Back to the Bible

by Jeff Smith

The actor in the old western would kick back his chair, leap to his feet and growl, “Them’s fightin’ words.”

What followed usually involved fisticuffs, firearms and deliciously violent choreography. Someone ended up with a bloody nose or worse. John Wayne always survived to fight another day. Which he always did.

While the Old West is gone, its ways persist today, especially in the streets and playgrounds where young people and the young, not at heart, but in mind, congregate and settle their disputes. Not surprisingly, their vocabularies are filled with fighting words. Insults, jabs and epithets are slung about and the usual response is to ratchet up the vitriol until it boils over and a fight is joined.

While the children of God are rarely… Continue reading

by Joe R. Price

A poll earlier this month showed 18% of Americans believe President Barack Obama is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009. 43% of people say they don’t know his religion. “’The president is obviously a Christian. He prays every day,’ said White House spokesman Bill Burton’” (White House says Obama is Christian, prays daily, Alan Fram, AP Writer).

Well, that settles it; praying every day makes you a Christian! (Not so, remember Cornelius, Acts 10:1-2.) Should we conclude from this statement that all praying people are Christians? No. Burton could have just as logically said, “The president is obviously a Muslim. He prays every day”! People with all sorts of faith pray. Shall we conclude that since Muslims pray five times a day they are… Continue reading

by Jerry Fite

The popular agenda for churches today is to attract the most people. Let us be-come 5,000 strong as the early church in Jerusalem is the clarion call. Souls will be encouraged more in a large assembly rather than by small insignificant numbers. While reaching the most souls is commendable, the goal of God is that souls be sound and healthy, not feeling good in a crowd. … Continue reading

by Joe R. Price

The homosexuals of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house insisting he bring out his two visitors “that we may know them” (Gen 19:5). This was not a request to show kindness; it was a demand to satisfy their sinful lust (Jude 7).… Continue reading

by Heath Rogers

Jesus and His apostles taught that one must be baptized in water in order to be saved (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38). In spite of this clear teaching, many people object to the necessity of water baptism, claiming that one is saved by faith only. Sometimes the incident of the thief on the cross is used as an objection to water baptism (Luke 23:39-43). The argument is made, “Jesus did not tell the thief to be baptized. If it was not necessary for him to be baptized in order to be saved, then it is not necessary for us today.” This is a popular argument, but it does not prove that we are saved without water baptism today.… Continue reading

by Steve Wallace

Risk taking is part of any productive life. It is, therefore, a part of the Christian’s life. James spoke of two well-known examples in Acts 15, “…Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 25,26). One need only look at the account of their missionary journey to see the truthfulness of his words (Acts 13-14). The success of the five and two talent men did not come without attendant risks (Matt. 25:14-30). No doubt success and failure were a part of their experiences. By contrast, the one talent man took no risks, hiding his master’s talent (v. 25). Risks are being taken by all accountable people.… Continue reading

by Kyle Campbell

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18-19)

Being “filled with the Spirit” is quite a difficult concept to grasp for a lot of people who consider themselves “religious.” Because of its perceived difficulty, this article will try to unravel the mysteries of Paul’s command to the Ephesians.To investigate this command, we will first accept one of the definitions for the word “filled” as meaning “full.” Then we will define the figurative use of the word to not be referring to a literal measure. Instead, we will suggest that it is used as a causative effect… Continue reading

by Stan Cox

In the July 3rd issue of The Christian Chronicle, coverage was given to a recent “international symposium of sacred a cappella music, involv[-ing] members of Churches of Christ as well as Mennonites, Eastern Orthodox, Reformed Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Roman Catholics.”

The symposium was a sequel to a previous effort which took place in 2007. Concerning that event, the article notes “‘The Ascending Voice’ debuted at Pepperdine in 2007 — the brainchild of [Darryl] Tippens, who saw it as a way to celebrate and promote a cappella worship in a world of praise bands and recorded music.”

Tippens is the provost of the university. When asked what he expected to accomplish with the symposium, he said:

“I hope we’re planting a mustard seed here… Continue reading

by Jeff Smith

When pressed by unbelievers to defend the legitimacy of their faith, many Christians abandon the objective–and really the debate–by retreating into their feelings and practically admitting that there is no logical reason to believe in God.… Continue reading

by Darrel E. Beard

Teaching is the means by which man is instructed in righteousness for the salvation of his soul (Matt. 28:20; Acts 5:42; Col. 1:28). Such a vital task demands careful preparation. Ezra is an example of one who prepared himself to teach: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Consider some things that are essential in preparing to teach.

Preparing the Heart

One cannot teach what he has not prepared himself to teach, and such preparation begins in the heart. Effective teachers love what they teach, and the Bible teacher should love the word of God… Continue reading