The church

‘The Church Has Let Me Down’

[115 words] Does this describe the way you feel? If it does, let me warn you. Don’t expect to get more out than you put in. If you choose to stand aloof from the church, refusing to participate in her programs of work, fail to support her financially, and only occasionally attend worship services, the…

Nobody is a Nobody in the Family of God

[199 words] If you have ever read Romans 16:1-16, you will see a list of people Paul wished to commend for their work in the church. The vast majority of them are individuals of whom we have no additional details concerning their lives or service in Christ. But Paul wanted to honor them for their…

Wednesday Night Bible Study

[250 words] Adam grew up in the church. His parents were both Christians from the day he was born. He attended Sunday Bible class, his family went to worship God on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and then on Wednesday nights. They were a very happy Christian family. Then something happened. Adam started school and his…

How the Church Can Prosper Today

[529 words] To answer these questions, we must go back to the book of Acts. It is there in Acts 2 that we read of the establishment of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, just as had been prophesied by the Old Testament prophets. While there are many things that we could say about…

Who Are We?

[396 words] Many seem to be confused as to what it means to be a member of the church of Christ. The following observations will be helpful in clearing their minds. • We are a band of imperfect followers of Jesus. We have been saved, not because of our goodness or merit, but by the…

If It Is The Lord’s Church…

[131 words] …then shouldn’t He determine how one enters it? …then shouldn’t He regulate how it should worship? …then shouldn’t He decide who should be qualified to be its leaders? …then shouldn’t He govern what it should do? …then shouldn’t He ascertain who are faithful members? And do you know what? It is and He…

What Can We Do to Prevent Apostasy?

[143 words] We need to appoint and support faithful elders who will properly oversee the flock (Acts 20:28-32). We need to be busy now training other leaders to take their place. Consider Joshua’s training and the influence it wielded (Joshua 24:31). We need to learn again proper respect for the Word of God (Psalm 119:9-16).…

A Big Name

[257 words] When Walter P. Paepeke started a carton company and called it the Container Corporation of America, his attorney said it was “a big name for such a small company.” Mr. Paepeke’s reply was, “We’ll take the name and grow into it.” That’s the task we have before us. We have taken a big…

Are We A Denomination?

[356 words] Q: Has the term “church of Christ” become a denomination in the minds of people? A: Obviously, yes. Many people outside the church call us “church of Christer’s.” They do not understand what we mean by the phrase “the church.” In some people’s minds, a Christian has to be either a member of…

Why We Need Each Other

[323 words] The sole business of the church is souls. The church is souls in love with God and one another. The church is souls weeping and rejoicing together, laughing and praying together, eating and singing together. The church is souls looking upward, in praise, inward in penitence, outward in practice, and forward in promise.…

Blessings of Worship

[204 words] First and Second Chronicles offers us several great reminders about what a wonderful blessing worship should be to our lives. Especially right now when our routines have been disrupted, we need to make sure we are participating with heart, soul, mind, and strength.  When the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem,…

The Six Most-Needed Things in the Church

[283 words] Conversion of the Members. The new birth consists of more than baptism. One has to be born of the Spirit and of the water. Those of us who have been baptized must have been led to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and the Lord of life. Conversion is in reality…

Spiritual Myopathy

[335 words] Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen” (2 Cor. 4:18). Poor eyesight has plagued me for the most part of my life. After more than ten surgeries, I still have poor eyesight.…

The Blessings of Friends and Family

[194 words] It is truly a blessing to be part of a loving family. In like fashion, it is a great blessing to have dear friends. Sadly, not everyone knows what it feels like to be part of such things. All too often we take our family and friends for granted.  If you are so…

How To Make Sermons Last

[272 words] A preacher posted recently that someone had commented to him, “sermons are ineffective because they are forgotten by the time people get to the restaurant after church.” This statement concerned me because I feel the person who suggested this idea to the preacher put preachers in a negative light (probably not intentionally). I,…

Family in the Faith

[328 words] Throughout Paul’s missionary journeys recorded in the book of Acts, he interacts with a number of young men who variously traveled with him, ran errands for him, and continued the work in a congregation begun by him. However, while the text mentions a few of these younger preachers, the relationship Paul had with…

God’s ‘House-Law’

[643 words] Every home has some kind of system in place to keep order. Maybe you were told to take your shoes off at the door, keep your elbows off the table, make your bed in the morning, or brush your teeth more than twice a month. Every home is different and the expectations for…

A Restoration Observation

[131 words] If I want to grow watermelons in Tennessee today, I do not have to have an unbroken watermelon vine stretching down through all the millennia from the Garden of Eden to Tennessee. All I have to do is plant watermelon seeds in Tennessee today. They will produce in Tennessee today what they have…

What Would You Be Remembered For?

