Finding an Amazing Treasure

A very interesting story was reported by the Associated Press on Monday (May 17, 2010). The headline reads "$20,000 Found Hidden in Estate Sale Furniture." According to the story "a furniture liquidation business found bundles of cash hidden in the back of an armoire." The store owners returned the money which was desperately needed to pay the medical bills of the armoire's original owner. It turns out that the woman's husband had hidden the money because he did not trust banking institutions.

This real-life story rings of the parables told by Jesus about the hidden treasure (Matthew 13:44). Jesus says, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Jesus' instruction here emphasizes the supreme value of the kingdom of heaven. Do we see the great value in being a follower of Christ?

Sometimes we view the cost of discipleship that Jesus often discusses (Matt. 10:37-39; 19:27-29) as being a burden. This man happily gave up everything he had because of the extreme value of the treasure he had found. This man did not look at what he had to "give up" as being a sacrifice. Instead, this man sold everything because he wanted to buy something much greater! As R.T. France observes, "The disciple's 'giving up' is in the context of joy!"

Most of us would be glad to give more than we thought the armoire was worth if we knew $20,000 was secretly stashed inside. We might even "give up" many of our other possessions to raise the money to buy the armoire. Heaven is the greatest treasure of all. How can you put a price tag on eternal life? Let us joyfully give up everything that would hinder us from obtaining this heavenly treasure!

Works Cited:

France, R.T. The Gospel According to Matthew. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1985. Page 229.

Nasvhille Flood 2010, The Real Story

You have got to read this article by Larry Elder that exposes the lack of media coverage and interest from the White House about the flooding that has recently occurred in the South.

Click here for the article, "Nashville flooding...does the media or the White House care?"

Compassion--The Heart of Christ

Do you really understand what it means to have the "heart of Christ?" I must confess that I struggle to have a heart of compassion like he had. The Gospels strongly emphasize how often Jesus felt strong "compassion" for hurting people (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; Luke 7:13). As followers of Christ, we are instructed to have hearts that are moved with compassion for hurting people also. One of the most fundamental lessons in the "school of Christ-likeness" is to have a heart that is moved for the hurting. The Apostle John put it bluntly, "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18).

Tragedy struck West and Middle Tennessee the first week of May. We have seen the horrific pictures of the Opryland Hotel with water up to the exit signs. We have been shocked by the videos of major Interstates turned into waterways. Some have compared the damage in Nashville to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Criticism has been plentiful over the lack of media coverage about the flooding in the Music City. Yet, outlying areas like Centerville in Hickman County were hit even harder than Nashville (though it is a small town). People are hurting. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are hurting also. Some congregations have multiple families who have lost everything. I heard of one church that had at least 12 families who have lost all their possessions.

When the Apostle Paul went about preaching the gospel and establishing congregations, he taught the foundational concept of having the "heart of Christ." He taught them the basic teaching of Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). These Gentile Christians had "received" a great blessing from the church in Judea--the gospel had originally sounded forth from Jerusalem. But a great famine had come to Judea and the disciples decided that "everyone according to his ability" would "send relief to the brothers living in Judea" (Acts 11:27-30). Everywhere Paul went preaching, he collected a financial contribution to help in this relief (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1-4; Rom. 15:25-28). Since the Gentiles had received the "spiritual blessing" from Judea, the least they could do would be to contribute "material blessings" to help those hurting in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:27). The Gentile converts got it; they understood the spirit of Christ. They had compassion for those who were hurting. They knew the blessing of giving was greater than blessings received. They opened their hearts to the hurting rather than stifling the feelings of compassion for others.

We now have a great opportunity ourselves. The Lord's church has benefited greatly from the spiritual teaching that has come forth from Nashville, TN. Countless people (including myself) can trace much of their spiritual heritage to the preachers, authors, books and evangelistic efforts of the church in Nashville. The least we can do now, in their hour of need, is to dig deep and help our brothers and sisters who are physically hurting. Compassion--it is the heart of Christ. The elders here have determined to send aid to help those hurting in Nashville and surrounding areas. If you can make any donation (no matter the amount) please give your contribution to one of the elders or the church office. Will will have the heart of Christ and open our hearts toward them?

