THE 28-MINUTE CHURCH

The 28-minute church. That reminds me of the 10-minute oil change and one hour dry cleaning. Can you imagine it? This “church” really exists. The preacher believes that people are too busy for an hour service, so he has come up with the 28-minute service. A little singing, a little praying, possibly a little communion, a little giving and definitely a little preaching. It’s had rave reviews and he is now up to five services on Sunday. Sounds convenient, doesn’t it? But there’s a few problems with his format: Where’s the fellowship? And how about the fact that members are exposed for hours to ungodliness at work, school and from the media-how does he think 28 minutes is going to prepare anyone for that onslaught each week?

Brethren, I say we need more time for prayers, singing, study, fellowship and all the rest of the things that people need to be strong Christians NOT LESS! Our culture cries, “Give me less of what I need and more of what I crave.” The Lord said, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” If had my way, every member of this congregation would attend every Bible class and assembly PLUS have home study, home training and family devotionals. We would also have quality time working and being together as a church family, not less. Is 28 minutes enough? I think not.

Author Unknown

Why Am I Not a Christian?

1. Is it because I am afraid of ridicule? “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed...” (Luke 9:26).
2. Is it because of the inconsistencies of professing Christians? “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
3. Am I unwilling to give up all for Christ? “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
4. Am I afraid I shall not be accepted? “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
5. Is it for fear I am too great a sinner? “...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
6. Is it for fear I shall not be able to hold out? “...he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6; see also I Corinthians 10:13).
7. Am I thinking that I will just do as well as I can and that God ought to be satisfied with that? “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
8. Is it because I am postponing the matter without any definite reason? “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

Author Unknown

Put the Lord First

I will be forever grateful to a lady by the name of Gertha Alston. Why? Because she said something to me before I obeyed the Gospel that still resonates in my ear when we are discussing certain passages of Scripture.  Without going into the word-for-word, she said to make sure that the person you are interested in puts the Lord first.

I thought about this again, not just in the context she addressed (which would only make perfect sense that a faithful Christian would look first at the spiritual personality as a primary consideration for a mate), and then put some other things we think/do that should demand the same conscientiousness:

1. Do I think of my responsibility to the Lord when considering a job? Will it interfere?
2. Do I think of the Lord first when considering my vacations? Do I make sure that I will be able to worship with sound congregations and not just whoever is available?
3. Is God first when I look for a place to live (or relocate), or does the place and salary determine what I do?
4. Am I often too sick for worship or Bible class, but up bright and early for work the next day?
5. Are my best friends strong Christians or are they in the weak and non-Christian category?

You could easily add more, but the point is hard to miss. Mrs. Alston spoke of the importance of putting the Lord and church first, and we have certainly seen how the Lord emphasized that many times.

Johnny Oxendine

Our Second Religion

Sporting activities have been called the “second religion of America.” Whether it is the fast-break, jump shooting, and 3-point shots, or the 55-yard pass for the winning touchdown on the last play of the game, we love sports. It can be ice hockey or air hockey, but it still has its appeal. Hunting moose, elk, deer, quail, doves, and varmints (the four-legged kind) attracts a following. Fishing holes are sometimes marked by nearly as many fishers as fish. They can be the “boys of summer” that win it in the last inning or the sprinter who wins by a nose, but it makes no difference. Football, fishing, baseball, hunting, basketball, track — we love it all.

But, may we call a “time out” to consider a fairly common problem in light of the Bible? Sporting activities are not the second religion of some — collective sporting activities are the first religion to some. Some view sports as of the utmost value and concern in life. Sadly, even some professing to be children of the heavenly Father implicitly tell the God of heaven to “take a number (other than one) and we’ll be right with you after the last quarter.” Sports can be wholesome and good for all who participate or spectate, but Christians are careful to keep such activities in their proper place. The Bible still teaches, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33), and “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

One brother, speaking to a preacher’s workshop, justified his son missing Wednesday evening services to play ball by asking the teen if he would be willing, come next week, to attend both the regular Wednesday evening services and an area Gospel meeting on Thursday night. Of course, if it is right for a Christian to miss worship assemblies and Bible class to participate in sports, does it not follow that all the brethren can miss the assemblies and classes to watch the ball game or other sporting activities? And, if we can “make up” forsaken assemblies like a student makes up a missed test, then surely we can justify shutting down the church building during the hottest part of the summer and do “make up” worship every night for a few weeks this Autumn.

Bible classes and worship assemblies in some places take a tremendous nose dive in attendance because some brethren worship at the idol of sporting activities. We cannot help but wonder though how important our sporting achievements will seem when we stand before God in judgment. Suddenly the “one that got away” will be insignificant and the state championship trophy will provide as much comfort as a crash helmet to a kamikaze pilot.

I like sporting activities. I have played organized sports. I try to instruct my children in sports. But when the church is working, meeting in assemblies, or studying in Bible classes, my family needs to be present, promoting the work, exhorting the brethren, and receiving exhortation: “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (I Timothy 4:8).

Lynn Parker

Forsaking All

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). When we look up the word forsake we note that it means to “give up something formerly held dear; to renounce; to leave altogether; to abandon.” In the context of this verse we hear our Lord saying that unless we give up all that we have formerly held dear and leave it altogether, we cannot be counted among His followers. Let us look together at what we must forsake if we hope to please the Lord.

• I must forsake my church. Jesus said in Matthew 15:13 tells us that every plant which God has not planted shall be rooted up. The Lord promised to build one church (Matthew 16:18), and that is exactly what He did. If we want tobe saved, we must be a part of His church and not “My Church.”
• I must forsake my parents.  The Lord, in Matthew 10:37, tells us that if we love mother or father more than we love Him we are not worthy of Him. We cannot put anyone or anything before our love and service to the Lord. We must “seek…first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), give Him our first-fruits, and not let anyone stand in our way of doing right.
• I must forsake the doctrines of men.  If we teach for doctrine the commands of men, then we are worshiping the Lord in vain (Matthew 15:9). The Word of the Lord was given to us “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” so that we might be “completely” furnished with all that we need to do right (II Tim. 3:16–17). If we teach and preach anything else we will stand condemned.
• I must forsake all worldliness.  John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). James said that if we are friends of the world we are the enemy of God (James 4:4). No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). No man can serve God and the world, so we must forsake this world and keep ourselves unspotted from the it (James 1:27).
• I must forsake my way. Jeremiah said that the way of man is not in himself and that man could not direct his own steps (Jeremiah 10:23). There is only one way that leads to eternal life, and that Way is the Lord. No man can get to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). If you have not done so, will you not forsake all, and surrender to the Lord before it is too late?

Danny Box

Which Is More Important?

1. Which is more important to you? Making sure your dog (or cat) gets fed every day or making sure that your child gets daily spiritual nourishment?
2. Which is more important to you? Watching television or taking time for prayer and Bible study every day?
3. Which is more important to you? The time you spend playing tennis (or fishing, hunting, golfing, etc.) or the time you spend with your children?
4. Which is more important to you? The time you spend adorning your body or the time that you spend improving the inner man?
5. Which is more important to you? What you think of last Sunday’s sermon or what God thinks of your response to the sermon?
6. Which is more important to you? The preacher speaking to you at the door after worship or the preacher speaking to you through the sermon?
7. Which is more important to you? The condition and appearance of your house or what goes on inside your house?
8. Which is more important to you? The temperature in the church building or the spiritual temperature of the church which meets in the building?
9. Which is more important to you? The number of people who show an interest in you or the number of people in whom you show an interest?
10. Which is more important to you? The number of people who speak to you at church services or the number of people to whom you speak? 

Author Unknown