[222 words] “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). God would be a terrible obituary writer. You know, no matter how the person lived his or her life, the blurb in the newspaper always says glowing things about the person … but…

I Don’t Get Anything Out of the Services

[406 words] Has worship become a lost art? I’m afraid that many of us go through the motions without ever really reaching out to God. Consequently, we tend to leave a service much as we came in. Before long there is the tendency to dismiss the whole concept of assembling for worship. At its best…

The Church is What You Are!

[220 words] The church is built of men and women, not bricks and mortar. As such, it can never be any more faithful or effective than the individual members that comprise it. The Lord’s church in any community will reflect the sins and attitudes of its members.  • If it is a growing church, it…

It Goes Without Saying

[318 words] We’ve all probably heard the adage that the majority of communication is nonverbal. This notion is from Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of the book Silent Messages. In his research, he found that only 7 percent of any message is conveyed through words, the rest (38 percent through certain vocal elements and 55 percent…

The Gathering

[333 words] The phenomenon is called “shikadamari“ in Japanese. A loose translation would be, “deer gathering spot.” A large population of free-roaming deer live in and around the Japanese city of Nara, spending most of their time in the city park. Every summer evening at around 6:30, over 600 deer gather in the same spot…

Some See Less as Better

[293 words] There are some times when less is better. Sometime the less words we speak the better. The less fat intake, the better. The less sin, the better. Sadly, some see less as better in their Christian lives: Less time for worshipLess time for Bible studyLess time for gospel meetingsFewer verses sung in worshipShorter…

Bridging Gaps

[353 words] One blade of grass at a time. That’s how the last remaining Inca rope bridge is rebuilt every year. The Q’eswachaka bridge spans the Apurimac river in the Cusco region of Peru. For 600 years, communities from both sides of the bridge have been assembling to cut down the old bridge and rebuild…

Ten Little Christians

[199 words] Ten Little Christians came to church all the time;One fell out with the preacher, then there were nine.Nine Little Christians stayed up late;One overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.Eight Little Christians on their way to Heaven;One took the low road, then there were seven.Seven Little Christians, chirping like chicks;One didn’t like the…

What We Need in the Church Today

[353 words] More knocking on doors and less knocking on each other. The great commission demands that we busy ourselves in taking the gospel to others (Mark 16:15). The Bible says, “speak not evil of one another” (James 4:11). It is so much better to be busy doing good rather than evil. More sound heads…

It is NOT ‘Just a Church’

[575 words] Jesus promised to do something never before done on earth: He would build His Church upon the great truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock l will build My church, and the gates of…

The Effective Church

[112 words] …Exalts God (Eph. 3:21). The church is a place of heartfelt praise of its Architect. …Evangelizes the Lost (Matt 28:19-20). The church is a place where the truth of the gospel is presented to all. …Edifies its Members (Eph. 4:16). The church is a place of great love and encouragement.  …Educates the Unlearned…

What You Do in the Church Pew Matters!

[461 words] “You mind your business and I’ll mind mine.” That is the motto of many and I, for one, like it! The Bible teaches us not to be busy-bodies. At the same time, we need to remember that what we do has an impact on others for good or bad. One of the reasons…

The Watchers

[401 words] When I was a kid I loved collecting and reading comic books. Several characters have stuck with me even today. Among them are a group of alien beings called The Watchers. The Watchers are beings that have great powers to manipulate time, material, and space. They spend their time in observance of all…

Me, or We?

[458 words] The story is told of an encounter between a high school principal and a young ninth grader. The principal noticed the young man in the hallway with a very defeated and frustrated look on his face. He asked the young man, “Is everything okay?” The boy replied sternly, “No. I don’t understand all…

It is NOT ‘Just Church’

[577 words] Jesus promised to do something never before done on earth: He would build His Church upon the great truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God! “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of…

What If You Were the Only One!

