Who is Closer to God?

by Bob Pulliam Now don’t get me wrong! This is not a contest mentality being advocated here. But the question does enter my mind. I surfed over a channel the other day where people had the lights dimmed low, all were holding candles and swaying while singing Alleluia. I’m not trying to poke fun at anyone…

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Music in Worship

I.          As we look at the denominations around us, we find that the vast majority use musical instruments in their worship services.              A.         Oddly, we don’t. Why not? What harm would there be in using them? Why can’t we be like those around us?              B.         I heard a similar reasoning before – I Sam. 8:4-7. We want a…

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Can Musical Instruments be Used to Worship God?

I.          One of the distinguishing marks of our worship is the fact that we do not use instrumental music in our worship.              A.         It is certainly different among the denominations where almost all use instruments.              B.         Lately, I been hearing of numerous congregations deciding to add instrumental music to their worship.                           1.          The reasoning that was so well known…

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Services Canceled Due To Christmas!

by Zeke Flores Much is said this time of year about Christmas. Some scream about “putting the Christ back in Christmas,” while others bemoan the fact that retail stores are “pushing Christmas out” by replacing the term “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” in their ads. Still others grumble about the increasing “secularization” of Christmas as…

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Should young boys lead singing in worship?

Question: The congregation I am meeting at has, on the last Wednesday night of the month, a singing night. We don’t have classes that night. We come together in the auditorium and sing songs, pray and someone gives a short ten-minute lesson. We let the boys get up in front of the congregation with their…

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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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The Lord’s Supper

Text: I Cor. 11:17-34   I.         It is a covenant meal             A.        Luke 22:19-20 – The cup is the new covenant             B.        A covenant that is taken with us in the kingdom – Matt 26:28-29             C.        Covenants were often sealed with a meal shared between the two parties.                         1.         Jacob and Laban’s covenant – Gen 31:46,54                         2.         The Law of Moses…

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How does a disfellowshiped Christian worship God?

Question: If a person is disfellowshiped at a congregation, then how can that person biblically worship God? How does a person know that they have been disfellowshiped? Today’s churches seem to practice no visible discipline, but many are treated as if they have been disfellowshiped. It seems the decision is made in secret among the…

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You only worship on Sunday because Constantine changed the day of worship

Question: It seems to me that you would find any mention of the first day of the week and anything that happened on that day is used to support the idea of worshiping on Sunday. Mainstream Christianity worships on Sunday only because the Roman Catholic Church and Emperor Constantine changed the day of worship to…

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Acts 20:7 doesn’t speak of worship, does it?

Question: Acts 20:7 says nothing about worship, rest, or the Sabbath, let alone indicating it was a new commandment to worship on that day. Answer: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until…

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Why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday?

Question: The tenth commandment clearly states that the Sabbath should be kept on the seventh day and we know through the Jewish people that the seventh day of the calendar is Saturday on the Roman calendar. Also, note that in the Spanish language the word for Saturday is “sabado” and not that in the English…

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Welcome to Church … Kids Not Invited

by Mike Thomas I was so distracted once at a church service (away from here), by an overwhelming amount of noise from the audience, that I had a hard time concentrating on the lesson. I tried focusing my attention on the speaker, but the person behind me and a few others across the aisle were…

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A Heart-Felt Religion?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.         It seems many people today are struggling with the concept of worship.             A.        Suppose a visitor comes to worship with us. We sing a song of praise to God. The lights are on, eyes are open, no one is swaying with hands in the air.                         1.         This same person visits another group that…

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What is the purpose of praise and worship?

Question: What is the purpose of praise and worship? Answer: The word “worship” means to honor and give respect to a divine being or supernatural power. God claims worship as His exclusive right. “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” (Matthew 4:10). And yet through…

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Answering the Sabbatarian

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 2:8-23   I.         Though only a minority, there are several denominations who believe that worship should take place on the Sabbath – the seventh day of the week             A.        Those adhering to the ideas that the Sabbath day regulations of the Old Testament should be keep today are very vocal             B.        Let…

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Teaching Unpopular Doctrine

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Some questions are difficult to answer, not because the Bible is unclear on a matter, but because there is a strong bias against the correct answer within the culture. Today, we have no difficulty speaking against idolatry. Even non-Christians understand that worshiping an idol is a worthless effort, just as God…

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