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“The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?” (Proverbs 18:14 NASB). An emotional wound can be worse than a physical one. Physical weakness can be counterbalanced by determination of the spirit (i.e. mind and will). If you want something bad enough you can overcome most physical disabilities and sicknesses in order to achieve your goal. …

With his WordPress get-up called “A Preacher’s Study,” you can sign up and get these by email or follow the Proverbs category through RSS.

Why do so many get excluded? Here’s why:

1. Many church websites have no RSS feed. The number of sites that do is growing but still small. Is there some unspoken law among us that you can’t do a church site that others can pick up and share across the web? Many sites are cobbled together. Thought seems to be given to getting it set up, little or none about how to share it.
2. Many church sites aren’t updated regularly, so they’re stale. Many are maintained by busy preachers whose schedules understandably keep them in more urgent tasks. (One wonders if the pile of abandoned sites is due to frequent preacher moves.) If a site isn’t updated, minimally, once a week, you can forget it.
3. Many church sites have restricted content, i.e., content, such as announcements and prayer lists, most concerns the local congregation. This is good and well, depending on what the website’s objectives are, but doesn’t really help those who are looking for edifying material.

Churches should pay attention to their websites. They’re as important, if not more so, than the sign out front. Make it shareable, by using RSS feed, and keep it updated frequently with content of interest to all.

Help this despairing man.

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by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Just as the church substituted Israel as the people of God, its day of observance also changed. The sabbath was part of the law of the old covenant (see Exodus 20). The first day is the celebration of the new covenant. In Israel, the sabbath was a day of individual rest. In the church, the first day is for meeting together.

The first day is the day of the Lord because Jesus was raised on this day (Matthew 28.1). On this day he appeared to the disciples (John 20.19, 26). So the church met on the first day.

Paul tells the Corinthian church to make an offering on the first day, as he had told the Galatian churches, because they all were already meeting regularly on that day (1 Corinthians 16.2). It was the practice among the churches. The phrase in this verse has the meaning of “the first day of every week” (ESV, NASB, NIV) or “on every first day of the week” (YLT). Paul urges a regular offering to be done, since they are already meeting every Sunday.

The “breaking of bread,” which in the New Testament often refers to the spiritual act of remembering Christ in a meal, is also called the “table of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 10.21) and the “Lord’s supper” (1 Corinthians 11.20).

John calls the first day “the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1.10). Evidently, by the time he wrote, this phrase was common among the saints so that there was no need to explain which day it was. The only day which would qualify for a well known day would be the first.

John uses the phrase without explanation, even though it was used in the Old Testament to refer to a great and terrible day of judgment or redemption (cf. Joel 1.15; 2.1). The New Testament also uses it to refer to the final day of judgment when Christ will return a second time (1 Corinthians 1.8; 5.5; 2 Corinthians 1.14; 1 Thessalonians 5.2; 2 Thessalonians 2.2; 2 Peter 3.10). But for John it refers to a day he was then living in a special way and no doubt in worship to God.

The connection between the day of the Lord and the table of the Lord becomes especially clear in Acts 20. Paul was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost. So much so that, as he neared Ephesus, he called for the elders to come to him, rather than taking out the extra time to go to the city to talk with them (vv. 16-17).

Shortly before that, however, he delays in Troas for all of seven days (v. 6). Why does he stay there for so long? Apparently, because he arrives there on a Monday and desires to meet with that church on a Sunday. With the Jews’ counting parts of a day as a day, Luke would possibly have counted Monday as a day, making it seven days until Sunday.

Why the need to wait for so long? Because it was only on Sunday that the church ate the Lord’s supper: “On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul began to speak to the people, …” (20.7 NET; see also ERV, NLT). Luke states that this was their purpose for meeting on the first day: “the church met on the first day of the week for the purpose of breaking bread” (Edwards 552). Breaking bread in this verse is an “obvious reference to the Lord’s Supper” (ibid.; pace CEB).

So, together with the other references, Acts 20.7 ties together the first day of the week, which is the Lord’s day, and the table/supper of the Lord.

Any day of the week is a good day to meet with the saints. The first day of the week is the Lord’s day in a special way because the church meets around his table.

REFERENCE

Edwards, W.T. (1990) “Lord’s Day,” in Mercer Dictionary of the Bible, Watson E. Mills, gen. ed. (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press): 522-23.

Photo: southavencoc.org

Update: The author failed to check his Greek text: The preposition eis is not found in Acts 20.7. The reference has been removed. The point still stands, however, that the verse does express the purpose for which they met, to eat the Lord’s supper.

