Posts Tagged ‘social activities’
A Few Words about the “Social Gospel”
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. We “conservatives” sometimes speak of the “Social Gospel” in a way that shows we know very little about it. Many think the Social Gospel is all about churches sponsoring social activities like social meals and recreational activities. While these unscriptural practices are wrong and may have in some way grown…
Read MoreIs it wrong to have an Easter egg hunt after services?
Question: Hello, I was reading one of the articles on your website about Easter. I am a member of the church and studying what has been taking place in a previous congregation I’ve attended. There was an Easter egg hunt directly after the service. Is that wrong or not since the activity occurred after the…
Read MoreWorship or Entertainment?
by Bob Prichard In our entertainment-oriented culture, many churches find themselves trying to ‘outdo’ themselves with more and more elaborate additions to worship. What began as special music by a choir becomes a full orchestra with professional soloists. A dramatic reading necessitates a full Broadway stage production. And as long as those who come to…
Read MoreAbout Church Socials
by Leslie Diestelkamp Two questions have been asked: (1) Why doesn’t the church have more socials? and (2) Why can’t we have parties in the basement of the church building? The New Testament authorizes every act and activity of the church. It provides us with all that pertains to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).…
Read MoreWhat if someone wanted to bring a bottle of wine to the church’s Christmas luncheon?
Question: Hello Minister, I have a hypothetical question. A member of your church of Christ brings a container of fermented fruit juice (grape?) to the annual Christmas lunch in your auditorium. He wants to have it with the meal. What if any is your response to him? Answer: I had to chuckle because your question…
Read MoreAre award ceremonies wrong?
Question: Good Evening Brother, I have been thinking about award ceremonies recently, and I’ve been having mixed feelings about them. One part of me is saying that they are good and are used to recognizing good hard-working people who don’t get enough appreciation as they should. But another part of me thinks that award ceremonies…
Read MoreThe People of God — Their Attitude Toward the Social Order
by Ed Harrell Throughout history, in relating themselves to the world, the two options which Christians have most often pursued were to vigorously strive to control the world or to disdainfully withdraw from it. Some have dreamed that they would make their society “Christian,” necessarily defined in cultural and nationalistic terms, and have passed laws,…
Read MoreAuthorized Aids
by Larry Ray Hafley The Bible does not state that Noah used hammers, saws, and axes in the construction of the ark. However, such instruments were authorized by the command, “Make thee an ark” (Genesis 6:14). Without the instruction to build the ark, the tools would have been unauthorized. The Bible does not mention church…
Read MoreIs it right to offer food when teaching the gospel?
Question: Hi Jeff, The minister in my congregation proposed something in the area of evangelism to the church which i don’t think is scriptural. He said we should go with some food items to give to those we meet whenever we go for house-to-house evangelism. His belief is that it will boast or make the…
Read MoreIs it a sin not to go to a wedding or baby shower or graduation?
Question: Hi, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Corinthians 12:26). The latter part of this verse speaks of when a brother in the body of Christ rejoices, you are to rejoice with him. Take for example a wedding,…
Read MoreIs it wrong to indulge in food and drink at worship?
Question: Is it wrong for members of the church to indulge in food and drink while worship is happening? We have this problem, and I need an answer with Scripture, please. Thank you. Answer: I’ve noticed that people like to make rules instead of citing the Scriptures. It is that tendency that caused discussions between…
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 MoreI am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door!
Question: Just found your site. Well done. I am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door! To bad you are not close enough to attend. How about some audio and video of your teachings and sermons? Answer: Look under Audio for audio lessons. We aren’t…
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…
Read MoreHow can we be lights of the world if we are closeted behind our doors?
Question: Dear Bro. Hamilton, I would like to thank the church there for its great website. I am a Bible school teacher and I think it will be a big help to me when my students have questions about biblical things. I have read the introduction to the La Vista church on your website. While…
Read MoreAre things like youth groups, camps, interns, fellowship halls, etc. inherently bad?
Question: Well, I have been reading through your site and it has made me question some things about my church. Right now I’m beginning college and I attend a church of Christ as I did when I was back home. I now have a much more solid understanding of why I attend a church of…
Read MoreThank you for focusing on the soul of man instead of the artificial needs of men
Question: Brother Jeffrey, I just wanted to say thank you. You and I do not know one another, for we have never met. I was surfing the internet this morning and stumbled across the La Vista Church of Christ website and I must say that I enjoyed looking it over at great length. I especially enjoyed the home page and…
Read MoreYour article on entertainment in the church is well done
Question: Your article on entertainment in the church is well done. Answer: Thank you.
Read MoreIs it wrong to use instrumental music during a talent show at the building?
Question: I know musical instruments are not to be used in the worship setting. But our leadership is too biblical at times. Some are so biblical that they rather call an event a Gospel meeting and not a revival. I know that we must obey those who rule over us, but you being a leader in the…
Read MoreWorship as Entertainment
by Mark Roberts via Abundant Life Romans 1 challenges us with its chilling words “they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man” (vv. 22-23). Man has the propensity to change God and the worship of God into what he desires. Instead of doing what the Lord…
Read MoreDid the Church Come Together for a Common Meal in Acts 20?
by Greg Gwin A question has been asked about ‘eating’ in Acts 20:6-11: “And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,…
Read MoreFood, Gimmicks, and Recreation
by Jeff May Problems arise as we strive to serve God faithfully, but God has given us a tree – the tree of Calvary, to be used in such situations, just as Moses cast in the tree at Mariah to resolve the problem of the bad water (Exodus 5), and Elisha cast in the tree…
Read MoreCarnal Appeals
by Greg Gwin Free pizza, clowns, hot air balloon rides … you name it, and some religious group has tried it as a scheme to draw folks to their services. These things are fun! Who wouldn’t like to play ball, eat good food, and be entertained? But, here’s the problem — these things all appeal…
Read MoreHow do you know if a church is just there to entertain?
