One In Jesus

We need to consider a hermeneutical principle not often taught in our literature.

We often misunderstand God’s words because we misunderstand who he is.

I mean, how often have I been misunderstood by someone — someone who thought I’d said something hateful or insensitive? I always find myself responding that you would not have misunderstood me if only you knew me!

God feels the same way. Words only get us so far. Until we know God better, we’ll inevitably misunderstand him. And the same is true as we try to understand one another. Continue reading →

I’ve learned that when you have a serious problem, it’s best to talk about it.

And when you’ve done something very seriously wrong, it’s best to confess the sin rather than bury it and hope no one else notices. These things don’t just go away.

And the people who love you, if they really love you, will tell you exactly this.

It’s started on December 3, 2014. Wineskins obtain appropriate consents and posted a video of a preaching intern at the Fourth Avenue Church of Christ in Franklin, Tennessee on YouTube. This video was about a young woman, a student at Lipscomb University, and it was a very positive, encouraging production.

The video included interviews with her, with the pulpit minister, Patrick Mead, and showed her sharing the pulpit one Sunday morning with Patrick, fulfilling a course requirement for her to obtain her degree in ministry. And she came across as spectacularly gifted as a public speaker — indeed, as a pulpit minister. She seemed a natural. Continue reading →

Rerun: The Fork in the Road: “The Way of UNITY between “Christian Churches” and Churches of Christ,” Midway Christian Church

[This is a rerun from 2011, and now the first of a brief series.]

I’m posting one more history lesson on the congregational infighting that led to the split of the Restoration Movement over, among other things, the instrument. The first Restoration Movement church to have an instrument is the Midway Christian Church.

This is excerpted from this longer article.

What initially caused the problem was that the singing was deplorable. Pinkerton said that the singing would, “scare even the rats from worship.” At first they met in the home of some brethren on Saturday night for practice. To get the right pitch, they used a little melodeon. Before long one of the sisters was accompanying the singing with the playing of the little instrument. The group noted how the accompaniment helped the singing, and so they decided the use of it would greatly enhance their worship services. They asked L.L. Pinkerton, their preacher, what he thought of bringing it into the assembly. His response was that he saw no problem with it. So, the next Sunday, a melodeon was brought in for worship. Continue reading →