundings and are nowexperiencing different phases of culture shock, Furthermore, internationals' response to American culture mayvary. Young visitors frequently crave acceptance, leading them to reject their own background and culture and

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accept all American customs and values without question. Older visitors have undoubtedly lost the prestigeand respect they once had back home, making it easy for them to reject Western ways and all they associatewith them (Lau, p. 28). When visitors return home, stories of rejection and homesickness abound. Even theirown international social groups here are not as effective in meeting needs as they may seem.

These international visitors often return home with a poor view of America, and an even poorer view ofChristianity. Approximately 6080% of Black African students who come to the Western world professing to beChristian return home with no interest in the Lord (Hanna, p. , 1). Most visitors are either uninformed ormisinformed about the Gospel. A number actually become bitter toward God and Christianity. But interestinglyenough, it is the rare visitor that will not be open to a genuine gesture of friendship.

What if these future leaders - who are presently studying and training in American universities - were to becomeChistians, changing the course of their own lives as well as their people's? The church in America has a uniqueopportunity that dare not be overlooked.

This is not the first time God in His sovereignty has arranged for the world to come to the Church instead ofChurch having to go to the world (the 'usual' pattern). From the beginning God's chosen people inhabited theland of Canaan, a territory strategically intersecting three continents - Asia, Europe and Africa. Throughouttheir history they were to be God's special witnesses to all who trafficked through their land. On the day ofPentecost particularly. God brought the world right to His people, where they could hear the Gospel in thepower of the Spirit and then return to their homelands as witnesses of the Good News (Hanna, 1975, p.4). Thesame potential is available today for Christians empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The requirements of such a ministry are not as difficult as they might at first seem. International friendsappreciate the friendship and hospitality of their American counterparts, as well as language help, cultural tips,and Bible studies. Underlying all this of course is a love for these visitors and a willingness to demonstrate thatlove by spending time with them and being committed to them.

It is not difficult to meet internationals. Usually they are not further away than the next cul-de-sac, local hospitalor university. Most visitors will respond to a wholehearted interest in them, a willingness to spend time withthem, and a readiness to listen to them. Internationals particularly appreciate being invited to a home for a mealand a short visit. Many are grateful for assistance with the English language and are eager to share theirknowledge and experiences in return. Americans should concentrate on establishing good relationships withjust a few interantionals, forgoing the favorite American custom of having many superficial friendships, andinclude them in various activities, always keeping in mind that friendships in other cultures demand greatercommitment than Americans are accustomed to makingo(Kershaw, p.4).

Most internationals are curious about the American way of life, including our religion. This is an excellentopportunity to show how America differs from Christianity, a distinction many visitors fail to make (Kershaw, p.7).Christians should encourage internationals to investigate the Bible and Christianity, at least intellectually. Manyinternationals feel that as well-educated world leaders they should have some knowledge of the world'spredominant religions. Many students are thus interested in joining Bible studies because first, they provide achance to learn the customs and religion of America, and second, it gives them an opportunity to make friendswith people who are genuinely interested in them.

Christians need to share the Biblical concept of God and man with them, always keeping the Bible central totheir message and turning to it for authority. Then as we discuss the claims of the Bible, we should invite theinternational to share his perspective, and we in turn Should investigate his religion 10 find key concepts that hecan easily grasp. Effective evangelism is seldom easy - crosscultural evangelism more so. Internationals often

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make a quick response to friendship, but a slower response to the claims of the Gospel so one needs to becareful not to become discouraged prematurely. In addition, the cost of following Jesus may be far greater forthe international visitor coming from a country or family hostile to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. An awareness thatconversion is often a gradual process helps in accepting initial negative responses (Barkman and Dayton, p,50). On the other hand, it is easy to misread courtesy for interest in spiritual matters. Christians should seeeach international as an individual who deserves to have the Gospel presented to him in a relevant andmeaningful way.

Discipline in mind and spirit is needed to reach beyond the familiar to the unfamiliar, to exchange the known forthe unknown. If the Lord brings people to our door, we need to be flexible enough in our mission strategy topause on our way to the ends of the earth and make sure these people are reached too. Christians have themost important reality of all to share with those who have not heard. It must be done in God's way and with Hispower to be effective in reaching the multitudes. Then victory will be assured.

ENDNOTES:1. Mark Hanna, "The Current Revolution in World Evangelization," International Students Inc.2. Mark Hanna, "The Great Blind Spot in Missions Today," World Missions Conference at Park Street Church,

Boston, Massachusetts, 1975.3. Lawson Lau, The World at your Doorstep, InterVarslty Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1984.4. RMax Kershaw, How to Share the Good News wah your International Friend, International Students Inc.,--,_ 1981.5. Paul F. Barkman, Edw'ard R. Dayton, and Edward L. Gruman, Christian Colleoians and Foreian Missions.Monrovia: Missions Advanced Research and Communications Center, 1969 .

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