Additional Note: If you are reading this article online and would like to contribute, I recommend donating to Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund.

Sermon Repeats! (Not Really)

You may feel like you have church-deja-vu. If you pay careful attention to the bulletin, you will notice that the sermon titles for today are exactly the same as two weeks ago. Your first reaction might be, "Wow, that new preacher is already out of sermons!" Actually, I did not preach the sermons that were posed in the bulletin two weeks ago. If you remember, we were covered in snow and ice and did not meet that Sunday night. Also, because it was an unusual Sunday I changed my morning sermon.

However, the unique situation of the same sermon titles being printed in two separate bulletins got me thinking about "sermon repeats." It is no real secret that sometimes preachers repeat sermons. Often when I am asked to preach in gospel meetings I will assemble a "greatest hits" collection of sermons that I have already tested on a previous audience.

I once heard a preacher preach the exact same sermon two consecutive Sundays. It was almost verbatim. I'm still not sure whether he was trying to see if we were paying attention or whether he had a momentary lapse in memory. Most of us in the audience could recite the sermon as he was preaching it.

An older preacher once gave me the advice, "If a sermon is good enough to preach once, it is good enough to preach again." It is likely that even Jesus sometimes repeated his sermons. Have you ever noticed that Matthew's "Sermon the Mount" (Matthew 5-7) and Luke's "Sermon on the Plain" (Luke 6) are very similar except Luke's version is much shorter? It is likely that rather than Luke editing the sermon, he is actually recording another occasion where Jesus preached some of the same material, but in a more concise fashion. Apparently even Jesus had "sermon repeats."

Educators know that repetition is one of the keys to the learning process. We are more likely to remember something if we hear it numerous times. We often need to be reminded even of beliefs that are firmly established in our minds (2 Peter 1:12-15; 3:1). Even mature Christian need to go back and sing the "books-of-the-Bible song" and review the key passages about the fundamentals of the Christian's life and attitude. Usually we catch things the second time around when we missed them on the first occasion. Even the most observant Bible reader will see things that he or she never saw before even after reading the same passage hundreds of times.

When you see the sermon topics for today, don't get nervous you are not going to hear a "sermon repeat." But what if you did?

Where is this Global Warming?

Propelled by the threat (perhaps hysteria) of supposed man-made global warming, the American cultural has been convinced to "go-green." From political statements, marketing tactics, and even one church I know installing an earth-friendly heating system, we now seem to be much more conscious of protecting our environment. The advocates of global warming have cooled down in recent weeks as a massive cold front has held an icy grip on the South-eastern states. As a result, one top United Nation's global warming proponent is now going to the opposite extreme and is predicting the beginning of a "mini ice age" (see FoxNews.com's report "30 Years of Global Cooling Are Coming, Leading Scientist Says" on January 11, 2010).

The increased concern of protecting and preserving our environment is a good thing. In fact, it is a divine directive. One of the responsibilities given to mankind is to be a steward and keeper of our earthly abode (see Genesis 2:15). God has given this environment, its creatures, and natural resources for mankind's use (cf. Genesis 2:11-12, 16-17; 3:21; 9:3). Yet, God is displeased when we blatantly abuse his creation (cf. Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Exodus 23:11; et. al.).

We must be good stewards of the earth and not abuse God's provisions for us. However, we must not fall victim to the doomsday predictions and hysteria of the environmental prophets. Man can abuse the earth and even do great harm (remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989?) However, we do not have the power to destroy the earth. God has reserved that exclusive right having promised that he will be the one to personally destroy the earth and man cannot subvert his plan (2 Peter 3:7, 12). God has personally "reserved" the destruction of the earth with fire for himself on his predetermined day (2 Peter 3:7). Man cannot preempt God's predetermined plans. Even after the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez, scientists were amazed at the "rapid recovery" of the environment which demonstrates that God has designed the earth as a "resilient ecosystem" and not a "fragile environment" (Doughty, Heaven, pg. 48).