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by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Every vote counts. So you’ve probably heard a few times in the past weeks, if you’ve been following the American presidential elections or accompanying American media. After all, democracy, and its less well known cousin, republicanism, are built upon the principle of the participation of the people.

Such participation, in theory, prevents tyranny. The American experiment has served as an example to many countries to throw off despotic governments and establish some sort of representative democracy. In my own adopted country, the US served as inspiration for its own changes, reflected in the name from 1889-1968 as the Republic of the United States of Brazil.

So in many places of the world we share the values of representative government, where the people, through their elected officials, decide the policies and directions of the nation. These are values that many countries believe in and promote.

The greatest symbol, perhaps, of such liberties is the vote. The ballot represents the power of a nation’s citizens to determine its path. As such, it is a protected right. In some countries like Brazil, it is legally mandatory. Free and honest elections are the guarantee of liberty. Nations zealously protect the election process, and the first attempts at subverting a government often begin at the ballot box.

As much as we value the right to vote and “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness,” there is a vote more decisive and determinative than all the numbers that will be tallied in the next election. That vote is God’s.

In a wonderful mystery of divine sovereignty—call it a paradox, even—the will of God does not impose itself upon human free will, but uses the evil and the righteousness of man to fulfill his plan. As Jeremiah marveled at the unfolding of God’s revelation and judgment over Judah, he exclaimed,

“Oh, Lord God, you did indeed make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. Nothing is too hard for you!  You show unfailing love to thousands. But you also punish children for the sins of their parents. You are the great and powerful God who is known as the LORD who rules over all.  You plan great things and you do mighty deeds. You see everything people do. You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do” (Jeremiah 32.17-19 NET).

These are the words of a prophet who on the one hand cries over the divine pronouncement of doom for his people, but who can simultaneously stand in awe of “the great and powerful God” who “rules over all.”

Human government can go bad, quickly and tortuously. Even so, it will still fulfill, in its worst manifestations, the purpose of God (see Romans 13). And while Christians may enjoy their rights as citizens of a nation, as did saints like the apostle Paul, government officials, and military officers in the first century, their heavenly citizenship is a far greater value, which guarantees to them rights and responsibilities, such as:

• The confidence in the promise of God and the hope of eternal life:
• The participation in God’s kingdom, that is, his people, the church of Jesus Christ;
• The commission of proclaiming the Good News to every nation;
• The holiness of life in imitation of divine fatherhood, without which no one shall see the Lord.

In the end, a child of God may vote in an local or national election, but he knows that the decisive vote comes from his Sovereign God. Forces larger than he are at work. Of earthly trends and worldly directions he has little idea, less than the averaging of political polls. But for real and lasting change, the disciple’s efforts are turned wholly toward the eternal salvation of the soul, for he can be certain that the Spirit of God who dwells in him cooperates at every step to that end.

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Many prayers, among them ours, are going up for those in the northeastern US. We pray for no loss of life and for opportunities for the gospel. Many of us have friends there. We know good brethren in Virginia, New York, New Jersey (Brazilians!), Connecticut, and other states as well. We pray for their safety.

• While the US struggles with water and snow, our region is feeling record-high temperatures. The city of Ribeirão Preto, on the other side of the state from us, felt an all-time record of 110ºF. Coincidentally, I sent 40 hymnals to the church in that city today.

• When a church meets together, certain principles should guide its activities. Here are five of them:

1. the twin principles of worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24);
2. exclusivity—worship God only (Matthew 4:8-10);
3. mutual edification—do everything to build others up (1 Corinthians 14:1-3, 12, 26);
4. impartiality—treat everyone with love and respect (James 2:1-13);
5. necessity—meeting together is not optional (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Wouldn’t it be strange for the church, whose basic meaning is “assembly,” not to assemble? You might find these principles useful for a class or sermon, besides applying them to your own life.

• Any day of the week is a good day for meeting together with the saints; the first day is a required day for the church’s assembly. That’s why the New Testament talks about the day and the table of the Lord. We’ve narrowed many of our meetings down to a thrice-weekly slot. Seems a shame, don’t you think?

• Our sister news site, BrotherhoodNews.com, has a slew of recent news, from Alabama and Arkansas, to Indiana and West Virginia and Michigan, from Brazil to India to Central America. Be sure to check out its offerings and sign up to get the email notifications, so you can stay up to date with the news. Surprise us with some news from your own congregation to share as well.

