What If Jesus Had Never Come?

[393 words] I cannot imagine trying to make it through life without having “the good shepherd” (John 10:11), who is the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5) and the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16) in my corner. But what if Jesus had never come into this world “to…

Pastor Who?

[498 words] Lately, I have been disturbed by the number of preachers and youth directors who have started to refer to themselves as “Pastor so-in-so.”  The latest one was a young man who had just graduated from a university associated with churches of Christ. He introduced himself to me as “Pastor Bull”* from XYZ* Church…

A Human Jesus

[144 words] The Gospel Accounts present a truly human Jesus, not a ghostly figure who only appeared to be flesh and blood. Jesus spoke of His own body (Mark 14:8), head (Luke 7:44–46), hands, feet, flesh, and bones (Luke 24:39), and blood (Matthew 26:28). He also displayed distinctly human feelings and qualities: He was moved…

Pulling on Both Oars

[157 words] An old Scotsman operated a small rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a passenger noticed that the old man had carved on one oar the word “Faith” and on the other oar the word “Works.” Curious, he asked the meaning. The old man replied, “I’ll show you.” He dropped the “faith” oar and…

Jesus Loves Me

[254 words] Around 1860, Anna B. Warner penned the following words that were later extended and set to music by William B. Bradbury and continue to be sung around the world: Jesus loves me—this I know, / For the Bible tells me so:Little ones to him belong— / They are weak, but he is strong.Yes,…

During the New Year May You Have…

[68 words] …Enough happiness to keep you sweet….Enough trials to keep you strong….Enough sorrow to keep you human….Enough hope to keep you happy….Enough failure to keep you humble….Enough success to keep you eager….Enough friends to give you comfort….Enough wealth to meet your needs….Enough enthusiasm to make you look forward to tomorrow….Enough determination to make each…

Pass the Good Word

[28 words] When you hear a kind word spoken about a friend, pass it along (Proverbs 3:27; Galatians 6:10). If it’s a negative word, keep it to yourself…. This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free church bulletin resources, or start an Annual Membership and…

Spoil Your Spouse

[25 words] As a man, spoil your spouse, not your children (2 Samuel 12:3, 8; Proverbs 5:18–19; Ephesians 5:25; 1 Peter 3:7)…. This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free church bulletin resources, or start an Annual Membership and get bulletin articles weekly by email,…

Our Job

[30 words] It is not our job to get people to like us. It is our job to like people (John 13:35; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17)…. This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free church bulletin resources, or start an Annual Membership and…

Leave and Cleave

[32 words] Establishing your own home gives your marriage the space it needs to flourish. Do not ignore your parents, but recognize that your new family is a higher priority. See Genesis 2:24!… This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free church bulletin resources, or…

Old Testament Statistics

[45 words] 39 books929 Chapters23,145 VersesSmallest book: ObadiahLargest book: Psalms Middlebook: ProverbsShortest verse: 1 Chronicles 1:25Longest verse: Esther 8:9Longest chapter: Psalms 119 “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word” (Psalm 119:16)…. This content is for Annual and Lifetime Members only! Please log in or register to use our free…

The Family

[65 words] The family is like a book—The children are the leaves,The parents are the coversThat protecting beauty gives. At first the pages of the bookAre blank and purely fair,But time soon writes memoriesAnd paints pictures there. Love is the little golden claspThat bindeth up the trust;O, break it not, lest all the leavesShould scatter…

Living It Day by Day

[161 words] She sat alone in an old people’s home,Lonely and old and gray;She wished that someone, just anyone,Would call on her that day.Did you? He lay for days on his hospital bed;The hours were long and hard.He wished someone, just anyone,Would send him a cheery card.Did you? He was far from home on foreign…

They Burned the Truth

[70 words] They burned Truth in the marketplace,And thought their work complete;But next day, with a smiling face,They met it on the street. They threw it in a dungeon damp,And thought it was no more;But lo, it walked with lighted lampAmong them as before. They scorned and ostracized it,And ordered it to depart;But still it…

What of Tomorrow?

[52 words] I do not know what still awaits,Or what the morrow brings;But with the glad salute of faith,I hail its opening wings!For this I know – that in my LordShall all my needs be met;And I can trust the heart of himWho has not failed me yet. Author Unknown… This content is for Annual…

Bible Quiz: Matthew 1:1-17

[62 words] “The book of the __ of Jesus Christ, the Son of __, the Son of __:” Who was David’s father? Which son of David is listed in the genealogy? Who was the father of Manasseh? “So all the generations from Abraham to David are __ generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon…

Bible Quiz: Matthew 1:18-25

[72 words] Who was the mother of Jesus? “Then __ her husband, being a __ man, and not wanting to make her a __ example, was minded to put her away secretly.” Who appeared to Joseph in a dream? “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name __, for He…

Bible Quiz: Matthew 2:1-6

[65 words] What is the name of the city where Jesus was born? Who was king in Judea during that time? Wise men came to Jerusalem from the east because they has seen a __. “When __ the king heard this, he was __, and all Jerusalem with him.” The king of Judea gathered all…

Bible Quiz: Matthew 2:7-12

[88 words] “Then Herod, when he had secretly called the __ men, determined from them what time the __ appeared.” Herod sent the wise men from the east to __ and told them to bring back __ to him when they found Him. “When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which…

Quotes and Sayings (January 2024)

“An exhaustive study of police records shows that no woman has ever shot her husband while he was doing the dishes.” — Earl Wilson “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” — C.S. Lewis “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on.” — Hal Borland “With…

On the Lighter Side (January 2024)

Worst Sermon Ever A preacher was suddenly called out of town and he asked the new youth minister to conduct services on Sunday. When he returned, he asked his wife how the young man had done. “Not so well,” she reported. “It was the poorest sermon I had ever heard—nothing to it at all.” Meeting…

Last Chance for Lifetime Membership!