From the beginning God designed the environment and weather patterns of the earth to be cyclical in nature (Genesis 1:14). We should expect that there will be cycles of cold weather and decades of warmer temperatures. In fact, God made a promise concerning this after he destroyed the earth by water in the days of Noah. God said, "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).

While we should be very conscious of the fact that we must be responsible stewards of God's creation, we should not be fearful that we will destroy the earth. God holds that exclusive right. We must be personally prepared for that day (2 Peter 3:11-13). In this way, maybe we should be more concerned with heaven than with earth!

Protected from Attacker by Jesus

The video below is a powerful example of how we should not fear those who can kill the body. A man tried to rob this elderly woman in a Wal-Mart parking lot, but the faith that she shared with him saved her...and perhaps might save him as well. Watch and be challenged. (For those of you who cannot see the video below, here is the You Tube link: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj3imy-FCPI). Thanks to Doug Burleson for pointing out this video.

Are we losing our freedom in America?

I usually only discuss the Bible and matters of faith on this blog. However, I received a link from a good friend to an interesting short film (10 minutes long) called "Make Mine Freedom" that was done by Harding College in 1948. Watch this video and be amazed at how current it sounds to our present political condition in America. Are we losing our freedoms as we speak?

Why Are You Really Leaving?

There are different reasons why preachers leave congregations. There are various legitimate reasons for moving from one congregation to another as a preacher of the gospel. In this article I want to dispel some reasons you may think we are leaving and let you see why we are really leaving.

1. Are you leaving for more money? Hopefully you know me better than this. I don’t preach for pay; I preach because it is my passion. However, it is true that men of faith must “provide for their own households” (1 Tim. 5:8) and Scripture says preachers are to make their living from the gospel (1 Cor. 9:14). Churches must make sure they adequately provide for their preachers financially (1 Tim. 5:18). You have been an unbelievably generous church to us. You have always exceeded our expectations for compensation. This church has been far better to us financially than we deserve, and we will never forget that. Some preachers have to leave congregations for more money. Such is not the case with us. We are not motivated to leave for a salary increase.

2. Are you leaving because you are “advancing the preaching ladder?” Some people tend to view the church with the same criteria of the business world. Some preachers think that they need to “advance the preaching ladder.” Thus, some start as youth ministers, advance to preaching for a congregation of 100, and try to “move up” from there. God’s kingdom is a single body (Eph. 4:4). Each gathering of Christians is of equal value regardless of size. You may think, “Jonathan wants to move to a bigger church.” Let me assure you that is not our motivation either. In some ways I think moving to a bigger church will actually be a “step down.” I am not trying to “advance my preaching career” by leaving Spring Hill, that would be a selfish and prideful motivation. Preaching is not just a job for me; it is about God using me to the utmost in the work of his kingdom.

3. Are you leaving because you are frustrated with the work here? Absolutely not! God has done amazing things in the 5 ½ years that I have been at Spring Hill. This church is a completely different church now that it was then…and for the better! I see unbelievable spirituality in this church! I see the spiritual growth of people. I see unlimited potential and untapped resources sitting in our pews. I feel like the work of the Spring Hill Church is doing better now than ever. This was the single most difficult thing to leave when we decided to accept the work in Maryville. I will miss the spirituality of this congregation more than anything else.

4. Are you leaving because there is a problem in the leadership? The elders of this church are real men of God. They are Spirit-led men. They are men who have the humility and character of Christ. I love the elders of this church. They have let me be the preacher and focus on preaching the word. They trusted me to do the work of the evangelist, and let me do it without looking over my shoulder. Again, it is hard to leave a place where you work under such an understanding group of elders. The elders here are united in purpose and focused upon the real mission of the church. I beg all of the members of this congregation to continue to follow the guidance and direction of the elders here; they are truly watching for your souls (Heb. 13:17).

