The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
June 10, 2001
In
This Issue:
"There
Was Once A Little Boy..."
By
Mark White
"The
Power of a Young Person's Influence"
By
Steve Klein
Once there was a little boy who lived in a rural community with his father, mother and younger brother. This family was not affiliated with any church, and rarely attended religious services of any kind. In the summer, some neighbor children would invite this little boy and his younger brother to go with them to VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at the church of Christ in the city. "Going to church" was a new and exciting experience for this little third-grade boy, and he would stand at the end of his driveway waiting for the neighbors to come by and pick him up. When the neighbor's station wagon stopped at his house, there would already be several other children in the car who had also been invited to the Bible school. When this little boy first heard the story of Jesus from a sweet, God-fearing woman, and when he first learned of and sang about the preciousness of the B-I-B-L-E, it was a life-molding occurrence. As the week of Bible classes came to a close, this little boy and his brother would plead with their parents to take them to "church" the following Sunday. Sometimes their parents would take them, sometimes not. But the neighbors kept calling each summer for the next few years. And the station wagon would always be filled with eager children. For the little third-grade boy, this week of VBS would be his "church" for the year. The pleading, however, finally paid off. The little boy's mother began attending the services of the church in their rural community each Sunday, and the little boy was able to go to Bible classes. Before very long, the mother obeyed the gospel and became a Christian.
Where are the neighbor children now who invited the little boy and his brother to VBS? They are both faithful members of the church, married, and have little children of their own. Where are the parents who picked up countless numbers of neighborhood children and diligently brought them to Bible school? The father now serves as a faithful Elder in that church. What became of the godly woman who first taught that little boy about Jesus? Though aged, she is still just as godly and sweet, and has exercised the same good influence over numbers of other little children. The little third-grade boy's mother is still faithful to the Lord, attending the same congregation where she became a Christian. The little boy's brother is a faithful member of the church. And the little boy himself? Well, he became a Christian at age 14, and is preaching for the College View church, where he is trying his best to find other little boys and girls, men and women, who will listen to the story of Jesus.
By Mark White
Over the past 10 weeks or so, the Oakland church of Christ has been blessed to see eleven young people obey the gospel. We've witnessed scene after scene of joyous parents and friends hugging and congratulating new brothers and sisters in Christ still wet from the waters of baptism. God must be given all the praise and glory for making these things possible.
Naturally, a question might arise as to why all of these young people are suddenly deciding to obey the gospel. Could it be that some of them have been influenced by their peers? Maybe so. And maybe that is the way it should be.
Children are natural imitators, not only of their parents, but also of each other. Paul alludes to this inborn mimicry when he commands us to "be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1). So, children are "imitators." We know this. But we get so focused on "peer pressure" as a negative thing that we forget that young people can and should influence one another to do good. Yes, it is possible for them to imitate good. In fact, the Bible commands it! The Bible says, "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good" (3 John 11).
There are important reasons for young and old alike to work at imitating good. For one thing, we'll have much less to fear in the way of negative consequences for our behavior. In 1 Peter 3:13, Peter asks, "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" It's just not very likely that you'll ever get in much trouble or be punished severely for following a good example. Besides this, the Lord will love and appreciate you if you will allow yourself to be influenced to do good. Proverbs 15:9 says that, "The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves him who follows righteousness."
The fact that young people can be influenced BY others necessarily implies that they can also be influences ON others. The Bible commands the young to be good examples, so that others will have something worthwhile to imitate. The young man Timothy was told, "Let no one despise your youth, but BE AN EXAMPLE to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12).
So, to the young we say BE INFLUENCED and BE AN INFLUENCE:
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Let yourself be influenced to obey the gospel, and then influence someone else to do the same.
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Let yourself be influenced to use pure speech, and then influence someone else to do the same.
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Let yourself be influenced to dress modestly, and then influence others to do the same.
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Let yourself be influenced to reverently participate in worship (no note passing, giggling, whispering), and then influence someone else to do the same.
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Let yourself be influenced to be kind to others, and then influence someone else to do the same.
By Steve Klein, from The Exhorter,
Oakland Church of Christ, August 22, 1999