Twenty things you should never hear from the pulpit

 

Many things are being taught in pulpits across the land that simply should not be happening. Perhaps fewer bad sermons would be given if more red flags went off in the minds of the audience.  If you hear the following in a pulpit, know that God’s word is being twisted:

 

1. Any false teaching (I John 4:1). “Mostly correct” is still wrong (Acts 18:24-24). This should not be tolerated.

 

2. Telling people exactly how much they are to give (I Cor. 16:1-2). Christians should not be told how much to give as that is left to individual Christians. Nor should they be told to tithe as this is part of the Old Law (II Cor. 9:7). This should not be tolerated.

 

3. Making assumptions on what one might have seen or heard, without verifying (Jn. 21:21-23).  We are told to speak the truth (Eph. 4:15). We are not to speak, then check it out, then retract. This should not be tolerated.

 

4. Teaching opinions as law (Rom. 14:1-3). No one has the right to bind his opinions on others. Christ holds all authority (Matt. 28:18). This should not be tolerated.

 

5. Making light of any sin (Gal. 19-21). Sin must be taken seriously. We should not make positive references to incorrect conduct we see in movies or TV (Rom. 1:29- 32). It does not

matter if these shows are fictional or not. This should not be tolerated.

 

6. Using people to your advantage (II Tim. 3:6). This sinful action is being done privately and publicly. As a young preacher, I was incorrectly told to use wealthier members as positive examples (I Thess. 2:5). This should not be tolerated.

 

7. To build oneself up (I Cor. 2:1-4). Trying to create an “image” or “persona” as a preacher and expecting to be treated differently than other church members is wrong (Acts 10:26). This should not be tolerated.

 

8. Speaking to embarrass or make fun of someone (Rom. 10:1-3). The last thing we want to do is hinder people from obeying (Acts 26:28). This should never be tolerated.

 

9. Anything that should have been dealt with privately (Matt. 18:15). Preachers should not “air their dirty laundry” or that of their members (I Tim. 5:19).  This should not be tolerated.

 

10. Promoting a product for a side business (I Pet. 4:11). The gospel message does not include advertisements (II Cor. 12:15-17).  This behavior need never be tolerated.

 

11. Promoting ungodly entertainment (Acts 20:20). To fit in with the world, act worldly. To be a light, one must not promote darkness (Eph. 5:11).  This should not be tolerated.

 

12. Inciting a rebellion against government (Rom. 13:1-7). You can hate sin without speaking evil of leaders (II Pet. 2:9-11). Such behavior should not be tolerated.

 

13. Threats to hurt people (Rom. 12:19-20). It is sad when people persecute Christians, but physical retaliation is not justified (I Pet. 5 2:21-23). This should never be tolerated.

 

14. Justification for sinful behavior in family (Matt. 10:37). Not preaching against something due to family ties is wrong (Acts 5:1-5). This action should not be tolerated.

 

15. That they have received “special” knowledge from God (John 16:13). The gospel is for all, and the message is understandable (John 8:32). Claims of special revelation should never be tolerated.

 

16. Lessons that are not practiced (Rom. 2:1-3). Preaching lessons that you do not try to reflect in your conduct is a double standard (Matt. 23:4). This should not be tolerated.

 

17.  Using personal testimonies to prove truth (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Christ contains the power to save. Personal experiences are not needed because the rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). This should not be tolerated.

 

18. Promising health and wealth to those who give financially (Acts 20:35). There is something wrong when Christians give and expect to be paid back physically (II Cor. 8:1-5). This should not be tolerated.

 

19. Words that promote prejudice (John 3:16). Those who do not believe the truth need not be hated – they need to be loved and taught the truth (Rom. 5:8). This should never be tolerated.

 

20. Filling sermons with stories and not God’s word (Col. 3:17).  The Lord gave the commission to go and preach the gospel. If a sermon is not primarily filled with the doctrine of Christ, it is not worth listening to (II John 9). This should never be tolerated.

 

What if one or more of these things are happening in the pulpit where you attend? The answer is simple – stop listening to it. Either the teaching in the pulpit must change or you must leave. You do not want to oppose God by endorsing error (II John 10-11). Consider these things during your next sermon.