• Here in Brazil, Christmas decorations are already appearing in stores. We don’t have a Thanksgiving Day to hold back the vendors. (Brazil has adopted the horrid Halloween celebration, but not Thanksgiving, which is quintessentially American.) I think I’ve figured out why people of good sense hate to see Christmas paraphernalia encroach upon us earlier in the year. It’s a biblical principle, from Ecclesiastes 3:1: “For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth” (NET). Would you agree?

• From Bible class this past Sunday, two thoughts occurred to me (an especially fruitful moment, to have two thoughts), which I leave with you. One. Even the one-talent man was given a fortune. (This from Matthew 25:14-30). Two. For Jesus, a man is worth more than 2,000 pigs. Take that, environmentalists! (From Mark 5:1-20). And what are your thoughts?

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So here I was, going down the Via Dutra highway, not far from this spot in the picture, though with not as much fog, on the way to the airport to pick up Jeremy and Will. After the not-so-good day yesterday, my mind said to sing a happy song.

When somebody tells me to lead a song in a group, I go blank. So today. The only songs I could think of came out in fragments, parts in English, parts in Portuguese.

So I started to make up my own. Haltingly. Badly. But it worked for me, at that moment.

So from that morning beginning on the highway, this poem began. The first stanza was composed in my head, driving on the asphalt.

Here’s the first highway stanza:

Joy, oh, joy, from the word of Jesus,
Joy of joys, from heaven to us;
Joy from the joy in the heart of the Son,
The joy of all joys, second to none.

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by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Newsweek magazine, once a publishing powerhouse, has announced that by next year it will cease print publication and go exclusively to an online edition. The news comes as a warning to not a few periodicals and papers. The weekly pretty much shot itself in the foot, as a liberal rag towing a party line, which helped none at all as people have increasingly turned to the Internet for fast and immediate news.

The meaning of this move for churches with a spiritual purpose is hard to read. Many saints are turning deftly to the Internet and virtual media for their work. The world is online. How to divide our attention between print and PDF, dead-tree pages and WordPress websites?

‘Twas a hop, skip, and a jump from mimeograph to cyberspace. What’s next?

• People who go to a church for its programs are looking to be served, not to serve.

• I’m writing an assigned article for a print publication on the topic, “If We Fail, What Then?” The theme of the future issue is about knowing and proclaiming the truth. My thesis, in a phrase: If we fail, we’re lost, and so is the world.

• In the wings is another assigned article for a different print publication on the dangers of mysticism in the church. This difficult-to-nail-jello tendency isn’t just creeping around the edges of the brotherhood. It has beaten down the door to invade our churches. And it started, like many innovations, in the colleges.

• You understand the nail-jello reference. Something so nebulous and foggy that it’s hard to get a hold of. Some people like that vagueness, that imprecision. Keeps them from having to defend themselves, I’d say. It’s easier to say you don’t understand it than it is to explain it, and embarrass yourself by how ridiculous it is once you put it out there in black and white. Seems to work well for the superior types who disdain the little ones in the kingdom.

• Disciples of Christ are the recipients of good news, the Good News. So they don’t wallow in gloom and doom, neither do they revel in bad news and gossip. They don’t ignore reality, but neither do they focus on what’s wrong in the world. They glory in what God did in Christ to right the world. And every time they see someone put right with the Lord, they rejoice.

That’s why I enjoy conversion stories so much. We did a feature like that, with just that title, “Conversion Stories,” on the first Forthright Press website. We told stories old and new. Then we encouraged and partnered with Baptism365.com, a genius of a concept. Today, on BrotherhoodNews.com, another story like that edifies me, “I Don’t Want to Be a Bench-Warming Christian.”

• Somebody sent me an email and tried to “recall” it. I have no idea what that means or if there is some spooky technology behind it, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to recall some words or undo some action? Maybe it would be similar to a television broadcast that delays a live camera by a few seconds so that unseemly words or scenes can be deleted. So you could catch that slip of the tongue or the foot before it got out there and caused its damage.

Since no recall or timed delay exists, doesn’t that mean we ought to be extra careful with our words and actions? We may be forgiven them, but we cannot cancel their consequences.

• Sorry to my Kentucky friends, but when I see UK, I think United Kingdom. The world is getting smaller, all the time. My beloved AR postal abbreviation became—and this is hard to say from Brazil—the Internet’s country code for Argentina. (We’re rivals.)

That’s a crack in the door, to ask: Are we aware, as God’s people sent to all the nations, of a larger world out there?

The tendency, in the lack of information, is to speculate. Obviously, something was wrong in some way, but to imagine causes leads one into fruitless directions.

In response to a judicious comment on Facebook by a sister in Christ, I said, “Prayer is the best [option] for those of us far away and out of the loop.”

