Any suggestions for material to teach young people?

Question: I read your article on whether boys and girls swimming together was ok or not. I saw it referenced in one of your last posts. I have been explaining a little bit about watching TV shows and listening to certain music or I should say lyrics to songs how it numbs our feelings and we…

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Could I have driven my friend away by talking about my faith?

Question: An individual I know has made fun of me for doing my Bible studies and changing the way I live. At one time this person was quite helpful to me. He would take me to the store or the doctor appointments. But I started talking to him about why I was studying the Bible,…

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Why do you quote from the Old Law?

Question: I read Why We Don’t Follow the Old Testament and saw your point of view on the matter, but you do quote laws from Leviticus to justify positions. Aren’t all those laws thrown out, along with all other laws from the Old Testament? I’m not debating homosexuality here, but you do quote: Leviticus 18:22…

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How can I teach my grandfather?

Question: Hello, My best friend is my grandfather. He has never been dedicated, baptized, or read the Bible. I, being only twelve years old, have done all three. Today, I told him about heaven and H-E double hockey sticks. He doesn’t really seem to be trying too hard. I explained to him about accepting Christ…

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Does the command for a woman not to teach only apply to the assembly?

Question: I have some questions regarding I Timothy 2:11-12. Are these verses concerning a woman learning and teaching general commands or are they specific to the assembly? What, in the context, determines this? Further, I am no Greek scholar. Those who are familiar with the Greek, what is the proper understanding of verse 12? Specifically,…

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Have you read the whole Bible and memorized Scriptures?

Question: Ok, that clears up some objections.  Thank you very much, dear sir, for answering me by showing the Scriptures and not using just your own opinion.  My dear sir, I hope that you will continue to be faithful in doing that.  And may you be used by God to help me understand His words. You…

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How can you talk to someone who constantly twists the Bible?

Question: I attend a Church of Christ but my fiance practices Calvinism. He doesn’t refer to it like that, but the beliefs are the same. He and his brother are very into this religion. They get everything from a website. They believe the church age is over and that it is a sin to attend.…

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How do I convince an atheist to believe in the Bible?

Question: How do I convince my friend to believe in the Bible, as well as God?  My friend doesn’t believe in God, Heaven, the devil, anything that the Bible teaches.  This friend told me that, to her, the Bible is complete fiction.  I know that I cannot even begin to convince her that there is…

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Please Knock on My Door!

by Dick Cupp Have you ever hesitated to knock on someone’s door, afraid that those inside don’t want to hear anything about the gospel of Christ? Let me tell you of a young man who would have given a great deal just to have some Christian knock on his door earlier in his life. This…

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The Lost Who Never Heard the Gospel

Text: II Thessalonians 1:3-10 Suggested Invitation: “What Can Wash Away My Sin?” (454)   I.         In any game, we want an equal chance of winning, otherwise the game would not be fun.             A.        To that end, we want the rules of the game spelled out clearly at the beginning. Nothing is more irritating than to have someone…

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Are the writings of women a form of teaching men?

Question: I understand the principle of women not teaching a man (I Timothy 2:12 ). I occasionally run across articles written by women on Bible topics. Oftentimes these are on websites targeted toward women, though anyone can read them. But I’ve also seen them on general audience websites, and even in print publications targeted toward…

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Can a woman teach a man in private?

Question: One of our lady members has a sister and brother-in-law who are not members of the church. She asked her brother-in-law if he would study with me. He told her, “No!” Only with herself and his wife. So, this sister asked me if she would be wrong teaching them in the private setting of…

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Should games be offered at youth groups?

Question: Without asking or even wanting, my wife and I found ourselves in our church’s youth ministry. I’ve been saved for five years and my wife three. I have a ministry dilemma. I believe in the things that your congregation believes in, providing for others their spiritual needs. As a result, I got rid of…

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The Ideal Bible Teacher

by Johnny Ramsey via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 55, No. 39, Sept. 29, 2006 Jesus was born to die, but He lived to teach. I know that we have all heard that, but there are some statements that we hear over and over again that never get old. We have also heard that Christianity is “caught” as…

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God Needs More Foot Soldiers

by Thomas Thornhill At this time our nation is in a conflict taking place mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our uniformed personnel are daily placed in harm’s way, facing an enemy which in many cases is often unseen until they strike. This is of course a physical confrontation in which people use material weaponry to…

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Where did you learn to give counsel?

Question: Hi. I have written to you before and asked questions. Your responses are very good and biblically related. I just was wondering, though, if you have had any teaching or training as a counselor? I have read many of your responses to others as well. I noticed that some people are asking legitimate questions,…

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Dealing with the Unrepentant

by Greg Gwin via The Beacon 9/29/2009 Are you discouraged because you can’t get someone to change? Maybe you’ve worked long and hard to teach someone what they should do to be saved, but they simply won’t accept it. It’s clear to you and to them that there are things amiss in their life, but…

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Bible Thumpers

by Sam Stinson “And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth'” (I Kings 17:24). Brethren, Jesus rightly said that God’s word is truth (John 17:17). God’s word has the ability to sanctify those who would…

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How do I help a young man going down the wrong path?

