This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, as we continue in Your presence, we want to remove our shoes, because we are Your bondservants. Lord, what You have to say to us, speak. Your servants hear. In Your name we pray. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, I would like to do something different. I am not going to preach. I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.
My heart is open to you. Whether your hearts are open, I do not know; God knows. But I do feel it is time that we really have a heart-to-heart talk.
About two weeks ago, as I was meditating before the Lord, the word charge came to me.
We know that Paul, after he was released from his Roman imprisonment, traveled around to revisit those places where he had labored before. He wanted to cover some new areas, even saying that he was in a hurry. So he went to Ephesus, left Ephesus, and left Timothy behind. But the work was not done yet; it was not finished yet. So he gave a charge to Timothy.
And this word charge impressed my heart.
When God created man, He gave man a charge. Even though He had provided everything in the Garden of Eden, it did not mean that He wanted man to be idle. So He gave a charge to man.
As you read Genesis 2:15, God’s charge to man was to till and to keep. They were to till the ground, to make it more productive, and they were to guard the garden, because the garden was not enclosed and there was an enemy outside. So God committed this duty to man: to till and to keep.
But unfortunately, man failed in the commitment.
Then we find God called Abraham. God gave Abraham a charge. This was recorded in Acts 7:3 and also repeated in Genesis 12:1. God charged him to leave his native land and his kindred, and to go to the place where God would lead him. That was the charge to Abraham.
In carrying out that charge, we know the history—how there were ups and downs in the life of Abraham until, finally, he kept the charge of God.
And then we also remember Israel: how the children of Israel were in the land of captivity in Egypt, but God sent Moses to lead them out of captivity and to bring them into the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. The charge was given, and we know the story.
When Moses led the children of Israel through thirty-eight years of wandering, they came back to the east side of the border of Canaan. Then Moses gave this book called Deuteronomy. It was a restating of the charge.
Because the children of Israel, the first generation, came to the border of the promised land but failed to go in. And now they were again at the border of Canaan, and Moses encouraged them to go in and possess their possession.
Now, brothers and sisters, what makes me think of these things? Because forty years ago, that was where we first began.
So I would like to share with you some of the past history, in order that we may really be before the Lord and consider the charge that God has given us.
It was in the 1960s when there was a conference called the Wabana Conference. It was called the Wabana Conference because the conference was held in a place between three cities: Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis. So it was Wabana.
This conference began with the thought of a brother whom I knew very well. He is now with the Lord. He was thinking of bringing people together—those who knew T. Austin-Sparks, those who knew DeVern Fromke, and those who knew myself. So he wanted to bring these people together, and that was the beginning of the Wabana Conference.
Every summer, there was such a conference. Brother Sparks, Brother Fromke, and myself were the speakers. The conference place was not a very good one, but the spirit was good.
During one of the Wabana Conferences, two sisters came from Richmond. They were active in the charismatic movement. You remember, the 1960s was the time of the charismatic movement.
They came to the Wabana Conference and heard something they had never heard before. They were challenged by the Lord, and they were changed.
So when they returned to Richmond, one of the sisters invited Brother Chase, who started this conference, to come for a visit. It was through Brother Chase that I was introduced to this sister.
So, forty years ago, she invited me to come to her home, and we had a weekend together. Those who attended were mainly sisters. If I can remember, there were only two brothers: one was her husband, and the other was another friend.
So I visited this home occasionally. But then she asked me if I could come every month. So I came once a month for a weekend, and we had time together.
Again, they were mostly sisters, but gradually some young brothers heard of it, and they began to come. I know that some of the young brothers are now here—not young brothers anymore.
When the Wabana Conference came to an end in 1973, I suggested to the little group that was meeting in the sister’s home whether we should have a small conference in Richmond.
We all felt good about it, so in 1973 we had the first conference. Later on, it became the family conference, but during the first two years it was not a family conference. It was just a conference.
I remember, during that conference, we met at River Road in the Episcopal Diocese Center. They could only accommodate seventy people, but we had about a hundred. Brother Fromke and myself were the speakers.
Then we had the second conference in 1974. Lance Lambert of England was invited to come. If I may say that, that was the year our brother was married.
Now, after the conference, I suggested to the brothers and sisters, just a small group, whether there was a need for a testimony of Jesus in the city of Richmond.
Now, I do not mean that there were no churches in Richmond. We find Richmond is a city of churches. I do not mean there were no Christians; there were lots of Christians around. But was there a testimony of Jesus—a corporate testimony, an expression of the testimony? That is something that God had revealed to us.
So finally, we decided we would pray about it. After prayer, we felt God’s leading in it.
But instead of remaining in the sister’s home, we felt it should come out of the sister’s home. And not only that, but the brothers should be in responsibility.
There were three sisters at that time who were in responsibility, and they were so gracious. They were willing to step back and support the young brothers. So that is how we first began in 1974.
We did not have a place at all. We moved around to several places until, finally, the Lord located us in this place. Forty years is a long time.
But thank God, because we felt there was a charge upon us. Therefore, we felt we met together for that purpose. The Lord began to increase.
And not only that, but when we came to the beginning and middle of the 1980s, I think in this country there were other places that had seen a burden for the testimony of Jesus.
I think it was 1985 that we came together and went through some subjects, such as: Who are we? Why do we gather together? And so forth.
Thank God, through the years we felt we were blessed. The Lord was leading us on. We were learning.