So why are you leaving…really? I want to be available for God to use me where I can be of the most benefit to His kingdom. I have always prayed that God would use me to the utmost in his work. Providentially, God opened a door to work in a place where there will be more resources and possibility for expanding the kingdom. Michelle and I believe this will be a great place for us to grow together spiritually as a husband and wife. We are blessed to begin a new work together and let God use us to his glory.

We're Moving to Maryville!

The announcement last Sunday (August 30) that Michelle and I are leaving Spring Hill came as a great shock to many people. The last 5 1/2 years have been fantastic. Spring Hill is a great congregation comprised of spiritual disciples of Christ. It is a church with endless possibilities led by a Spirit-filled eldership. Deciding to accept the opportunity at Maryville, TN was an extremely difficult decision that took weeks of prayer to reach.

Michelle and I are convinced that God is leading us to move to the work in Maryville, TN. Maryville is located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains just south of Knoxville, TN. with a population of about 60,000 (if you include the adjacent city of Alcoa). The congregation has about 500 members with 8 fantastic elders. You can view their website here: www.maryvillechurchofchrist.org. Dan Chambers, their former preacher, did a marvelous job at Maryville before recently taking the work at the Concord Road Church of Christ after Phil Sanders left to work with the In Search of the Lord's Way television program (with Mac Lyon).

Michelle and I ask that you pray for us in this transition. We will face many challenges such as selling our house in this strained market. We have faith that God will provide and we are working hard to cast our anxieties upon Him. Pray for us! Please also say a special prayer for the elders at Spring Hill as they search for the next preacher to advance the work in this great community.

The Ministry of Encouragement

Encouragement. It is the art of helping people believe in themselves. The Bible says that encouragement is a ministry that true disciples should render to others (1 Thes. 5:14). The world is full of things that bring us down and discourage us. Most people tend to be pessimistic about others. Most people were pessimistic about Saul of Tarsus thinking that he really had no potential as a true follower of Christ, considering his past (Acts 9:26). Thankfully, a man named Barnabas believed in Saul and helped Saul believe in himself (Acts 9:27). Thanks to Barnabas' ministry of encouragement, Saul of Tarsus becomes arguably the most powerful preacher of the gospel, second only to Jesus. Saul becomes the Apostle Paul, writing a majority of the books of the New Testament. Much of Saul's success can likely be attributed to the encouragement of Barnabas.

Who have you encouraged lately? Who can you instill confidence in today? The video below is the motivational story of a coach believing in an autistic kid named Jason McElway. Watch the video and be amazed at what a little encouragement can do...

America, a Christian Nation?

A few months ago, President Obama stated that America is not a Christian nation. In response to this statement, Randy Forbes made this presentation before Congress correcting the President's statement. Click on the video below. Thanks to Mike Greene for sending me this link.

Jesus is King Over All Kings

We are being flooded with negative and depressing news these days. The economy is busted. Politicians are crooked. Laws are being made that oppose Biblical morality. Political correctness has made those who stand up for truth the enemy. Homosexuality is being embraced as good while traditional marriage is portrayed as evil. It is easy to become discouraged and like the old prophet we may be tempted to retreat into our caves of self pity declaring, "I, even I only, am left and they seek my life, to take it away" (1 Kings 19:10). But before you become totally overwhelmed with discouragement, God reminds us as he did Elijah, "I have 7,000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal" (19:18). You are not alone, there are still many true disciples of Christ left in the world who will stand for what is good and right.

For far too long we have avoided the book of Revelation. Filled with foreign and strange images, many resign the final book of the Bible to a shelf labeled "books I can't understand." This final book of the Bible was placed within Scripture by God for a reason. It is a book that can be understood if we don't get lost in the details. The message of Revelation is not found in the brush stokes but instead in the large picture it presents. It is time for Christians everywhere to dust off this heavenly vision and study it with fresh eyes.

