February 19, 2020

Daniel Sommer: Two Classes of Disciples

Daniel Sommer: Two Classes of Disciples

Daniel Sommer (1850-1940) lived a long life which he devoted to preaching the gospel. He saw the controversy and division among brethren in the second half of the nineteenth century over the issues of the missionary society and instrumental music. Through his preaching and editorial work, he was a powerful influence in opposing such innovations. Yet before division started happening, Sommer could see the beginnings of it. In the excerpt below, he wrote about the different attitudes he saw among brethren while he was still in college at Bethany.Continue Reading

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February 13, 2020

How Do I Know What Church to Join? (Episode 2)

Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

The question we’ll be considering in this episode was submitted via the podcast question submission form:

How do I know what church to join?

There are many different churches around us. How can we know which one we should be a part of? In this episode, we’ll examine what the Scriptures teach about the church and how we can determine what church we ought to “join” today.

Additional resources:

Do you have a question you would like to submit for a future episode? Fill out the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast question form.

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March 13, 2019

Taking the Lord’s Supper Out of the Assembly

Communion Cup

Shortly before His death, Jesus instituted a memorial to help His disciples remember Him and the sacrifice He was about to make on the cross (Matthew 26:26-29). This memorial was later referred to as “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20).

In the first century, Christians “gathered together” to observe this memorial “on the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). This memorial consisted of the bread which represented Jesus’ body and the cup (fruit of the vine) which represented His blood that was shed on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Paul also emphasized to the brethren in Corinth that when they would “come together to eat” (partake of the Lord’s Supper), they were to “wait for one another” (1 Corinthians 11:33).Continue Reading

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December 10, 2018

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 4): What Is His Church to Be Doing?

Identifying the Lord's Church

As we begin this final lesson in our study, let us be reminded of what we have learned so far. Jesus built one church and His church is to follow His will as it has been expressed in the New Testament. Those who make up the Lord’s church are those who have been added to it by God upon believing, repenting, and being baptized.

Once we are part of His church, we need to know the work in which the church is to be engaged. After all, it is His church and we are blessed to have been added to it; therefore, we should seek to do His will. So in this final lesson, let us consider the following question: What is His church to be doing?Continue Reading

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December 5, 2018

Why Do Christians Meet on Sunday?

Sunday

The religious world is filled with a multitude of churches engaged in various practices. Yet with all of the diversity of practices, one thing that most professing Christians have in common is that the church which they attend meets on Sunday.

Of course, some meet on other days instead of Sunday. A notable example is the Seventh Day Adventist denomination – they meet on Saturday. Others offer a Saturday service as an option, but still have a regular Sunday assembly. But these are the exceptions. Why is assembling on Sunday the prevailing practice? Should it be? Let us consider the question.Continue Reading

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November 26, 2018

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 2): What Rule Does His Church Follow?

Identifying the Lord's Church

In the previous lesson, we discussed the question regarding the number of churches that Jesus built. We saw from the Scriptures that He built just one church. Yet we need to know how His one church can determine what to believe, teach, and practice. So in this lesson, we are going to ask this question: What rule does His church follow?Continue Reading

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August 20, 2018

The Way (Part 3): Belonging To The Way

The Way: What it Means to Be a Disciple of Jesus

“Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).

Persecution against the church began with the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1). Saul continued this persecution with a plan to go to Damascus to arrest disciples and bring them back to Jerusalem. The ones who were targeted for persecution were those who were “belonging to the Way.” We will discuss the idea of persecution in the next lesson.

However, before these individuals were targeted, they first had to belong to “the Way.” In this lesson, we are going to see what the Scriptures teach about “belonging to the Way” – how to become a part of this group and remain in it.Continue Reading

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