“Is It Worth the Trouble?”

Views: 87[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1 page.] The question of our title is one of dismay, discouragement, frustration and perhaps other negative emotions. It is usually provoked by some unsuccessful, unrewarding, and unpleasant experience. It is the…

Do Elders Have Authority? 

Views: 92[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1 page.] There is a strong element in the church which denies that elders have any authority in a local congregation, except that which inheres in their example (which equals no authority at…

“Who’s the Boss of This Church?”

Views: 64[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 3 page.] One of our little visitors at Vacation Bible School once asked this question. His teacher told him the Lord was. He didn’t agree. He said he thought that man who…

Elders Are Not “Lords Over” the Local Church

Views: 90[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1 page.] Every context in the New Testament having to do with the responsibilities of elders of the church speaks of the authority of the eldership. This is plain enough in the…

“Elders in Every Church”

Views: 76[Note:  This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1  page.]             The words of the title above are from a passage in which Luke describes work that Paul and Barnabas did as they made their way back to Antioch…

We Will Promote Regular Bible Class and Worship Attendance

Views: 128[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Manuscripts page.] Introduction Brethren have some very unusual ideas about attending the assemblies of the saints. Many years ago, a member of the church where I preached at the time told me if I…

Soldiers of Christ and Their Warfare—Ephesians 6:10–13

Views: 5[Note:  This MS is available in larger font on our Manuscripts  page.] Introduction Ephesians is one of four letters Paul wrote from Rome in about 62 A.D. while he was appealing his case to Caesar. In describing this period of incarceration, Luke reported that…

One Congregation May Withdraw From Another Congregation

Views: 130[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Manuscripts page.] Introduction A certain city of 15,000 people has two congregations which have the name “Church of Christ” on their buildings. Congregation “A” has eight hundred members; congregation “B” two hundred. For the…

A Review of Alvin Jennings’ 3 Rs of Urban Church Growth

Views: 121[Note:  This MS is available in larger font on our Manuscripts  page.] Introduction  In 1981, a brother in Christ, Alvin Jennings, owner of Star Bible Publications, Inc., wrote and published a book titled, 3 R’s of Urban Church Growth. This book raised many eyebrows,…

“Take Heed to the Ministry….”

Views: 160Introduction Paul wrote the exhortation contained in the title above to Archippus, a member of the Colossian Congregation. Ministry is from a cognate of the Greek word from which translators gave us deacon. It simply means a servant or minister, which term the New…