For the purpose of this article, I simply want to point out that God inspired John to write this book when Christians were being persecuted (Rev. 1:9). It was written to give us a boost of confidence that even in days of persecution the future has already been written. God ultimately wins the battle, and the victory that is sealed within the future events of time is already recorded. No matter what we face, we should have confidence in our minds and joy in our hearts that the battle is won. We must simply remain on the winning side until death (Rev. 2:10).

John has a vision of Jesus Christ seated on his throne. John calls Jesus, "the ruler of the kings on earth" (Rev. 1:5). Christians at the time of this writing were being imprisoned, persecuted, and even selectively killed by Emperor Domitian. But John wants his readers to know, Jesus is king over all kings, even the Emperor. May Christians today be reminded of this truth.

Miss California and Traditional Marriage

It appears that Miss California's stand for traditional values cost her the Miss USA crown. Carrie Prejean was asked the following question during the competition: "Vermont recently became the forth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?" This was her answer: "I think it is great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage...in my country, and in my family, I think that I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that is how I was raised and I think it should be between a man and a woman." (see the video clip).

Many observers and even some of the judges of the competition are saying that her answer to this question clearly cost her the crown. In a Fox News interview Carrie Prejean says that she believes that was exactly what cost her the crown. It is uncertain if this single event was the reason why she lost. However she makes a good point in the interview with Megyn Kelly, "Where is the class? Where has the integrity gone? Why am I such a bad person for stating my own opinion?"

There was a time when Americans would not approve or endorse homosexuality. Most Americans would be very outspoken against this behavior. Now the tables have turned. Political correctness screams for tolerance of all opinions and beliefs. In reality, however, the Politically Correct crowd will not tolerate beliefs opposed to their agenda. The prophecy of Isaiah has been fulfilled in America, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20). In our country today homosexual marriage is viewed as good while traditional marriage is viewed as evil.

I was surprised but pleased to learn that Miss California took this stand on national television. She says that she does not regret it but is proud to take a stand for what she believes rather than giving the politically correct response. Will you stand up for what you believe before others as well even in an increasing hostile culture?

Christian Persecution Revisited

Christians have had it relatively easy in America. Maybe we've had it too easy. The Christian faith has always grown fastest among the fires of persecution. Now Newsweek is reporting that Christianity is dying in America, not growing. While institutional/commercialized Christianity may be on the way out in America, true discipleship may be growing stronger. Why? Because the fires of persecution are coming.

I don't want to sound like an alarmist and I don't want to be guilty of blowing things out of proportion. However, you would have to completely have your head in the sand to not recognize that there is a major "anti-Christian" movement currently occurring in our culture.

The Washington Times is reporting today (April 14, 2009) that the Department of Homeland Security is sending out warnings to local law enforcement officials about "rightwing extremist activity." According to the Times, the analysis defines "rightwing extremism in the United States as including not just racist and hate groups but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority." Even more shocking the warning says, "It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

Who is going to decide what group or individual is considered a "right wing extremist?" The Christian faith is extremely counter-cultural in our world today. It is politically incorrect to say that Jesus is the only way to heaven, there is only one God, homosexuality is sinful, abortion is murdering a innocent life, etc. If the majority within American culture comes to reject Christian morality as "politically incorrect," will not all Christians be viewed as "extremists" for opposing them? And if we are viewed as "extremists" will we not be targeted by law enforcement officials according to this statement from Homeland Security?

Christians everywhere better wake up. We must all decide what we really believe. Are you willing to stand firmly for what you believe in the face of jail-time, or fines? We must decide where we stand. Jesus Christ and his teachings is the cornerstone of our identity as Christians but it is also a "stumbling block" to unbelievers (1 Peter 2:6-8). It is time to draw a line in the sand. And it is time for you to decide what side of the line you are on. But remember that while you stand for your Christian beliefs, true disciples must "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles (unbelievers) honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:12).

Will We See This Generation Again?

