What Was the Issue?

by Bill Hall Church-Supported Orphans’ Homes: What Was the Issue? The Sponsoring Church Arrangement: What Was the Issue? Kitchens and Fellowship Halls: What Was the Issue?

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Institutionalism

by Chris Reeves Truth Magazine August 2024 Christians today who were not raised during the institutional battles among brethren in the 1950s and 1960s would do well to learn the issues that divide us today. Having learned these issues, they can then teach others the truth concerning the work and organization of the local church. Today’s…

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Is it right for a church to support a Bible school?

Question: Greetings to you, Brother Hamilton; I trust you have been in good health. I need your guidance on these issues: Is it a sin for the church to financially support Bible schools? The church sometimes requests Bible school students to help carry out a massive evangelism campaign. How can the church balance its relationship…

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Why “Liberal” and “Conservative” Churches of Christ

by Robert Harkrider During the past two decades, many have asked this question. Some sincere brethren who have been caught up in one stream or the other never fully understood, and many who were too young before have now grown to adulthood wondering why. It is, therefore, a good question worthy of repeated investigation. Labels…

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Is it wrong to link to WVBS or GBN?

Question: Is it wrong for a church to link to WVBS or GBN on its website? I’m unsure if it’s right or wrong, but I’d at least like your thoughts, if you don’t mind. Thanks. Answers: World Video Bible School (WVBS) and Gospel Broadcasting Network (GBN) solicit funding from individuals and churches. “WVBS is organized…

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What Is Institutionalism?

by Gardner Hall When young disciples ask, “What is institutionalism?” … How should we answer them? A simple definition is that institutionalism is seeing God’s church as a network of congregations with its traditions and organizations. Biblically, God’s church is His saved people whose names are written in heaven (Hebrews 12:23). Only He knows who…

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Are we not to support organizations that do good?

Question: Dear Sir: I have been reading your website for a long time and gaining much knowledge from it. I am puzzled though about how we as Christians are to meet the expectations of Matthew 25:31-46. If we are not to support organizations, such as the Salvation Army, is there a recommended method to contribute…

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Measuring Acceptability

by Whit Sasser In II Corinthians 8:12 we read, “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.” This principle of God’s word is to be respected, as well as all others. Sadly, there seem to be many areas…

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Who Has Changed?

by Wayne Goforth Sentry Magazine, September 2000 Someone has indeed changed! It has sometimes been argued that “The anti’s have come up a new doctrine.” Thomas B. Warren, in his book on “Lectures on Church Cooperation and Orphan Homes,” argues “If you can find anyone who taught this before 1955, you will be doing me…

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The Legacy of Campbell’s Error

by Steve Dewhirst Sentry Magazine, December 2000 Alexander Campbell Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) was a remarkable man, but he was just a man, subject to error even as the rest. for all of his great learning, teaching, and writing over many years, he was profoundly wrong in his understanding of one vital aspect of the New…

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The History of the Institutional Controversy

by Jefferson David Tant Those who have a general knowledge of churches of Christ today are aware of the fact that a division took place during the last half of the 20th Century. This division took place over doctrinal issues concerning the organization, work, and mission of the Lord’s church. In many respects, this division…

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The Church’s Purpose

by Bill Hall What is the purpose of the Lord’s church? Is it to eradicate poverty, disease, social injustice, illiteracy from among men? Is it to bring about a cessation of war and conflict? Is it to campaign for a temptation-free society for Christians to live in? If the church had as one of its…

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Is it wrong for an institution to ask for donations?

Question: Hello, Is it okay for organizations such as GBN TV to ask for donations publicly? Is anything wrong with this? This organization is run by members of the Lord’s church. I do not think anything is wrong with this, but I do think it would be wrong if the congregation itself asked for donations…

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What Is It?

Flavil L. Colley Firm Foundation, January 20, 1948, p. 3 “Now, a denomination— what is it? I think the following will prove true: A denomination is a religious organization larger than any local church on earth and yet smaller than all the Christian people on earth. Think of the statement thus made. What is a…

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How do I teach someone about the proper way to do benevolence?

Question: Hello, I am a newer Christian and love your site. Thanks so much for making it available. While I have much growth spiritually, know that you are helping me to grow. My cousin and I do not agree on the benevolence work of an individual Christian vs. the Local Church. He wants to study…

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Institutionalism: A Virulent Cancer

by Harry W. Pickup, Jr. via The Gospel Guardian, 24 September 1964 Any error which touches either the nature of God or the nature of the Church is most fundamental and basic. Institutionalism is such an error because it touches the nature of the Church. The supposed conversion of Emperor Constantine, resulting in the “Christianizing” of…

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A Friendly Letter on Benevolence

  by Irven Lee (1914-1991) April 1, 1958 A good friend that I have known and appreciated a long time sent a letter of inquiry which prompted this answer. Since so many are wondering about the same problems, I am making a few copies of the letter [that I wrote in response] with the hope…

