What Am I Worth to the Local Congregation?
Answering this question requires some honest introspection. It also assumes that all members of a congregation have some interest in whether they are of any value to the accomplishment of the congregation’s purposes. This is a question that is easily avoided by those who may be afraid of the answer. To some, what the congregation […]
In Christ We Have
A love that can never be fathomed. A glory that can never be clouded. A life that can never die. A happiness that can never be interrupted. A peace that can never be understood. A light that can never be extinguished. A rest that can never be disturbed. A strength that can never be overcome. […]
What Are You Looking For in a Church?
Because they have moved into a new community, or have awakened to the need for religion in their lives, or are unhappy with “their old church,” many people are “looking” for a “new church.” What are they looking for? What are you looking for? Some, following family and personal traditions, look for a church like […]
The Name of Christ
The scripture says, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). Jesus was called a Nazarene simply because he lived in Nazareth. We are called Texans because we live in Texas. Sometimes we are […]
The Work of “Genuine” Elders
It is a sad reality that we have so few “genuine elders” in the Lord’s work, but we need to recognize and commend those men who are serving in this capacity, and who are truly doing the work which the Lord has entrusted to them. It takes “genuine quality men” to accept and do this […]
“Lord, We Come Before Thee Now”
In a couple of hours, all the saints of the Loop 287 Church of Christ in Lufkin, Texas will assemble. We’ll do our best to honor God and pay respect to all that He’s done. The beautiful hymn, “Lord, We Come Before Thee Now,” perfectly expresses how strong that desire should be. True worship, extended […]
Looking for Teachers
There was once a deacon looking for Bible class teachers. Some of the adults said, “I do not want to leave the adult class.” However, the drug pusher said, “Not even the threat of jail will keep me from working with your children.” Some more adults said, “I am unsuited, untrained, and unable to work […]
Why Aren’t More Men Qualified to be Elders?
Concerning the work of elders (or bishops), the apostle Paul writes, “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1, NKJV). According to the divine pattern revealed in Scripture, the elders in the local church are to serve in the important capacity […]
Leaving an Apostate Congregation
Many of our brethren across the country are sore distressed by the state of affairs in churches of Christ today. To say that many churches are undergoing change is a gross understatement of the situation. Radical changes in thought toward the authority of the scriptures are allowing many churches of Christ to take very liberal […]
How Churches Can Develop Their Young People
Mark Chaves, a professor at Duke University, has written, “People in the pews are getting older.” In the 1970s, people who attended a church assembly frequently were on average three years older than the general population. In 2008, there was a five-year gap. We have reached a point where he writes that “the average churchgoing […]