                                                              

                                                                     Chuck

 

Look for the truth

 

After writing the first article,  I briefly wondered why so few people see the problems that exist in the religious realm today. Do they not care about God? Do they just want to rebel against Him? Have the majority of the religious people today become cold and callous? I do not think so. I am convinced the root cause is a lack of understanding.

 

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34). He was saying that His persecutors were not really aware of what they were doing. Did they know they were killing an innocent man? Yes. Did they realize the pain and the suffer Jesus was going through? Yes. So what did they not know? They did not know (accept) that they were doing these things to the Christ – the son of God.

 

The overwhelming majority of people who gather for religious purposes are confident that what they are doing is correct. So how can we help people separate truth from error?  In Christ’s case, people were taught (again) on the day of Pentecost that they had crucified the Son of God (Acts 2:36). From that teaching, a great many understood, believed and obeyed (Acts 2:37-38). Some still did not understand, though, because they refused to accept the truth.

 

Without question, many people settle for assumptions and do not truly examine their beliefs. They firmly believe that what they are doing is approved by the Lord, but they are mistaken. This is nothing new (Matt. 7:21-23). How can we know with confidence that we are right? We must honestly seek the truth and continue looking until we find it (Matt. 7:7). Be willing to challenge and be challenged, and do not let pride get in the way. Apollos is a good example (Acts 18:24-26).

 

Every religious body worldwide – Muslims, Jews, Hindus, atheists, etc. – claim they have the proper religious perspective. We should all seek truth and ask questions to avoid becoming blind followers (Matt. 15:14). Someday we will all stand and give an account (II Cor. 5:10).

 

                                                                                      Chuck

Things people think the church is

 

Imagine going to a mechanic and asking him to perform open heart surgery on you. This seems odd to you because you know what a mechanic does and does not do. There is a similar issue with the church that Jesus built (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28). Everyone has expectations for the church, but not all of these expectations are Biblical. Here is a list for us to consider:

 

The church is not in the money-making business

Local bodies of Christians (a church) must take care of their financial obligations via free-will offerings when gathered on the first day of the week (I Cor. 16:1-2). However, many religious sects think they are authorized to solicit funds from any person at any time by any means. I have seen “church” websites asking for donations. They also sell T-shirts and other merchandise to raise money. Religious groups also set up pre-schools, chicken dinners and yard sales with the intent to generate revenue. We should not be surprised that “churches” that are run like businesses and spend so much time focused on money are not following their spiritual head – Christ (Col. 1:18).

 

The church is not a social club

Christians truly enjoy being with one another, and this is not a bad thing. They are to have social interaction (Acts 2:46). If you do not enjoy being around your brothers and sisters while on earth, why would you want to spend eternity with them in heaven?  Yet many religious groups think the local church should focus on social matters rather than spiritual ones. I Corinthians 11:22 will help illustrate the difference. This is where brethren were told that if they wanted to have a feast and gather socially, they should gather and eat at home rather than doing so as an official act of the church. Despite this instruction, many religious sects today use church funds to plan senior citizen trips, youth lock-ins and sports leagues. When so many people do not discern between spiritual and social activities, we should not be surprised that people expect the church to serve as a social club.

 

The church is not in the entertainment business

This is not a repeat of the last point, although it is related. Worship of God should not become a theatrical production. Many churches use light shows, bands, loud music and other forms of entertainment during worship. These things might make worship more pleasing for “man”, but this means that the worship is no longer about God and His Son. True worship is for the Lord (John 4:24). You cannot expect God to approve of worship just because it makes you feel good (Gen. 4:1-4; Matt. 15:7-9).  Some people defend this behavior by pointing to the results – the large crowds that often attend these sorts of worship services. This argument misses the point. The gospel should be the only tool we need to reach people (Rom. 1:16). The power is in the gospel, not in the man who helps deliver it (I Cor. 2:1-5).

