Recently I have had to chide several laymen, for ascribing special powers to a doctorate in theology. I was fortunate to get a full scholarship and have the time to read hundreds of volumes of modern scholarship. However, the Holy Spirit does not work through graduate programs. A PhD is a union card for publishing, as Stan Hauerwas said when we spoke about it.
His colleague, John Howard Yoder, prepared the way for Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant by teaching a semester on the Radical Reformation. Therefore I learned about the Anabaptists from one of the leading Anabaptist scholars of the time, whose work with Hauerwas has become a cottage industry for publishing books and dissertations.
Those who study the Word of God with a sincere faith are building on the same foundation, whether laity or clergy. The worst damage has come through those people who have placed their denominational filters before their eyes, careful to be true to their school rather than the revealed Word of God. The Babtists, who insist that all babies are born sin-free, are no different from the glassy-eyed Syn Conference disciples who declare that we are all born forgiven.
The efficacy of the Word means constant opportunities for the Gospel. The Shrinkers amaze us all by ordering their followers to go out and find some heathen to befriend. Fuller alumni have an whole program of relational evangelism, the Pharisee in the temple thanking God, praising himself, and looking down on the publican.
One couple got married - American Indian and German. We sent them a large gift Bible, inscribed with their first names. Since then we have time and again how thrilled they are to have a family Bible, which they are reading. They did not have a Bible. Someone had some material in German, so we are sending that to the bride's parents. Norma Boeckler offered to send Jesus Priceless Treasure to anyone for free, so I asked her to send copies to this couple and her parents. We heard right away from both families that they were reading the books.
Various people are receiving Luther versus the UOJ Pietists, because they are deeply concerned about the false doctrine being promoted by Syn Conference leaders. Various people have made it possible to send printed copies free when the books are needed. The PDF of any book can be downloaded at any time.
Soon the final versions of The Story of Jesus in Pictures will be ready, with its companion - Coloring Book, The Story of Jesus in Pictures. The first one is full-color, inside and out. The second will have a color cover but line drawings of the art used in the full color book. Norma Boeckler, our award-winning artist-in-residence, created both books.
