Our World Bible School workers are evangelistic brethren who work pretty
much ³behind the scenes,² but are far more effective in spreading the gospel
than most of us will ever realize. They go about their work without fan-
fare, but are contacting and teaching more precious souls than many of us
will reach in a lifetime.
Allow me to update you on the work they have done for the year 2002.
Our WBS program has students in Nigeria, Ghana (West Africa), Malawi,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Johannesburg, Tananzia, South Africa, Canada, Australia,
Philippines and Jamaica.
Our teachers include Delores Pigue, Marie Rogers, Tamara Long and
Chester Goodwin. Helpers include Nita Boyd, Cleta Morgan, Mary Nell Cohrt,
Carolyn Howell, Eva Joe Williams, Ray Wehunt and Dave Tollett. Many of our
teenagers assist in the preparation and mailing of WBS lessons. They
include Alicia Wallace, David Gulledge, Jessica Gulledge, Nathan Moore,
Jason Griffin, Crystal Chapman, Nick Lowe and Devin Long. The teenagers are
so helpful and important to the program!
The teenagers sent out 1432 Bible lessons this year. We received back
678 lessons with 106 requests for baptism. The WBS workers at Mabelvale are
doing a great work in this area of evangelism. Please pray for their
efforts. There is always the need for additional workers. Why not ask
Delores Pigue what you can do to help!

MODERNISM REMAINS ALIVE AND WELL
Dennis Gulledge

Recently, I preached a sermon on the dangerous philosophy of modernism.
If I made any mistake in my own thinking it was in believing that modernism
was primarily an issue of the past, being supplanted by postmodern thought.
That is true to a degree. Benjamin Franklin once said, ³The sleeping fox
catches no poultry.² Let it be noted that the fox is in the hen house again.
In my studies, both in school and of my own reading, I recall the effect
that modernism has had in our brotherhood over the years. Robert C. Cave
shocked brethren in the St. Louis area, and brotherhood wide, by his denials
of the virgin birth and resurrection of Christ and his claim that Christians
could believe Jesus to be a myth as long as they accepted the ³Christ idea.²
The sad story of the takeover of the College of the Bible in Lexington,
Kentucky by modernists in the years leading up to 1917 is riveting history.
J.W. McGarvey led the opposition against the modernists of his day by his
articles in The Christian Standard, and such books as Jesus and Jonah,
Biblical Criticism and The Authorship of Deuteronomy. It appears that
McGarvey¹s books need to be read again in order to arm us against a giant
that is roused from slumber.
The Spiritual Sword (October 2002) contains William Woodson¹s ³Book
Review: God¹s Holy Fire² (pp. 18-22). The volume under review God¹s Holy
Fire: The Nature and Function of Scripture is volume two in Abilene
Christian University¹s ³Heart of the Restoration Series,² and is authored by
Kenneth L. Cukrowski, Mark W. Hamilton and James W. Thompson. All three are
Bible professors at ACU. ACU Press published it in 2002. Brother Woodson
critiqued the book from the standpoint of the authors¹ ³flirtation with
theological modernism.² The ACU professors employ the modernistic
code-language of the Deuteronomistic historian which dates the book of
Deuteronomy long after Moses¹ day (pp. 101-104). The simple consequence of
such is that Moses cannot be accepted as the writer of the Pentateuch,
specifically Deuteronomy.
Also, in regard to the certain Old Testament events (i.e., the exodus
and the crossing of the Red Sea), the ACU authors pit the ³raw data² against
³the meaning of the story,² and ask, ³Swhat really happened?² In other
words, the history of the exodus and subsequent events are not necessarily
to be accepted as factual in light of the lessons we might learn from the
story. Did Moses really lead the Israelites across the Red Sea? The verdict:
maybe, maybe not. The Abilene professors insist that ³historians, and
scholarsScome down in different places² on such questions (p. 100). What
matters to them is the ³theological meaning² we derive from such accounts!
Modernism is alive and well among us today, and its voice is loud and
clear from the presses of Abilene Christian University. Modernism would
eliminate the Bible as the inspired and all-sufficient word of God.

VOLUME 39 NUMBER 49 DECEMBER 16, 2002

OUR SICK

J. L. Taylor, a former member at Mabelvale is scheduled for aneurysm surgery
on Wednesday, December 18.
*********************************
GRADUATE

Sarah Spradling, daughter of Wayne & Susan Brewer, graduated from
Freed-Hardeman University on Friday, December 13th with a degree in Special
Education.
*********************************
MOTHER¹S DAY OUT

Starting January 13th, Pleasant Valley¹s Mother¹s Day Out Program will be
offered on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. They will also be offering one or
two Friday nights a month through this program. Friday nights will be
available for ages 6 weeks through 3rd grade from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. The
first night will be January 10th. You must register by January 6th. For
information or if you would like to help, please call Darcy Skelton at
225-5818 ext. 14.
*********************************
CAC SCHOOLS

The Pleasant Valley campus of Central Arkansas Christian School is accepting
applications for a Teacher¹s Aide position to begin in January 2003. If
interested, please call Sheila Cruce or Lisa Lancaster at 227-4963 or e-mail
your resume to scruce@cacmustangs.org.
*********************************

SERMONS FOR DECEMBER 22

Morning
The Matchless Words Of Jesus (John 7:43-46)
Evening
Richard Allen will report on his work in Russia.
*********************************
A reminder that there will not be a bulletin published next week. The office
will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
SEARCH
Week of December 22
WHEN THE FULLNESS OF TIME WAS COME
Before the first man sinned in the garden, God knew he would need and He
already had a plan for reconciliation, which included a Redeemer. The Old
Testament is the story of the preparations God was making for the coming of
that Savior. And in Galatians 4:4, the Holy Spirit says, ³When the fullness
of time had come, God sent forth His Son.² He is that Savior. That is our
message today.

EVENTS OF INTEREST
December 21.....Teen Progressive Dinner
December 22.....Bible Bowl Practice

OUR RECORD DECEMBER 15, 2002

A.M. WORSHIP 195
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 169
P.M. WORSHIP 148
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 119

CONTRIBUTION 5609
BUDGET 5570
***********************************
MEN TO SERVE
December 22, 2002

Darrell Orick Robert Overbey
Doug Parker Scott Perry
Harold Pigue Bob Jarrell
Stan Smith Doyce Tarkington

Evening Gary Poole
Gene Sullivan
***********************************
WEDNESDAY SONG DIRECTOR

December 25 Brad Horton
***********************************
USHERS FOR DECEMBER

Morning Gary & Blake Poole
Evening Cliff Boyd
***********************************
GREETERS FOR DECEMBER

Lori & Caty Douglas
Ray Wehunt
***********************************
ELDER CHAIRMAN

December Harold Pigue
***********************************