 LEADERS FOR THE ARMY OF CHRIST
Privates and sergeants are valuable and essential in an army, but to win, the troops must have capable leaders to coordinate and direct their efforts. This is true both in the temporal and the spiritual realm. God raised up Joshua to lead the hosts of Israel (Ex. 17:9-10). Under his leadership the Hebrew soldiers prevailed. A lack of competent and loyal generals has cost many an army defeat. In days past the Lord of hosts has raised up mighty men of valor to lead his Christian soldiers to victory. Following the Civil War, Satan stirred a number of prominent men to attempt to remake the faith, government and worship of the church. They wanted to introduce missionary societies, instrumental music, women preachers and other innovations into the congregations. God raised up great champions like David Lipscomb, James A. Harding, M. C. Kurfees, J. D. Tant and Austin McGary to lead his people. By the grace of God they were able to salvage a righteous remnant and begin the rebuilding of the walls of Zion. In the early days of the 20th century, misguided men began to trouble our churches insisting that there be no Bible classes and that all must drink the communion wine from one cup. God raised up men to withstand them. Men of great courage like Joe Warlick kept them from prevailing and crippling God’s church.
Soon after that some began to produce speculative teachings about Christ second coming. They sowed the seeds of premillennialism far and wide. That popular doctrine of the denominational world would have swept through our brotherhood, but God gave our fathers men such as Foy Wallace, Jr., H. Leo Boles, R. L. Whiteside and C. R. Nichol. They defeated those who promoted that error. When those who had sacrificed their fellowship with us for societies and instruments sought to lure us over into their camp, God used N. B. Hardeman and others to defeat their efforts.
When men arose forbidding churches to employ gospel preachers to work with them on a full-time basis, God raised up men like G. K. Wallace to defeat their efforts.
When some decided that we could not cooperate in evangelism or extend benevolent help to non-Christians or care for orphaned and neglected children in homes operated by brethren, God raised up champions like Gus Nichols and Guy Woods, Thomas B. Warren and Roy Deaver to lead us. Roy Lanier, Sr. and James D. Bales dealt with the early promoters of liberalism and pentecostalism. Other great men who proved themselves great leaders were, Hugo McCord, George DeHoff and B. C. Goodpasture. Today the church again finds herself under attack by a band of men determined to prevail over her. The great leaders mentioned above have gone on to their reward. We desperately need men to lead us in today’s battle against those we know as agents of change. Like their predecessors of a century ago, they bid to capture the hearts and souls of the people and turn the Church of Christ into a denomination of their own design. We need men of maturity, dignity, knowledge and experience to provide leadership for our people. We must have men of unquestioned soundness; men known and trusted by many throughout the family of God. They must be men who love the brotherhood (I Pet. 2:17) and are burdened for her wounds. They must be men who seek no honor or position for themselves, only the welfare of the Lord’s church.
May righteous people everywhere join together in prayer that God will raise up such men for this present crisis? May we have the humility and courage to follow them in the battle.
JHW | 