[203 words] What if by some happenstance you were the only member of the Church left in your town? Does that seem farfetched? In some places in some cities you might be in that circumstance. If you were to find yourself in this situation, what would you do? Would you simply give up and stay…

Similarities Between a Pearl and the Church

[430 words] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matt. 13:45-46). The parable of the pearl of great price is listed among our Lord’s kingdom parables (Matt. 13:1ff).…

Remember Who We Are

[291 words] At the beginning, the church’s foremost focus was upon God, not man (Acts 5:29; Galatians 1:10); upon heaven, not earth (Colossians 3:1,2); upon the spirit, not the flesh. (Romans 8:6; 1 Timothy 4:8.) And in spite of severe persecution and constant privations, the church thrived, turning the ancient world “upside down” with the…

You’re in the Wrong Church

[168 words] If you identify your congregation by a person (pastor or leader) other than Christ, either you’re not in the right church or you’re not the right kind of Christian. Christ does not brook the exaltation of man. The church belongs to him. No person has the right to be known for the work…

They Hoisted the Trophy Without Him

[392 words] It was a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon. My son’s Little League All-Star baseball team was playing in the Regional championship game. The team had won their first game earlier that afternoon to advance to the championship round. Just before the start of the game I headed to the dugout to inform both…

Dog Daze

[426 words] When I was a small boy in North Georgia I used to hear the older folks speak of “Dog Days.” I never quite understood what that meant but I got the idea it meant I couldn’t go swimming for fear of catching a fever or something worse. I suppose every part of the…

The Church Roll and Body Parts

[532 words] In our ongoing efforts to be the church, the body of Christ, I can’t help but wonder if many folks are missing some vital points. We rightly preach baptism for remission of sins (Acts 2:38). We rightly teach that it is God who adds us to his church (Acts 2:47), and ultimately, he…

The Three R’s of a Great Marriage

[513 words] June is definitely the month for weddings, and this past June I presided over two weddings and attended another one. Weddings are stressful, but exciting times. It’s very moving to witness the joining of the lives of a man and a woman in holy matrimony. It brings to mind thoughts of optimism and…

God Made It Simple

[398 words] The church belongs to God; his by right of purchase; costing him the death of his beloved Son. Since the church belongs to God, it is logically called “the church of God” (1 Cor. 1:2). Since Christ promised to build his church, and paid full price for her with his own blood (Acts…

The CHURCH of CHRIST

[74 words] The church spoken of in the Bibleis the product of the mind of God.It exists without man-made creedsor denominational structure.It is the church that belongs to Himby right of purchase.The church of Christ hereis striving to be that body.Our purpose is to reach the lostand bring people to a loving, committed,involved relationship with…

Description of the Church

[167 words] The church is not made up of people who believe they are better than others, rather of those who believe they ought to be better than they are. The church is not made up of perfect people, but of people who follow a perfect Lord and realize they ought to do the best…

‘Church Stuff’ Really Works!

[396 words] If I were to try to think of a word that best describes God, I suppose it would be “awesome.” Not in the trivial way it is sometimes used but in moments of quiet deliberation when I contemplate his Word, his purpose, and his ways which inspire awe. Throughout the course of my…

The Woman at the Well

[349 words] In the text of John 4:6-42, we find a very interesting woman engaged in conversation with the Lord. By and by Jesus tells her to go get her husband and return, to which she replied, “I have no husband.” After Jesus tells her about her five previous marriages and subsequent living condition with…

Church Shopping

[421 words] “… the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). It seems that more people today are challenging traditional affiliations. For instance, a 2013 Gallup Poll has determined that 42% of American voters consider themselves to be Independent (www.gallup.com). This is the highest number ever of…

Drop-Outs

[370 words] “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” (Luke 8:14). Frequently members of the church, apparently for no reason at all, quit attending the services. This is usually preceded…

A Prayer for Our Elders

[181 words] Our Father, let me be a pillar of strength to them, not a thorn to sap their strength, nor a burden on their back to pull them down. Let me support them without striving to possess them; lift up their hands without placing shackles on them. Let me give them my help that…

There is Another Way!

[213 words] We all like to play the game “what if.” What if cell phones no longer worked, what if TV didn’t come on anymore, what if all of our laptops, iPads, etc., failed? If all that were to happen what could we do? Would all be lost? Now I enjoy all the above mentioned…

Don’t Lose Sight of the Mission!

