Church Life
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I’m Thankful For…
The first chapter of the book of Romans describes a disgusting and disastrous descent of mankind into some sins/lifestyles that would almost defy our imagination. That is, the descriptions of some of the sins would have defied our imaginations a few generations ago. Unfortunately, when one reads this chapter now, it is almost as though we are opening up the morning paper or turning on the evening news. Among the sad things that can be said about this passage is that it begins by describing people who, at one time, “…knew God…” (Rom. 1:21). The first steps on their downhill slide are found in that same verse: “For although they knew God, they did…
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For Better or For Worse
Those of you who are married and reading this may remember a promise you made on the day of your wedding. That day is always such an exciting time in life. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can close my eyes and see how beautifully the church building was decorated, how the groomsmen and bridesmaids looked, where the minister was standing, and that look on Jim’s face as he watched my father escort me to the front of the building. Somewhere in our picture albums I have a copy of the vows that we said on that day. We made promises to one another and committed our lives to one another and…
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Sometimes, Just Receiving is Okay
“Share.” “Retweet.” “Post.” The calls to action on social media are there constantly. Each time we see something beautiful, experience something exciting, or even have an opinion on some matter (big or small), we are encouraged to send it out into the digital world for any and all to see. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is fine to share a picture of a gorgeous sunrise, a fun outing with your family, an exciting moment in life, or even just a thought on some pressing matter. However, what if–just every so often–you decided not to share it? At first, that sounds almost like an unchristian attitude, doesn’t it?…
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It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
This coming weekend is the premiere of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” a movie starring Tom Hanks about the real life of Fred Rogers. If you are like me you grew up with “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood”…a show that was very impactful to not only me but an entire generation of people. A few days ago I had an idea pop into my head about what I was going to write for an article this week. I was really excited about it but I forgot to write it down! So yes, it is lost forever. But thankfully today a simple lunch with my wife gave me the opportunity to write…
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We’re People, Too
The conversation began with a sister in the Lord thanking me for a note that I had written. I had learned that there had been some negative experiences in the career her adult son had chosen to pursue and that he had made the decision to abandon that pursuit. I wrote the son a note and tried to encourage him. That was not the note, however, for which the mother was expressing her gratitude. I’m not sure she even knows about that note. The note we were discussing was one I had written to her. In the course of trying to be helpful, I also let my “humanness” show. In that note, I…
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Cookie-Cutter Christian
At our teen fall retreat last weekend, our previous summer intern, Dane Berkey, was speaking and used a term I don’t remember ever considering: “cookie-cutter Christian.” He said a friend of his at Freed-Hardeman was concerned because he had been called this term and asked Dane for his advice. The term caught my attention and I decided to look into it once I was home. From what I can see, this is generally considered a negative term or “limiting” term. What I mean by that is sentiments like “God doesn’t make cookie-cutter Christians” and “I have grown disenchanted with the cookie-cutter Christian approach” are common. Both of those phrases showed…
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Go Into All the World
What would you do if you could visit every nation on earth, even if it took years and years to complete that list, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe? Some might just want to visit and have their passport stamped. After all, how amazing would it be to say you had set foot on every nation! Some might want to buy a small trinket or souvenir to have proof of their visit to every nation. One British man, though, recently completed a very different type of worldwide tour. In the city of Athens, he ran a marathon. That run added Greece as the 196th–and final–nation (recognized by the United Nations) that he…
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Rules for Children in Worship
Taking kids into the assembly can be a very daunting experience. With children now ages 18, 15 and 12, we have done our share of time in the pew. I should mention that the entire burden has been mostly upon my wife and that she gets all the credit for raising three children who (mostly) pay attention and engage andriol in worshiping God. I am thankful for her diligent work with our kids. This article is meant to encourage young families who have children who may be grade school age and younger. First, please know that we are so thankful for you and your families. Know that we support you…
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The Used To’s
Religious surveys have revealed that there is a growing number of people in our society that are now being identified as “the nones.” The nones are people who profess no affiliation with any particular religious group, philosophy, doctrine, etc. A significant amount of material has been written about the nones. They are the subject of numerous lectures, seminars, workshops, etc. Religious leaders have given much attention to trying to figure out why people profess no religious preference and how to reach them. It may be of interest to know that, according to one article I read, there is one reason for a person identifying as a none that stands out above all…
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A Plea to Return to the Lord
The title of this post is the title that some man gave to chapter 14 of the book of Hosea. For weeks (possibly a few months), our Tuesday afternoon ladies’ Bible class has been studying the book of the prophet Hosea. It is uncomfortable, to say the least. Those first three chapters are really hard for us to understand since God tells Hosea to marry a wife of whoredom – a prostitute if you will – a woman named Gomer (if that’s your name, I’m sorry). We recognize that Hosea represents God in this writing and that Gomer, his wife, represents Israel. The northern Kingdom of Israel is involved in many different sins…
