The Gooch Lane church of Christ is a group of people in Madison, Alabama seeking to study the Bible and put God’s teachings into practice. We’d love to have you join us for Bible study and worship.
As commemorations take place and multitudes of words are spoken about these tragedies, it provides a good opportunity to be reminded of the spiritual lessons that can still be gained two decades later.
When a humble soul surrenders to the Savior in baptism and is raised to walk in the newness of life, His call has been answered. The door is then opened to become a faithful servant and to direct one’s abilities to work in His kingdom
Why did God send so many prophets to the Northern Kingdom which did not obey him? Because God loved them. Because a physician goes to those who are sick. Because a good shepherd knows which sheep are his.
While forgiveness is all well and good, can it really be given if the debtor doesn’t ask for it
God's great mercy is bestowed on the undeserving, powerless, helpless sinner who is willing to accept that mercy on the simple terms of the gospel.
While this method of seeking authority has never been mainstream, recent years have seen some of its former advocates dismiss the approach. CENI (command, example, necessary inference), the term to which some have relegated the idea, is viewed as unsustainable. Instead, some who once sought authority in this way have moved on to the second philosophy of adaptation. Such a move beckons the following question: “Is primitivism still relevant?”
Several years ago, I decided I needed a hobby. I had many interests – basketball, fantasy baseball, music – but I engaged in all of these past times with members of the church where I preached, or with fellow Christians in the area. I needed a hobby that would put me in contact with people from all walks of life. So I looked up the closest chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and over the last 17 years I have made a large and diverse bunch of friends.
As it happens, several of my barbershop singing friends are from Sweden, and – typical of the very secular climate in Sweden – they are not believers. A few of them are quite belligerent about their atheism. Last fall, I fell into a discussion on Facebook with one of them, a discussion I was frankly hesitant to engage in, given the nasty reputation that debates on social media have earned. But in this case, I am glad to say that my fears were misplaced. Over the course of nearly three weeks, several atheists and agnostics in Sweden as well as in the States joined in and presented arguments against Christianity and gave me a very courteous hearing as I responded.
The past few months have been troubling for the people of God who are concerned about morality. Debates about transgenderism have led to cultural clashes around the country as states and their leaders make decisions that will impact younger, more vulnerable citizens. A recent leak from the Supreme Court on the hot button topic of abortion has reignited emotional responses so much so that fencing has been placed around the Supreme Court building, for fear of attack. Atrocities in a foreign war remain forefront in the news cycle and a reminder of how villainous humans can be to other humans. If one has a steady diet of news consumption, it can lead to hand-wringing worry about the state of the world. Yet, God says to live without anxiety: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5b-7). How is this possible?
Yearly, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents “the Oscars” to celebrities and those associated with film making who are recognized as making a lasting contribution to the film industry. In recent years, the program has become little more than a self-congratulatory session, accentuated with political, social, and environmental stands. It is no surprise that the world has virtually turned off the Oscars as ratings in recent years have been in freefall. However, this year’s “slap heard ‘round the world” has revived interest in the failing awards ceremony. When comedian Chris Rock took aim at the wife of actor Will Smith, he did not expect what ensued. Coming to the stage, Smith demonstrated his offense to the joke by slapping the comedian. Since then, the media world, along with other segments of the population, has been abuzz in giving their take on the violent event.