Two of our beloved brothers in Christ at Spring Hill have now made their journey across the river of death and have passed on to that eternal shore. Both of these men had an extended pilgrimage upon the sands of this earth of over 90 years. Characteristic of their generation, both of these men were men of conviction. Both having strong spirits, Harry Edwards and Gabriel Prowell were men who knew what they believed and refused to compromise from what they knew was absolutely true.

Our current culture has almost completely abandoned absolute truth. Few people today will stand firmly upon conviction without exception. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to find men and women of strong spirits today. Men of Harry and Gabriel's generation were men of strength, men of character, men of conviction. As more men and women

of their generation make their journey into eternity, a question haunts my mind: "Will we ever see the likes of their generation again?"

Asking such questions is really not wise, however. Scripture admonishes us not to live in the past or long for days long gone (Ecclesiastes 7:10). Likewise we should not day-dream about the future (James 4:13-17). Rather, we must make the most of this present moment (Ephesians 5:16).

It not wise to nostalgically wish that the former days would return. Likewise, we should not passively wish for better days to come in the future. It is our responsibility to make this generation what we want it to be. It starts with you. Will you be a person of strength? Will you be known for your conviction for truth? Will you be a person of character? Don't be a victim of an evil culture. Make this generation your own. Let's make a difference in our generation. May our generation be characterized by the words of Psalm 24:6, "This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob."

The Edge of Reality

A very interesting news item was presented on the Paul Harvey morning radio program this morning (2/2/09). The GEO600 project in Hanover, Germany has detected a noise in the Universe with their giant wave detector that they cannot explain. This huge measuring device has been searching for gravitational waves--or ripples in space-time caused by things like neutron stars and black holes. But the project has discovered something that they did not expect.

The noise that was detected by the GEO600 project could possibly be the "most important discovery in physics for half a century." Before the discovery, Craig Hogan (pictured left), a physicist at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois predicted such a discovery. Hogan's explanation is featured in the January issue of New Scientist and has become the most popular news story in the publication's history. You can read the article on their website by clicking here.

According to the article, Hogan is suggesting that the noise is evidence of the place where space-time stops. His conclusion is "If the GEO600 result is what I suspect it is, then we are all living in a giant cosmic hologram." He is suggesting life, as we know it, is being projected by light to recreate a 3D holographic image. The source of the image would be outside of the known Universe. Certainly this hypothesis, if proven, would have huge ramifications in the world of physics. However, would it not also have ramifications theologically?

Paul Harvey Jr. said it well in the broadcast that detailed this discovery. He observed that life as we know it, our very lives themselves, is all being played out on a stage. Meanwhile, what is real is sitting in the darkened theater watching our actions upon the stage of life (cf. Genesis 11:5; Genesis 18:20-21). He then ponders the question, will the audience applaud our performance on the stage or be appalled by us?

New ESV Study Bible

Since its introduction in 2000, the English Standard Version of the Bible has been celebrated by conservative Bible scholars and Christians everywhere. Being a formal equivalent translation, the ESV strives to precisely communicate the very words of the Bible into modern day English. This translation is very accurate to the original text but is very easily read by modern readers. Now, a new study Bible called the "ESV Study Bible" has been introduced. This study Bible is edited by some of the best conservative, evangelical Bible scholars of our day. Wayne Grudum is the general editor while J.I. Packer is the theological editor. While both of these men are evangelicals, they are very conservative believing in the authority and inspiration of the Biblical text. I am excited about this Study Bible and can't wait to get a copy for myself.

Oprah's False Teaching

God by inspiring the Apostle Paul warned Christians that the day would come when people would no longer be satisfied to listen to the simple message of the gospel. There would come a time when people no longer would desire to hear "sound doctrine" but wishing to have their ears tickled would gather teachers that would tell them what they desired to hear (2 Timothy 4:2-3). Among the new generation of people pushing dangerous false teaching is the pop-culture icon Oprah Winfrey. It is time that Christians everywhere awake out of our slumber and stand for truth in the age in which we live. Click above to watch this disturbing video. (YouTube Link:http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA).

