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Laymond on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 5
Gary on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 1
terry on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 1
Alabama John on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 1
Jim on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 1
Skip on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 5
David Purcell on The Preacher Search: Lessons for Churches Searching for Preachers, Part 1
Search Results for: communion meditation:
Jesus and Paul on the Hermeneutics of Sexuality, Part 5 (1 Corinthians 6)
And this brings us to Paul, because Paul had to deal with churches made up of converts from paganism, forcing him to deal with issues that would have been unthinkable among the Jews that Jesus dealt with. (1Co 6:15-16 ESV) 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body wit… Continue reading
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Rerun: Letter to a Gay Man in the Churches of Christ, Part 1
…217;re accepted and loved by Jesus for who you are. Even though I conclude that homosexual actions are sinful, being a homosexual — having homosexual urges — is not. God never condemns us for how we are made. (Psa 103:11-14) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion… Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Reflections on John’s Gospel, Part 4.1 (Why Heal on the Sabbath?)
There’s another point in John that’s far from obvious unless you study the entire book at once. One of the major themes of the book is Jesus’ insistence on healing on the Sabbath. Really? Yep. In John 5, Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath. In John 7, Jesus defends his decision to do so. The discourse continues to the end of chapter 8, interrupted only by the insertion of the story about the woman taken in adultery. Then in c… Continue reading
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Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes and Leadership Training for Christ, Continued
…church meant “leadership in performing the Five Acts of Worship.” As a teen, I had classes on leading prayer, leading and passing communion and the contribution, preaching, and leading singing. I even preached one 15-minute sermon. It was a small church, and males who could do these things were truly in short supply. I don’t really see any fault in such training. I remember my first time as a communion passer in my current churc… Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Reflections on John’s Gospel, Part 2 (Morality vs. Following Jesus)
…of those good people who lack faith. The problem with this thinking is that it misses the point of salvation — not by all that much, but by enough to reach some horribly wrong conclusions. You see, the text says, (John 17:3 ESV) 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Salvation is given only to those who know God, and the only path to knowing God is Jesus. Period. What does it… Continue reading
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The Holy Spirit: Why Do So Many Prefer a Spirit Who No Longer Acts? Part 1
…tion Movement. But the Campbell branch had a very different attitude toward the Spirit. Alexander Campbell sought to combat two errors. The first arose from the brand of Calvinism popular in his part of the world in the early 19th Century. Believers in Jesus who desperately wanted to be saved were told that they could not be saved unless they were elected. This brand of Calvinism taught prevenient grace, that is, that one could only be saved if t… Continue reading
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In re The Holy Trinity
It seems that every conversation lately turns into a debate over the doctrine of the Trinity. And so I’ve created this post to give those interested in that discussion a place to chat. Enjoy…. Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Reflections on Chapter 13 – 17, Part 3
The fact that John 13 – 17 points toward unity with God, Jesus, and each other is further supported by several observations. First, there’s the fact that Jesus concludes his discourse with a prayer for unity. (John 17:20-23 ESV) 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, s… Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Chapter 15:8-17 (“Greater love has no one than this”)
(John 15:8 ESV) 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. What brings glory to God? Jesus’ disciples’ bearing fruit. Why? Well, because the fruit is from God, via the Spirit. Bearing fruit gives God the opportunity to show his goodness. And, of course, because true fruit — fruit given by the Spirit — only comes from God; true fruit proves discipleship, because only disci… Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Chapter 13:34-38: (“as I have loved you”)
(John 13:34-35 ESV) 34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” What are the marks of the true, New Testament church? How do we distinguish pretenders from the true believers? What demonstrates soundness? Membership in the brotherhood? Well, if we can trust Je… Continue reading
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Saturday Night Worship?
…weekly assembly. (Or maybe a weekly pay day? Remember: Sunday was ia work day.) Less direct evidence might be found in the fact that John received the vision that became Revelation on the “Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10), which is a name adopted by the early church for the first day. Moreover, Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection on the first day, but on a Saturday night by our reckoning (John 20:19). However, there&#… Continue reading
Posted in Communion Meditations, Lord's Supper
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A Question on Fellowship: A Stab at an Answer
…faith, then no salvation, no church membership. Obviously, there are all sorts of fine tunings one could argue regarding the exact requirements of “faith.” But I’m good with what the Bible says – (Mat 16:16 ESV) 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 11:27 ESV) 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into t… Continue reading
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A Question on Fellowship, Further Considered
So it’s a tough question, isn’t it? Let me rephrase it – When it’s time to pick a church, what are the most important considerations — and why? I readily, heartily, immediately agree that doctrine matters. But what else matters? Or is doctrine the only thing? When your children leave home and have to find a new church home, how do you advise them? To pick a church with pristine baptismal doctrine? To pick a church t… Continue reading
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John’s Gospel: Drinking Jesus’ Blood, Part 2
…ave the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Add to this list the following from the Torah, too well known to require John to mention it – (Lev 17:14a ESV) For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. (among many other occurrences in the Torah). Hence, we have Jesus’ blood = (eternal) life; Spirit = life; Jesus’ words = life; Jesu… Continue reading
John’s Gospel: Drinking Jesus’ Blood, Part 1
…he sacrificed animal would be eaten by the worshiper. And, of course, the sacrificed lamb was eaten by the worshiper in the Passover meal. John prominently quotes John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29). And so, Jesus’ teaching that his followers must eat his “flesh” would seem to point plainly enough to Jesus as the Lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of God’s children. However, the idea that… Continue reading
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