'Church & Community' Tagged Posts (Page 6)
Reading Our Children: Is There Somebody Alive in There?
I have tried to say with as much clarity as possible, and often, that the assurance a person has that he or she is actually a Christian does not have to do with praying a prescribed prayer, being affirmed by a Christian leader, walking an aisle, signing a card or raising a hand, but whether that person has life from God. An unregenerate person does not have this life, even if he is religious. A child who is unregenerate, for…
How Should We Get a Crowd for the Gospel?
The title expresses one of the two main questions concerning evangelism that are before us at this time in our history. The other question is, “What is the gospel?” That question has been discussed in relation to the Lordship controversy some years earlier, the current New Perspective issue, and the ongoing Calvinism/Arminianism debate. A lot hangs in the balance on these various viewpoints, and evangelistic practice is governed by which side you are on even if you are not aware…
Removal of an Elder
Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 5:19 (“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”) should not be construed to mean that elders are to be protected from proper disciplinary action when such becomes necessary. Paul knew that elders, being in a position of authority, could easily become the objects of false or frivolous accusations. His command in this passage is simply a warning to watch for such abuses. Elders are church members just as…
Statement of Faith
Holding Fast the Word of Life The Statement of Faith for Christ Fellowship of Kansas City The church is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). It is the responsibility of every member of the church to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). God’s truth has always been questioned, attacked, and perverted. The Bible warns us that such deception will continue, and history has demonstrated the accuracy…
Statement of Purpose
Christ Fellowship Statement of Purpose We exist to love God with our warmest affection and highest devotion to love one another as Christ has loved us, and to love others as we desire to be loved ourselves. Why love? What about worship, teaching, preaching, personal holiness, and evangelism? Should our focus really be so narrow when the Christian life involves so many other necessary things? In the New Testament, love is consistently viewed as the highest of Christian virtues-the…
Entertainment Evangelism, a Response to a News Reporter
Hello, this is B____ L_____, religion reporter for the W_____ E____. I am writing an analysis story on a trend we see hear of "entertainment evangelism." D____ C____ of Current Thoughts and Trends magazine said you would be a good person to talk with. In a couple of weeks, a group called "Impact World Tours" affiliated with Youth with a Mission will have a crusade here. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the group but they will put on…
Caught in Our Shame: Comments on the Recent Barna Report
The recent Barna report on evangelical beliefs in mainline churches is almost too excruciating to read. In the report, statistics concerning the 12 largest denominations are tallied. Barna polled 6,038 adults with random telephone interviews nationwide. Tim Ellsworth of the Baptist Press summarized the findings. I have included the pertinent data: The study’s findings identify an alarmingly high number of church members whose beliefs fall far short of orthodox Christianity. For example, 41 percent of all adults surveyed believed in…
The Whisperer, The KJVer, and Other Types of Group Prayer Participants You Dont Want to Be
My first opportunity to pray in a group came when some of my fellow students and I were standing in a circle, holding hands. The leader told us we could either pray or squeeze the hand of the person next to us. I was a squeezer that day. Since then, I have enjoyed praying and hearing others pray hundreds of times in both planned and impromptu settings. However, I have learned through my mistakes and the conduct of others that…
Dull Preachers
“Dull preachers make the best martyrs,” said Spurgeon. “They are so dry they burn well.” Well said. My contention is that dullness in preaching is not so much in a scarcity of speaking ability of the preacher as it is in they dry-as-dust heart of the same. Ross Perot was not heard because he could speak like Charlton Heston, but because you at least knew that he believed and was exercised by what he believed enough to unload the burden.…