teaching – Page 4 – La Vista Church of Christ

Christianity that Is Appealing to Atheists

October 11, 2018

by Forrest Antemesaris I was a happy atheist. I didn’t sense a need for any kind of religion in my life. However, I wasn’t completely closed-minded toward religion. I visited a Baptist service, a Catholic Mass, and dabbled in the teachings of Buddhism (my favorite at the time). Yet, religion in all of its forms…

Can plays and skits about Bible stories be used to teach children during a VBS?

September 5, 2018

Question: Can plays and skits about Bible stories be used to teach children during a VBS? Answer: A Vacation Bible School (VBS) is basically a gospel meeting for kids. The Bible shows teaching being done in a variety of ways: A fig tree was killed (Matthew 21:21), Idols and worldly poets were cited (Acts 17:23,28), Children…

Never Give Up

August 30, 2018

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton He first contacted me because he was struggling with sexual sins. Conversations were not the greatest because English was his second language and I could not speak his. There was also a cultural gap because he only knew the Orthodox church and its teachings. It was also frustrating because he would…

Lessons on Evangelism: Addressing Faith Alone

July 7, 2018

by Andrew S. Hamilton Class Objective Preparing the members to handle common questions that will come up when running the tables. (1 Peter 3:15) Foundation Material Statements and Logic All chickens have three legs. Henry has three legs; therefore, Henry is a chicken. Only chickens have two legs. Henry has three legs; therefore, Henry is…

Mankind Is My Business

April 8, 2018

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018Spring2MankindIsMyBusiness.mp3 by Raymond Warfel, Jr. 2018 Spring Meeting

Is Jesus a Bad Teacher?

March 30, 2018

by Jeremy Crump Have you ever had a teacher that just wouldn’t give you a straight answer? I remember a math teacher I had in high school who I’d ask for help and instead of solving the problem for me, she’d give me some hints and then send me back to my seat to work…

Trip Report – 2018 (Bali)

March 11, 2018

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/TripReport2018.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Thessalonians 2:7-13 I. Reading from Isaiah 35:1-10 A. Vs 3 – Encourage, strengthen B. Vs 8 – A highway – an easier way to travel through life II. My trips to the South Asian islands started in 2013. A. I had been studying with a young man, named Minghui, in the National…

Be Not Dismayed

December 3, 2017

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/BeNotDismayed.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Philippians 1:21-2:2 I. Jeremiah came in the worse days of Judah’s history A. Corruption was everywhere – Jeremiah 6:13-15 B. Jeremiah was told from his youth to preach the truth – Jeremiah 1:4-8 C. But that didn’t make it easy. Jeremiah was opposed most of his life 1. After a prophecy in the…

How do I teach others about difficult topics?

October 17, 2017

Question: Hello preacher, How are you? Fine, I hope. It may sound strange, but considering how much you’ve answered my questions and the frequency I read the site’s articles and sermons, I’ve got used to your writing style and kind of feel like you are a close friend of mine. Every time a doubt pops…

Adorning the Next Generation

August 13, 2017

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/AdorningTheNextGeneration.mp3 by Alan Feaster

How do I tell someone that having a child outside of marriage is not good?

March 22, 2017

Question: Hi! I just started hanging out with this girl from work lately, and she recently told me she had a miscarriage a month or so ago. She’s also had a few before that I already knew about. She’s not married, and she has only been dating this guy since she had the miscarriage. She…

Quoting Scripture as Evangelism

March 5, 2017

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/QuotingScriptureAsEvangelism.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Timothy 1:3-11 I. It is difficult to read the New Testament and not notice the number of times Jesus and the apostles make their points by directing the person to the Old Testament by means of a quote. A. Regarding eating grain plucked on the Sabbath – Matthew 12:3-5…

How do I convince my Pentecostal parents of God’s truth?

November 8, 2016

Question: Dear Minister, My father and mother are pastors of a Pentecostal church. I do not agree with what they believe — relying on experience and emotions rather than being fully grounded on the Word of God. I do not want them to stay in that belief forever. I want them to be brought into…

Your article contained the answers I was looking for

September 25, 2016

Question: Hello, I am going through some trouble right now. I have been dating my girlfriend for a year now and have been trying to ease her into the church. She has not been grounded in any denominational doctrine, but she still has some trouble accepting the truth. Recently, she had asked me to visit…

Trip Report – 2016 (Bali, Singapore, Malaysia)

September 18, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/TripReport2016.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:17-18 I. My trips to the South Asian islands started in 2013. A. I had been studying with a young man in the National University of Singapore for several years via Skype. He had asked me repeatedly to come hold a meeting in Singapore and things…

Be Ready to Give an Answer

September 11, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/BeReadyToGiveAnAnswer.mp3 by Raymond Warfel

Foundations

July 24, 2016

Foundations – Part 1Foundations – Part 2Foundations – Part 3Foundations – Part 4 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 61 I. When we are teaching others, it is important not to just address the issues raised, but to think about why a person has come to the wrong conclusions. A. When a person claims to be…

How can I possibly warn everyone about all the sins they are doing?

July 18, 2016

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Currently, I am struggling with how to deal with other believers and their sins. Specifically, at my place of work, there are coworkers who claim to be Christian and others to be Catholic. While I understand that you should warn people of their sin, and if you do not warn them,…

How can I possibly warn everyone about all the sins they are doing?

