Monthly Archives: April 2007

Organizing Your Church for Ministry, part 1: how growth changes how churches are organized

This series of posts is to suggest some ideas for how a church might be organized to do ministry. The fact is that as churches grow, they have to reorganize. Structures that work in a church of 200 likely won’t … Continue reading

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A Covenant to Serve (for new elders)

Some years ago, when I was first ordained as an elder, the elders asked me to read, sign, and keep a copy of this document. The years have proven the wisdom of asking new elders to do this. The Bible … Continue reading

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New web site for church administrators

The Highland Oaks Church of Christ has created a web site designed to support church administrators here. The site has numerous articles, forms, and such that any church could benefit from. (And what cool graphics! Very nice website.)

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 0.5 (John Calvin)

Until I change my mind, this will be the last post of this series. John Calvin, of course, died centuries before the founding of the Restoration Movement. And in many respects the Restoration Movement was a reaction against his teachings. … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 3.6 (“Raccoon” John Smith)

I’ve mentioned “Raccoon” John Smith before. Smith was one of the most effective missionaries of the early Restoration Movement. He was not a prolific writer, preferring to spend his time on horseback, traveling from town to town preaching the gospel. … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 5.5 (James R. Graves)

20th Century Church of Christ theology owes a great deal to James R. Graves, of Nashville. Graves was never a member of the Churches of Christ. Rather, he was a staunch opponent of “Campbellism.” However, the more conservative elements of … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 7.6 (Harding)

James A. Harding was a highly influential evangelist and a contemporary of Lipscomb, McGarvey, and Larimore. Harding may fairly be characterized as leading the charge to complete the division of the instrumental churches from the a cappella churches. Daniel Sommer … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 7.5 (McGarvey & Larimore)

Two famous Restoration personalities of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries reveal an attitude toward disagreements on doctrinal matters that is highly instructive. J. W. McGarvey is considered by many to be the greatest intellectual of his age within … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 3.5 (Walter Scott)

One of my readers prevailed on me to add a section on Walter Scott (not the Sir Walter Scott famous for being included in the Authors card game). Scott is of near-equal importance to the founding of the Movement as … Continue reading

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A Theological History of Restoration Movement Thought, Part 9 (Ketcherside, Hawley, Lemmons, and Shelly)

Carl Ketcherside is a fascinating study. He was Daniel Sommer’s star pupil. A brilliant man and perhaps the best writer produced by the Churches of Christ. He first became prominent through his periodical, The Mission Messenger, through which he pursued … Continue reading

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