And it is as a call to prayer that we publish such stories about saints who become subjects of police investigations, like the case above. There is much that we will never know and that we have no business knowing.

Such reports ought to generate in every disciple a feeling of compassion and an urge, quickly actioned, to pray.

The iconic Big Tex burned down during the Texas State Fair. Is it a metaphor of the American way of life? The CSPoem for today hints at that, in “The Burning of Big Tex.”

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Both the brother who made the statement and those of us at Forthright/GoSpeak believe smoking is an addictive habit that does harm to a Christian’s body, influence, and destiny. We were sure enough of this evil that the brother’s provocative suggestion—which turns out to be none at all—gets the attention it does.

Precisely because smoking is evil, the statement arrests our attention. Jesus used unethical and immoral behavior, such as that of the unfaithful steward, to show us good qualities. So the smoking reference seems to pass muster, since the brother pulls back from any sort of recommendation to ungodly behavior.

The question seems to be if we will let the illustration have its proper impact and change our thinking on committing to support for the Lord’s, and our, mission.

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Since we are a gospel service as well as a business, might it be appropriate to ask for prayer for the site’s protection?

The New Testament registers no prayers for websites, obviously, but as a part of the Christian arsenal, prayer will help us, in every good effort we make, to “be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6.11 NET).

A hacker may not be conscious of being a tool of Satan, but if he hinders a work done for the kingdom of God, he places himself against the Lord. We may also then pray for his repentance, that he may find eternal life (Acts 11.18).

Related articles

• The devil is doing it again (Charles Box)
• First of all, pray

by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Some people like lists, and some like alliteration. In today’s article I offer a little of both. Some are based on a Bible verse, others are topical. As far as I know, they’re all original with me. Some have been used at one time or another in sermons or classes, others wait to take shape. If you use them some way, we’d be interested in hearing about it.

From Psalm 25.4, “Make me understand your ways, O Lord! Teach me your paths!”, these truths: The paths of the Lord are (1) desirable; (2) knowable; (3) attainable.

We’re supposed to shine our light, Jesus says in Matthew 5, but it can be hidden. Here are three ways: (1) by silence—failing to speak up; (2) by omission—failing to do good works; (3) by inertia—failing to get started.

Christians should be dedicated to (1) the presence of God; (2) the people of God; (3) the purpose of God; (4) the pattern of God.

See if you can find in Colossians 3.1-14 these times: (1) metamorphosis in the past; (2) movement in the present; (3) manifestation in the future.

Important words for the non-Christian to consider: (1) forgiveness; (2) fullness; (3) fellowship; (4) fulfillment. Christ offers all this and more.

The God we have cannot be reduced down to a small list, but in all reverence let’s think of a few of his revealed qualities: (1) the God who speaks; (2) the God who shines; (3) the God who saves; (4) the God who sends; (5) the God who swears.

Christians are to be examples. Think of these elements about being an example to others, in the context of 1 Timothy 4.12: (1) Because of desertions (vv. 1-5); (2) constant dedication needed (vv. 8, 10, 13-15); (3) In spite of our deficiencies (v. 12).

Things Christians do together, besides the five acts of worship: (1) baptize a repentant soul for the forgiveness of sins; (2) share news of the progress of the gospel; (3) confess faults to one another; (4) take care of the needy among us.

Remember the two greatest commandments, from passages like Mark 12.28-34? These two which Jesus joined have (1) a hierarchy, one more important than the other; (2) a history, taken as they were from the Old Testament; (3) a harvest, placing one within distance of the kingdom of God.

No list or group of lists can exhaust the riches of God’s truth or the depths of his grace. A list is good to get a handle, at the same time it encourages us to explore further the vast content of heaven’s shining stars of the gospel.

Related articles

• Can you name just one? (fellowshiproom.org)
• 5 things the church of Christ possesses (forthright.net)

If you’re familiar with Drudge, you’ll feel at home on the Hub. While the former is a news aggregator, the Hub a Christian content aggregator. We call it the site to find them all. (Obvious reference to The Lord of the Rings.)

The email subscription offered on the Hub site gets you the occasional Pointers in your inbox, not more than once a week, usually less often than that.

Finally, a tip for using the site. When you hover over the links, you’ll get more info about the content of that article or news report, to help you evaluate if you want to check out the post.

Belem is a large metropolis in northern Brazil. The city is just south of the equator and serves as port and gateway to the mighty Amazon river and surrounding region. It is a city of 2 million people. Belem is a city of extremes – having many modern attributes accompanied by lingering images of hardship in people and conditions. The pure church has been almost entirely absent until recently.

Check out his list of ten observations.