Question: How do you know if a church is just there to entertain? Answer: It caters to what people want. The Bible is rarely if ever referenced. Few people ever ask if this is according to what God authorized. You hear people talking a lot about what they feel should be done and no appeal to what…
Read MoreWhat is a church homecoming?
Question: What is a church homecoming? What can I say about it for a service? Answer: The Bible doesn’t talk about churches having “homecomings.” This is a man-made event and has no business being a part of a church’s activities. “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).
Read MoreSpiritual Worship
Text: Psalm 95 I. A critical danger that happens to most Christians is approaching the worship of God by rote. A. We go through the motions of worship, but our minds are not fully engaged. 1. With their hearts not involved, worship becomes a drudgery 2. We understand intellectually that is not right, but we wonder how do we…
Read MoreIs it wrong for a church to organize meals?
Question: I was reading through a couple of articles on your website when I ran into “Using a Kitchen in a Rented Hall” and I became a bit concerned. See, the church I attend has a potluck dinner every first Sunday of the month following morning services. We meet in a building next to the…
Read MoreWhat! No Special Programs?
by Bobby Witherington via The Reflector, April 2011 Visitors to our assemblies are sometimes amazed (and maybe disappointed) to learn that this congregation does not have a special youth program. Nor a kitchen. Not even a bus ministry. Do we have something against young people? Or kitchens? Or busses? Not at all. We have several young…
Read MoreDoes the feeding of the 5,000 show we should feed people when we teach them?
Question: Matthew 14 says Jesus fed and healed the 5,000. He said they do not need to go away hungry, give them something to eat. Should we take this literally as an example and feed, help, and teach the lost? Answer: You are seeing what you want to see in this example instead of what…
Read MoreCan’t the building be used for things other than worship?
Question: The church building is what it is — a building. The way we use “fellowship’ is to socialize. Every time people meet before worship they are said to fellowship with one another. Fellowship is not the same thing as the Lord’s supper; however, a type of fellowship is involved in the process. A fellowship…
Read MoreShouldn’t the church be a social organization to draw people to Christ?
Question: I say all this with the utmost respect. I read your opening statement about all the things you don’t have. I very much appreciate a church (a body) that wishes to follow the pattern of the first-century church. I agree with your purpose and what God has to offer us is so much more than…
Read MoreFellowship Halls?
by Mark Dunagan Somewhere in the past, the idea entered the Church of Christ that it would be all right to take the funds collected on the first day of the week and construct a church building which would include such things as a kitchen and a large dining room or “fellowship” hall. These structures…
Read MoreWhy are there all these new practices in the church?
Question: I am having trouble accepting new ideas within the church. Last Halloween the church sponsored a “trunk or treat” in the parking lot by putting Halloween themes in trunks of cars and giving out candy to kids coming down the street! Then at Christmas, the preacher called my house and ask if he and…
Read MoreWhat do you do about helping the downtrodden?
Question: Hi, I noticed something through your home page description and the social gospel question answered that makes me have a question for you: What do you do about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting sick and imprisoned? (Matthew 25:31-46) And what do you do about selling your possessions and giving to the poor (Luke 12:33) and the…
Read MoreYou are right, God’s people need the word, not social things
Question: Greetings in Christ’s name! Yes, you are correct, God’s people need to be feed by His everlasting word and not with social and worldly things. We love learning more from you. Answer: Thank you for your kind words.
Read MoreIs it right for a church to have meetings or parties at the church?
Question: Is it right for the church to have devotionals, Leadership Training for Christ, retreats, summer camps for the youth, Trick or Treat at Halloween, or New Year Eve parties at the church? Answer: A church’s duty foremost is to provide the opportunity of its members to gather for worship. “… when you come together…
Read MoreThanks for the article on the Social Gospel
Question: I just wanted to say I appreciated the article on What Is the Social Gospel on your site. I believe it was by Richard Thetford, so I will send a note to him too. I’m in Texas, so I am not part of your community, but I am a church of Christ member, just for…
Read MoreChurch Recreation
by Keith Camp Recently I received an invitation to a facility that provided “ping pong, walking track, concerts, basketball, weights, pool table, board games, banquets, refreshments, etc.” No, the invitation did not come from the local Boy’s club. It came from a local church. Increasingly churches have begun to take on the atmosphere of social…
Read MoreOutreach
by Jimmy Mickells The word “outreach” is an expression that has been coined in recent years. If I understand what is meant by its use, it means an effort by a local church to reach out to those that are lost to save them from sin. That certainly is the work of the church. Paul,…
Read MoreWhat should I do for an ex-Christian who is trying to care for a grandchild?
Question: I am helping an elderly lady financially, who has taken on her granddaughter. Her granddaughter’s dad was killed and her mom lost custody due to drugs. I suppose she is considered an orphan. I discussed with grandmom the need to become a Christian. She said she was baptized into the Lord’s church years ago…
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