Posts Tagged ‘church’
What Is Important in a Church?
What is Important to a Church? – Part 1What is Important to a Church? – Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 14:1-12 I. I remember visiting a large congregation many years ago. They had asked me to do some web site work for them. A. While I was amazed at the size of the…
Read MoreWe just don’t feel connected with this church
Question: We have attended our current congregation for several years. Good sound teaching, but we don’t feel a connection with anyone. My wife has wanted to try other congregations, but I don’t like to change. Recently she has been ill and has not felt like attending for over a month, and no one even asked…
Read MoreThe Blessings and Privileges of Kingdom Citizenship
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/BlessingsAndPrivilegesOfKingdomCitizenship.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreA Strong Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/StrongChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWhat do you do if you can’t worship with faithful brethren?
Question: I’ve read everything I could find on your page concerning worship alone. I know already that communion and singing are out of the question. So where does that leave someone who is in prison for life or far away from anyone or group that teaches and holds to sound doctrine? I’m sure you could…
Read MoreThis Isn’t What I Expected
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018Spring5ThisIsntWhatIExpected.mp3 by Raymond Warfel, Jr. Lessons from Matthew
Read MoreThe Church in Crisis
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. I have a sermon titled “Crises in the Jerusalem Church” that I preach from time to time. It is based on notes that I took on a sermon I heard brother Clinton Hamilton preach many years ago. It points to several crises faced by the first congregation of Christians ever.…
Read MoreCan’t I just worship with different congregations each Sunday?
Question: Good evening Minister, I have been a member of the Lord’s church for over five years. I’ve been a faithful member; however, I had some concerns about some things that were going on in worship. I left my home-based church where I felt like I was ostracized because I’m a single woman. I began…
Read MoreAre the church and the kingdom the same thing?
Question: Are the church and the kingdom the same thing? Answer: Often the Bible explains things through multiple words whenever one word is insufficient to fully describe what is meant. After all, the Bible is trying to describe a world that we cannot touch or see. For example, Jesus is described as the good shepherd,…
Read MoreWhy do you use a capital “C” in “church”?
Question: I noticed your website and church sign used a capital C on “church.” This practice is opposed by every church of Christ I have ever known. Why is it OK or not OK? Answer: Yes, there has been a fad among Christians to use a lowercase “c” in the names of churches. However, it…
Read MoreIs the word “church” pagan in origin?
Question: I recently read something saying that the word “church” is pagan in origin, and it gives honor to the daughter of some sun god. I was able to find basically two different ideas on where the word comes from. Some say from “circe” which would have meant circle or been the name of this…
Read MoreIs a church right because it calls itself a church of Christ?
Question: How do you know if a church is the right church? Is it because they bear the name “church of Christ”? Isn’t it possible that a church might also be a Bible-believing church but might not have a “church of Christ” attached to their church? Or is the name “church of Christ” the only…
Read MoreGod’s Plan for a Strong Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/GodsPlanForAStrongChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreQualities of a Sound Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/QualitiesOfASoundChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreGaius Versus Diotrephes
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/GaiusVersusDiotrephes.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreThe Local Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/LocalChurch.mp3 by Alan Feaster
Read MoreWhat Do I Owe to the Church?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WhatDoIOweToTheChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreDo I Owe Anything to the Church?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/DoIOweAnythingToTheChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreHow to Love Your Wife the Way Christ Loved the Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017Spring3HowToLoveYourWifeTheWayChristLovedTheChurch.mp3 by Frederic Gray Life Lessons from the Lord
Read MoreOne God, One Lord, One Body, Many Races?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017Spring2OneGodOneLordOneBodyManyRaces.mp3 by Frederic Gray 2017 Spring Meeting
Read MoreDo I need to prepare myself as a priest to fit into the kingdom?
