Six Things Most Needed In The Church
By Gus Nichols

1.     The conversion of the members. The new birth consists of more than baptism. One has to be born of the Spirit and the water. Those of us who have been baptized must have been led to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Lord of our life. So many Christians seem to take a casual approach to Christianity. Conversion is in reality a matter of surrender of one’s life and commitment to Jesus Christ as the Lord of ourselves.

2.     Regular Attendance. Yes, it takes more than attendance to be a Christian but there is no way to be a Christian and develop the Christ-like life without regular worship and Bible study.

3.     Sanctification. There must be a clear-cut distinction between Christians and the world. The meshing of the church with the world is one of the greatest problems facing the 21st century

4.     Liberality. The Lord’s people are learning more and more about sacrifice and generosity. For the first time in our modern history, churches are planning big things in the name of the Lord. It is not special contributions that will make the church liberal givers in the long run. But it is the commitment of regular, weekly, giving-as-prospered contributions that the church needs to develop liberality.

5.     Unity. Many congregations are marred by schism, faction, and disharmony. The church must believe the same thing and work for the same goals. The work of the church must be so challenging that they require the unity of all to succeed.

6.     Informed leadership. Leaders must be first of all committed to what the Bible says. Leaders must also know the people. They need to know how to lead and where to go. It is not so much “who’s getting to run the church” as it is seeking to give pre-eminence to God. 

 What Is The Church Of Christ?
By Andy Alexander

There are many misconceptions about the church of Christ. A large number of people have heard stories about the church, but have never studied with a member of the church or visited one of our services to learn first-hand the truth about the church of Christ. All are invited to attend, bring your Bibles, and ask questions or make comments concerning our worship services to God.

The church of Christ is NOT a human denomination such as the BAPTIST, METHODIST, or PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES. Denominations are human in origin, have earthly headquarters, and follow a particular creed written by men and changed periodically to suit their ever-changing life styles. For example, the METHODIST hierarchy met recently to decide a matter of church doctrine. The main topic to be voted on was whether or not homosexuals should be allowed to enter their clergy. Apparently, it never crossed their minds to consult the everlasting Word of God (Matt. 24:35). The Scriptures plainly teach that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven unless they repent and have their sins washed away (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Unlike these human denominations, the church of Christ is independent from all other groups that wear the same name. The term “church of Christ” is not the only expression in the Bible which describes the people of God – they are also called the “house of God,” “the kingdom of God,” or “the church of the Firstborn” to name a few (Rom. 16:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; Luke 9:27; Heb. 12:23). This name describes a group of people that are following Christ, and it denotes ownership, such as the church which belongs to Christ. There are no earthly ties between the various bodies across this land that call themselves “the church of Christ” and no board of directors to dictate church doctrine. When churches drift into error and apostasy, they may begin to form such unauthorized organizations and ties.

Members of the church of Christ are simply called Christians and we declare the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and use it as our only authority in religion (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3). Christ revealed His will through the apostles over 1900 years ago and those words are alive today and will be long after all the creeds of men have been destroyed (Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:22-25). Do not take my word for this, but look up those Scriptures and learn what the apostles are trying to teach us concerning the complete and infallible Word of God.

We will be judged by the words of Christ on the Judgment Day and not the words of any group of men on this earth that presume to speak for God (John 12:48). Do not trust these men. Paul described men that lead people away from the rule that he delivered as “enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction” (Phil. 3:16-19). Men who teach that homosexuals are pleasing to God are teaching a different doctrine than that of the apostle Paul; therefore, they are enemies of the cross and as such need to be exposed and avoided (Rom. 1:25-28; 16:17).

Christ taught that in order to become a Christian, a sinner must believe in Him as the Son of God, repent of his sins, confess His name before men, and be baptized in water for the remission of his sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 22:16). We must be content to follow the pattern set forth in the New Testament and simply be called Christians as they were in the first century (Acts 11:26). We urge you to attend one of the services of the church of Christ and learn first-hand that the truth can set you free. 

 What Is Most Important To You?
By David Sain

1.     The condition and appearance of your house, or what goes on inside your house?

2.     The time you spend on the condition and appearance of your body, or the time you spend on the inner man?

3.     Reading about life according to magazines and newspapers, or about “life” according to God’s Word?

4.     Loyalty to the company for which you work, or loyalty to the church of which you are a member?

5.     Being on time for work, or being on time for worship and Bible study?

6.     The temperature of the building in which the church meets, or the “temperature” of the church which meets inside the building?

7.     The number of people who are friendly to you, or the number of people to whom you are friendly?

8.     What you think of the sermon, or what God thinks of your response to the sermon?

9.     The food you put into your and your children’s body, or the “food” you put into your and your children’s mind and soul?