[332 words] King David, not long after establishing Jerusalem as Israel’s military, political and religious center, desired to build the Lord a house. His home of cedar was now complete, but the Ark of the Covenant still remained within a tent (2 Sam. 7:1-2). But the word of the Lord came to Nathan, and that…

Masculinity: Toxic, or Beneficial?

[317 words] There is a tendency in our current society to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In an effort to fight against immoral acts such as sexual harassment, physical abuse, and bullying perpetrated by a small minority of bad apples, mainstream media and social justice warriors have decided to coin the phrase “toxic…

I Never Intended to Quit!

[290 words] A man who had not attended one service of the church in four years told me he had never thought of quitting the church. I reminded him that he had: (1) Withdrawn his presence from the service; (2) Refused to give his moral support to the activities of the congregation; (3) Withdrawn his…

The Missing Lamps

[210 words] In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. At last he decided to build them a church building. No one saw the complete plans for the church building until it was finished. When people gathered they marveled at its beauty…

The Church of the Lord

[160 words] So many misunderstandings abound concerning the church Jesus built (Mat. 16:18). A few mistakes people make in thinking about the church are: The church is a building. It is not, it is a body of saved people (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23). The church is an after-thought, or second plan of Jesus, after He…

Ten Rules for Improving Attitudes in the Church

[236 words] 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect, you would not fit into a “perfect” congregation if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, select the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members, and thank God for them. 3. If you are old, treat the young…

Parking on Someone Else’s Nickel

  [266 words] In the old days, cities regulated downtown parking with meters. You park, drop in a nickel or dime and get some time on the meter. Then you’d go into the store and be sure to be back before the meter ran out of time. However, occasionally, you could find a spot with…

Yellow Jackets in the Church

  [282 words] I hate yellow jackets. Over the years, I’ve had many encounters with them. They are aggressive, mean and they hurt everyone they touch. Have you ever been around someone who is a “fault-finder?” All they can do is point out flaws and faults in folks. They, like yellow jackets, hurt whoever they…

Unemployment

[332 words] Unemployed is living without a job or without work to be completed. The national unemployment rate as of July 2, 2015 was 5.3% according to a study released by the U.S. Department of Labor. That 5.3% is roughly 8.3 million people in the United States currently living without a job or without work.…

Well-organized, but Useless!

[203 words] “…I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). A German soldier was wounded. He was ordered to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, “For the slightly…

What is the Message of the Church?

  [74 words] Using an acrostic of the word “church,” we can clearly see that the church is to have an important message in everything she does: Christ Has Undoubtedly Risen Creating Hope Because of this, we should desire to worship, work, and walk the way the Lord desires! Because of this, we should tell…

Take Advantage of What the Church Offers

[330 words] Recently, I dropped my son off at the building for an activity that will enhance his ability to develop a budget and be a better provider both financially and spiritually when he starts his family one day. I know our schedules create barriers from time to time and we can’t attend everything. However,…

The Biblical Way of Dealing with a Brother Who Has Sinned Against You

[338 words] “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be…

Falling Through the Cracks

[265 words] Sometimes things unintentionally fall through the cracks. We can have lots of events well-organized, well-oiled, and well-planned, and yet have a key event or responsibility go unnoticed or undone. Thus, it appears as if that part of it was unimportant in the first place. Sad to say, sometimes we can let people fall…

The Two Greatest Problems in the Church

[206 words] A dedicated Christian once asked a delinquent brother this same question of interest. His friend replied, “I don’t know…and I don’t care!” “You’re absolutely right,” said the faithful Christian, “I don’t know (Ignorance) and I don’t care (Indifference) are the two greatest.” Ignorance? But, wait! If you and I truly love Jesus, we…

What Can You Do for the Church?

