FHU Lectureship Preview (February 4-9)

The annual Freed-Hardeman University lectures are a great time for my family and me. Leah and I always enjoy attending. It is one of the highlights of our year.

On Monday of next week (January 22), I will be speaking at an area preachers’ meeting at the Double Springs church of Christ. The preacher there, Vance Hutton, honored me by asking me to “preview” the lectures.

The theme for 2007 is “Hear O Israel: Preserving a Godly Heritage in Deuteronomy.” That Old Testament book contains many laws and difficult passages, but it is also very important to our time. In the lectureship schedule booklet, Dr. David Lipe wrote:

As Moses entered the last month of his illustrious life and as Israel prepared to enter the long awaited promised land, the lawgiver delivered a series of unforgettable addresses known collectively as Deuteronomy. Through these speeches the venerable lawgiver looks into the past, present and future of God’s people. This is not another or new law from God; instead, it respresents a second giving of the original law received at Sinai. This final chapter in the celebrated Hebrew Torah reminds and instructs a new generation of the divine truths of God’s love, will, and plans.

I thought I would share some of that preview here, by simply listing some of the lectures I am most interested in attending. If you see the schedule, there is, literally, no way one can attend every lecture, so you need to pick and choose. I’m sure I’ll change my mind about a few of these, but here are some I am hoping to attend.

• On Sunday night, February 4th, brother Todd Walker will begin the week by leading singing at 7:30. That will be followed by brother Billy Smith, speaking on “Preserving a Godly People.” (I cannot attend Sunday night, but I’m sure this lecture will be well worth your time.)
• Chapel is always a special time, and that will be true for our family at 10:30 AM Monday morning as Leah’s brother, Jason Moon, deals with “Listen to Him” from Deuteronomy 4:1-4.
• At 12:45, brother Mike Baker will speak on “His Glory.”
• At 2:30 a series will begin called “Ten Words from Sinai.” Brother Neal Pryor of Harding University will begin that series in Old Chapel Hall. This series will continue at 8:30 AM and 2:30 PM each day.
• At 3:30 each day, brother Ralph Gilmore will lead our thoughts at the Open Forum. This session is an annual event and is one of the most-enjoyed segments of the lectures.
• There is also a night session each evening. Singing is at 6:45 and the lesson begins at 7:30. Speakers are Shelton Gibbs III (Monday), Allen Webster (Tuesday), Clarence Deloach (Wednesday) and Dan Winkler (Thursday).
• Tuesday at 8:30, my dad, Jim Faughn, will speaking on “Moses: The Call” from Deuteronomy 33:1. No one should miss this!
• Beginning at 9:30 on Tuesday, brother Tom Holland will begin a series on “Preaching from Mark.” That series will be at 9:30 each day until Thursday.
• While there are many other lectures I’m excited about, let me mention one more. My friend, Westley Hazel, preacher for the Main Street church in Manchester, Tennessee, will be speaking on Wednesday at 9:30 AM on “Sexual Identity.”

All of these, and many more, will be well worth your time. If you can make it for even one day, do so. The lectures will be wonderful! We are looking forward to the lectures and to seeing so many friends and family members there.