Church Articles – Page 3

07 Jan

The Church as the Kingdom

CHURCH ARTICLE | Jesse Flowers | Baytown, Texas

via Johannes Plenio | Unsplash.com

The word of God presents the church of our Lord in descriptive and marvelous terms. The description that is used more than any other in depicting the church to us in the Bible is “kingdom.”

The expression “the kingdom of God” is used approximately sixty-nine times in the New Testament. Most of those occurrences are in the four gospel accounts, with only fifteen instances outside of those first four books. The expression “the kingdom of heaven” is used thirty-two times in the New Testament, all of which are exclusive to the Gospel of Matthew. Read More →

01 Oct

The Church As A Family

CHURCH ARTICLE | John Hains | Smithville, Ontario

via Tyler Nix | Unsplash.com

Just a few minutes ago, I was on the phone, long-distance, with my sister – my adopted sister. Even though she is adopted, I consider her to be my “real” sister. (We were both adopted. While we are not biologically related, we really are connected in a unique way.) We were reminiscing together because today was the wedding anniversary of our adoptive parents. Although both of our parents are gone now, it’s a joy for us to remember them! We miss them. They were dear folks who took us into their hearts and home and wanted us to call them Mom and Dad – even though we’d all previously been strangers! And you know, even though strangers, in the presence of their beautiful love for us, we bonded together as a real family. Each of us, as individuals with separate heritages, were brought together in love. And that illustrates a spiritual matter of extreme eternal significance. Read More →

02 Jul

The Progressive Nature of Church Discipline

CHURCH ARTICLE | Reagan McClenny | Lufkin, Texas

via StockSnap | Pixabay.com

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

After urging the brethren of Thessalonica to “…aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands…” in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, he reminds the strong and faithful brethren to “be patient with all.” Read More →

02 Apr

They First Gave Themselves To The Lord

CHURCH ARTICLE | Brian Sullivan | Jordan, Ontario

via Денис Марчук | Pixabay.com

One does not have to look far in the Scriptures to learn God has a special place in His heart for “orphans and widows,” those who are incapable of providing for themselves (Malachi 3:5). Christ maintained the “poor” you have always with you (Matthew 26:11), not to discourage His followers from helping the poor, but to alert them to this reality. Articles on the church and its role in benevolence are essential because too many begin to examine the question with their “emotions on their sleeves” and reach “emotion-driven” conclusions that force them to act outside of the authority of the Scriptures (Colossians 3:17). Benevolence, or assistance to those in need, is not difficult to understand if we “first give ourselves to the Lord” as those of Macedonia did in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. Whether it be through the church or as an individual, we should do what we are able to do because it is in accord with Christ’s desire for His people to share what they have been blessed with (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Read More →

01 Jan

Effective Members in the Body of Christ

CHURCH ARTICLE | Josh Welch | Columbus, Ohio

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

It was about eleven years ago when I stood up after a quick lunch with my wife and youngest infant daughter and felt a sharp pain in my side. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. I reached to pick up my daughter out of her seat to carry her to the car. It hurt to pick her up. I said to my wife, “Something doesn’t feel right.” I went to the doctor and they ran some tests. Later that night I was being carted into surgery to have my appendix removed. I have not really missed that appendix. I assume it had a purpose. Yet, not enough to be missed. However, it certainly made its presence felt when something went wrong with it. How many church members might be described as an appendix? They are there and we suppose they are doing something. You might even hear them stir up a fuss. Yet, truth be told, if they disappeared from the assembly their absence may hardly even be noticed. Read More →

02 Oct

Equipping The Saints

CHURCH ARTICLE | Sean Cavender | Bald Knob, Arkansas

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His life to purchase the church with His blood (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28). Those who are saved by His blood are added to His church, becoming His people and part of the spiritual family of God (Acts 2:41-47; 1 Timothy 3:15). These saints assemble regularly on the first day of the week (and at other times) to worship and spend time together studying God’s word (Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25). At the first, the apostles took on a special role in the church at Jerusalem, preaching the word. When a complaint arose among the Jerusalem saints, the apostles called on the church to appoint seven men who would be capable of taking care of the physical needs of widows. Later, as Paul began his missionary journeys, he established local congregations, eventually organizing them with elders (Acts 14:23). Paul also addressed deacons in the church as the ones who had the responsibility to minister and serve the congregations where they were members (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8-13). Read More →

03 Jul

The Church Is God’s Special People

CHURCH ARTICLE
Wayne Goff | Kansas City, Missouri

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

Jesus Christ came to deliver mankind from his sin (Matthew 1:21). Sin has always separated man from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and sin caused us to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). The sacrifice of Jesus’ own precious blood has redeemed us from the guilt of sin and from the power of death which sin caused (1 Peter 1:18-19; Ephesians 2:4-7). This redemption causes great joy among the saved (see Acts 8:8, 39). It is a privilege to be a child of God, and an eternal heir of the grace of life (Romans 8:16-17). Read More →

03 Apr

Joining The Disciples

CHURCH ARTICLE
William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

At the beginning of Acts 9, Saul of Tarsus left Jerusalem, headed for Damascus. His aim was to arrest any Christians he found there (Acts 9:1-2). On the way, he met the Lord. Having arrived in Damascus, he was taught the gospel and baptized by Ananias (Acts 9:17-18). Immediately, he began to associate and work with the Christians in Damascus (Acts 9:19-22). However, a plot against his life (Acts 9:23-25) made it necessary for Saul to leave Damascus.

He returned to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples there (Acts 9:26). Understandably, they wanted nothing to do with him. He claimed to be a faithful Christian, but they did not believe him. Read More →

01 Jan

A Church Without Elders

CHURCH ARTICLE
Keith Sharp | Mountain Home, Arkansas

via Kathy Buscher | Pixabay.com

The Lord’s plan is for each local church to have its own elders (overseers/shepherds) to rule and to shepherd the local flock (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). Thus, a congregation that has men qualified to do this work but refuses to appoint them rebels against the Lord. It is just as sinful to refuse to do what the Lord requires as it is to do what He forbids (James 4:17).

But a congregation may not have a plurality of men qualified to serve as overseers. It is also wrong to select and appoint unqualified men (1 Timothy 3:2). Read More →

03 Oct

A Church’s Profile : Antioch

CHURCH ARTICLE
Sean Cavender | Bald Knob, Arkansas

via Gerd Altmann | Pixabay.com

The idea of profiling is sometimes met with resistance and controversy, and yet it takes place all the time. We may examine the behaviors, opinions, statements, and dress of a person and arrive at some conclusions based upon our keen observation. Sometimes we are right; other times we are wrong.

In the Bible, several examples have been preserved for us. We can read and understand what people did, why they did it, and the results of their choices. In other words, we profile them. And in doing so, we are able to accurately understand the kind of character they had. This is true for both individuals and groups of people. Read More →