July 18, 2016

Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, Currently, I am struggling with how to deal with other believers and their sins. Specifically, at my place of work, there are coworkers who claim to be Christian and others to be Catholic. While I understand that you should warn people of their sin, and if you do not warn them,…

Love Finds a Way

April 4, 2016

by Sewell Hall All Christians want to bring the lost to Christ. But each of us has some handicap that causes us to feel limited in our ability to do so. It may be a weakness of knowledge or difficulty in expressing ourselves. Perhaps it is a personality deficiency or even a lack of transportation.…

Seeing the White Fields

April 3, 2016

Seeing the White Fields – Part 1Seeing the White Fields – Part 2 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 4:5-42 I. Indulge me for a moment and consider the following situations: A. You are talking about what various church have to offer in the area with your neighbor and you take the opportunity to invite him…

Is it wrong to say “God bless you” to a group that includes non-Christians?

March 10, 2016

Question: Hi, Thanks very much for your insightful teachings and encouragement through this website. I attended a recent gospel meeting and the preacher ended it with ‘God bless you’ and ‘Godspeed’ to the audience. I remember one Bible class teacher mentioned that Christians must use the term ‘God bless you’ appropriately; ie. to Christians only,…

Laborers in the Vineyard

March 6, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LaborersInTheVineyard.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 20:1-16 I. The context of the parable A. A rich, young ruler had come to Jesus asking how to be saved. – Matthew 19:16-22 1. Jesus told him to follow the law, but the young man wasn’t satisfied with this. He wanted something more. 2. Jesus told him that if he…

Fishing or Sleeping?

February 21, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/FishingOrSleeping.mp3 by Alan Feaster

The Lost Sheep

February 7, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/LostSheep.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Luke 15:1-7 I. When people can’t fault a person, they will sometimes seek to find fault in the way someone does things. A. This is how the Pharisees and Scribes sought to degrade Jesus’ reputation. B. It wasn’t something they would do. In fact, they implied it there was something wrong…

What Do You Hope to Catch?

February 7, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/WhatDoYouHopeToCatch.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 6:31-44 I. What you hope to catch determines the type of bait you use A. A worm may land you a fish, but it probably won’t lure a mouse into a trap B. Even in fishing, there are different baits to be used for different fish C. I’ve known young women…

Counting Time or Making Your Time Count?

January 23, 2016

by Bill Robinson I have a much-loved friend and brother in the Lord who has been in jail for over 15 months. He is a recovering crack addict. We have been very close. For a year he spent every Sunday with me. I would go get him from rehab bring him to worship services and…

Fishers of Men: Sharing Your Story

January 18, 2016

by Domenick Basolo There are many people in this world who, unfortunately, don’t have God in their lives; however, God waits patiently for them to hear His message and share in His love. People have many pretenses as to why they don’t accept God in their lives, such as their negative image of Christians. Sometimes Christians…

Should Christians support a man teaching on the Internet?

January 5, 2016

Question: We have a brother who is out of work because of a permanent injury and he is asking for monthly contributions to support a website he has created to spread the gospel. He feels that because he is committing his time fully to spreading the gospel he can make a living at it. However,…

Fishers of Men

December 27, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/FishersOfMen.mp3 by Clint Crosier

Talking with a Muslim about Religion

December 20, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/TalkingWithAMuslimAboutReligion.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Titus 1:10-16 I. How do you talk with someone about religion when there is little common ground? A. A good way to start is to find something in that religion that is true and that can be used as a basis of discussion. 1. In a false religion, not everything is…

What is the best way to lovingly tell someone they are wrong?

November 9, 2015

Question: In your opinion what is the best way to tell someone that they are wrong but loved? If someone is a homosexual, how can you tell them that their actions are wrong in a loving way? It seems like you need to strike a delicate balance there. Answer: “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes,…

Trip Report – 2015 (Bali, Singapore)

October 25, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TripReport2015.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:17-18 I had an opportunity to revisit the two groups I worked with last year. This time my wife, Gaye, agreed to come with me. It was the first time she has been out of the country. The church in La Vista paid my travel…

Passing the Torch

October 4, 2015

by Ethan R. Longhenry Almost two thousand years ago the Gospel of Jesus Christ began to be proclaimed: God became Incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth, went about doing good, was crucified and buried, but God raised Him from the dead; He ascended to the Father, received all authority and everlasting dominion, and will return one…

The Necessity of Bearing Fruit

September 30, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015Fall6TheNecessityOfBearingFruit.mp3 by Brace Rutledge 2015 Fall Meeting

Should we only teach people who will join the local congregation?

September 3, 2015

Question: Hello, I am writing for some advice. I live in a city and worship just outside the city in a small town. I have a passion for sharing the Gospel with the lost. While at a congregation in the city, I was blessed to share with people who often ended up being members of…

The Gospel of the Circumcision and the Uncircumcision

August 23, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/GospelOfTheCircumcisionAndTheUncircumcision.mp3 Text: Galatians 2:1-10 I. I suppose a casual reader could read verse 7 from our text and come away with the idea that two different messages were being taught. A. One being taught to the Gentiles and a different message being taught to the Jews. B. Yet the goal of the gospel was to unite Jews…

I have no friends and I’m depressed

July 25, 2015

Question: I’m 18. I don’t have a girlfriend or any friends. My parents are not religious. Should I tell them about the Bible? Is it fair that you have a great family who are Christians? What did I do to deserve this living hell? I’m depressed. How do I solve this issue about an existential…