Question: I have a question regarding the practical application of royal priesthood in the upcoming kingdom of God. Recently I got to know one of the elders and preacher in the church. According to him, we are a royal priesthood (referring to I Peter 2:9) and the role of priest is to offer up Christ…
Read MoreThe Organization of the Church
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/OrganizationOfTheChurch.mp3 Text: Hebrews 8:1-5 I. We give God glory when we teach His doctrine and execute it accordingly – I Peter 4:11 A. Thus we are to follow the pattern set for us – Philippians 3:17 B. Warnings abound not to change the message – Galatians 1:6-10 C. Any change would give glory to man and no longer…
Read MoreSometimes we lose focus regarding our primary mission
Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Thank you for all of the good Bible lessons you and others have written and put on your website. It seems that every time I am searching online for Bible study materials, I always end up on your website and find something I like. I have sent links to your website…
Read MoreAre We a Sect?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/AreWeASect.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 28:16-24 I. The Jews had difficulty understanding the church in its early days. A. It was founded by a Jewish teacher from a small, remote town called Nazareth. B. It began an flourished in their capital city, Jerusalem. C. It taught heavily from the Law, though it added new doctrine that…
Read MoreGreat Things from Acts 2
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GreatThingsFromActs2.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreWhy does the Hebrew writer contrast Mount Sinai with Mount Zion?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, I hope you are doing well. I have a question regarding Hebrews 12:18-29. Why does the writer use the example of the events in Mount Sinai (verses 18-21) and contrasts them with Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem and everything else in verses 22-24? What is the significance of what the writer…
Read MoreAll By Myself
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AllByMyself.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:12-17 I. Why do I have to go to church? A. After all, I can worship God all by myself. B. After all, all Christians are priests – I Peter 2:9 C. I can read my Bible and I don’t need anyone else – Ephesians 3:3-4 D. I can pray all by…
Read MoreShould I leave an ineffective, discouraging church?
Question: I was looking through your website and found someone asked questions similar to questions I had at this page: When should I leave a church? But I’m not sure you fully answered some of the questions, so I still wanted to ask them again. If there are multiple sound congregations nearby, must I worship with…
Read MoreLoving the Brethren
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LovingTheBrethren.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreSound Doctrine Produces Sound Churches Demanding Sound Doctrine
by Edward O. Bragwell via Gospel Guide, Vol. 27, No. 12, Dec. 1995. “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering…
Read MoreChoosing a Church
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. The New Testament teaches that there is but one church and also that there are many churches. Paul said he persecuted “the church (singular) of God” (I Corinthians 15:9). The record shows that he persecuted Christians in various places. In the same epistle, he spoke of “the churches (plural) of God.” (I Corinthians 11:16).…
Read MoreWhat a beautiful, simple explanation of who the churches of Christ are!
Question: I am a member of the church of Christ in Tennessee. I happened to run across your page when I Googled “Was Paul a member of the Sanhedrin?” I went to your home page, and, wow, what a beautiful, simple explanation of who we are! Just thought I would send a word of praise and…
Read MoreMy mother and I are arguing over which church to attend
Question: I tried searching for advice, and I found this. I have a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. My parents are separated. My dad, who was a preacher, no longer really believes in God. My brother has fallen back into the world. My mom wants to go to a different…
Read MoreShould we leave our current church because of unbiblical practices?
Question: I am currently attending a church of Christ where I was baptized and continue to worship. I have been studying the Bible through your very informative website and have realized that a lot of things taught on your site are not practiced in our congregation, which has made me a bit worried as I…
Read MoreCan a non-Christian lead the congregation?
Question: I’m in charge of scheduling the worship leaders for a small church of Christ. Recently I was approached by an unsaved regular attendee, who wished to participate in leading our body in different aspects of our Sunday morning worship service — prayer, reading, communion, etc. I approached our elders for guidance, as it just…
Read MoreIs it biblical to have camps for groups within a church?
Question: Hi, I would like to ask about fundraising activities for groups within the church, such as youths’ meetings, men’s meetings, and ladies’ meetings. Would it be proper for the youths to have a car wash where the money would go into the youths’ group account and not the church’s account? I know the church…
Read MoreCan the church prepare for the second coming by making the earth like heaven?
Question: I have a question that I have been struggling to answer recently: what does the Bible say about God’s Kingdom? Earlier this year I went to a big Pentecostal church (I have nothing against them) and they talked a lot about making God’s kingdom here on earth bigger to let every nation know Him…
Read MoreThe Church Ain’t Doing Nothing
by Raymond Elliott How often have we heard that statement from a brother in Christ? And it is to be admitted that we often fail in fulfilling the many obligations that God has given us. But there are some pertinent observations that need to be made relative to this broad statement. First of all, we…
Read MoreChurch should just be simple Bible teachings without the unnecessary “frosting” that just adds empty calories to people’s spiritual lives
Question: May God bless you all. I came across your great page and just thanked the Lord for that. Reading through it was just a great piece of God letting me know He has been listening to my questions and thoughts about the church. Recently I have been feeling pretty frustrated with how most churches…
Read MoreMy congregation is so caught up in meals and activities that they have lost sight of teaching
Question: Hello, I have been a member of the church of Christ for almost 20 years. I now have my own family and have been highly discouraged to continue attending the congregation in our hometown. Lately, I have been noticing so many changes in the church. Many local congregations, as well as ours, host what…
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