GRACE OF GOD

ALLAH MENGUBAH HIDUPKU

Chandra adalah seorang penduduk yang tinggal di wilayah Andhra Pradesh, India. Dia mempunyai sebuah panti asuhan dimana dia merawat orang-orang yang membutuhkan pertolongan -- anak yatim piatu, para janda dan orang-orang cacat. Chandra bekerja keras merawat dan mengasihi mereka. Tapi dulu Chandra bukanlah orang yang seperti itu. Berikut ini adalah kesaksiannya :

"Seorang pria meninggal karena kebencianku pada Allah dan semua orang Kristen. Tujuan hidupku adalah menghajar setiap orang Kristen yang kulihat sedang menceritakan tentang Allah dan Kasih-Nya. Kadang- kadang aku membakar Alkitab mereka dan menyobek-nyobek traktat yang mereka bagi-bagikan lalu membuangnya ke tempat sampah. Temanku dan aku juga membakar tas dan pakaian mereka. Keinginanku adalah membunuh semua orang Kristen yang kutemui.

"Pada waktu itu, aku telah memiliki sebuah toko perhiasan yang dibantu oleh 10 orang pekerja. Hasil pendapatan dari toko selalu kuhambur- hamburkan untuk memenuhi segala sesuatu yang memberiku kepuasan.

"Ada 3 orang pendeta yang biasa berkunjung ke toko dan mendoakanku. Suatu hari, sesaat setelah ketiga pendeta itu memasuki toko, aku segera menutup semua pintu dan memukuli mereka. Aku lepaskan pakaian mereka dan membakar pakaian tsb. Mereka tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa kecuali memandangiku. Karena pukulan-pukulan yang dilancarkan ke tubuh mereka, salah satu dari pendeta itu meninggal dunia. Polisi menangkapku dengan tuduhan pembunuhan dan aku dihukum penjara seumur hidup. Aku berdoa memohon bantuan kepada para dewa yang kusembah agar membebaskanku dari penjara, tetapi tidak ada sesuatupun yang terjadi.

"Suatu hari, seorang pendeta datang berkunjung ke penjara. Dia menceritakan kepada semua narapidana tentang Allah dan bagaimana Dia telah mengutus Yesus Kristus, Anak-Nya, agar datang ke dunia untuk disalibkan sehingga barang siapa yang percaya pada-Nya akan mendapatkan pengampunan. Lalu, pendeta itu membagi-bagikan traktat yang kemudian mulai kubaca. Semenjak saat itu, hidupku mulai berubah. aku mulai suka membaca Alkitab -- buku yang sebelumnya sangat kubenci dan pernah kubakar. Aku mulai belajar berbicara dengan Allah.

"Setahap demi setahap, tingkah lakuku mulai berubah. Karena tingkah lakuku baik selama di penjara maka kepala penjara mengusulkan namaku pada pemerintah setempat agar memberikan kebebasan. Akhirnya aku bebas -- bebas dari penjara dan bebas dari rasa benci yang selama ini telah menguasai hidupku.

"Sekarang aku mulai menceritakan kepada orang-orang yang kutemui tentang semua yang telah Allah kerjakan dalam hidupku dan apa yang dapat Ia kerjakan dalam hidup mereka. Kebencianku telah diubah-Nya menjadi rasa kasih. Aku sekarang rindu memberi pertolongkan kepada mereka yang membutuhkan."

Sumber: S O O N, Issue no. 169

VOICE OF GRACE

A Brief History of Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church

In 1834, three years before Michigan gained its statehood, the Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church was organized as a congregation of the Western Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. The first members were Scots-Irish settlers who had migrated from New York State with a firm conviction of the gospel of God and of the Mediatorial Kingship of Jesus Christ. These settlers cleared the dense Michigan forest and eked out a living off the land and helped to establish what would one day become the City of Southfield just northwest of Detroit. In the early days, members were organized into “societies” or local Bible studies to promote the study of God’s word and to maintain fellowship and community through the week, and the body gathered for public worship when itinerant preachers were available.

David Stewart and Alexander McClung were elected as the first ruling elders. Pastor James Neill became the first pastor in 1842 and served in that capacity until 1851. The Lord has raised up a total of seventeen men to serve as pastor of the congregation, and they are listed with their years of service below.

In 1838, a building in which to worship was constructed at the current site. In 1852, David Stewart, the “founding father” of the congregation died and was first person buried in the cemetery. In 1861, with the need for a larger and more permanent worship facility, Joseph Torrens constructed the current church building but died shortly afterward, without ever being able to worship in the building. A basement was dug and the building was moved back from Evergreen Road onto the basement in the 1950s, and the congregation continues to worship in this historic structure today. Additionally, in the 1940s, a parsonage was built north of the cemetery.

Here’s a picture of the church before Evergreen Rd. was paved.

Here’s a picture after the church was moved back from the road onto it’s new basement in anticipation of Evergreen Rd. being widened and paved.

Here’s a picture taken in 2002 before our new front entrance was added. It shows the parsonage to the north.

Church membership declined through much of the twentieth century, and some in the community, and perhaps even in the church itself, seemed to view the Southfield Reformed Presbyterian Church as a quaint and historic relic of religion that had become outdated with its simple gospel message of God’s sovereign grace and simple worship with a cappella Psalm singing. Written records indicate the expectation that the church would fade into the history books along with rural Southfield as the city blossomed into a commercial force in the mid-twentieth century. Today, Southfield is a robust city and the Lord has sustained His church which continues to worship on Evergreen Road just off of Interstate 696, one of Michigan’s busiest highways. King Jesus continues to reign and His church has not become outdated – it is more needed than ever before. God has granted growth to this historic congregation, especially under the leadership of Pastor Ray Joseph and Pastor Ian Wise over the last twenty-five years.

As a congregation, we are excited to see what new chapters the Lord will add as His gospel is proclaimed from this place. The congregation was the first church of any kind in Southfield, and we expect that since God placed us here as His first witnesses that He would have us continue to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in Southfield and beyond until He finishes His work on earth. So, come, worship with us, and join us in this great calling.

Two fascinating histories of the congregation exist. Mary Thompson, granddaughter of founding elder David Stewart, wrote a history in 1915 as part of a campaign to raise support for the care of the cemetery. A second history was written in 1973 by then-Pastor John O. Edgar as part of the congregation’s 140^th anniversary celebration. These histories are currently being reproduced on a blog by our pastor and will be included in this site when they are completed.