| Memo to Pastors April 1999 |
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Y2K and the Peaceable Kingdom Several years ago Walter Klaassen wrote a 100-year history of the congregation of his youth in Eigenheim, Saskatchewan. He noted that this congregation was never unduly swayed by the various movements that swept through the 20th century, such as the fundamentalist movement during the first half of the century. He credited this healthy stability to pastors who preached a living and orthodox Christian gospel that tended not to allow such movements to gain a foothold.
Herald Press book editor, David Garber, noting the degree to which the new millenium would engender doomsday speculation of end time, asked Walter Klaassen to write a volume for the church on end times and biblical eschatology. For about half of the book, Klaassen takes us into the world and fanciful teachings of the premillennial forecasters such as Hal Lindsey, John F. Walvoord, and Peter Lalonde. If these names are not exactly common to you, perhaps it is the second part of the book that is what most of our members need.
The second part of the book is what the Scriptures say. It presents biblical prophecy and mystery that is true to the gospel. Klaassen says he is also addressing Christians who live in "this" world and "think themselves too mature to bother much about transcendent spiritual reality. They rightly reject the premillennial forecasters as victims of biblical literalism. Yet they in turn are the willing victim of secularist notions." Finally, Klaassen speaks to those who are "sincerely puzzled and want to know the gospel truth on these questions about the End." I can think of no church leader better prepared to address this topic, and Klaassen stands in a succession of respected Herald Press authors such as Paul Erb with his mid-century book, The Alpha and the Omega.
Klaassen considers the dispensational forecasters to preach a form of Christian heresy. Although heresy is not your boilerplate pastoral category, the book does raise the question of major distortions in the Christian faith; other recent candidates have been goddess worship or a denial of the deity or humanity of Christ. But again the best antidote to bad teaching is good teaching, and Armageddon and the Peaceable Kingdom will provide pastors a fresh interpretation for God’s bringing in the peaceable kingdom, ruled by the suffering Lamb who proclaims the word of God.
Levi Miller
HERALD PRESS RELEASE Walter Klaassen, in Armageddon and the Peaceable Kingdom, helps Christians enjoy God’s kingdom now and hope for its fulfillment. That hope has nothing to do with literal wars, physical weapons, and rivers of blood. Instead, God is bringing in a peaceable kingdom, ruled by the suffering Lamb, as foreseen by Isaiah and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This Lamb wins the battle by proclaiming the Word of God.
Paper, 288 pages, $15.99; in Canada $23.79
VBS WEB SITE UNIQUE Herald Press is one of the first VBS publishers to use the World Wide Web as an extension of the Bible school experience for Christian education directors, leaders, children, and their families. Many other curricula have online sites, but the Herald Press VBS site goes further to provide additional learning resources for the congregation and its children.
The Great Escape web site includes "Tips for Leaders," a congregational dedication program for VBS, a bulletin board for leaders to share ideas, and a schedule of upcoming VBS training events. There are guidelines for using the VBS in a weekend program for junior youth as well as a suggested schedule for the week and closing program. For families there is a set of table devotions to use during the week of VBS and additional readings about Exodus from the popular Herald Bible Story Series. For those leading the mission project, there are links to various mission agencies including MCC’s Bosnia pages. For children there are links to sites that will enrich their study of Egypt, Exodus, and the Israelites. These include links to pages on hieroglyphics, Egyptian architecture, and the recent movie Prince of Egypt. More pages and links are planned as VBS nears, and children and leaders can suggest additional Internet locations.
The Herald Press VBS home page is located at http://www.mph.org/vbs
IF YOU DON’T LIVE NEAR A
PROVIDENT BOOKSTORE If you don’t live near a Provident Bookstore and have dreamed of browsing and buying in one of the nine stores, then St. Louis 99 Bookstore is the answer. Make plans now to spend time and money (that’s the part we like) at the 4000-square-foot store. It will feature the latest titles from Herald Press and Faith and Life Press as well as selections from other publishers. You will also want to check out our music section. Plan now to visit the store during the special events such as author night, children’s day, music night, and library day. The store will also feature a workshop on the new vacation Bible school curriculum from Herald Press, Exodus: The Great Escape. The free periodical section will also provide a place to sit, read, or visit with Herald Press editors. So plan now to visit the store and tell those coming from your congregation to check out the hundreds of titles or items.
MENNONITE BULLETIN SERVICE FOR YOUR CONGREGATION
Moving from Two Bulletin Series to One Series
For many years Herald Press has offered two bulletin series, The Mennonite Bulletin Series and the Living Word Series. When we began these series, the two series were very different. The Mennonite Bulletin Series was in two colors and featured Mennonite writers and designers. The Living Word Series featured full-color photos and artwork. Time and technology have changed the way we now produce bulletins. The two series are now almost the same. Therefore, this coming fall we will offer only one series, The Mennonite Bulletin Series. This bulletin series will be in full color. It will be based on the revised common lectionary, with special emphasis on Mennonite-featured Sundays, such as peace, back-to-school, world communion, and fellowship. If you presently are a bulletin subscriber, you do not need to do anything. This fall you will receive your bulletins as you always have. If you are not a subscriber, then call 1 800 245-7894, and we will send you information on how to subscribe. The bulletin series is available in two editions: (1) worship resources on the back cover based on the lectionary reading for the Sunday and a note about the theme and artwork or photo on the front cover; and (2) blank back cover with a small note about the theme and artwork or photo on the cover.A NEW CONGREGATIONAL LITERATURE CATALOG
Herald Press Congregational Publishing and Faith & Life Press have a new common catalog. All of the titles from both publishers are listed in this new catalog. If you have not received your free copy by the end of April, give us a call and we will send one. If you would like additional copies, call today. We also produce a Herald Press trade catalog that includes cookbooks, juvenile fiction, and scholarly and academic books. If you would like a copy of this catalog, just give us a call.
IN THE APRIL BUILDER In the April Builder, the staff of the Commission on Education (COE) writes about "Partnering in Faith," an idea for bringing a new level of cooperation between families and the church. Other articles include the following:
• "A Parent’s Greatest Responsibility" by Eleanor Snyder
• "Nurturing Faith in the Family" by Abe Bergen
• "A Mother-Toddler Time" by Cynthia Hockman-Chupp
The mission of "Opening Doors: Nurturing Faith in the Home and Congregation" is equipping the church to communicate the gospel by strengthening and affirming Christian faith in homes and congregations.
To order Builder: Call toll free 1 800 245-7894.
WITH What it means to be a foster brother, how to relate to a person with a disability, what happens to a friendship when betraying a trust becomes important, and an Easter story about Jesus’ impact on Jarius’ daughter—these articles and more carry the theme of friendship and Easter in the April-May With.