Categories
church

A Tale Of Two Churches

by Mark Frees

An earnest young Christian moves to a small town with two churches.

Church A is staunchly committed to New Testament principles of eldership, the Lord’s
supper, the priesthood of all believers, and related truths. But sadly, a few visits
reveal a lack of spiritual fervor in the assembly. Evangelistic zeal seems non-existent.
The prayer meeting lacks power and unction. Dryness and complacency hang like a pall over
the meetings on the Lord’s day.

Categories
church study

Hold Fast…Sound Words

Jim Upton

"If a word means anything, it means something" a wise friend
once said. Think about it. Serious writers select words carefully, perhaps painstakingly,
so they convey just the right thought. God was a serious writer when He wrote the
Scriptures; each word was exactly the right one for the meaning He wanted to express.
Notice that God did NOT write:

Categories
church

Commitment or Convenience?

by Steve Hulshizer

And they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and the fellowship,
and the breaking of the bread, and the prayers. Acts 2:42 (Strong)

In the New Testament there is only one Church, and all who by faith are
in Christ Jesus are in the Church, and as such are members of Christ?s body. (Eph.
1:22-23). However, there are local expressions of the Church, or local assemblies of
called?out believers. These local assemblies are to reflect the truth of the One
Body, and thus they are to function according to the New Testament Scriptures, gathering
only to the Name of Christ. (Matt. 18:20; Acts 13:1; Rev. 1:4)

Categories
christ church

The True Vine

by Steve Hulshizer

In a ?twinkling of an eye? this beautiful world came under a
curse. Like Lucifer before him, the man who was created in God?s image and placed
over His creation rebelled, being dissatisfied with the position and provisions his
Creator God had given him. Everything under Adam was affected by his fall. The woman would
bring forth her children in sorrow. The earth came under a curse and thorns and thistles
marred the beauty of God?s creation. Man now had to labor for his needed bread.
(Gen.3:16-19)

Categories
church human

The Danger Of Being Gifted

Steve Hulshizer

It is a wonderful thing to be enabled of the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord. (I Cor.
12:4-11) However, there are dangers associated with being gifted, as the flesh would
always seek to glorify itself.