[489 words] People often wonder what the church can do for them. It seems that everyone wants to be part of a large congregation that has immaculate facilities, lots of activities for the young and old, children of all ages, and a large contribution. When someone is looking for a congregation to attend, these may…

Cruise Ships and Aircraft Carriers

  [484 words] I’ve not been on a cruise yet, but I hope to one day. From what I hear, cruise ships are all about having fun. The entire crew, from the captain to the dishwasher, is there just to serve the passengers and help them have the time of their lives. The food, the…

The Church Exists to:

  [63 words] • Exalt God (Eph. 3:21). • Evangelize the world (Acts 14:25-28). • Endorse the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). • Edify the believers (Eph. 4:16). • Educate the uninformed (2 Tim. 2:2). • Equip the saints (Eph. 4:12). • Ease the burdens of the needy (2 Cor. 9:13). Are you doing your part…

Calling It What It Is

  [343 words] The past several years have produced an uneasy, unfounded shift in brotherhood terminology. Much has been written in various journals and papers, and even more has been said in countless lectures and sermons concerning “our movement” and “our fellowship,” with less and less being said about the Lord’s church. Not so long…

I Wish the Church…

  [273 words] I wish the church… • Was more evangelistic • Had dynamic worship • Ministered to every age group • Encouraged people to become leaders • Was more visible in the community • Invested in the home • Provided more fellowship opportunities • Had a thriving education program • Had a passion for…

I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care!

  [366 words] Many years ago, I heard Leroy Brownlow (author of “Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ”) use this illustration. “What are the two main problems in the church?” The question was answered with, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” He hit the nail on the head. Indifference is…

What Could I Preach?

  [296 words] “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5: 23). Suppose I should want to preach on some subject pertaining to Christ but not talk about the church, what could I preach? If…

Why Christians are One in Christ

  [69 words] • We have the same Lord (Romans 10:12; Ephesians 4:5). • We were redeemed by the same blood (Ephesians 1:7). • We obeyed the same gospel (Romans 1:16; Galatians 1:6-9). • We were added to the same church (Acts 2:41,47). • We are heirs of the same promises (Acts 2:39). • We…

The ABC’s of the Church

[398 words] It is good from time to time to do some introspection and see where we are in life. Sometimes we do not like what we find and then make efforts to get “back to the basics.” This is something that we should do periodically as a church, as well. A congregation can get…

Let’s Do It!

[200 words] One of the great things about the Lord’s church is that it is made up of such a diverse group of individuals. Each member brings unique personalities, gifts, and talents into the fold. Some have abilities to do one thing well, and others have different abilities to do other things well. Now, each…

A Winning Church

[210 words] If you ask the average person why Jesus came to this earth you will get a variety of answers. “He came to do good.” “He came to tell people about God’s love.” “He came to heal people.” These are some of the many responses you will hear. Interestingly, Jesus, himself, told us why…

What I Owe My Home Congregation

[245 words] My Loyalty: As long as the program is scriptural, I must help carry it on. My home congregation is depending on me and if I am not loyal, they will not be able to carry out their proposed programs. My Dependability: I am depending on my home congregation for spiritual food and fellowship…

The Church of Me

[278 words] Sometimes people will ask me about my church. They assume since I am a minister that somehow I have some ownership or say over it. We do that too. We remark ‘at my church’ or ‘come to my church.’ It might just be a slip of the tongue but we need to work…

Researching Your Family Tree

[332 words] Have you seen the commercials advertising for Ancestry.com? Every time that I watch those ads I want to sign up for their service to search out my family history. That kind of thing just fascinates me. I remember a few years ago being at Ellis Island in New York and seeing a book…

Church Names

[224 words] Have you ever paid much attention to the names on church signs that you drive past? Church names can be very interesting. Here are a few that I’ve heard about: First Church of the Last Chance World on Fire Revival and Military Academy (in Florida), Hell Hole Swamp Baptist Church (in South Carolina),…

The Two Greatest Dangers in the Church Today

[394 words] In my opinion, the two greatest dangers in the Lord’s church today are that of ignorance and inactivity. Proper knowledge and actions are absolutely essential for a congregation to please the Lord. Consider that… …if a church does not have any biblical knowledge or any activity, then it is dead (or near-dead, anyway).…

The Source Matters

How much would you pay for a baseball? Not a baseball made of gold—one made of leather with red stitching just like any other baseball. You can get a whole bag of baseballs from a place like Wal-Mart for about $20. So what is the maximum you would pay for a baseball? What if I…

Members Who Weaken The Church

The strength of the church lies in her supernatural elements, her sure foundation, her divine cornerstone, and her resilient spirit. The weakness of the church lies in her human elements. The church is weak in proportion as her membership is weak, uninformed, insincere, or derelict in the performance of duty. NON-ATTENDING MEMBERS: They are found…

To Whose Church Do You Belong?

