Apostasy Can Happen Quickly
by Doy Moyer Among the many lessons we learn from studying the children of Israel is that apostasy can happen within a single generation. Proximity close to the original is no guarantee of holding to the truth. This pattern happened quickly and more than once. The first generation that came out of Egypt under Moses…
Read MoreCan a Biblical Worldview Work in Modern Times?
by Doy Moyer via InLight Media Criticisms of the traditional biblical worldview seem to be multiplying and intensifying these days. For New Testament Christians, this begs the question: are we crazy? Are we holding onto something that is simply untenable and unworkable in our modern society? Doy Moyer discusses this question with Andy Diestelkamp. He…
Read MoreWhy Jesus Taught in Parables
by Roger D. Campbell No one ever taught as Jesus did (John 7:46)! When He taught people, He often employed parables. By doing so, He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 78:2; 49:4). Jesus was neither the first nor last person in history to teach via parables, but He used them in an unparalleled, masterful way.…
Read MoreHow Did God Create Our World?
by Bob Prichard With just a few words, the first verse of Genesis, which is literally “the book of beginning,” introduces the idea of creation: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This tells us clearly that the Creator is God. Scientists recognize five components, which make up our world,…
Read MoreWas Jesus an immigrant?
Question: About the immigration issues: I’m on the fence with some of it. I can’t help but think that Jesus was himself an immigrant, as Mary and Joseph fled King Herod. And they had to have Jesus in a manger. It just brings me back to the holocaust, how many people had to hide the…
Read MoreWays to Motivate Members of the Church to Do Personal Work
by Wesley Simons How many times have you heard someone say, “I just cannot get motivated to do this or that.” Many members of the church find it hard to motivate themselves to study their Bibles, pray, attend services regularly, do personal evangelism, etc. So, they turn to the elders or the preacher and ask…
Read MoreHow do I help a family member who is not helping herself?
Question: Hello! I would like to know what the biblical approach to this problem is. My husband and I are newly married. We’re just about getting by with our bills and debts with both of our incomes. At the same time, we’re trying to save for his green card process, which is expensive. We’re trying…
Read MoreScientists Who Reject the Theory of Evolution
by Terry Wane Benton Many scientists have opposed evolution, responding that it is a false theory without evidence. Among them are: David Berlinski, a mathematician, molecular biologist, and philosopher, is one of the most famous critics of evolution. He sees it as something promoted among people under the name of science and fact, while in…
Read MoreYou Can’t Tell Me What to Do!
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/You-Cant-Tell-Me-What-to-Do.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Colossians 1:3-12 I. It is generally the cry of the unhappy A. “You can’t tell me what to do!” B. I don’t recall ever hearing this in response to something agreed upon. It always comes with a disagreement. II. “I have the right to live my life as I see…
Read MoreNot Faith Only
by Terry Wane Benton When they say Romans speaks of salvation “by faith only”, they have a different Bible than I have ever seen. Romans speaks of “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5), but never puts “faith” and “only” together anywhere. It speaks of people who “knew God” but “they did not glorify Him as God”…
Read MoreWilling to Do His Will
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Willing-to-Do-His-Will.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 7:14-24 I. Two students enter a classroom. A. One is excited about the prospect of learning this subject. Though he hasn’t started yet, he has plans on how he is going to put this knowledge to use in his life. He knows it will be beneficial and…
Read MoreCan a person be a member of two different congregations?
Question: We have a brother who used to worship with us, but eventually he took the gospel to his village, with the help of the congregation where we both worship. Worship services started in his village, with most members being his immediate family. However, he lives in our area but goes to the village every…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “a law unto themselves”?
Question: What does this part of Romans 2:14 mean? I highlighted the part I don’t understand. Romans 2:14 KJV “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.” Answer: “For when Gentiles who do not have…
Read MoreOur Sure Hope
by Gary Henry “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope” (I Timothy 1:1). Jesus Christ is “our hope,” as Paul wrote to Timothy. To the brothers and sisters in Colossae, he said that the good news of the gospel is “Christ in…
Read MoreLessons from the “Limited Commission”
by Samuel Matthews “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease… These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into…
Read MoreRemember Who You Are and Whose You Are
by Donna Faughn I’m thinking back to a time several years ago when our children were still living at home with us but were old enough to go out with friends or attend a church activity without us. I can still remember, to this day, what was said to them almost (if not every time)…
Read MoreHow do we keep our younger children from imitating their older rebelious sibling?
Question: I wanted to write in with a quick update regarding “How do we deal with a rebellious teenage daughter?”: Our daughter was less than enthusiastic about this idea at first. We decided to make it a small group of teens, and she was mortified at the idea of us (gasp!) talking to her friends.…
Read MoreThe “Hidden” Parts of the Body
by Heath Rogers The prophet Elijah was at a low point in his life. He had abandoned his post and run away from Israel. When asked by God why he was away from Israel, the prophet said that the children of Israel had forsaken God’s covenant, torn down His altars, and killed His prophets. “I…
Read MoreGod or the Deities
by Hugh DeLong As we begin the letters to the churches of Asia, again I share a couple of brief quotes from DeSilva’s ‘Unholy Alliances’ (pgs. 11-12). Concerning Ephesus, he wrote: “Another prominent facet of the life of their cities, and indeed the corollary of the first, involved the many cult sites of the traditional…
Read MoreJesus Was Born in a House, Not a Barn
Reexamining Luke’s Birth Narrative by Clay Gentry The birth of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, is one of the most remarkable events in human history. It was the moment that the eternal “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Yet, paradoxically, the historical moment of the Incarnation happened in some of…
Read MoreUnregulated Desires
by Chadwick Brewer “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (I John 2:16). Our desires come from God. He created desire between a husband and wife. He created beauty in this world for us to…
Read MoreWhere Did We Come From?
