Editor’s Note: In June 2015, Rick Greenwood, one of the elders in Martinsville, IN, lost his son Ryan to cancer. The disease struck Ryan swiftly, and he died in a matter of weeks following the diagnosis. As a part of his grieving, Rick put finger to keyboard, delivered this lesson at Martinsville, and adapted it…
Because the values of societies either differ one from another or change over time, it seems that some parts of the Bible carry more relevance to some generations. For example, Ecclesiastes is particularly well suited to identify the consequences of humanistic or atheistic thought in a post-modern world. John’s gospel account bears greater weight in…
In the Bible God has revealed himself to humanity in numerous ways, including three distinct roles that belong uniquely to him, defining God, each one a position of power and authority, each one meriting gratitude, obedience, respect, honor and praise. One of several places we find these three great attributes and works of God described…
Some people are ashamed of their parents. Some parents are ashamed of their children. Some are ashamed of their family, or where they came from, and some are ashamed of their church. Some people are ashamed of the place they live or their income or their job, or lack of a job. Some people are…
There are two basic questions to consider when we go back to the basics: Why are you a member of the church of Christ? If you are not a member of the church of Christ, why are you a member of the religious organization that you are? I can’t answer the second question because I…
Just recently, I had the honor of paying $90 to have my mechanic look over my car and tell me there was nothing wrong with it. He kept it overnight, because the battery had just died and he wanted to be sure. In the end the problem turned out to be an old 150W Inverter…
Do you truly believe that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?” (Genesis 1:1). God demands from the opening line of Scriptures that we acknowledge Him as designer and creator. It is not enough to think God set elements in motion that stirred up creation by evolutionary process. We cannot have faith…
A few months ago I noticed a well-placed billboard on a well-travelled highway leading into Kansas City. The sign was simple. It said, “God’s Word Romans 1:24-28: Homosexuality is Sinful Behavior Not an Identity.” While I heartily concur with the veracity of the message I believe the setting was misplaced. We have been called to…
I grew up on the fuzzy, flapping fringe of the color line in the United States. My paternal grandmother had five generations of Cherokees behind her, and before that it was several of the “First nations people” of Canada who got together with my Scottish and French ancestors on my grandmother’s side, which makes me,…
We, as the Lord’s people, are continuing to see our society spiral down into spiritual darkness in many avenues. Over the past generations we have seen our country disregard the Lord’s Word time and time again as the very fabric of our society continues to tear away in regard to common decency, morality, even marriage….