Question: I do have a question concerning a young man (about 17) who is heading down the wrong path. He is my friend’s brother-in-law who always gets in trouble legally. He does various things, such as smoking, and stealing, and has been sexually involved with a 14-year-old girl recently. This is the second or third…

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Are lectureships scriptural?

Question: Tell me your thoughts about “lectureships.”  Is this a scriptural term?  Do we have authority for women lectureships? Answer: Let us establish a basic point. The question is not whether a particular term is found in the Bible or not. After all, language changes constantly. What might have made a good translation in say…

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How Effective Is Your Congregation?

by Gilbert Alexander Evaluating a local congregation and its effectiveness in a community is not a simple task. Population shifts affect the number of members in a local church. Such shifts may be caused by economic changes, persecution, or the relocation of people who have an interest in spiritual things. If some of our modern…

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What Do You Need to Serve the Lord?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.         John 4:34-38 – Jesus told his disciples to serve the Lord by bringing others to Him             A.        Mt. 28:19-20 – Commanded to go into all the world.             B.        We all have this responsibility. II.        Yet, many find excuses to not work.             A.        “I’m not eloquent enough to be of any great service.”                         1.         Moses tried this…

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How do I get someone to believe the truth about homosexuality?

Question: I know a guy who says he’s bi-sexual but is faithful to his wife. He agrees that the Bible is the word of God, but where the Bible condemns homosexuality, he insists that it is mistranslated. What do I say to that? How do I get him to believe the truth? Answer: Your complaint…

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Notes on Teaching

All Christians are encouraged to grow to the point of teaching – Hebrews 5:12; II Timothy 2:2, 24 Not all Christians will be able to teach or should teach – James 3:1; I Corinthians 12:29; Romans 12:7 Age is not a restriction on who may teach. Young Timothy taught older members. – I Timothy 4:12-13…

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Is there authority for Bible classes segregated by ages?

Question: I need the New Testament authority for classes. Where is the doctrine that authorizes classes to be segregated by different ages? Answer: It is common for people seeking to deny biblical authority for some practice to search for only one description and when they can’t find it, sit back and claim there is no…

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Worship

I.         At times I am amazed at the vagueness that has entered our beliefs             A.        I’m sure the wishy-washy-ness of the denominational world has much to do it.                         1.         To define something crisply means you are dividing people into two groups — those who are right and those who are wrong.                         2.         And “Heaven forbid, if we actually charge…

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Ten Little Christians

Author Unknown Ten little Christians standing in line. One disliked the preacher, then there were nine. Nine little Christians stayed up very late. One overslept Sunday, then there were eight. Eight little Christians on their way to Heaven. One took the low road, then there were seven. Seven little Christians chirping like chicks. One disliked…

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Talking to Others About the Lord

Author Unknown We tend to talk with others about those things that are of the greatest interest to us. Golfers like to talk about golf, musicians about music, and hunters about hunting. The point here is this: Do Christians like to talk about Christ, the church, and the Bible? How committed are we to who…

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How can I make my daughter interested in studying?

Question: My daughter is 12 years old and in the seventh standard at an Indian convent. She does not have any interest in studying. Please let me know what I can do to make her study. Answer: In order for education to take place, there needs to be a teacher willing to teach, a student…

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How do you teach preteens about salvation?

Question: How can I effectively teach preteens about the salvation plan? I would like some tips on activities in setting the mood so that when we do the calling they will truly understand what the sacrifice meant. Answer: The beauty of God’s message is that it remains constant, no matter to whom it is taught.…

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What is the philosophy of true education?

Question: What is the philosophy of true education? Answer: At its core, education is the process of transferring knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from one individual to another. John Milton Gregory, in his book The Seven Laws of Teaching, said, “Teaching is arousing and using the pupil’s mind to grasp the desired thought or to master the…

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Since teaching is a work, then it doesn’t save. Right?

Question: Telling others about Christ is a work. “For by grace we are saved through faith, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast ” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Answer: There was a branch of the Baptist denomination that fully accepted the idea that being saved was entirely a work of God…

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Can a woman teach a teenage boy?

Question: I’d like your input concerning a confrontation that I had with two ladies after services last evening. We have a 14-year-old boy who is not yet a Christian. His mother has been teaching him in our Sunday morning Bible class. I mentioned that we need to assign a “Christian man” to teach him. One…

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Resolved!

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 3:7-14 I.         The old year is behind us and a whole new year lies before us             A.        What does this year hold for you?                         1.         What would you like to do?                         2.         What will you actually do?             B.        Each day is unique                         1.         “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”                         2.         Today…

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What are your opinions about the Disney company?

Question: The Disney company presents itself as a producer of family-oriented products, but it appears to be simultaneously promoting immoral ideas. What are your opinions about the Disney company? Answer: Whenever you find a group of people working together, you are bound to find people of immoral character within the group. It is particularly disappointing…

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Our Father in Heaven

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 11:1-13   I.         God calls us to be His special people – II Corinthians 6:16-18             A.        If we will separate ourselves from the world, God will be our Father and we will be His sons and daughters             B.        Why did God pick the role of a father to describe His relationship with…

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Fishers of Men (Hamilton)

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.         Jesus told his disciples that he would make them fishers of men – Mark 1:16-18             A.        I’ve seen a few ponds where you can drop a hook into the water and in minutes find a fish dangling off the end, but most of the time fishing takes much more time and patience.…

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