Knit Together In Love

...that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ...
Colossians 2:2, ESV

Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
Colossians 2:18-19, ESV

These verses in Paul's God-breathed letter to the church of Christ in Colossae reveal several keys for healthy growth of the body of Christ (i.e. the church of Christ - see Ephesians 1:22-23).

1. Mutual encouragement among members is essential to to being "knit together in love" (v. 2a).
2. Unity in the body will ensure the attainment of the goal of all God's people -- spiritual riches, assurance, understanding, and knowledge (v. 2b).
3. Without the Head (i.e. Christ), the body (i.e. church) cannot truly function (v. 19a).
4. When the church is nourished by Christ and bound together by the joints and ligaments of brotherly love, all growth will be Godly growth (v. 19b).
5. This being the case, sound (i.e. healthy) doctrine (i.e. teaching) and mutual love amongst the people of God are both indespensable components of the life and growth of the body of Christ.

How have you shown your love for Christ and your spiritual family today? How can you better serve the Head (Christ Jesus) and be those "joints and ligaments" of love that act as a moving, stablizing force in the body of Christ?

I'm thankful for all of you who are striving to this end.

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Preach At The Pump

A Xenia, Ohio church has decided to promote its special Easter services by paying 25 cents of the price of every gallon of gas purchased at a local station.

Wesley Miller says by offering the deal, his church can promote its Easter services planned for the following weekend while helping those squeezed by the high cost of gasoline.

Miller says the church doesn't mind if people show up purely out of greed, because his congregation would like to reach them, too.

One wonders what it might take to retain anyone "converted" by this free gasoline. Hybrid cars for everyone who attends at least one worship service per week might be in order.

The day after Jesus and his apostles had fed 5,000 people, the Lord said to a group of disciples,

Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.
John 6:26-27, ESV

Christ knew some were following him for no other reason than to fill their bellies -- to gratify a carnal desire. When churches get into the business of quite literally competing for members to fill up the pews, this is the natural result. Carnivals, car raffles, free gas, and virtually every other scheme the human mind can imagine has been used to lure men and women who have no inclination toward spiritual living.

Some might say, "That's why we're trying to get them in the door! We can show them how important spirituality is." Do we really believe gratifying a man's every whim and desire with material gifts is going to somehow flip on his "spiritual switch?" If so, we are sadly mistaken and greatly deceived.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:7-8, ESV

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Appearance Can Be Deadly

Jessie Vigil of Las Vegas, New Mexico, has a unique automobile. He customized his Ford Mustang (seen at right) to replicate the police cars seen in the movie, Transformers, citing his seven-year-old son's love for the blockbuster film.

According to New Mexico State Police, what Mr. Vigil has done with his car is not illegal as long as he doesn't "act like a police officer."

Even though Vigil may not actually be trying to impersonate an officer of the law, there are some who find it advantageous to do so in the perpetration of crimes. Quite a few criminals have taken advantage of unsuspecting citizens by adequately passing themselves off as members of a law enforcement agency.

How is it these men convince motorists and pedestrians of their supposed status as law officers? Are they successful in carrying out these schemes by flashing a flimsy toy badge or donning a cheap imitation of a real uniform?

When successful in carrying out their cruel and heinous acts, these criminals are able to do so because their badges, uniforms, and flashing blue lights are so convincing -- so close to the real thing that the minute differences are virtually undetectable to the average citizen. That is what makes these individuals so dangerous. The penalty for impersonating an officer is stiff, but probably ought to be even more severe.

There is an important spiritual parallel in thinking about how this deception is accomplished. How are individuals convinced that a religious group or organization is "from God" when, in fact, they do and teach that which is not congruent with the Scriptures? Many times, the answer lies in what we observed in the impersonation of police officers.

These groups establish their legitimacy by sticking very close to the teaching of the Bible, thus piggybacking on the authority the name of Christ carries. However, an up-close examination of a given group may reveal some doctrines and practices that have no Biblical foundation. The Bible speaks of certain groups or individuals that may "disqualify you" (Colossians 2:18). These groups do so by doing that which is "according to human precepts and teachings" (Colossians 2:22). The final analysis of organizations such as these is that...

