Posts Tagged ‘church’
We Must Have the Church
by Adam Faughn In our world, we sometimes hear people who speak of how they want a relationship with Jesus, but they do not want much (if anything) to do with the church. This is not new; in fact, some of you will remember the days when the saying, “give me the Man, but not…
Read MoreShould we merge with a nearby congregation?
Question: Hi, I have a few questions about two churches of Christ merging. I’m a member of a church of Christ. Around five years ago, we had around 50 members, including two elders and three deacons. I was one of the deacons. Things changed a few years ago. The two elders moved outside of the…
Read MoreIs It Possible to Identify the Church Found in the New Testament?
by Todd Clippard With so many forms of “Christianity” today, one may ask, “How can I know I’ve found the church of the New Testament?” With recent estimates showing over 2000 individual religious groups all claiming to be a form of Christianity, this is a valid question, and we can see why one would be…
Read MoreBy What Authority? (Matthews)
by Samuel Matthews “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave…
Read MoreRestoring the Spirit of the Early Church
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. Members of the churches of Christ today generally recognize that they are beneficiaries of “the restoration movement” that began in this country in the late 1700s. While we recognize that our faith and practice must not be rooted in that movement, but in the New Testament, we are grateful to…
Read MoreYou Need a Church
by Jarred McCrary Available data indicate a decline in church attendance nationwide — a trend that has accelerated significantly in recent years. One writer described the rate of attendance as dropping like a cannonball in a pie filling. In case you’re wondering, that’s not a good thing. People need church, and by “people” I mean…
Read MoreGrowing Tired of the Congregation Where You Worship?
by Steve Waller Be careful before you answer the above question! Occasionally, one may be heard saying something like, “I’m so tired of the congregation where I worship. I want to find someplace else to go!” It’s not that there is anything wrong with the local church from a doctrinal standpoint, or that there is…
Read MoreFamily (Brewer)
by Chadwick Brewer “If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). I believe that there is an innate desire and need for family, to have a place where you…
Read MoreLove One Another
by Luke Bower The other day, I overheard someone talking about how they enjoy buying things online. They even observed that as soon as the drone delivery system is perfected, they won’t have to interact with the UPS person. It seems that more and more stores are moving in this direction. Have you noticed that…
Read MoreCan We Get Along Just as Well Without It?
by David Gibson What if God gave us a choice of plans of salvation? Option A is the church plan. Option B is the non-church plan. In other words, if you want to be a part of the church, fine, but if you’d rather get to heaven without the church, that’s OK too! So what…
Read MoreEmotional Needs
by Zeke Flores Too often, we can let our emotionally perceived needs dictate what we do rather than what we should do. In a local church, a member may feel his needs are not being met, and so he moves on to another congregation or falls away altogether. In this way, “what I want for…
Read MoreThe Silver Thermometer
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Silver-Thermometer.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hosea 6:4-11 I. When we want to know whether it is hot or cold outside, we check a thermometer to see the temperature. A. Today we have digital devices, but before that we had very fine glass tubes with either red-tinted alcohol or silver mercury in them. Mercury is a…
Read MoreTrue Israel
by Terry Wane Benton “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). Here, Jesus was speaking to physical Israelites, people who claimed physical lineage to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, that physical nation was only a temporary…
Read MoreOne Another
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/One-Another.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Romans 12:9-13 I. We are an individualistic society, but we recognize the need to work together to achieve goals. A. We form companies to manufacture goods B. We have governments to coordinate society C. There are aspects of Christianity that I am responsible for as an individual, but it is…
Read MoreA Crutch for the Weak
by Zeke Flores “Christianity is a crutch for the weak!” some say. I agree. God’s way is a comfort for the afflicted (II Corinthians 1:3-5), a help for the persecuted (Hebrews 10:32-39), and strength for the downtrodden (Romans 8:31, 36-39). The reason we need this “crutch” is because we are unable to navigate life solely…
Read MoreThe Way
by Terry Wayne Benton Saul was looking for Christians, followers of Christ, to capture and prosecute, but Luke commented that they were “of the Way” (Acts 9:2). In Acts 8:3, he stated that Saul made “havoc of the church.” The church is comprised of people who have united with Jesus and are in His way of…
Read MoreIf the Kingdom of God Has Come … and It Has
by Zeke Flores If the kingdom of God has come — and the Bible emphatically states that it has — then the theory of premillennialism is heretical King Jesus isn’t coming back to establish His kingdom; He’s already done it. His sacrifice has provided a once-for-all remedy for sin, and the Spirit has provided and…
Read MoreWhat Am I Worth to the Church?
Author Unknown Many passages of Scripture discuss the quality of character that is supposed to be possessed by those who follow Christ. Most of the epistles of the New Testament are directed to that end. While there is a desire among brethren to enlarge the numbers of people who profess to be members of the…
Read MoreBlueprint of a Biblical Church
by Gregory Alan Tidwell It’s a warm Sunday evening, and a few guys are gathered on a friend’s back porch, talking about church. One friend admits, “Sometimes I wonder if church even matters. Can’t I just follow Jesus on my own?” Heads nod quietly. Many young Christians have felt this. Burned by hypocrisy or bored…
Read MoreThe Mountain
by Terry Wane Benton Christians have come “to the mountain that may not be touched” (Hebrews 12:18-25). It is a spiritual mountain. It is “in Christ” in “the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). Our mountain is “exalted above the hills” (Isaiah 2:1-4). Our mountain is Mount Zion, and it is “the city of the living God, the…
Read MoreThe Growth of the Church in Jerusalem
by Dudley R. Spears via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990 No period in the history of the Lord’s church records a greater numerical growth than the first century. There are repeated references to the reason why such phenomenal growth occurred. Men of faith claim the reason was the preaching of the apostles.…
Read More“I’m Not Included”
by Rickie Jenkins “I am just not included at church; I am given no part.” If true, that is sad. That’s not God’s intent. God designed a local church to depend on one another. He expects all to contribute to the good of the whole (Ephesians 4:16). Thus, in God’s design “every part may grow…
Read MoreEveryone in the Church Is Important
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Everyone-in-the-Church-Is-Important.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreIs a gathering in a care facility a church gathering?
