The Church and Her Activities

By George T. Eldridge

The church was “purchased with” Jesus’ “own blood” (Acts 20:28). No other association, club, fraternal organization, labor organization, social service organization, or youth organization has the purchase price of the New Testament church. The value of the church is further seen in that Jesus “is the head of the . . . church” (Col. 1:18) and is “the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). Has that value sunk into your heart, your soul, and your mind?

“Purchased with,” “the Head of the church,” and “the head over all things to the church” are words of authority. With the right and power to command, enforce law, exact obedience, determine, or judge resting in Jesus, all activities of the church must have the approval of her head. Do you agree? That approval for church action comes from the Scriptures in (1) apostolic command, (2) apostolic example, and (3) necessary conclusions from commands and examples (Acts 15:6-29). Is that true?

Individuals and churches, too many times, desecrate that which Jesus purchased and that church over which He is head. Consider the following few examples as activities abusing the sacredness of that divine institution, the church to which the Lord adds the saved (Acts 2:47).

“Our first skating party this fall is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Anderson rink. See your Bus Captain. . . for further details’,.’ (Hillcrest Hi-Lights, September 25, 1977, I3illcrest Church of Christ, 2201 Hillcrest Drive, Anderson, Indiana 46012).

A church skating party is not an activity sanctioned by Jesus who “is the head of the . . . church” (Col. 1:18). Jesus did not buy the church with His “own blood’; (Acts 20:28) so that she could engage in recreational activities and then advertise these pursuits. Is there any wonder that many unsaved people believe the church is unnecessary for salvation and the church is a relic of the past when they see the church engaging is such merriment? Refreshment of one’s body or mind through play was never practiced by any New Testament church. Why? Jesus never approved church involvement in recreation! The Holy Spirit never revealed it! The apostles never taught it! Where is the Scripture approving a church skating party?

The church of the living God is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). “Pillar and ground” is used metaphorically to teach the church, in her collective capacity, her responsibility in maintaining “the doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9). This maintaining is done by the church teaching “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and practicing what inspired men taught “every where in every church” (1 Cor. 4:7) Do you agree?

A church skating party is not maintaining “the doctrine of Christ” in either teaching or practice! I request any individual or church to provide the Scripture approving “our . . . skating party.” Recreation provided by the church is not having Jesus as “the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). Will anyone answer my request? What New Testament church ever, remotely engaged in any activity akin to “our . . . skating party”?

There is not anything wrong with a skating party or any other legal recreational activities, provided individuals and./ or organizations, which do not claim Jesus as her head and the Scriptures as a guide, furnish the play. Examples of those organizations would be (1) The American Legion, (2) The Girl Scouts of America, (3) Young Men’s Christian Association, (4) Senior Citizens Community Center, Inc., (5) Police Pal Club, (6) Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America, and/-or (7) Skatemor Roller Rink.

More recreation is needed by all. ages, not just the pre-school age, elementary school age, junior high age, and high school age! This needed recreation cannot scripturally be provided by the church! Church recreational activities desecrate the church bought with the blood of God’s “only begotten Son” (John 3:16). We request that all church recreation cease and that the church permit Jesus to be “the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). Let the church be the church. Are those expressions your thoughts, too?

“Our annual Thanksgiving Supper will be next Saturday, Nov. 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the church fellowship hall” (Nov. 13, 1977 bulletin, Free Will Baptist Church, 1125 East 38th Street, Anderson, Indiana).

“Sunday Evening Fellowship-This evening, the Lord willing, we will meet again for a period of fellowship and refreshments. . . We will meet for an hour or so after the evening services” (January 26, 1975 bulletin, Meadowbrook Church of Christ, 601 W. 38th Street, Anderson, Indiana).

“Two eight-foot tables have been ordered for fellowship . . . in the fellowship room” (August 24, 1975, Hillcrest Hi-Lights, Hillcrest Church of Christ, 2201 Hillcrest Drive, Anderson, Indiana 46012).

