Church Life
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Add This to “If It Bleeds, It Leads”
For many years, the phrase “If it bleeds, it leads” has been used to describe what gets the main coverage in the news. The idea is that disasters garner the most attention, so the main headline or “tonight’s top story” is nearly always tragic. Murders, natural disasters, and fires are quite often what lead the news. However, with the proliferation of news outlets and the length of time they are available, there might need to be another statement to add to that one. It started with 24-hour news channels that had to fill, well, 24 hours. But with the growth of podcasts, YouTube channels, and more all sharing news, there…
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For Those Who “Used To,” From Somebody Who Cares
For a number of years now, I have made a practice of starting my day by listening to the Bible. Sometime toward the end of each year, I choose a plan to which I can listen that will cover the entire Bible during the upcoming year. I have listened to the books of the Bible in the order in which they appear (Genesis through Revelation). I have listened to the books according to a chronological plan. When I do this, I may find myself listening to one of the books documenting historical events interspersed with books of prophecy, poetry, correspondence, etc. I’m sure that there are other plans which I’ve…
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Reverence for the Father
I was blessed to be asked to speak this last weekend at the Cane Ridge Restoration Lectureship held at the North Lexington church of Christ in Lexington Kentucky. It was a great gathering of fellow Christians and the lessons were outstanding. The North Lexington congregation is to be praised for their planning and execution of this lectureship. The singing was outstanding and their hospitality was beyond measure. The theme for the lectureship was “He Opened HIs Mouth and Spoke.” Of course, the text for the lessons all came from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Each speaker was assigned one of the Beatitudes and a…
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In Evangelism, Never Forget…
There are a lot of excuses that people–including me–give for not being involved. Depending on one’s personality type, some of the excuses do have a little merit, but they do not give us a total “out.” There is something that each one of us can do to try to teach the lost. As we think about those we hope to reach, they really fall into two very broad categories. First and most obviously, there are those who have never become Christians. They have never put Christ on in baptism for the remission of their sins, so their sins are still on their souls. We all know we need to be…
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We’re Still Studying That
I cannot begin to remember all of the times I’ve heard somebody say, “We’re still studying that.” Those who know my background have probably already assumed (correctly) that this is usually said in a religious context. In other words, what is still being studied is what the Bible has to say about some doctrine, practice, etc. I am, in no way, opposed to the practice of studying the Bible. In fact, I firmly believe that all of us, including me, could benefit greatly from doing more of that. Many will remember this very positive description of people who lived in Berea and to whom the gospel had been preached: Now…
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Thank You, Father
Today’s post is short, but oh-so-heartfelt. Who knew that pushing the gas pedal could be so hard?! I had put the car in reverse, but I had to force myself to push down on the gas. Why? Because I was leaving a part of my heart there. It took actual mental and physical effort to make my foot push down. Once I stopped heave-crying and began to just ache, my heart and mind turned to God. I knew I couldn’t do this without His help. And then, another thought intruded. I was leaving my son in a place where he was loved… Where he was excited to begin his life…
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The One Echo Chamber We Should Never Leave
The phrase “echo chamber” has become commonly used in our culture. Due to the multiplicity of ways we can receive news and information, people often just gravitate toward outlets that reaffirm what they already believe. Thus, an “echo chamber,” because it is just repeating what they already believe. People will just read or watch news from a channel that has a leaning toward their side. They will listen to podcasts that state what they already believe. They will watch YouTubers who reaffirm what they want to hear. And, scarcely if ever will they truly listen to the other side. In fact, the only thing they hear about the other side…
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God Is So Good
So many things have been going on in our world today that cause us to think only of the bad side of life here on earth. There is much sin and wrongdoing all around us. Just turn on the news and you’ll hear all about it. Our daily walk as Christians who are trying to live for Christ and lead others to Him sometimes gets more overwhelming with each passing day. We become loaded down with the heaviness of sinful living and illness around us and we lose sight of the wonderful life that is set before us. Often we fail to see the bright side of living the Christian life.…
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It’s Not a Temple, But…
When a congregation decides to build a church building, they are taking on a huge responsibility. In our culture, we are so used to church buildings that we barely give them a second thought, but that meeting house is a major decision for a congregation to make. It is expensive to build or purchase. It costs quite a lot to “run” and keep up. And, without good leadership, it can become a point of contention (insert obligatory story about people fussing over the color of the carpet here). I have been to scores of church buildings over the years. Some were very small while others were expansive. Many looked similar…
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The End of An Era (Make That Two)
I need to begin this with some — for lack of a better term — warnings. First, this post is much more personal than some I’ve done in the past. Along with that, I’ve also decided to “name names.” Finally, the people whose names you will read later will probably not appreciate that fact. At least one reason for that is that the two men whose names you will read have little interest in being well-known. They are “just” a couple of people for whom I have a great deal of admiration and who have made positive impacts on countless people. I guess that “the story begins” in 1996 when…