• The problem is not that the church is dying or becoming outdated; instead, the problem is that the church is rotting. As a whole the Lord’s church in America has begun rotting from the inside because of lack of function. —Adam Cozort

• There must be an inverse correlation between ability to memorize a movie script and ability to think. (Twitter)

• Just as Romans is a book written to correct a particular error in behavior, even more importantly it is a call to a right ecclesiology. Were these churches to behave rightly, God would have their help, rather than hindrance, in bringing about his agenda. —Herbert Drake

• We are connected to the Head, which is Christ, through the body, and if we are separated from the body, we are thus separated from the Head. There is no life outside the body of Christ.

• The various modes of worship, which prevailed in the Roman world, were all considered by the people, as equally true; by the philosopher, as equally false; and by the magistrate, as equally useful. —Edward Gibbon

• Ambition has its use, within limits, but the regular joes in the steady jobs of kingdom work no doubt are front and center in the Lord’s view. Apple of his eye. (TFR)

• And when man, shod with haste and girt with pride, / Beckons his own doom, God is on his side. —Aeschylus

• I appreciate using up-to-date language, but urging someone to “get God in your corner” seems to lack reverence for God as sovereign. (Twitter)

• If poetry is the maximum condensation of thought into a powerful expression, why isn’t it popular in the era of texting and tweeting?

• Man sought to be a god and failed, / And down to hades fell; / Then God as man to a cross was nailed, / And saved his soul from hell. (Thirst for God)

• Finally, a word from the Lord to point us right: “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the LORD all the time.” —Proverbs 23.17 NET

Friends, let’s be honest, the church is not dying. There are parts of this country where the church is still thriving and growing. The problem is not that the church is dying or becoming outdated; instead, the problem is that the church is rotting.

As a whole the Lord’s church in America has begun rotting from the inside because of lack of function. Anything that does not get used for long periods of time ceases functioning as it should; it matters not whether it is the muscles of the human body or the gears of a piece of machinery, over time things rust, deteriorate, and fall apart. Such is also the case with the body of Christ when it sits idle for long periods of time. Sadly, this has become the tale of many congregations.

You’ll want to read the whole article.

by J. Randal Matheny, editor

December 7th doesn’t mean much to people anymore, but September 11th does. How long before Patriot’s Day becomes a murky date? Human dates rise and fall in a people’s memory. God forbid that we forget the Day of Salvation!

• Brazil’s Independence Day was September 7. Brazilians think as much about the nature, meaning, and cost of freedom as Americans do on July 4. Which is to say, very little. If it’s not hot dogs and fireworks, it’s the beach and beer.

• Barbara Oliver, beloved coworker in the gospel and associate editor of Forthright Magazine, and I just finished the final edit for the book, The Right Kind of Christianity: Answering Postmodernist Brian McLaren’s Ten Questions. Twelve authors have contributed 13 chapters to this fascinating study. Every book has behind it a history, and this one is quite interesting.

• Ron Thomas, preacher and elder with the Highway church in Sullivan, Ill., came up with the idea, after reading, as I recall, the postmodernist’s book referred to in the subtitle above. Ron is one of our main Fellows on (I like saying “in”) The Fellowship Room, a group blog of faithful saints. Besides writing a chapter, he has encouraged us along the way, even as the initial time frame stretched out.

• Matt Clifton, our webmaster, was the mastermind behind the title, which plays off McLaren’s book title, A New Kind of Christianity. Matt also wrote two of the chapters.

• How did the book get 13 chapters if the postmodernist had 10 questions? First, a spiffy Introduction. Then, we added two chapters on essential subjects that McLaren didn’t address in his book, which we thought were strange not to have been included: the Holy Spirit and the mission/purpose of the church.

• Authors of The Right Kind of Christianity are from three continents: North America, South America, and Europe. Too bad we didn’t get Asia, Africa, and Australia in there. (We have a new joint project underway; do you know of any faithful brethren on those continents who are also good writers?)

• Our book is more than just a refutation of the postmodernist position. It sets out a positive view of scriptural teaching on the ten questions raised in the book, plus two. Even if postmodernism goes out of style—and it will, for all human philosophies and tendencies do—our little book will still have lasting value.

• Book editors have a bad name in some quarters, for all the tinkering with the Sacred Text of a writer. And publishing houses are always slow in a writer’s mind to get out their latest obra prima.

• Enough about books, for now. How about politics? Me either, but we’re getting it both in the U.S., and in Brazil, where elections will be held as well this year. (I can vote only in the first country, am a permanent resident in the second, not a citizen.) If I were a politician, I think I’d run on the platform of sponsoring a law against visual pollution, i.e., campaigns signs and advertising. But then how would I get elected, if I didn’t get the word out?