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The Sponsoring Church Arrangement: What Was the Issue?

  by Bill Hall I can’t say enough about the encouragement it is to me to see your continued interest in this effort that we’re putting forth.  Your willingness to come and study with us — it means so much to me.  When this was planned, I thought we could educate those who come as…

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Church-Supported Orphans’ Homes: What Was the Issue?

by Bill Hall It was a difficult time.  I don’t know that I could in any way picture for you if you didn’t live then, just how difficult that time was.  Back somewhere in the mid-50s, in the pages of the Gospel Advocate, a quarantine was called for against all those who preached the gospel…

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Your points are concise, plausible, and substantiated by the Scriptures

Question: I wanted to say thank you, at least for the two articles of yours I have read so far. I have been raised in what I would presume would be considered a “moderate” congregation of the church. I have some family members that attend a more “conservative” congregation. For the record, I have a…

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But It Is a Good Work!

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2062/05/ButItIsAGoodWork.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 2:1-10   I.         Periodically I’ll get irate notes from people who are upset that I talk about the teachings of the Salvation Army and point out that they don’t match the Scriptures             A.        Rarely does anyone say I’m mistaken about the teachings, rather they think it shouldn’t be an issue…

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The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

by Ethan R. Longhenry God wills for all people to be saved in Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:4; II Peter 3:9); Christians must go out and proclaim the Word of the Gospel to their fellow human beings (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 10:14-17). The local church, as the Body of Christ manifests in a given area, has…

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The Congregational Cooperation Issue During the Restoration Movement

by George P. Estes via Gospel Guardian, May 3, 1956 Behind the thinking of the men who attempted to restore the New Testament church lie two basic premises or accepted facts: first, that the church as it existed in the apostolic age contained no admixture of human doctrine and was, therefore, a God-given and perfect…

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The Same Movement, Yet We Are Different

by Andy Sochor Daniel Austen Sommer (1878-1952) was the son of the gospel preacher, Daniel Sommer. In 1916, D.A. Sommer debated J. Roy Wright of the Christian church. The debate dealt with several issues, including instrumental music in worship and missionary societies. In his first speech, Sommer pointed out something that he and Wright had in…

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A “Systemic” Problem

by Ethan R. Longhenry For the past 200 or so years, we have seen a fundamental shift in the way that people relate to one another. The Industrial Revolution has certainly brought its share of benefits: greater productivity, acceleration in the development of technology, a greater quality of life, and longer-lasting life, among other things.…

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Individual Duty or Local Church Duty?

by Howard Justice During the past half-century, there has been a serious amount of confusion as to how a member of God’s family relates to his role in the family of God and how this service involves the local unit known as the local church. It has presented problems in understanding what a Christian may…

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I’m not certain what group you are with, but I find your website helpful

Question: I am a disciple of Jesus Christ who attends a fellowship of churches once known as the International Churches of Christ. I was googling opinions and articles on various biblical topics when I saw your website. I just wanted to tell you how refreshing it was to see such an uncompromising stand on being…

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The Difference Between Individuals and the Church

by Greg Gwin In a recent discussion of church benevolence, the point was made that the church has a limited benevolent role (only to needy saints), while individual Christians can and should help all who are legitimately in need (Galatians 6:10). Someone offered this rebuttal: “Why maintain a division in the church over money when…

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Why do churches seem to pick and choose what they practice?

Question: I am a married woman who has a general question regarding the Stone-Campbell Movement churches, of which I have been a part of (the ‘fiddling’ branch) since the day I was born. I understand that “where the Bible speaks, we speak,” and that is the reason why we celebrate the practice of communion each and…

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Who Is Responsible?

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WhoIsResponsible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Galatians 6:1-10   I.         One of the issues that has divided brethren is that of doing good.             A.        The question is who is responsible?             B.        One side argues that it doesn’t matter, so long as the good is done. The other side argues that you cannot give away a responsibility God has…

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Are you saying that only individuals can do things?

Question: It appears that you are saying that only individuals do things and not the body (church), is this what you mean? Thank you. Answer: It depends on what “things” you are referring to. There are things commanded of the church and there are things commanded of the individual Christian. A few of them overlap, but…

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The Organization of the Church

by Earl Kimbrough via Searching the Scriptures, August 1978, Volume 19, Number 8 The Lord designed the church according to his own will and circumscribed it with certain distinguishing marks that are clearly set forth in the Scriptures. No one of these essential features of the church is more important than any other. “All things”…

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The Autonomy of the Local Church

by Keith Sharp Introduction Several years ago I spoke by phone to a preacher who works with a large congregation in South Texas. As we conversed he asked if I was “anti-cooperation.” I told him I knew what he was talking about, but that I advocated scriptural cooperation between churches of Christ. He changed the…

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