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September 23, 2007TO OUR VISITORS
The family of God here at Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome. If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer. The uniqueness of the church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century church doing. We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for. We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live. Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God’s will in all things.
Remember our Sunday night studies at 6:00 tonight. We are in a new study on the miracles of Jesus. Tonight we will be talking about what miracles were for and who was allowed to experience a miracle. This goes well with our Wednesday night class on 2 Timothy. Join us for these classes and grow and expand your Bible knowledge.
Construction Starts. The protected entry to the building has been completed. Dave Pickens is drawing up plans for a new roof to make our sign building more useful and to repair the damage to it. The carpeting for the fellowship area, the paving of the driveway, discharge area, and entry to the highway all need to be completed soon. See Bill Gibson if you can help with any of this.
Family Concerns. We thank God for the good reports that have come on many of our loved ones. Dave Pickens is doing well. Audrey Gibson got her novacaine shot, and then the dentist said she would have to have her tooth surgically removed, so she is still struggling with tooth problems. Continue to keep Marianne Slack and Maelene Salmons in your prayers as they continue to battle physical pain and health problems. The Claytons leave Tuesday for three weeks of lectureships in Muskogee, Oklahoma; Lafayette, Louisiana; and the St. Louis area. Keep them and their work in your prayers.
THE TONGUE--JAMES 3:2-12
Have you ever said something that got you into trouble? Duh
Matthew 26:74--What did Peter do when he wanted to convince the people around him that he had no connection to Jesus Christ? ____________________________________________________________________________________________
How do we recognize a perfect man? ______________________________________________________________What does Matthew 11:36-37 show us about the importance of learning to control our speech? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will
never hurt me.” Is that true or false?
__________________
What comparisons does James give us about the power of the tongue? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
What does a filthy joke about a woman tell us about the
mind of the man who told it?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Speech is a hypocrisy barometer! James 3:9-12
BIBLE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO SPEAK BETTER.
First--Pure
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Peace loving
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Considerate
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Submissive
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Full of mercy and good fruit
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Impartial
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Sincere
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Peacemakers
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There are many things that we do in our worship service that we do because it was commanded by the Lord. We also do some things because we have an example in the Bible that shows us that the first century Church did them. Praying, singing, partaking of communion, and preaching are all in this category. We have talked about these things both in this bulletin and in our classes and sermons in recent months.
There are some things we do that are a matter of convenience or choice. We have no biblical basis for these things, but we do them because they help us fulfill something we have been told to do but have not been given a method by which we are to do them. Having a building is one of these. There is no evidence that the first century Church had buildings. We know that they met in their homes and in places where they could have some safety--some even met in catacombs beneath the city of Rome while soldiers searched for them to arrest and kill them. Buildings came along much later, and in today’s world having a building that is identified with the Church may not always be a good thing. Persecution may suggest it is better not to have a building, and we have brethren in some parts of the world where a building is a negative. The cost of constructing and maintaining a building may be more than it is worth.
An activity we do in worship that is a choice is the invitation we extend at the end of worship and classes. We have no command to do this, nor do we have a biblical example of it being done. In my Does God Exist? programs we frequently do not offer an invitation because it is not appropriate for those in the audience and what they understand. The invitation during worship is a chance for anyone to share their problems. We cannot bear one another’s burdens if we do not know what those burdens are. It is easier to confess our sins one to another if we have an appropriate time to do it.
The invitation of Christ is 24/7 and that is why we have phone numbers on this bulletin that people can call anytime. We do pause at each service and ask if there is a special need that the Church needs to know about so we can do what the Lord commanded us to do. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to love and care for one another. Sharing and growing together is a part of that.