...these have indeed an appearance of wisdom...but they are of no value...
Colossians 2:23, ESV

Just as a criminal with evil intentions -- who looks for all the world exactly like a law officer -- can have deadly consequences, so too can aligning oneself with a church or other religious body that has only an "appearance" of wisdom and truth. Appearance only goes so deep. If we would invest more time in honest investigation of what our particular church or group teaches and how it accords with the word of God, there would be drastic changes in the world of religion.

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A Position For Everyone

The sport of rugby has been frequently on my mind for the past two months. At almost 30 years of age, I will play my first season of competitive rugby this spring.

I knew very little about this sport, other than what I had seen from watching a collective total of about 30-minutes on television. I played football for many years, and what I saw in rugby was essentially American football without pads. The more I learn about the game of rugby, the more I find out how wrong I was in such an assumption.

American football actually grew out of rugby. When rugby came across the Atlantic from the British isles in the mid-19th century, various changes were made to resemble what we now see in our football games. But good old fashioned rugby has maintained a presence -- albeit much, much smaller -- in the U.S. to this very day.

As I learn the basic laws (yes, they're called "laws," not "rules") and strategies of rugby, I am fascinated to see how much skill, mental focus, and tactical savvy are required to be successful on the rugby pitch (football fans would say "field").

One of the reasons rugby is such a great game that can be enjoyed by anyone is the wide array of skill sets and body types that are fit for competition. Though rugby players are bigger, stronger, and faster than they have ever been, you will still see players who range from hulks to featherweights. Of course, when one of those featherweights gets cornered by one of those hulks, the results usually end up as a bone-crunching highlight on YouTube. Nonetheless, when one of those little guys breaks out into the open, those monstrous front-liners have no chance at running him down.

Rugby is a game that is based on teamwork -- 15 men performing their widely varying roles as individuals with the ultimate goal of helping their fourteen teammates emerge victorious at the end of the game. Usually, the side that plays with the strongest concept of teamwork emerges victorious at the end of 80 minutes.

Thinking about this reminds me of Paul's God-breathed words to the church of first century Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Just as a rugby club is made up of many members with varying abilities and duties, the body of Christ (i.e. the church of Christ, Ephesians 1:22-23) is made up of many individual members. Each man and woman whom the Lord has added to the church (Acts 2:47) is vital in the growth and harmony thereof.

Rugby teams filled with selfish players rarely win. Churches filled with self-absorbed, uncaring people are far from what the Lord designed. Are you a member of the Lord's body? If so, are you helping or hindering your spiritual family from attaining "the prize of the upward call" (Philippians 3:14)?

Is your attendance at the assemblies of the church encouraging others in their faithfulness? Is your participation in the evangelistic efforts of the church encouraging the participation of others? Is your giving enabling the church to expand their reach in carrying out "the great commission?" Do your words and attitudes serve to edify (build up) the individual members of your church family?

These and other questions will help you and me in determining the manner in which we are helping (or hindering) the growth of the local body of Christ.

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The First Church

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Acts 2:42, ESV

This statement from the divine record shows us God's plan for his church. In its infancy, the church of Christ was:

1. Sound in doctrine
2. Strong in fellowship
3. Devoted in worship
4. Steadfast in prayer

Why would we ever want to de-emphasize any one of these areas? Each one is vital to the healthy growth of the body of Christ. Which of these items do you suppose we may deem less important than any other? Beyond a doubt, one of the reasons the early church prospered in such a way was due to their balanced approach.

Let us all step back from time to time and be certain of our motives in all that we do. Let us never neglect to maintain healthy, Biblical teaching while pursuing unity. At the same time, let us never fail to pursue peace and brotherly kindness while defending sound doctrine. A balanced approach will cause the church to prosper and grow in a healthy way.

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Where Are All The Preachers?

Reports in recent years have revealed an increasing dearth in preachers among the churches of Christ. Multiple studies have concluded that pulpits are being vacated far quicker than men are being trained to fill those same pulpits.

I suppose we could list any number of possible causes for this trend. Irrespective of the reasons, the body of Christ simply must make it a greater priority to train young men to preach.

