October 2020 Executive Secretary Prayer Letter

Download a PDF copy of this letter here.

October 23, 2020

Dear praying friend,

This is my first monthly letter relaying to you the work of the ACCC. I not only hope this will help “keep you in the loop,” but will provide definite content to bring to the Lord in prayer. Our battle is not fought with material weaponry which is powerless before the devil; no! Rather, the weapons of our warfare—the Word of God and prayer—are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Cor 10:4)! Thus, I hope through these monthly letters to encourage you in the good fight and enlist your help as we strive to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).

This week I greatly missed enjoying our annual fellowship in the Cause of Christ at the ACCC convention! I am thankful that despite the Council’s inability to convene Christ’s work goes on. I am also thankful that essential Council business can be conducted through video conferencing. God willing four timely resolutions will be posted next week on the Council’s website. I would highly encourage you to sign up to receive email notifications whenever new posts are published.

I would remind you of the purposes of the ACCC—

The American Council of Christian Churches is a fundamentalist multi-denominational organization whose purposes are to provide information, encouragement, and assistance to Bible-believing churches, fellowships and individuals; to preserve our Christian heritage through exposure of, opposition to, and separation from doctrinal impurity and compromise in current religious trends and movements; to protect churches from religious and political restrictions, subtle or obvious, that would hinder their ministries for God; to promote obedience to the inerrant Word of God.

As you can probably imagine, my labors as Executive Secretary have been greatly curtailed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Since January I have only represented the Council at two events! Serving as the full-time pastor of Orwell Bible Church during these circumstances have also greatly influenced my Council labors. I praise the Lord that there has yet been much work done through emails, phone calls, texts, Facebook and WhatsApp messages, and regular postal letters.

Considerable time has been invested learning how to record videos for online media and conduct video conferencing. The latter was key for conducting Council business, and I am so thankful to Pastor Andy Merkle of Hardingville Bible Church for his help with the necessary business meeting procedures.

Looking ahead, I anticipate hosting monthly online seminars beginning in early November. The specifics should be posted on the Council’s website soon (so sign up to get an email notification!). My first presentation will be an introduction to and overview of the ACCC. In it I will cover the Council’s:

  • History
  • Beliefs
  • Characteristics—particularly our multidenominational character and the differences between a council and church associations, denominations, and fellowships
  • Leadership
  • Purposes and activities—noting how this helps churches in their ministries for Christ

Future online seminars will include: the “Gay Christianity” movement; the Bible and climate change; the “gospel-centered” movement (The Gospel Coalition) vs. faithful gospel ministry; the ministry and legacy of Billy Graham; Nick Hall and the Pulse movement; and what role social justice efforts should have in gospel ministry.

God willing in 2021 we will have two regular meetings:

  • Fall Convention
    Reformation Bible Church, Darlington, MD, October 19–21, 2021

Here are some health needs represented in the Council to bring to the Lord:

  • Dr. Mark Allison (Geneva Seminary), declining rapidly from cancerous tumor
  • Dr. Alan Cairns (minister emeritus, FPCNA), severe pneumonia
  • Rev. David DiCanio (missionary in Liberia), recovering from COVID-19
  • Lydia Greenfield (my youngest daughter), low white-blood cell count, irritable bowl syndrome
  • Pastor Craig Griffith (Open Door Baptist Church, FFBC), incurable stage 4 cancer
  • Pastor Jonathan Smith (Tipton Bible Church), recovering from recent stroke and heart issues

Please pray for all these things, the Lord’s financial provision for Council expenses, and great grace to serve Him!

Your fellow servant in the Cause of Christ,
Dan Greenfield
Colossians 1:18

Author: American Council of Christian Churches

Since 1941 the ACCC has sought to PROVIDE information, encouragement, and assistance to Bible-believing churches, fellowships and individuals; to PRESERVE our Christian heritage through exposure of, opposition to, and separation from doctrinal impurity and compromise in current religious trends and movements; to PROTECT churches from religious and political restrictions, subtle or obvious, that would hinder their ministries for God; to PROMOTE obedience to the inerrant Word of God.