The principles of the Restoration Movement are valid and practical, and they need to be taught within those churches that are a part of the Restoration Movement. This is especially true with church planting in New England simply because the Restoration Movement is not known in this area of the country.

RHM has asked Dr. Robin Underhill, a professor of history at Delaware University and an RHM Board member, to hold special seminars about the principles of the Restoration Movement. This past Sunday Dr. Underhill went to the Chinese church in Malden, Massachusetts, to speak to that congregation. Wing Wong is the minister of this church.

For the Chinese that attended it proved to be a very insightful and helpful afternoon. Dr. Underhill was able to explain that since Jesus prayed for unity (John 17), we as Christians must be concerned about unity. The only way that unity can be attained, however, is by diligently studying Scripture to determine what God has said to us.

Some of the questions that were asked last Sunday showed that the themes Dr. Underhill promoted had caused people to think very seriously about their beliefs and practices. For instance, one question dealt with the role of the Last Supper as it relates to our practice of taking communion. The question specifically was: "Since Jesus instituted the Last Supper during a meal, why don't we share in a meal each Sunday?" This promoted a great deal of discussion which helped this church understand why Restoration Movement churches take communion weekly. It was one of those "ah-ha" moments that made people appreciate the wealth of the New Testament scripture.

Through this experience, it became evident that the principles born out of the Restoration Movement are not culture-bound simply because they are biblical. They have an unbelievable cross-cultural application that was appreciated by the Chinese. Who knows? This Chinese church may come to appreciate the heritage and importance of the Restoration Movement more than many others of the faith.