is it our culture or our rudeness? by Jerrie Barber Often I hear conversations about why many churches aren’t growing. Many blame our culture, materialism, or some other outside source. Those may play a part. Let me relate something that happened to me less than fifty years ago, and less than 500 miles from where I’m […]
There are some Bible passages to which we apply a convenient interpretation. A passage, or verse, might lend itself to a convenient interpretation if it appears to state a principle that we hold generally true. In many cases, perhaps, such convenient interpretations originated long ago, have been passed down to us by brethren we hold […]
And Other Positive Things Happening at the Mabelvale Church The All Comer’s Bible class resumed on February 12th. This is the winter-spring session that will run for three months, the last class being on May 7th. Noah Icenhour and I will work together in teaching this class. For our study we are using the book, […]
Luke 7 makes for a good study of how Jesus treated lost people. In vs. 34 the Lord sites some of the charges spoken against him. The basis for such criticism was his association with people who were “sinners,” being outside the inner sanctum of pharisaic fellowship. Jesus was neither a glutton nor a social […]
BC. Goodpasture used to tell of the time when James A. Harding held a gospel meeting in Clark County, Kentucky. The year was 1877. When an elder of the church was asked about it he said, “It was not much of a meeting. Oh, brother Harding did his usually powerful preaching, the attendance was fair, […]
In January 2011, I began preaching a series of sermons based on 2 Corinthians. I titled the series, “Authentic Christianity.” That series taught me some things about how a preacher relates to a troubled congregation, such as the one at Corinth. So deeply has this impression been made upon me that I wish 2 Corinthians […]
Dan Chambers says that we live in a “three dimensional Christian world” – Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox.[i] He says, “For those who profess to be Christians, the world asks, ‘Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox?’ And if the answer is ‘Protestant,’ the next question is ‘Which denomination?’” The church of Jesus Christ in the New Testament was […]
(A Ministry of the Mabelvale Church) On March 11, 2013, seventeen ladies from the Mabelvale congregation met at a local Applebee’s to discuss ways to enhance the benevolent program at Mabelvale, and to utilize their skills to become more involved in the work of the church. After three hours of dinner and discussion, several ideas […]
“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that” (1 Jn. 5:16). This verse has always […]
A few weeks ago I ran part one of this article designed to explore ways in which evangelists and elders, pastors and preachers might work more harmoniously together in God’s kingdom and in the local church. I continue that theme with this article in the second part. A better relationship is well within the reach […]