Posts Tagged ‘church’
A Crisis of Faith?
by Orlando B. Gonzalez Perhaps you wonder whether we, as members of the “Churches of Christ”, are turning others away from Jesus by how we discuss people in other denominations, and how we talk about our practices as if they are the only right way to do things, thereby condemning those who do them differently.…
Read MoreChurch Discipline
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. Each congregation of the Lord’s people has the right and the responsibility to control its membership A. Ideally, each congregation is composed of faithful Christians. Because of their common beliefs and shared work, they are joined together in serving God. B. However, we understand that just because a person wears the name of…
Read MoreWhy I Didn’t Leave the Church
by Matthew W. Bassford The posts appear pretty regularly on my Facebook feed. Some poor soul, simmering with hurt and anger, explains why they left the churches of Christ. The explanations are generally long and filled with accusations of bad behavior by brethren. I get it. Like many preachers, I have suffered at the hands…
Read MoreFinding an Unbroken Line of Churches
by Doy Moyer We sometimes hear talk about finding the original church. In the search for the original church, we may then make the mistake of thinking that we can find a line of churches that go all the way back to the 1st century to prove which one is the right church. Besides conflating…
Read MoreWhat is “Fellowship”?
by David Smitherman The early disciples “continued steadfastly in ..fellowship” (Acts 2:42). And, this “constant attention” to fellowship is a practice of our first-century brethren that we would do well to imitate. But what is involved in “fellowship,” especially fellowship with a local church? Fellowship is not “placing membership” or having one’s name “on the…
Read MoreNever Again Will They Learn War
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Never-Again-Will-They-Learn-War.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 65:17-25 I. King Nebuchadnezzar had enough with the rebellion of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah A. He removed the nobles to retrain them in his ways; yet, the stubborn Jews continued to rebel. Jehoakim was removed and his son Jehoachin was put in his place. B. He removed the…
Read MoreThe Church in Prophecy
by Jerry C. Brewer Over the period of many centuries, the process of revealing God’s eternal purpose in the church was gradual. As parents impart knowledge to their children in portions and parts from infancy to adulthood, God dealt with the human race in the revelation of His eternal purpose. Fed on milk when they…
Read MoreOn This Rock (Matthew 16:18)
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/On-This-Rock.mp3 by Joe Greer Lessons to Build Your Faith
Read MoreCan We Just Be Christians
by Craig Thomas In a world filled with religious traditions and denominational churches, the concept of being simply Just a Christian is difficult to communicate. Yet a careful reader of the New Testament will realize Jesus did not die so His followers could be divided into sects and parties (John 17:20-23). Jesus died to reconcile…
Read MoreCan a Good Man Be Saved Outside the Church?
by N. B. Hardeman Excerpts from “The Church- Its Unity,” Hardeman’s Tabernacle Sermons, Volume 2 I regret that there is such a teaching abroad as this – for instance, that a man does not have to become a member of the church in order to be saved; that there are just as good people outside…
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