 

The church is not whatever you want it to be

Many people think that they can attend the church of their choice because they think that Christ will accept whatever makes them happy.  This thinking does not reflect the Jesus we read about in the Bible. We need to remember the church belongs to Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). People who start churches today based on any other pattern or influence are not following Him. Our Lord is the one who has ALL authority, meaning that the church does not have any authority. It does not matter what the “church” says – it only matters what Christ has said (II John 9).

 

You can justify where you attend by saying, “I get so much from where I attend.” But what does the Lord get? He demands faithfulness (Col. 3:17).                                               

        

Chuck

 

Christians and resolutions

 

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? You might want to lose weight, kick a bad habit or even plan to read the Bible through in one year. Resolutions come in all sort of shapes and sizes. But is there anything wrong with making resolutions?

 

From a Biblical standpoint, there is nothing wrong with setting a goal to do something. We even sing a hymn containing the words, “I am resolved no longer to linger…”  Making up our mind to stop doing something bad or setting goals for self-improvement is actually commanded by our Lord. However, these activities are not limited to the start of a new year.

 

Christians have a duty to keep growing (I Pet. 2:2), so we know we should always look for opportunities for improvement. Obvious places to start include parenting (Eph. 6:4), being a better spouse (Eph. 5:22-28), helping our brothers and sisters in Christ (Gal. 6:2), becoming apt to teach (Heb. 5:12-14) and spreading the good news (Mark 16:15). Finding opportunities for improvement is one thing – actually accomplishing them will require planning and effort.

 

Resolutions often fall through because of a failure to prepare. Like someone once said, “people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.” It easy to say I am going to stop doing something bad or start doing something good. How can we prevent ourselves from coming up short with our goals?

 

There is no secret to success – the answer is to use a support system. For Christians, it starts with turning to the Lord. Praying and asking for help is essential (I Thess. 5:17; Phil. 4:13). We can also turn to brethren (James 5:16). Fellow saints can encourage and pray for you. It is easy to quit and admit defeat after a short period of time. Success comes with determination and deciding that failure is NOT an option. Victory is attainable if we stay the course and use our faith properly (I John 5:4).

 

                                                                                      Chuck

What will happen in 2016?

 

Another year has come and gone for the River Ridge church of Christ. It was filled with many efforts that helped the church grow and spread the word of God. We do not know what is in store for this coming year, but let’s look back over 2015 and reflect.

 

Planting and watering

Reaching the lost continued to be one of the main things we focused on as a church (Eph. 3:10). These efforts did not slow down, and we need to continue to press ahead in this area. Here is a list of things which we were engaged in:

1. Weekly TV program of Study the Word on FOX.
2. Daily TV program of Study the Word on WOW cable.
3. Weekly radio program on 98.5 FM.
4. Bi-weekly mailing of our weekly bulletin to over 100 people in the community.
5. Streaming our services live online.
6. Held our first gospel meeting in the building at 5600 Vann Road
7. Sent out numerous Bible study courses to those who requested them.
8. Arranged personal home studies with many folks throughout the year.
9. Mailed several DVD copies of our TV program to viewers throughout the year.

 

Providing edification for the members

Building the local church up spiritually is another huge responsibility of the church (Eph. 4:12,16). As a body of Christ, it is essential that we continue to strengthen our faith. Here is a list of things we engaged in to help the members grow:

1. Gathered together as a church 156 times for Bible study and worship.
2. Offered monthly ladies classes and a monthly Friday class.
3. Created preaching and teaching opportunities for the members.
4. Encouraged the saints via our gospel meeting
5. Members requested some personal Bible classes to help them grow (this is open for all)
6. Members mailed the bulletin and helped with the radio program every week.
7. Members visited with other members and prayed for one another throughout the year.

 

Allowing members to use their talents

No congregation is a “one man show”. To function effectively, all of the members should do what they can to help the church (I Cor. 12:12-14). This list is just a small sampling of the jobs done throughout the year that allow members to contribute:

1. Cleaning the building.
2. Taking care of the communion prep.
3. Looking after the landscaping.
4. Greeting visitors and making them feel welcomed.
5. Praying earnestly for the church and the lost.
6. Encouraging one another and building up that bond of love.

 

May we set goals to do even more in 2016, if the Lord wills.                                                                                

 

Chuck