by Dale Smelser via InLight Media Where did we come from—a Creator or a cosmic accident? In this video, Scott Smelser explores three simple, self-evident facts about origins. These everyday observations—supported by Romans 1:20—show that God’s power and divine nature are clearly seen in creation. From fingerprints to hummingbirds to the complexity of life itself,…
Read MoreAnxiety
by Terry Wane Benton When your nerves are frayed, and you are afraid of what is going to happen in view of what you just lost, it can consume you with stress, worry, and anxiety. I believe that God helps us through things even when we cannot see any hope at the moment. I’ve been…
Read MoreWho Are the “Sons of God” Who Married the Daughters of Men?
by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above Genesis 6:1-4 says: “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. …
Read MoreConfusion and Transgression
by Sewell Hall via Seeking Things Above Have you ever heard anyone say, as an explanation for some sinful action, “I have become so confused I don’t know what is right anymore”? As a rule, the person who says such a thing has had clear convictions but has acted, or is about to act, contrary…
Read MorePlanning for Uncertainties
Planning for Uncertainties (Part 1)Planning for Uncertainties (Part 2) by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 41:25-40 I. Consistently, the Scriptures warn us that wealth is an unreliable commodity A. Wealth is untrustworthy – Proverbs 11:28 B. Making wealth your goal is foolish – Proverbs 23:4-5 1. It is also dangerous – I Timothy 6:9-11 2. Ironically, the desire for…
Read MoreIs Truth Essential?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Is-Truth-Essential.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreDon’t Believe Everything
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dont-Believe-Everything.mp3 by Raymond Warfel Download Audio
Read MoreListening to Children
by Naomi Works In the last few years, God has blessed me with the opportunity to spend a lot of time with children of all ages in all kinds of settings (Bible studies, homeschool co-op classes, crafting sessions, everyday life, etc.). I can’t even begin to express how many lessons I’ve learned through all these…
Read MoreWhat do I do about someone not paying back the money I loaned?
Question: Good day, Minister, I hope you are healthy and thriving, and I want to thank you and the church for the work you are doing. I have an issue that’s bothering me and my conscience. I lent some money to a colleague, and she promised to pay me on a particular day. When the…
Read MoreWhat should be done about contributions while traveling?
Question: Hello preacher, Our congregation has recently been studying Christian giving, especially from I Corinthians 16. We understand that if a member misses a Sunday service, they should try to make up their contribution the following week. A question has come up: If a brother or sister misses service because they were visiting another congregation,…
Read MoreDoes a church have the right to remove from its roll a member who no longer lives in the area?
Question: Dear Sir, I have been reading your articles and learning a lot from your Bible teachings. Thank you for all you do and for your heart to spread the Truth. Here’s my question: There’s a sister in our Church who was reached out while working as a house helper in a disciple’s home, but…
Read MoreShould a congregation deny someone who desires to be baptized again?
Question: Good day Jeff, I hope you’re doing well. I have a question. A brother stood up in church to confess that the reason he got baptized was to marry a sister in the congregation, not that he was convinced that it would give him salvation. He requested that he be baptized again since, after…
Read MoreWas baptism only for the Jews? (3)
Question: Good day. Does I Corinthians 12:13 refer to Holy Spirit baptism? Was water baptism only for the Jews? Did it stop when Paul got his assignment to the Gentiles? Thanks. Answer: I Corinthians 12:13 tells us who was behind the means by which we can be saved. The Holy Spirit revealed God’s plan. See…
Read MoreIs it wrong to preach on All Saints Day?
Question: Hello brother, I have always been reading many articles on your sites, and it has really helped me as a preacher. My question is this: Is it prohibited in the Scriptures for one to preach during All Saints Day (November 1)? There is a tradition of the unbelievers here in the Philippines that during…
Read MoreChanging Preaching Content
by Gardner Hall In his book Reviving the Ancient Faith, historian Richard Hughes documents a noticeable shift in the content of preaching among “mainstream” churches of Christ in the 1960s and 1970s. The early 1950s featured speakers on the nationwide “church” program, “Herald of Truth,” who emphasized compliance with “the plan of salvation,” adherence to…
Read More“Once Saved, Always Saved” Refuted: Can a Christian Fall Away?
by Terry Wane Benton Christians (those truly “saved to begin with”) can: Depart from the faith (I Timothy 4:1) Wander away from the faith (I Timothy 6:10) Swerve from the faith (I Timothy 6:21) Abandon our faith (I Timothy 5:12) Make a shipwreck of our faith (I Timothy 1:19) Fall from grace (Galatians 5:4) Desert…
Read MoreWhat Jesus Sacrificed
by Doy Moyer Jesus Sacrificed His Body The sacrifice of Jesus is vital to salvation (Ephesians 1:7). Yet it was not just the death of Jesus that saves us; the resurrection was necessary to defeat death and thereby offer us the hope of eternal life (I Peter 1:3-5). To be sure, Jesus sacrificed His body.…
Read MoreGod Gives Before They Come?
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” (John 6:37). The Calvinist takes this to mean that God arbitrarily chooses a person and programs them with the ability and determination to “come to Jesus” at some point, so that they are “eternally saved.” I heard a Calvinist…
Read MoreFor No Reason
by Terry Wane Benton In Psalm 69:4, David was disturbed that people hated him “without a cause.” Why do people act this way? Why do people reject and hate others when there is no call for it? He could understand it from some people if he had hurt them in some way, but feeling snubbed…
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