A woman approached a business man and asked for a donation to help build a church building. He agreed to give a sizable donation if they would put a sign over the door saying, “This is a church of Christ.” “But”, the Woman replied, “this is not a church of Christ!” So the business man…

We Need Each Other!

[264 words] There is an indelible and universal truth as it pertains to the church. We need each other. In fact, the Bible is adamantly clear that without the contribution of each member, the church does not properly function. Thus is the substance of Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 12. The church in Corinth struggled…

Why Go to Church?

A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one…

God’s Plan Revealed

God had a planned the church before the creation of the world (Ephesians 3:10-11). But it was not made known until “the dispensation of the fullness of times” (1:9). The “dispensation of the fullness of times” is a statement filled with meaning. Jesus was sent into the world by the Father “in the fullness of…

Greetings

When you think of your home congregation, what are some words you would use to describe it? Active, warm, loving, sincere, giving, evangelistic or cold, dead, apathetic, stuck in a rut, cliquish. Part of how your home congregation can be described is directly related to your role in that same congregation. If you are consistently…

The Severest Sin of Christians

The severest sin of Christians is a numbing lack of concern, an anesthetized attitude of “I don’t care. I’m in the fold. Why should I concern myself? I have a fire insurance policy against hell.” When Gideon was through thinning out his frightened and indifferent soldiers, he discovered that only one out of one hundred…

The Importance of Family

Picture this Scene. A little baby boy is born in a hospital and everyone is so excited. However, when it comes time to take him home, the parents say, “we think he should stay here with you.” While such would never happen to a child born into a loving or even semi-loving family, the question…

Unity

God’s word is truth (John 17:17) and when we are all grounded in the truth of God’s word unity will be the result (Ephesians 4:1-15). Truth does not cause division because truth is constant. Division comes when someone blows the winds of false doctrine and topples Christians who are not grounded in truth. They are…

Do Not Wait For The Kingdom

A few weeks ago a couple of nice gentlemen associated with a religious denomination knocked at my door. After introducing themselves, they got to the point they wanted to discuss: the kingdom of Christ. They insisted that the kingdom would soon be established. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning, and I had plans for…

Lest We Think God Doesn’t Care About How We Worship

[531 words] Worship is vital to the church. Reading the New Testament, we find the church coming together for worship each Lord’s day (Acts 20:7) and Christians being encouraged not to fall into a habit of being absent (Hebrews 10:25). We find that worship was regulated and that God, through the inspired writers, gave five…

How Long Do You Want This Church To Be Here?

[219 words] When we build our church buildings how long do we want them to last?  Would we be OK with a contractor that only made a structure good for fifteen years? Would we be satisfied if need to do it all over again in thirty years? If the place is crumbling a few years…

Restoring New Testament Christianity

“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” Mark 16:15-16. Not too far up the road, a stone ruin stands with trees growing through it. A plaque proclaims that in 1823 President James Monroe…

A Caring Church

[290 words] The title phrase is one commonly heard when describing particular congregations. But what does it mean to be a caring church? Is this church a caring church? Let’s find out. A Caring Church is a Sharing Church. A caring church is thankful Christ has shared with them and thus is willing to share…

No Title, Please

Some folks may view the Church of Christ as trying to be different just for the sake of being different. The reason for being different is that the Church of Christ is trying to follow the Bible. We even desire to follow the Bible by calling Bible things by Bible names. There is not a…

Is the Church Broken?

You hear comments in Bible classes that amount to what’s wrong with the church, what we’re doing wrong, what we’re not doing, and what it’s doing to us, our children, and the world. You read people’s minds through their social media rants, raves, and ramblings, and the bottom line message is that the church is…

Those That Are Sick Of Our Church

You hear people make the statements; “I want Jesus but not the church,” “Jesus is my personal savior but I’m not into organized religion,” and “I find my spirituality in nature, not in a pew with other people.” It’s an emphasis that while Jesus is desirable, his church is not. Can you have one without…

Why Did They Leave The Church?

Flavil Yeakley, Jr. wrote a book entitled “Why They Left: Listening to Those Who Have Left Churches of Christ.” Yeakley does a good job compiling his findings. He digs deep into various reasons as to why people have left the church literally and figuratively. He explores doctrinal differences, neglect, instrumental music issues, the role of…
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