Those three quotations are examples of multitudes that can be provided showing how churches are desecrating that blood bought institution for which Jesus died and influencing the world to look upon the church as a “glorified” restaurant. A dining room is a room in which meals are served. Churches, in order to give some semblance of respecting Jesus, will not call their room in which meals are served a dining room! Churches call their room in which meals are served “the fellowship room” or “the fellowship hall.”

The word “fellowship” is a New Testament word, but in reference to activities of the church “fellowship” is not used once to have any meaning or implication toward food for the body. Why do churches desecrate a Bible word?

Activities for the church are “. . . the perfecting of the saints …. the work of the ministry …. the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). “The perfecting of the saints” means the church teaches and motivates her members, saints, to be mature, act like adults. This is done by using “the gospel of Christ . . . the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Why use the gospel? The saints will then “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). “The work of the ministry” means the church relieves “the poor saints” (Rom. 15:26) in whatever county, city, state, or nation those “poor saints” might reside. The relief the church provides is based on the ability the church possesses (2 Cor. 8:1112). Saints become “poor” through events over which they have no control such as a “great dearth” (Acts 11:28). For saints to receive church benevolence, they cannot become “poor” through improper use of credit or bad money management or laziness. “The edifying of the body of Christ” means the church preaches “the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). The result will be that responsible individuals will “repent, and be baptized . . . in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and . . . shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

“The church fellowship hall” or “the fellowship room” cannot be placed in either of the three divine activities: (1) “the perfecting of the saints,” (2) “the work of the ministry,” and/ or (3) “the edifying of the body bf Christ.” The conclusion is that the church dining room is not a divine activity for the church and must therefore be rejected by all churches wanting Jesus as “the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22).

We ask any church wishing to justify a church dining room to provide the Scripture permitting “the church fellowship hall.” Why can “dining room churches” not learn “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17)?

“Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17) must be the guidance for the church in all of her activities. When that guidance is in the heart of the church, all of her actions or pursuits will reflect that she was “purchased with” Jesus’ “own blood” (Acts 20:28). “A church skating party”-recreation church and “dining room churches” desecrate “the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:10). Let the church be the church.

Truth Magazine XXII: 27, pp. 444-445
July 13, 1978

A Study of Translations

By Bobby L. Graham

The New English Bible

This product of the 1960’s was to England what the Revised Standard Version was to the United States, a vehicle for modernism. Its producers were not men of faith in the inspiration of the Bible; their product bears out their lack of faith.

The absence of italics to mark additions by the translators is one of the chief weaknesses. A host of passages become unclear as to speaker because of the missing italicized letters. This version throws the word Christian around with abandon, using the word some 32 times; the fact is that it appears only 3 times in the word of God.

Peter receives special emphasis as the rock in Matt. 16:18 through the capitalization of the word Rock. The fact is, of course, that the word did not refer to Peter at all, but to the fact of truth just confessed by Peter, as 1 Cor. 3:11 also indicates.

A serious mistake appears in Matt. 1:18, where the translators rendered “before they came together” (what the text really says) as “before their marriage”. Such inexcusable rendering provides something of a basis for the idea that Jesus was the illegitimate child of Mary and Joseph, an idea held to by many modernists.

The doctrine of justification by grace alone gets some support from this version’s wording of Rom. 3:24, where the word alone was added to the verse.

The miraculous conception of Jesus and his deity come into doubt if one accepts the mistranslations of Isa. 7:14, Luke 1:34 and the six “only-begotten” passages in the writings of John.

The role of the Holy Spirit in creation is denied in Genesis 1:2, where this version has “the wind swept.”

According to this version’s rendering of Matt. 5:17, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the prophets. Though the word here can mean abolish, such is not the idea in this passage: Jesus was stressing his respect for the Law so that he might fulfill it. He did abolish the Law, according to Ephesians 2:15.