• Remember: how we think about politics is how many think about the Faith. Should that change our approach to evangelism?

• More than enough about politics, right? So here’s one for you: If politics can’t change a soul, the message of Christ can. How do you teach people the will of God? Do you use some sort of organized study, a standardized approach, to teaching the lost? Could you sit down right now with a person and show him in a convincing way the plan of God in Christ and what to do to be saved? If not, why not?

by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Our good brother and friend Alexandre Magalhaes preached here in São José dos Campos. He told the story of the man straddling the fence.

On one side of the fence, stood an angel; on the other, the devil. The angel did not stop encouraging the man to jump off the fence on his side, the good side. The devil said nothing.

The angel kept up his appeals for the man to come down from the fence on the good side. The devil said nothing.

The angel never let up as he pleaded with the man to decide for God and get off the fence. The devil said nothing.

The man was intrigued that the angel spoke fervently and insistently, while the devil said nothing.

“Why,” he asked the devil, “have you said nothing so far?”

“Because,” replied the devil, “the fence is mine.”

Straddling the fence is not a neutral position. It is sitting on the devil’s property.

What if what everyone knows about religion is wrong?

Everybody knows that sincerity trumps everything else in religion. As long as you’re sincere, God will save you. Hypocrites are the only ones headed to hell. (And maybe child molesters.) It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you hold to it sincerely.

Except that, in the spiritual realm, as in the virtual, content is king. That is, sincerity doesn’t trump truth. We have to know the truth (John 8:32). Whether Jesus is divine or not, makes a difference. God gives an order, and brooks no changes. Sincerity alone never saved anyone. On the contrary, it can get you killed. Just ask Uzzah (1 Chronicles 13).

Everybody knows that talk is cheap and that you can live or show a sermon better than you can preach one any day of the week. Words are chaff in the wind, but an example is powerful influence.

Except that the gospel, the message of words about Jesus Christ, is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5). Words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). Examples are important, but mere examples can’t tell anyone how to be saved or how to please God. Only words can do that. Verbal communication is the most undervalued activity in modern times.

Everybody knows that religion is a good thing to have, an important aspect to a good life, like a good job, a family, a house, but that you shouldn’t be radical or extreme about it. The world needs fewer fanatics, not more.

Except that Christ bids us fling away everything in order to follow him (Mark 8:34). God’s kingdom has to come first, every time, every day (Matthew 6:32-34), for discipleship is a daily total renunciation (Luke 9:23). Religion is not an accessory, but the main thing and, from an eternal perspective, God’s true religion is the only thing. With the Way of Faith, there is no negotiation, no compromise (Galatians 2:5).

Everybody knows that religion is not a proper topic of discussion anywhere, any time. You have your religion, I have mine, and any attempt at persuasion or comparison is unwelcome.

Except that Christ did not send his people into the world to make friends and influence people. He sent us to proclaim the message of eternal salvation, to speak truth to a world in the power of the father of lies, to change lives by portraying Christ crucified. We do not move the ancient landmarks to please people, but we seek to move people toward the true and living God. To do that, we preach the message, “whether it is convenient or not” (2 Timothy 4:1-3 NET). Or as Marshall Keeble said, “When they like, and when they don’t.”

Most of what people think they know about religion is wrong. And those to whom the truth has been entrusted seek to set them right with God.

by J. Randal Matheny, editor

To a small group last Saturday, before afternoon tea, with several visitors who had never heard the true gospel nor encountered the kingdom of God, I had the privilege of sharing, by request of the organizers, some Bible teaching about the church.

I spoke of five things, just five, among so many blessings and treasures, that the church of Christ possesses, according to God’s original project.

Here they are for your appreciation and peals of gratitude to the Lord:

#1. The church has an owner, Jesus Christ.

Christ is king, sovereign, and Lord. He said he would build the church that belonged to him: “my church” (Matthew 16:18). He gave his life for it, cleaned it up with his blood, invested it with his presence. No afterthought this church, but the culmination of centuries of guiding world history to fulfill an eternal plan. This owner retains all authority (Matthew 28.18), brooks no rivals, deposes usurpers, removes the unfaithful (Revelation 2:5).

#2. The church has a life of fellowship as family.

Nobody gets special billing or pedestal position, because “all of you are equal as brothers and sisters” (Matthew 23:8 CEB). God is father, who alone deserves the title (v. 9). The church lives for “one another.” Its main identifying mark is mutual love: “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples — if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

#3. The church has rules of conduct.

