Category: Church

In God’s revelation, we are blessed with the most important truths known. They are timely, are worthy of examination – and demand a proper response from each of us.

This article is an examination of Peter’s words in 1 Peter 2:4-8. What is the meaning of Christ being the cornerstone? What does it mean to reject Him? How does rejecting Him affect one, if it does at all?

In recent decades, cultural trends toward secularization have served to marginalize believers and their faith. Church membership and attendance has decreased dramatically. How have most denominations sought to reverse this negative trend? By becoming relevant. Oh, the siren song of relevancy! In effect, there is a need to appeal to the carnal man, because a spiritual approach will not get them in the door! Has the Lord’s church been trending in the same direction? If so, how? And what is the proper response to a world that shows no interest in God?

Deacons are an important part of the Lord’s church. These men are not in a leadership role, neither is their office simply that of a figurehead. They are servants of the church.

We can not agree with the appeal to “attend the church of your choice.” It is our conviction that the church that Jesus built in the first century is the only church that the Lord will recognize as His own today. This church can not be found by tracing history, or by a majority vote (i.e., the church with the largest membership), but rather by looking at the pattern of the church that is set forth in the New Testament. Denominations divide believers by subscribing to creeds, councils, catechisms, and conventions. We simply try to follow the teachings of the Bible alone. Until we can find different kinds of churches in the Bible we can not encourage men to attend the church of their choice.

Even casual discussions with friends and loved ones who are outside of the churches of Christ can reveal a very strange mythology that has developed…

I recently read an interesting short article on the use of the term “literally” that I want to share with you, then comment upon. Two…

The New Testament abounds with evidence that Paul was a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ. He possessed the authority of an apostle, and his epistles contain the teachings that we are to follow today.

Parenting can provide the greatest blessings or the bitterest of failures. Children are free-moral agents and can rebel despite the best efforts that are put forth by the best of parents. However, parents cannot ignore the fact that they play an important role in the raising of their children.

What Exactly IS the Mission of Christ and His Church? This seems like such an obvious question, yet there is so much confusion about such…

Technological advancements are wonderful. Never before have we been so capable of taking the gospel into the whole world at such little expense (Matthew 28:18-20). A single congregation can do today what seemingly required church-splitting unscriptural arrangements a short time ago. Yet, the potential for abuse is also so apparent.

Let me say clearly from the beginning that there is biblical example for elders. In Paul’s letter to Titus Paul wrote, For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you (Titus 1:5). The indication here is that one of the things that was lacking was the absence of elders. This is also an indication that a church can function without elders; it is just lacking. In Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 Paul gives the young preachers the qualifications for elders. Why would Jesus gives us these qualifications if we do not need or cannot have elders today?

The importance of the public’s perception of the Christian.

It is simply insufficient to announce that any church is sound because its preaching is sound; soundness is also a matter of practice. Insisting on that Old Jerusalem Gospel does little good if it is heard, but ignored.

Jesus did not die to establish an institution that entertains and amuses man. He did not shed His blood to found a body that caters to man’s physical cravings. Rather, the Savior sacrificed Himself to build His church — an organization that seeks to lead men out of the mire and muck of spiritual corruption to a life of purity and holiness. To pervert the purpose of the church is to rebel against almighty God and reveal a disregard for the eternal well being of man. For such actions, men will give an account to God, and be found wanting.

Those who will not stand for anything will fall for everything; those who will not stand for the truth will fall for error. Will you take a stand?

Some brethren remark that the matter of withdrawing from the disorderly is a difficult one, but how much more difficult is this subject than the Bible teaching on divorce or any other subject? When God’s Word is preached “…in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2) and we “…reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching…” (2 Timothy 4:2), then we will recognize how plain this subject is and how forthright we are to be in obeying it.

Larry Ray Hafley answers from the scriptures questions asked by a Baptist Preacher.

The plea is for simple adherence to just what the Bible says.

A series of sermon charts on the subject: The Church of Christ