Some of our pulpits are being filled by well intentioned men who have little to no formal training. Certainly, I am not alleging that it takes a degree to preach God's word. However, like anything else, preaching is a skill that ought to be honed through education and study whenever and wherever possible.

How can the preacher shortage be remedied? Consider just a few suggestions:

1. Encourage those who are but small boys now to be aspiring preachers. You never know how planting that little "seed" of encouragement early on can blossom at a later time!
2. Be careful how you speak of preachers and elders, particularly in the company of children. How many young men will want to go to school to be trained as a preacher when he grew up hearing mom and dad badmouth the preacher and elders?
3. Support one or more preacher training schools in your monthly budget (we have several schools doing a fine job).
4. Remember that no preacher is as great as some brothers and sisters think, nor as bad as others think. The respectable preacher is one who sees himself as one among many humble servants of God, laboring alongside every member of a local body of Christians.

In an address at Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, Edgar DeWitt Jones said...

The preacher for this day must have the heart of a lion, the skin of a hippopotamus, the agility of a greyhound, the patience of a donkey, the wisdom of an elephant, the industry of an ant, and as many lives as a cat.

Friend, we need better men for better churches. Inspire today's children to dream of preaching the gospel; support and encourage those presently being trained and schooled; and work willingly alongside those who even now address the saints from time to time with messages from God's own word.

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Ehh....Close Enough

A bank teller in South Carolina refused to open a new checking account for a man after he handed her a $1-million bill (a photo of which is at right). Alexander Smith of Augusta, Georgia was arrested on forgery charges for attempting to pass off this counterfeit bill as legal U.S. tender.

By the way, the United States Treasury has never printed a $1-million bill.

Despite the fact that this case involved a somewhat obvious counterfeit bill, it still amazes me how precise many counterfeiters can be in their attempts at duplicating genuine notes. Add to that the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of counterfeit merchandise sold every year (such as footwear, clothing, watches, electronics, DVDs, pharmaceuticals, etc), and this country has an epidemic.

There is something for you and I to consider here relative to matters of faith: You and I need to be on guard for counterfeit Christianity.

The Bible speaks of the danger of joining oneself to such a group:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5, ESV

Friend, be very cautious when it comes to your inner man -- the part of you that will exist throughout all eternity. Pay close attention to how the church you attend compares to the Scriptures. Are there any conflicts? Perhaps only small ones?

Let's go back to the counterfeit bill for a moment. The difference between the best "fakes" and the genuine article is minute -- undetectable by most! But go into a bank and try to open an account with counterfeit bills and see if they say, "Well, these bills do not match authentic currency....they cannot be real....but hey, they are VERY close. So we are going to accept them and open your account." Not going to happen, folks!!

Under the inspiration of God, one true apostle of Christ wrote to God's people regarding false apostles of Christ:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15, ESV

Here is a fact: Some people know very well they are deceiving souls, and some do not. The ones who do not know they are teaching falsely are themselves deceived. Now, whether one deceives another intentionally or unintentionally, the problem remains. The only solution is to expose them to truth and hope the heart is soft enough to be receptive thereto.

Let every last one of us always keep these questions before us:

1. Why do I believe what I believe?
2. Why do I worship in such a way?
3. Why am I a member of _______________ church?

If the answers ever become something other than, "Thus says the Lord," we can be certain that our source of authority has become something other than God's word; and any source of authority outside of that word will be woefully insufficient as we plead our case before the judgment seat of Christ.

Friend, let's get back to God's way of doing things.

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Already At It For Next Year!

With the 2007 Cold Harbor Lectureship officially two days behind us, it is time to start planning for and working on next year's program. I am so excited about next year's theme that I had to sit down and design the cover for the 2008 lectureship book (at right).

As you can see from the image, the theme for the 12th Annual Cold Harbor Lectureship will be Balance. I know we every director of every lectureship probably says this every year, but I truly cannot think of any subject that is more urgently needed for consideration by the body of Christ in this generation.

With individuals and groups splitting off and departing in multiple directions, we desperately need to come back to a place of balance -- balance in what we teach, how we live, and any number of other areas of practical living. As we sit down to plan this lectureship, we will make the effort to be balanced in our approach.

Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left...
Joshua 23:6, ESV

And, since our mind is still on the Proverbs...

Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Proverbs 4:27, ESV

Stay tuned for more information regarding the 2008 Cold Harbor Lectureship!

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How To Be A "Joy-Giver"

Are you interested in bringing your Christian brothers and sisters joy? Follow these guidelines, and you will be a great source of encouragement for the family of God:

1. Walk in truth (2 John 4)
2. Love the truth (2 John 6)
3. Abide in truth (2 John 9)
4. Welcome no untruth (2 John 9-11)

(Click here to read the brief book of Second John)

The result will be joy among the people of God!

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The Only Work That Lasts

Aren't you thankful for the hard working people of the world? In large cities and small towns throughout America and around the world, industrious men and women strive diligently toward effective goods and services. The word of God commends such people:

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 22:29, ESV

One of life's greatest challenges is to balance the work tied to this world with our labor tied to the world to come. Elders, deacons, and preachers ought not be the only ones working in the vineyard of the Lord. We are all "ministers" (servants) in the kingdom of the Savior. Do you want to contribute something to eternity? Then you must involve yourself in the only work that lasts. Listen to the words of the anonymous writer:

"Teach us, O God...

If we work upon marble, it will perish.

If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust.

If we work upon brass, time will efface it.

But if we work upon the minds and hearts of men and women,

Teaching them the love of God and their fellow man,

Then, and only then, will we have contributed something to eternity."

How have you contributed to eternity?

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Don't Lose Sight Of The Positives!

Is the church of Jesus Christ facing threats from within? Certainly. Influential individuals and entire congregations have introduced doctrine and practice over the years that have sought to move what should be a body without schism (1 Corinthians 12:25) toward an organization that mirrors the concept of the church in the denominational order of things.

However, great effort must be made not to lose sight of the multitude of positive, Biblical works ongoing in the kingdom of God today. If we are not careful, we can become so "wrapped up" in keeping tabs on those weighing the church down that we overlook or even refuse to see those who are doing great things to build her up! I speak from experience.

The more brethren I meet from across our nation -- yea, across our world -- the more I am encouraged and convinced the church is strong and very active in carrying out her mission. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Polishing The Pulpit seminar in Birmingham, Alabama. I met men and women from all over our own nation, and several who are doing the Lord's work on other continents. We have an abundance of talented people who are serving the Lord and his church in mighty ways. Let us remember to unceasingly pray for the church around the world, and to be active supporters of as many workers for the truth as possible.

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
3 John 5-8

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An Abundance Of Counselors

I have spent the last several days going through the final manuscript editing process as we compile and format this year's Cold Harbor Lectureship book (with immeasurable help from our superb secretary, Carolyn Elliot). Among the many worthwhile observations I was able to make during this process, one that may have stood out above the others was how many immensely talented individuals make up the church of Christ.

This year's Cold Harbor Lectureship program includes 23 individuals -- some of which I have met, and others I have yet to meet. These 23 men and women come from all over these United States and have differen backgrounds, but they all show evidence of a Godly spirit and a depth of Bible knowledge.

Having read 21 of the 23 proposed manuscripts (still waiting on two more!), my knowledge and understanding on the subject of wisdom from the book of Proverbs has increased many fold. One of the biggest draws of any sound lectureship is reading the different writing styles and observing the various delivery styles that make every speaker unique. You and I as individuals will benefit from participating in this lectureship, and the church of God will be strengthened as a result. Such is the goal our elders set forth for this effort every year.

The Bible says...

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14, ESV

The men and women who are taking the time to be in Mechanicsville this November provide you and me with a perfectly lovely situation: An abundance of wise, experienced counselors who love the Lord and his word, thereby making Mechanicsville, Virginia one of the safest places you can be at that time!

We hope many of our Food For Thought readers will be able to join us this November as we make an in-depth examination of the book of Proverbs' treatment of the subject of wisdom.

For more information, visit our Lectureship Page, or you may call the church office.

Virginia is beautiful in November! See you in then!!

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