Not the Old Testament, but the New now guides the church in its faith and practice, because it teaches and insists upon every commandment of Christ, just as he ordered: “teach them to obey every command which I have given you” (Matthew 28:20 NET). His commands come in the New, through the apostles’ writings, “to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God” (1 Timothy 3:15). From the Old Testament we learn much, but what applies today is what Christ says: “You have heard that it was said to an older generation, …  But I say to you” (see Matthew 5). And who dares update, add to, or remove from what the Lord Jesus Christ orders?

#4. The church has truths for which it stands and proclaims.

It is “the backbone and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 CEB). It knows that God’s truth frees once it is known — and it can be known! (John 8:32). To a world of relativity, it holds forth absolutes. To the lost in the midst of gusty winds and tossing waves, the church casts anchors of heaven that hold fast in the fiercest storms. Its truths are sweet, nourishing the soul and steeling the resolve to remain faithful to the end.

#5. The church has a single mission, to save people for God eternally.

Mission means sending, and the sending implies going. The mission is wrapped up in a message, simple but powerful: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16 NET). The church doesn’t let the world define good works, refuses to fall for glib promises of prosperity, manipulative offers of health, or the deathly draw of politics. The church’s great work from God is the rescue of souls.

There is one thing the church doesn’t have. A name. Like the moon, which has no name because there is only one moon, the church needs no official name because, in God’s plan, there is only one church. Descriptions abound: church of God, churches of Christ, church of the firstborn. Figures to describe it surface constantly: flock, vineyard, kingdom, house (temple), pearl. In sales a no-name means cheap: in the spiritual realm, no-name means unique!

The church has been blessed with all this and more. Many are giving away to the devil its most precious and prized possessions. But we will hold these close to our hearts, for as the church of Christ is today the manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth, on the last day it will morph into the eternal kingdom for whom heaven now awaits.

The podcast was recorded Saturday afternoon, just a day and a half after the shooting in a movie theater in Aurora CO, a suburb of Denver.

We amen what Kathy Pollard, of Bear Valley congregation in Denver, wrote earlier today, “First the fires, now the shooting. Let’s actively look for ways to be the light that draws Coloradans to the only true Source of comfort.”

Also, for those who in this moment ask about the whys of suffering and how a good and just God could allow such things to happen, we’d point to Phillip Eichman’s God of All Comfort as a good resource.

“Within the sphere of influence of Jesus Christ, life is not the same. We are not engaged in the same goals; we do not seek the same things; most importantly, we do not serve the same master,” John writes.

Adam lists seven challenges that single parents face, so that we might be more sensitive to their needs. He says “we need to put a network of help around them that is unmistakably strong.”

(As always, check out the updated list of content below.)

Considering there are 66 books in the Bible, it would seem that this observation of mine would be statistically significant. Acts is the book churches study most.

Though I wouldn’t put it in such terms, that someone has called the book of Acts the “hub of the Bible” testifies how highly the brotherhood regards this history of the church.

And important it is. We believe the Bible reveals, among other things, the pattern of faith, practice, and mission for the church. In it we find what to do and, often, how to do it. From start to finish, the Bible gives us the model for reproducing in ourselves the life of Christ.

A large chunk of that model is found in the book of Acts, where the church begins, where it develops, and where it reaches to the far ends of the earth.

So we study the book of Acts, and often.

The challenge is how to keep the study of Acts enjoyable and fresh, while still true to the text.

Phillip Eichman offers one option: his book, The Disciples Share the Good News. The book is based on the natural divisions in Acts. Studying in this way helps to maintain the context and also see the story of Acts as Luke told it.

A new quarter is coming up soon. Maybe this is the help you’ve been looking for!

Though the saints weren’t the focus of the violence in either of these stories, they show that lives can be ended and people hurt just the same. We use the phrase “innocent bystanders” as shorthand for those caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

At the same time, we should not be blind to the opportunities that such moments may offer. The book of Acts shows that even persecution has its silver lining. The Lord uses all that happens for the kingdom. And his people are in the middle of his working. They are the focus of his action.

Evil is never good, but God uses it to his own benevolent ends.

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8.28 NET).

Phillip Eichman writes about Christians and suffering in The God of All Comfort.

There’s still much to do: a proper theme to install, a few bugs to work out, and such, but the site is well on the road to being functional.

The shopping cart should be working. If you have a problem, please let us know.

Also please note the new books on the site by Phillip Eichman. It’s a pleasure to have his material on the gospel of Mark, the book of Acts, and the God who gives comfort in suffering.