Question: I am autistic and live in a facility. I can’t drive from here to any church. My sister could bring me, but she is not very consistent. I can’t rely on her early Sunday mornings. However, the facility I am at has an hour-long gathering of believers on Monday evenings. They sing a hymn,…
Read MoreWhat Is the Work of the Church?
by Kyle Ellison Recently, I came across a discussion where community members discussed the need for churches to expand their activities. More physical fitness facilities, more sports options for Christian families, more clothing drives, more dinners, more food drives, more bookstores, improved coffee facilities for first-time guests, and on the list went. It caused me…
Read MoreDestroying God’s Temple
by Chadwick Brewer “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (I Corinthians 3:17). The church (the people, not the building) is holy. It is a place designed by God to be a dwelling fit for Him. This is something we should understand and…
Read MoreCan a church divide itself into smaller groups and remain a church?
Question: Good day, brother. Here’s a case I’d like you to consider, A local church agrees to hold gatherings in different locations, not in the current meeting place but in zones based on proximity to one another. There are three zones, where fellowship is held in brothers’ houses on the same day, at the same…
Read MoreThe Head of the Church
by Terry Wane Benton The church is described as the body of Christ, with Jesus as the head of that body. Thus, the church is a group of people so connected to Christ that the body does not act without a proper signal (authority) from the head. If the church acts without authority, the church…
Read MoreThe Nature of the Church
by R. L. Whiteside via Gospel Advocate, December 3, 1942 From what reading I do, it seems to me that brethren are drifting away from a correct conception of what the church is. The church of God is the family of God, and all his children are in it. If one of his children wanders…
Read MoreThe Church in Two Senses of the Word
based on charts by Scott Mann via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983 Universal Church The Relationship of Saints with God Members are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23; II Timothy 2:19) Consists of all saints, everywhere, living or dead (Ephesians 3:15; 5:27-29) Only the Lord adds to their number (Acts 2:47) Entrance…
Read MoreJesus Loves the Little Children
by Kent Heaton via Biblical Insight, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014 There are many scenes in which Jesus Christ is the imminent teacher of multitudes, advisor to noblemen, powerful Creator calming a storm, or the great physician healing and raising the dead. His wrath and fury are felt with a whip of cords driving…
Read MoreSpiritual Israel
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Spiritual-Israel.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Galatians 6:12-18 I. I ran across someone claiming that there is no spiritual Israel, that all references to Israel are to the physical nation. A. From this position, he claimed that the kingdom was postponed because of Israel’s unbelief. B. He claims that physical Israel doesn’t exist today but…
Read MoreCan an eldership direct multiple congregations?
Question: We teach that elders are appointed in local congregations and that no congregation oversees another congregation. Neither does the elder of one congregation have overseeing power or responsibility over another congregation. In Acts 15, we know that there were Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentile Christians must circumcise and observe the law of Moses.…
Read MoreThe Work God Gave the Local Church
by Steve Klein God is the Master designer. We need only look at the physical universe to realize this. Psalm 19:1 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” The intricate and marvelous design of the creation shows the wisdom of God. “O LORD, how manifold are Your…
Read MoreThe Work of the Lord’s Church
by Terry Wane Benton It was not to eradicate poverty. The church had no silver and gold for the beggar in Acts 3, yet it was taking care of its own members in Acts 2. Their mission was to get to the heart of man’s problem, and that is sin. You heard that right. Sin…
Read MoreAre ALL Churches OF Christ?
by Perry Hall I belong to a local congregation called “Millersville Church of Christ.” When asked what church I belong to, I often add, “But any other name in the Bible, we go by that one, too.” That usually brings a smile. If speaking biblically, there is no official name or title for Christ’s church.…
Read MoreFeed My Sheep
by Terry Wane Benton Photo by Tanner Yould on Unsplash If you love Jesus, you must tend His sheep (John 21:15-17). This is what Jesus told Peter. You cannot love Jesus without caring for Jesus’ church, who are His sheep. Jesus is inseparable from His church. You cannot have one without the other. You cannot…
Read MoreWhich Church Is Right?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 4:4-6 I. How do we measure “right”? A. We must settle on a standard. B. If God is the only God and the Bible is His teachings 1. Then truth and error are as distinct as light and dark – I John 1:5; James 1:17-18 2. The same source tells us that we…
Read MoreChurch Growth
by Chadwick Brewer When considering how to help the church grow, there is a real temptation to look to the business world and copy their marketing schemes. This has been the path of many mega-churches. But God’s church is not a business. We should not look to the business world to determine how to grow…
Read MoreThe Purpose of the Local Church – Encouraging Faithfulness
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Purpose-of-the-Local-Church-Encouraging-Faithfulness.mp3 Download Audio by David Bunting Understanding Christ’s Church
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