Encouraging News about Churches of Christ

There are a few blogs that I try and read every week. Among these are Dale Jenkins' (preacher for Spring Meadows church of Christ) and Phil Sanders' (preacher for Concord Road church of Christ) blogs. Both of these men are faithful proclaimers of the Word of God and are good friends. Checking these blogs, it came to my attention that some interesting statistics about Churches of Christ were presented at Freed-Hardeman University this last weekend. This information is very encouraging and...well, why don't you read their entries for yourself....

The Sky Isn’t Falling (Posted January 25th, 2008, by Steve Higginbotham) (Steve's article was also published on Dale Jenkins' blog)

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation on the campus of Freed-Hardeman University. The Christian Higher Education Foundation, representing colleges and universities affiliated with Churches of Christ, commissioned Dr. Flavil Yeakley to study the post-high school years of our young people related to their spiritual growth. (Dr. Yeakley’s presentation, along with his PowerPoint slides will be made available for download on Freed-Hardeman’s website in the near future).
Dr. Yeakley presented several interesting facts that I wish to share with you. Not only did he share information about our young people, but about churches of Christ in general. Here are some of the statistics that he shared:
Churches of Christ constitute the 12th largest religious group in America.
Churches of Christ are the 6th fastest growing church in America.
Churches of Christ rank 4th in the nation in total number of congregations.
Churches of Christ rank 5th in the nation in number of counties in which there is a congregation.
Churches of Christ rank 1st in the nation in distribution of congregations.
Churches of Christ rank 1st in the nation in weekly attendance among its membership.
That’s a far cry from the gloom and doom propaganda that some have been preaching. So much for the talk that we must embrace certain innovations if we want to grow and be remain relevant.
Another interesting tid-bit from Dr. Yeakley’s research was that the greatest retention rate of young people following graduation from high school comes from congregations who are described as “middle of the road,” whereas the worst retention rate of young people comes from congregations who are described as “much more liberal.”
Friends, while we certainly have room for improvement, these statistics prove that we’re doing some things right. While we need to be warned and sometimes criticized, we also need to be encouraged, strengthened, and patted on the back. Take a child from the time he is old enough to understand words, and give him constant criticism. Tell him how he is no good, and how other children are better than him. Tell him that he is worthless, and that he has not and cannot achieve anything worthwhile. What impact do you think this would have on the self-image and productivity of that child?
Likewise, take a church, and for an extended period of time, do nothing but criticize it. Tell it how it is no good. Tell it how other “churches” are better than it. Tell it that it is irrelevant, legalistic, and graceless. Tell it that it cannot achieve anything worthwhile. Now what kind of impact do you think this would have on the self-image and productivity of that church? I would suggest the same.
These statistics aren’t given so that you will have something about which to brag, but rather are given to encourage you to “keep your hand to the plow” and help you to realize that you are making a positive impact in the world.

Some more pertinent statistics (Phil Sanders)
According to Flavil Yeakley, who presented this material at FHU recently, one can say these things about churches of Christ:
12th largest religious group in America
6th fastest growing church in America
4th in the nation in the total number of congregations
5th in the nation in number of counties in which there is a congregation
1st in the nation in distribution of congregations
1st in the nation in weekly attendance. According to a survey by Barna about five years ago, churches of Christ were first in donations among religious groups (for our size).When you consider that we lost only 69 churches (2000-2006) and yet are 4th in the number of congregations throughout the US is rather remarkable.The call for changing doctrine or die is premature...Phil