Russ also has an interest in history and archaeology, enriching some of the devotionals and spinning off separate short articles. Together with his illustrations and catchy titles, like “Social Stomachs,” you have a winning combination for an interesting and challenging devotional service.

Related articles

• The world’s only hope : Chuck’s devotional (jasrandal.posterous.com)
• My content on the internet today so far (jasrandal.posterous.com)
• Daily Bread (vickimatheny.posterous.com)

Where else can you sleep in comfort with air-conditioning, eat all day, hear rousing and faithful messages, and hob-nob with godly men and women for just $10 a night? Besides getting books and magazines for free? This is the time and place!

The retreat is for everyone interested in seeing the gospel spread across the globe. All Christians, young and old, men and women, are invited to participate.

Held annually at the Maywood Christian Camp, the dates for this year are May 10-12.

The theme will focus on “Priorities for Missions Today.”

With the confirmation of speakers, the names and topics will be announced soon.

The retreat is open to all Christians interested in missions. The event serves missionaries, supporters, prospective missionaries, and interested Christians in churches of Christ.

The retreat is sponsored by the World Evangelism School of Missions and the Double Springs (Ala.) Church of Christ.

He adds his strong voice to the Internet with both personal and biblical articles. Among the latter is his latest, “How do you rate the cross of Christ?“

This happy title brings such jewels as her recent article, “Mum’s the Word.”

So stop by her garden and enjoy the exquisite shapes, colors, and smells of Christine’s offerings.

You can sign up to Forthright Magazine by email or through RSS. As does each column, Christine’s also has its own RSS feed.

The article, published today, provides a bit of fiction, in service of truth, to change our notion of death. The last paragraph of the article packs a powerful punch.

The next event, says Don, is planned for May 10-12, 2012. Make your plans to participate!

Speakers and topics include:

Jeff Jenkins – “How to Motivate Congregations to Seriously Support World Evangelism”
Stacy Ferguson – “South Pacific Experiences”
Robert Martin – “Long Term Commitments to a Field”
Don Petty – “Will You Prepare to Go Gather People to Worship God?”
Colin McKee – “Indonesia- The Future”
Loy Mitchell – “Africa – Progress in an Economic Disaster”
Louis Rushmore – “Missions Program Literature”
Ricky Gootam – “India – Retention Methods”
Jody Apple – “Missionary Training”
Jeremy Barrier – “Thinking Big: Strategic Missions”
Wayne Barrier – “Integrated Methods”
Gordon Hogan – “Lessons Learned from 50 years in Southeast Asia”
Joey Barrier – “China – A Plan”

We will begin moving into the cabins on Thursday from 12 until 2 p.m., with the first session scheduled for 2 p.m.

The sessions will end on Thursday after a country music performance at 8 p.m. Friday begins with a session at 9 a.m., and concludes after teens and ladies classes on Friday night at 8 p.m.

The retreat is sponsored by the World Evangelism School of Missions and the Double Springs (Ala.) Church of Christ.

Please see the attached schedule for more information: MISSIONARY RETREAT-2011-1

Wayne and Janet Barrier
3000 County Road 10
Florence, AL 35633
256-766-2807
256-768-1007 fax

The speakers are lined up. Some of these guys have so much experience, they knew Moses. Others are just getting rid of the green around the gills.

Oh, and entertainment is provided at no extra cost, on Thursday night. The Barrier pickins and grinnings, plus some. No painted clowns, though.

So come along, enjoy the fellowship and be inspired by what God is doing in the world and by the power of his word.

Speakers include Colin McKee, Don Petty, Don Posey, Gordon Hogan, Roy Wilson, Loy Mitchell, Randal Matheny, Robert Martin, James Jones, Don Green, Randy English and Ronnie Crocker.

For full details, download the PDF file by clicking here: MAYWOOD MISSIONARY RETREAT-2010

The organizers are doing their planning, they’ve invited the speakers, and as soon they get all the confirmations, they’ll share the full information with us.

But we really have all we need to know: date, place, cost will be minimal. In the past it was something like $5 per night, all meals included. That’s just unbeatable.

So click on the Contact page and send that email in to Wayne to confirm your presence. I have!

This is a project in development, so there’s going to be a lot of knocking about. Also, Wayne Barrier will be sending us information about the next retreat and as we receive it we’ll update the page. Thanks!

Location: Maywood Christian Camp, Hamilton, Ala.

Date: May 13-15, 2010

Theme: Mission Work Cooperation

Contact: Wayne and Janet Barrier, 3000 County Road 10, Florence, AL 35633

Telephones: 256-766-2807; 256-768-1007 (fax)

Email: wbarrier@hiwaay.net