Category Archives: Beyond The Basics

07 Jan

The Words Of The Preacher

BEYOND THE BASICS | Jeremy Diestelkamp | Toronto, Ontario

via Agnieszka Monk | Pixabay

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them'” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

This verse has been used by preachers over the years to exhort people, especially young people, to turn to God now while they can, because there will come a time when such will be too late. Hearing these types of sermons as a young person was important to me, for they got me to think about my position in this universe, how there is a God who created all things, and with that being true, I needed to serve Him. In short, it was sermons like these that convinced me that I needed to become a Christian. These words, however, were not written at the beginning of this book, they appear at the conclusion, so it is good to consider the whole context, to see if there is some deeper meaning to them. Read More →

01 Oct

I Don’t Know What To Say

BEYOND THE BASICS | Chuck Bartlett | St. Louis, Missouri

Via Priscilla du Preez | Unsplash.com

Over the past year, the congregation that I am a member of has been plagued with a number of tragedies. I couldn’t help but think of Romans 12:15, where it reads, “weep with those that weep.” When we hear sad news, we face the dilemma of, “I don’t know what to say.” Does the word of God provide any help in this area? The answer is yes. Here are lessons that will help us to know what to do and what not to do. We will do so by looking at Job and his three friends. Read More →

02 Jul

The Inspiration of the Scriptures

BEYOND THE BASICS | T. Sean Sullivan | Paragould, Arkansas

via Timothy Eberly | Unsplash.com

Introduction:
This world is full of books. Solomon in ancient days proclaimed, “Of making many books there is no end…” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Many thousands of books are inspirational, but only one small collection of books is “inspired.”

The collection of 66 books that we know as the Bible, is the revelation of the mind of God. In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul said, “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God…” It is this divine action of “inspiration” that sets the Bible apart from any other book on the planet. Read More →

02 Apr

Beyond a Mere Reading of the Bible

BEYOND THE BASICS | Scott Long | Marietta, Pennsylvania

via Agnieszka Monk | Pixabay.com

Some Christians are content with a habitual, yet casual reading of the word of God. They believe that since they are not aiming to become preachers, that reading is all that is necessary. how many times have we heard someone say, “I have read the Bible seven times from cover to cover” as if to convey some deeper level of understanding? To which I say, “So what?” Paul chastised Christians for such an attitude, “I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able“ (1 Corinthians 3:2). They had not moved beyond the basics. But what about the Christian who wants to be a true follower of the Lord? Is reading enough for him? In no way. Reading a biology textbook does not make someone a doctor. In the same way, simply reading the Bible will not make a person become a faithful disciple. Let’s spend some time talking about why Christians must move beyond reading of the Bible into deeper studies of God’s word. Read More →

01 Jan

Confident without being Overconfident

BEYOND THE BASICS | Chuck Bartlett | Newburgh, Indiana

via Agnieszka Monk | Pixabay.com

I remember reading a comment made by a person who left the Lord’s church years ago stating, “The problem with members of the church is they don’t have confidence they are going to heaven.” This person may well have encountered Christians who felt that way, but it does not have to be that way. Let us take a closer look. Read More →

02 Oct

The Christian & Social Media

BEYOND THE BASICS | Jeremy Woodman | Kingston, Ontario

via Azam Kamolov | Pixabay.com

When Christ gave the Great Commission he defined the scope of the commission as “all the world” and the message as “the gospel,” but He left the mode of communication up to the apostles. In the first century, communication was through the spoken and written word.  The range of oral communication was limited and if the message didn’t produce change, it lasted no longer than the audience’s memory. Writing could reach more people and its contents lasted longer but making and distributing copies was labour intensive.

Come forward to the 20th century and the telephone, radio, and television revolutionized communications, helping to disseminate the gospel in new ways to new audiences.  In recent decades the rise of the internet, higher rates of personal computer ownership, and the development of social media have revolutionized communications again. Because of social media, we can communicate cheaply and quickly with almost anyone around the world. We can create content for others to access at their convenience.  These are blessings the apostles did not have and are tools we can use to fulfill the Great Commission. Read More →

03 Jul

In The World … Not Of The World, Part 2

BEYOND THE BASICS
William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

Our previous article concluded: “To be in the world but not of the world means we abstain from the wickedness of the world, not from living in the world.” If you have not read the first article, I encourage you to read it here.

Jesus wouldn’t do that!

I’ve heard some folks justify the insistence of their will upon others on the basis that Jesus wouldn’t do this or that. Jesus wouldn’t go to a rock concert, or to a football game, or to the movies! Jesus wouldn’t celebrate Christmas, or go to a vacation resort, or read a fantasy novel. Jesus wouldn’t have a TV in His house, own an expensive car, or go to a restaurant that serves alcohol.. There is an endless list of things that Jesus wouldn’t do. I’m curious; how do these folks know what Jesus would or wouldn’t do? Read More →

01 Jan

Confess Much?

BEYOND THE BASICS
John Hines | Haynesville, Louisiana

via mleonascimento | Pixabay.com

There is an old saying, “Confession is good for the soul.” I would suggest it is not only good for the soul, it is necessary if we are going to be saved. It plays a role in our conversion, but it certainly does not stop there. Consider a few of the confessions we are called to make as Christians. Read More →

03 Oct

Distractions

BEYOND THE BASICS
John Maddocks | Toronto, Ontario

via StockSnap | Pixabay.com

I was born in 1962. I grew up in a time when there were no cell phones, personal computers, gaming systems, nor DVD players. Yes, we had TV, but those were the days before cable TV and Netflix, so viewing options were very limited. My family did not have a colour TV until I was 9 or 10 years old. Now, you can watch whatever show or movie you want, any time you want, and you can even do that on your smartphone. If you have a research paper due, just turn on your computer and Google whatever subject it is that you are studying and you will find a world of information at your finger tips. If you want to play a game, there are any number of gaming systems available, and if you don’t have one, then you can play on your PC or your smartphone. The technological world has advanced in amazing ways in the 55 years since I was born. Read More →