The Church

If you aren’t familiar with the Church of Christ, let us introduce ourselves and our practices to you. It is our sincerest desire to emulate the church revealed in the New Testament, particularly as found in the book of Acts. We read in Acts 2:42 that the early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” Some early churches departed from that doctrine, thus inviting rebuke and correction by the apostles (e.g., the letters to the church at Corinth). Paul told…

In Acts 20:29-31, Paul gave the following warning to the Ephesian elders, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” One of the primary functions of a shepherd is to protect the flock from wolves. Too many elderships are taking a lax attitude toward the use of false teachers. Many do not properly…

A topic of great discussion in the United States is that of health care. Much of the discussion concerns Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMO’s, and Preferred Provider Organizations, or PPO’s. If I understand correctly, (and this may be a gross over-simplification), an HMO exercises near absolute control of a client’s medical care. In other words, the client has little room for negotiation and little personal control with reference to health care providers and services that may be performed. On the…

Imagine several groups of sheep gathered around their shepherd, pulling at him from all directions. “This way is best!” cries one group, while another group, pulling in the opposite direction, insistently cries out, “No, this way is better!” Or picture this–a group of shepherds pulling, pushing, pleading, and/or dragging a flock of ungrateful, grumbling sheep. In the real relationship between shepherds and sheep, events like those described above never happen. Yet, in the church, these images are all too commonplace.…

The epistle of First John is written to Christians as a message of encouragement and reassurance. A group known as the gnostics (“the knowers”) was troubling the Christians of that day. These “knowers” claimed to have special knowledge that the ordinary Christian could not possess unless they imparted it to them. This was a source of great concern for John’s audience. This is why John’s message in chapter 1 is filled with words to reassure their faith: “That . .…

An article in the August, 29, 1999, edition of Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper told of David Lipscomb University’s dismissal one of its Bible professors because the congregation where the professor served as a minister had begun to use instrumental music in its worship services. Doug Varnado, professor of Bible for 17 years and director of a campus missions program, was forced to resign after the Community Church of Christ (CCC) in Hendersonville, Tennessee, began using recorded instrumental music earlier this year.…

(Editor’s Note: The following was written by Steve Waller, a missionary whom we help to support in Indonesia. Steve has been a trusted friend for nearly 10 years. Please consider the following and examine your attitude toward promoting undenominational Christianity. JTC) While reading the various posts on a couple of Internet discussion groups, the thought came to me (as it has from time to time); Am I (are we) supporting, preaching and defending undenominational Christianity (the faith once delivered unto…