For a more balanced approach (Phil Sanders)
I am really weary of progressive posters who think that all of us in the middle-of-the-road preach for dying and shrinking churches. It is absurd and false to think that all the growth among us has been among the progressives. Nothing could be further from the truth.I spoke earlier of two church plantings nearby. Both happened among the mainstream, neither among the progressive. Both are growing well, and we thank God for them (Heritage in Franklin and Spring Meadows in Spring Hill). At the same time I have seen nearby progressive churches lose large numbers of members.According to Yeakley, the more progressive the church, the more likely they are to lose their teens. I am not really surprised. Once you start down the road of compromise and self-made religion, it is hard to keep your kids from going one step further than you have gone. What I do weary of is the constant harping by progressives that mainliners won't keep their children. The fact is the ones who keep their kids best are the middle-of-the-road churches.What was also important is that the attendance to membership ratio and the giving to member ratio were so outstanding among members of the church. To assume this is only progressive churches goes against the grain and my experience. Why is it that progressive publications can hardly stay in print, while the mainstream and conservative ones last on and on?Forgive me for a shameless plug but Think magazine, now in its third year is booming! It is the first publication among churches of Christ to enter into the larger religious market. It is a high-quality and well-designed periodical. You can find out more about it at www.focuspress.org. Yes, I have a column there. Whatever happened to Image or Mission magazine?Now the stats showed that in America we gain 4,000 congregations yearly and lose 7,000. A net loss of 3,000. I understand there are about 350,000 churches of all kinds in the USA. If the net loss of American congregations from 2000 to 2006 was 18,000, I maintain the loss of only 69 congregations among the 12th largest religious group and the fourth most congregations is not all that bad. One must also wonder how many of those losses were not losses but mergers.Well, it will be interesting to see what else we learn from these studies.

Identity Crisis in the Churches of Christ?

For the past several years many writers in our fellowship have been claiming that the churches of Christ are experiencing an "identity crisis." A recent Christian Chronicle article explored this issue. The claim is made that the average member of the church no longer has confidence in what we stand for and what makes us distinctive from denominational groups.

It seems to me that there is a degree of truth to the claim that we are facing an identity crisis, but for reasons that few have realized. There seems to be at least two major groups within our congregations struggling for identity.

The first group are those postmoderns who are embarrassed by the reputation of our past. Desiring to be more palatable to the so-called, "greater Christian community" these identity seekers desire that churches of Christ attain denominational status and join the ecumenical/evangelical community. Agreeing to disagree over doctrine is not the solution. God is displeased when we divide rather than being united upon the teaching of Scripture (cf. John 17:17; 1 Cor. 1:10). The churches of Christ are heirs of the Restoration Movement, a Biblical concept to avoid the divisions of denominationalism and be simple New Testament Christians. We must not abandon this major tenet of our identity--for our identity is that we be Christians, nothing more and nothing less.

However, the second group is comprised of traditionalists among us whose real desire seems to be to Restore the nostalgia of the 1950's Church of Christ. Some people seem to think that if it is "old" it must be right, and if it is "new" it must be wrong. God's message must never change, but we must continually be changing our methods to be effective in reaching the world. The identity of the Lord's church does not rest with what the "churches of Christ in the 1950's" looked like. The identity of the church is found in God's design and instructions for her as found in the pages of the New Testament. Unfortunately, when times change some people are so unfamiliar with Scripture that "tradition" is their safety net. "I know what we have been doing is right," one might ponder, "therefore we will just keep doing that." If our identity is determined by tradition, we may find ourselves quickly irrelevant and dying in our contemporary culture. Our identity is not based on what "the church of my grandfather" looked like; rather our identity if found in the instructions of what the New Testament church looked like.

We must return to Scripture for our identity. We must work hard to avoid looking at Scripture through 1950's glasses, or 2008 glasses. We must simply go back and let the text plainly speak. If the description of what I find in Scripture looks nothing like what the church is doing today, I must be ready to change...even if it hurts a little (for example look at 1 Timothy 2:8!) We must stop "explaining away" passages because we have not done what the text says. Let's evaluate everything we do, and everything we are, through the lens of Scripture. May we all strive to honestly read the text of Scripture and be ready to go wherever it takes us. A firm understanding of God's Word will never lead us astray, though it may lead us away from our own traditions.

"But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).