But the enemy was unhappy with us, and because of that, he struck at the very center of our meeting. A group, with some of the responsible brothers, left.
As I look back, I think the reason for that was jealousy. But then God, by His grace, enabled us to continue on.
And the enemy’s work was not done yet. So again, we had another break, and again it was from the center. It was over a matter of teaching and doctrine.
Oh, the Word of God. We felt there were some errors in certain teachings, and yet some felt they wanted to introduce their teaching to our midst. Because of this controversy, again we had the second break.
After we had gone through two breaks, we were so weakened spiritually that we began to compromise. That is my feeling.
Instead of being faithful to what the Lord had entrusted to us, instead of being one with the same vision, we became a mixed multitude.
To me, I feel we came into the situation in the Book of Judges: everyone did what seemed right in his own sight, with good intentions, but there was no unifying vision anymore.
Brothers and sisters, I want to be very frank with you. I feel that is where we are. We are no longer a people with a unifying vision.
If today I should ask you, “What is our vision?” I believe we would have a number of answers. Some may feel the vision is for this, and others may feel the vision is for that. We all try to be faithful to what we consider is our vision.
But there is no unifying vision. We really remember what the wisest of men, Solomon, said in Proverbs:
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
It is of absolute necessity that we have a unifying vision. Because we human beings, we all have our own ideas. How can we be together as one?
What really brings us together as one—not just outwardly, but inwardly? How can we be one? The secret is in vision. You need to have one unifying vision.
That you may go together with all your heart; that you may sacrifice your own thoughts, lay down your own thoughts, and be together as one and press on, because there is a vision that unifies us. And it is worthwhile.
Thank God, He gives charges to people. Some people may have the charge from the Lord for evangelism. Thank God for that.
I remember when Billy Graham had his crusade in New York. We all went there to serve as counselors, even though we felt we could not join in because that organization included even modernists—people who did not believe in the Bible. But nevertheless, we all went to be counselors, to help.
But, brothers and sisters, what is the vision that brings us together? We do not despise evangelism, because this is the first step. Without evangelism, there can be no discipleship; and without discipleship, there can be no church testimony.
But, brothers and sisters, why are we here? I ask myself this question, and I want to humbly ask every brother and sister who is meeting with us to ask himself or herself the same question.
We are nobody, just a small group. There is nothing to boast of. But if we have a mission, if we have a vision, there is something worthwhile for us to go on—and even to pay whatever cost it may be.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want to be just existing. There is no meaning to that. If it does not mean something to the Lord, why should we be here?
We want to be something to the Lord Himself. We want to give ourselves to that, that the Lord’s purpose for our gathering together may be fulfilled.
We are not going for numbers. We want to be those who have vision—the vision that unites us into one.
A people without vision merely exist, but a people with vision pay a cost. Are you willing to pay the cost? Are we willing to lay down our own preference? Are we willing to bear the cross and follow the Lord?
Brothers and sisters, after forty years, I think it is time for us to reflect. Otherwise, we are wasting our life.
Let me tell you the vision that the Lord gave us in the beginning. The vision is very simple: the testimony of Jesus.
This is the charge that God has given to the church. What is the mission of the church? The mission of the church is to bear the testimony of Jesus.
The Lord said:
I will build My church upon this rock; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The Lord is building His church upon Himself. What He has built is an expression of what He is. And it is the charge, the vision, of the church to bear the testimony of Jesus.
We declare that He is Lord. He is in charge of us. We have no opinion of our own. We want to do everything that He calls us to do, and nothing that He has not called us to do. For the testimony of Jesus—that is what it is.
As you read church history, you find how the saints throughout the ages suffered for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus.
The apostle John was exiled for that very reason. He told us in Revelation 1:9 that it was for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus.
But thank God, it is worth it. Our Lord Himself laid down His own life for that testimony, and we are supposed to carry on the testimony.
The whole Bible is the testimony of Jesus. You remember when our Lord was raised from the dead? He talked with the two brothers who were so disappointed that they left Jerusalem and were on their way to Emmaus.
And yet the Lord took the whole Bible and explained to them how the Word speaks of Him. How He revived their sunken hearts. The same thing He did with the disciples gathered in Jerusalem—from the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.
Brothers and sisters, this is the testimony of Jesus. He Himself testified:
I am the first and the last, and the Living One;
and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore,
and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
That is the testimony. And that is the vision that we had from the very beginning.
So, dear brothers and sisters, I feel we are at a crossroads. I think it is time for us, as a people, to review our past and to be very honest before the Lord.
Where do we want to go? Why do we meet together? What is the purpose that we are here?
We do not want to waste our time anymore, because the coming of the Lord is imminent. We are going to see Him very soon—sooner than we think. How are we going to answer Him?
So, dear brothers and sisters, I want to expose myself, and I want to lay this whole matter before you. I hope you do not take it lightly. I hope you are serious about it.
Look at our time of worship. Where are the praises and worship? I notice that people do not even sing anymore, not to speak of praise.
We have fallen. May the Lord have mercy upon us.
I think it is time for us to wake up—not to go on as usual—because this is an unusual time. I think it tests us to the very utmost.
Let us be honest before the Lord. Are we willing to pay every cost, any cost; lay down our own petty subjects; and allow the Lord to get through among us for the testimony of Jesus?
That is the burden of my heart. Forgive me if I am too bold, but I want to be honest with you.
Maybe we should have some prayer.