Acts 20:7 says Saturday night instead of the first day of the week; Mark 1:4 speaks of baptism as a token of repentance; Matt. 16:22 has “Heaven forbid” for Peter’s “Be it far from thee, Lord”; Rom. 11:26 aids premillennialism with “when the whole of Israel shall be saved” instead of showing how Israel could be saved with the word so; 1 Cor. 2:14 offers help to the idea of the miraculous work of the Spirit in conversion when it says “unsaved man can’t understand”; it has Paul stating his opinion in 1 Cor. 7:25, 40; the mystery of godliness in 1 Tim. 3:16 is “our religion”; spirit is breath in Jas. 2:26; “the language of ecstasy” appears in 1 Cor. 14:2; Paul “sponged on no one” in 2 Cor. 11:9; 1 Cor. 16:8 puts Whitsuntide, a religious festival of the Church of England, for Pentecost. 1 Cor. 5:9, 10 speaks of loose livers; and the popular (not true) saying of 1 Tim 3:1 is related to aspiring to leadership.

Such a perversion is not worthy of the name Bible.

Truth Magazine XXII: 27, p. 441
July 13, 1978

Searching The Scriptures An Overview

by Donnie V. Rader

During the Florida College lectures in February, Connie called me to his motel room to tell me about the offer that the Guardian of Truth Foundation had made to buy Searching the Scriptures and put it to rest. I was surprised at first, but saw rather quickly that this would remove part of Connie’s pressing work load. Though he had not decided whether to accept their offer or not, I knew that’s what he would do.

Since that day I have thought many times about the paper, its beginning, its reputation, its editors, its writers, its policy, it accomplishments and those who have worked behind the scenes. In this final issue of STS I want to share with you some of those things that come to mind when I think about Searching the Scriptures.

Continue reading “Searching The Scriptures An Overview”

The Heart of Paul – Interview with Charles Willis



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Charles Willis is the author of The Heart of Paul, a workbook on the life of the Apostle Paul designed to be used in Teenage Bible Classes. The workbook encourages open discussion of relevant issues for the spiritual development of Christian teens.

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TM: Tell us about your background.

Christian parents?
I am the third child of Donald and Marilyn Willis. Both were raised up in Christian homes and served God all their lives. My father preached the gospel full time beginning at age 16 in East Texas and retired from preaching in 2009. During his life he served as an elder and led many individuals to the Lord. My father passed from this life in 2011. In her life, my mother has demonstrated the essence of Christianity in her godly attitudes and heart to serve others. I count myself as fortunate to have been raised in a household that believed in God so strongly.

Siblings?
I have three siblings: Cathy Price, Don Willis, Jr., and Christie Estes.

Where you grew up?
I was raised in and around Houston, Texas. Most of my formative years were spent in Conroe, Texas, just thirty minutes north of Houston. I am a graduate of Willis High School (in Willis, Texas) and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Sam Houston State University.

Wife & children?
While in college I met Dee Hopper whom I married in 1988. She has been a Christian since not long after we met and it has been a great joy to see her faith grow. She is a wonderful example to me and has been of tremendous support both when I taught school and even more as I labor as an evangelist.  God has blessed us with two wonderful children. Our son, Joshua, has just completed his first year of studies at Florida College. Our daughter, Rachel, is completing her Junior year of High School. Both have obeyed the gospel and have a rich faith of their own.

How you decided to preach?
I decided to preach after teaching Jr. High Band for ten years. I had done some preaching on the side and was feeling guilty as I drove to work every morning. I felt there was something better I could be doing with my time. I love teaching music, but I was teaching the wrong subject. I determined, with my wife, that if we were ever going to desire to preach, we were going to have to take a leap of faith. If I was not successful at preaching we felt I could easily return to teaching music.

TM: Where are some places you have lived and labored as a preacher?

One week after school dismissed in 1998, I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee and began laboring as the evangelist for the Northside Church of Christ where I remained for four and a half years. The brethren there were very helpful and encouraging to me and allowed me the opportunity to study deeply and engage in a lot of one-on-one teaching opportunities. In January of 2003 I moved to New Caney, Texas where I continue to labor today. In many ways it was like coming home. New Caney is located about thirty minutes East of Conroe. My father started the work in New Caney while I was in High School and my wife was baptized that church building while we were in college. Some of the individuals were still in New Caney and it has been a great blessing to labor among them. Many individuals have obeyed the gospel in my ten years in New Caney, in part because of the tremendous loving attitude that exists in the congregation – a love for each other and a love for the truth. I am continuously thankful to God that I am allowed to count as brethren such wonderful people of faith.

