Each first day of the week we take up a collection. This money is then used by the church. The method of collecting funds in our text is the only way we find that is authorized in the New Testament. However, instead of focusing on that point in this lesson, we’re going to focus on how to handle the money after it has been collected.
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August 5, 2013
Making Wise Investments (Part 3): The Pearl of Great Value
In the previous lesson, we considered the value of the truth – the word of God – and why we should buy it and not sell it. In this lesson, we will consider something so valuable that Jesus talked about the wisdom in one selling everything that he owned in order to buy it. The thing which He said was so valuable was the kingdom.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46).
July 30, 2013
The Separation of Church and State
There is an ongoing debate in our society about the “separation of church and state.” Though the phrase is not used in any of this country’s founding documents, many understand it to be a fundamental principle upon which this nation was built. However, the debate springs from the differences people have in interpreting this phrase. As Christians, our concern should not be which position is the “conservative” or “liberal” position. Our concern should be what the Scriptures teach. So in this article, we will examine what the word of God says on this topic.
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June 20, 2013
The Mission of the Church
There are many different churches all over the world. Why do these churches exist? What is their mission? That answer will vary from church to church as men fashion their churches according to their own desires. We will consider a few possible answers later in this article.
But what is the mission of the church of our Lord? The answer to this question will not be found in human opinion or tradition, but in the word of God that has been revealed to us in the Scriptures. So let us see what the Scriptures say about the mission of the church.
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May 8, 2013
What Do the Numbers Tell Us?
There is often a great deal of emphasis placed upon numbers in a congregation – membership, attendance, converts, etc. This is somewhat natural. We tend to want some way to gauge success or progress in our efforts. Yet numbers rarely tell the whole story and, in many ways, can even be deceiving. Rather than being quick to jump to conclusions based upon numbers, we should look to God’s word to gauge our success in carrying out His will.
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March 13, 2013
The Body, Bride, and Church of Christ
Jesus offers an invitation to all men: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He is able to offer this rest because of His work in reconciling man and God through the cross (Ephesians 2:13-16). After we obey the gospel by putting on Christ in baptism (Romans 6:3, 17), we are to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
What do we call those who have obeyed the gospel? Individually, we call them Christians (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). But what about the universal body of all those who have become Christians? There are a few different terms used in the New Testament. In this article we will consider three – the body, the bride, and the church of Christ.
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March 7, 2013
An Institution of Higher Education
In our society, a great deal of emphasis is placed upon obtaining a college education in order to prepare for secular employment. For many careers, this is helpful. For some, it is essential. Therefore, many people pursue a secular education in an institution of higher learning in order to best prepare themselves to find what they consider to be good jobs.
However, there is a type of education that is far more important than the education that prepares one for employment. This higher education is not for secular pursuits, but spiritual. It prepares us not for the work force (at least not directly), but for our service to God. Its purpose is not to help us obtain a high-paying job with good benefits, but to help us obtain eternal life.
Strangely, some act as though an institution devoted to secular education is also the preferred institution for their spiritual education. But God has created His own institution of higher education – the church. It has everything we need for the pursuit of a higher (i.e. from God) education. Let us notice what the Bible says about this institution of higher education.
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