December 29, 2023 — Only two more days to sign up for a Lifetime Membership! After December 31, the Lifetime Membership will no longer be available for sale. We are offering this final chance at a discounted price for all of our loyal supporters! As the name implies, the Lifetime Membership will never expire, and…

Who or What is Shaping Us?

[435 words] “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). This time of year emphasizes just how special it is to be with family. Gathering around…

Santa’s Reindeer: Propulsion or Navigation?

[451 words] This true “Ask an Engineer” question appeared in 2013 on an MIT website and was also answered by a graduate student. This student deconstructs the poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” to analyze the navigation, guidance system, and control of Santa’s sleigh. It is a truly bizarre read, but nevertheless, with scholarly efficiency,…

When Was Jesus Born?

[458 words] There’s always a great debate about when Jesus was born, specifically what time of the year (although there is also debate about the year itself). It is at this time of the year that many celebrate His birth, but it is unlikely that He was born during the winter months. Our first clue…

He Crowns the Humble with Salvation

[172 words] Winston Churchill was once asked, “Doesn’t it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?” “It’s quite flattering,” replied Sir Winston. “But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if instead of making a political speech I was being hanged, the crowd…

An Important Ratio

[181 words] The fact that God gave us two ears and two eyes and only one mouth should give us some indication on how he expects us to use them.  “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;” (James 1:19). John Maxwell once…

God’s Holy Word

[330 words] In many nations, Bibles are still hard to obtain. Yet, many foreign governments are friendly enough to the study of the Bible that it is allowed into the public schools. Ironically, in our nation—the land of the free—this is not a liberty we are allowed to enjoy. The Word of God should be…

Authority and Power

[149 words] What’s the difference between an ineffective teacher and a school yard bully? The former has authority without power and the latter has power without authority. Our world is full of ineffective authorities and highly effective bullies. When Jesus went to Capernaum, He taught the people and they remarked that He spoke “with authority”…

The Home of Jesus

[435 words] The headline reads, “Archaeologists Believe They’ve Unearthed Jesus’s Childhood Home” (Popular Mechanics, December 1, 2020). Professor Ken Dark has been credited with making what has been described as “an astonishing find.” It seems that after 14 years of examining a particular dwelling in modern-day Nazareth, Professor Dark has become convinced that it is…

Should I Celebrate Religious Holidays?

[216 words] The title of our article asks an important question. Should New Testament Christians celebrate religious holidays? In the text of our lesson today (Romans 14:1-12) the subject is discussed because some Jewish Christians were holding on to the “special days” set aside by the Old Testament. This can also be seen in the…

You Are Hereby Invited

[351 words] Scott Stallings, a three-time PGA winner, was hoping for an invite to the Masters after a good performance the previous year. The Masters golf tournament held each year at the Augusta National Golf course is one of the most exclusive golf events in the world. So Stallings had, as he said in a…

The Living Word for Dying Men

[379 words] No thought is more significant than that men are dying creatures. David said in 1 Chronicles 29:15, “our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Job said that man “cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not”…

An Exceptional Lesson

[144 words] It is widely believed and preached that to be saved all that is necessary is to “believe only” or “just receive Jesus as your personal Savior.” These expressions leave us with the erroneous impression that there is nothing for sinners to do to be saved. The Bible teaches differently; there is something you…

The Joy of Baptism

[310 words] “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41 NKJV). Did you catch that? Those who heard Peter’s message gladly received his word and were baptized! No arguing. No doubting. No denying. And no stalling. They were glad to hear…

I Learned Something Today

[456 words] In a Bible study with a man recently, in looking at the Scripture, he told me he learned something he didn’t know. This man is in his eighties, maybe close to ninety. It made me realize again that a person is never too old or too young to learn something from the Bible.…

Did Alexander Campbell Start the Church of Christ?

[347 words] It is not uncommon for someone to affirm that Alexander Campbell started the church of Christ. Recently, a preacher on television taught this and, as a member of the church of Christ, I feel obligated to address this matter. Alexander Campbell was a prominent man who lived and worked during the days of…

Try Giving Yourself Away

[265 words] In the late 1940s, David Dunn wrote a delightful little book by the above title. He determined that he would practice, as a hobby, the art of giving himself to other people. His goal was to do small, thoughtful deeds for others as he went about his daily activities. He found that while…

Three Biblical New Year’s Resolutions

[440 words] It is time again to make New Year’s resolutions. Our lives will be blessed in the coming year as we keep these three biblical resolutions. Lose weight. After eating all those holiday season meals, many people resolve to start the New Year off by losing a few pounds. While losing weight may improve…

How Much Is Jesus Worth to You?

[279 words] “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). Few things are as effective in opening up our billfolds or motivating us to pick…