TM: What is an enjoyable aspect of preaching for you?

The teacher in me loves "the light bulb moment" when someone learns something new or suddenly grasps a concept. I love seeing people get excited about God’s word. This is most often seen in private studies and is an enjoyable aspect of my efforts as an evangelist. The question is about an enjoyable aspect of "preaching." I like to think my efforts make a difference in the lives of people. There is a satisfaction to my efforts that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. This remains a motivation that drives me to do my very best in everything I do as an evangelist. My words (written or spoken) may just touch someone’s heart so that they are encouraged to serve God. I don’t know that I would say this is "enjoyable," but it is a very important aspect of my work. I would have to say the most "enjoyable" aspect of "preaching" is the time available to study Scripture for myself and the association with God’s people.

TM: What is a challenging part of preaching?

A challenge for me is to keep the message meaningful. I was not always a preacher. I "sat in the pews" until I was almost thirty years of age and I heard some excellent preaching, and I heard some that was not very good. I strongly remember some of my thoughts during the weaker lessons about "why is this being presented," "what am I to take away from this," "what does this mean for me." I work very hard to bring applications that are meaningful, relevant and pointed. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, but more importantly I view every opportunity to preach as a moment in time afforded me by God to speak His truth. I don’t want to waste His time with meaningless words or sermon points with no "meat." This is a constant challenge for all preachers, but one which is very personal to me.

TM: What was the motivation behind writing this workbook?

My book was conceived as an effort to examine the attitudes which Paul expresses about himself. We have so much information about Paul, it is well worth our time to examine what is revealed about his heart. Everyone agrees he possessed a faith which many believe is personally unattainable. Everyone agrees his heart pleased God. We should by all means learn what we can from what has been revealed. The workbook is a topical examination of twelve principles ranging from submission, to the conscience, and  prayer, but in each topic the main Scriptures examined are statements Paul makes about himself. The book is a study of his example. My motivation for writing the book was two-fold. 1) I wanted to examine these things for myself and determined to lead others in that journey with me. So I have taught this material as I was studying. 2) I believe a class environment is an excellent place for brethren to be encouraged as we hear each other speak of our faith and belief in Scripture. I am a strong proponent for on-topic discussions in our Bible class environment. I created these materials to purposefully generate good biblical discussions. A question that can be answered "yes" or "no" has it’s place, but generally does not force a contemplation of God’s word. Through an open discussion format I have found I often am shown things in a text I had not seen, though I had studied deeply. For me, it is a class format that works very well in my local work. Over the years, I’ve heard from some who also state good Biblical discussion was experienced when they used my materials. It is hoped through publishing this book a larger number of people will benefit.

TM: Was there one aspect of this project that was especially hard?

The first three lessons have many similarities, and some may want to argue it is one lesson covering three weeks worth of material. The topics are inter-related, but can be profitably studied in the way I have divided the material in three lessons on "An Obedient Heart," "A Submissive Heart," and "An Humble Heart." That division of material was the hardest to separate. The remainder of the topics were much easier to arrange.

TM: What was the most enjoyable part of the project?

Finishing it. Bringing my efforts to the point of bearing fruit. Not in publishing a book, but in seeing the book used and lives being impacted in that way. When we finished our study of this material in New Caney, it marked the end of long effort and I felt as if I had accomplished a good thing. Bringing this book to more readers is similarly fulfilling.

TM: Did you teach through the material as you were developing it?

No. My process is to write the material in advance. I write a lot of material for our local use and am generally writing three months or more before it will be used. I prefer to hand out a finished workbook rather than individual lessons as we go through the quarter. So the material was completely developed before I taught it. After I taught the study, I made corrections (not just grammar, but concepts and additional references that were brought up in the course of the study). So these lessons have been used profitably before I ever submit them to publication.

TM: Is there anything else you would like to address?

I love feedback. If you work through any of my books, I would welcome a comment about what you thought. I also want folks to know I am available for questions about the study, or about any of my books. I can be contacted at CLW@NCTV.com.