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August 3, 2008TO 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.
CLASSES
We have started new classes and want to encourage everyone to come and be a part of these new studies. On Sunday morning we are studying the parables of Jesus with Jim Harasewicz leading the class. On Wednesday night we are continuing a series of studies in Corinthians taught by John Clayton. These are important classes with a lot of information being conveyed. We encourage you to come and participate and make sure your kids come for their classes.
FAMILY NEWS
POTLUCK TODAY! If
you forgot, stay anyway. We always have plenty, and we want you
to enjoy time with us. We also have some important things to
discuss about plans for upcoming events. These include a singing
to be held here in the near future, a ladies' appreciation dmner in
October, the parking lot, the sign,and some new evangelistic outreaches.To update you on the parking lot, we have had to file a bunch of forms and documents with the state of Michigan since we are hooking on to a state highway. Karl Marcussen and Bill Gibson have been working on getting documentation, bond information, and land data to satisfy the state. This has to be done before we can let the contract, but progress is being made even though it is slow. There are a lot of hoops to jump through.
TODAY’S LESSON
INTRODUCTION
Orlando was a workshop sponsored by the Concord congregation. Keith Lancaster, who used to be with Acapella, a popular quartet, had been secured to lead the singing. Ten talented keynote speakers presented inspiring lessons--Randy Harris, Charles Hodge, David Johnson, Wayne Kilpatrick, and other well-known speakers. There were 5,000 who were supposed to attend the workshop, and classes were held on a wide range of subjects. There also was an exhibit area where things like Bibles, CDs, and DVDs of hymns were sold, students were recruited for Christian colleges, and mission works like ours were displayed. I knew a lot of the folks in this workshop, because I have been on it three times before, and have worked with many of them in campaigns at various times in the past.
The brethren from the Southeast came to the Orlando workhop, and I thought about how different this was than what they knew at home. It was radically different in cosmetic things that do not matter, but in what really counts we were all together, and that is the theme of today's lesson.
TOGETHERNESS--Acts
2:44
INTRODUCTION
What does it take to have a great
athletic team?
THE CHURCH MUST BE GATHERED
TOGETHERMilan--Hoosiers
What does it take to have a great congregation?What happens when a team does not
practice?
Matthew 18:20
Hebrews 10:25--How do we function if we are not together.
Acts 4:32--What was the degree of their togetherness?
THE CHURCH WAS KNIT TOGETHERMatthew 18:20
Hebrews 10:25--How do we function if we are not together.
Acts 4:32--What was the degree of their togetherness?
1 Samuel 18:1--Souls of Jonathan
and David were knit.
Colossians 2:2 also 19--Knit means "to cause to go up together"--unique to this verse.
What does Colossians say must not ''unknit us?"
Romans 14:5-15
THE CHURCH IS TO BE "FITLY
FRAMED"Colossians 2:2 also 19--Knit means "to cause to go up together"--unique to this verse.
What does Colossians say must not ''unknit us?"
Romans 14:5-15
Ephesians 2:19-22
Notice the image given--a Holy Temple.
What is the cornerstone?
What is the foundation?
What kind of a building is it if there is chaos?
What has to be true of the purpose of a building?
THE CHURCH IS TO BE PERFECTLY
JOINEDNotice the image given--a Holy Temple.
What is the cornerstone?
What is the foundation?
What kind of a building is it if there is chaos?
What has to be true of the purpose of a building?
1 Corinthians 1:10--How is this
possible?
Avoid devisive non-biblical methods, issues--Nail Me!
Worship styles, social issues, politics
Avoid preachers--1 Corinthians 1:11-14
"I thank God I baptized none of you ... ."
STRIVING TOGETHER--NOT AGAINSTAvoid devisive non-biblical methods, issues--Nail Me!
Worship styles, social issues, politics
Avoid preachers--1 Corinthians 1:11-14
"I thank God I baptized none of you ... ."
Phillipians 1:27-- ... with one
mind striving together for the faith of
the gospel ... ."
Not the issues of our day!
CAUGHT UP TOGETHERNot the issues of our day!
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
1 Thessalonians 5:9
If we are not together now, we will not be then.
Acts 2:41-47--Be a part of Christian Togetherness.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
If we are not together now, we will not be then.
Acts 2:41-47--Be a part of Christian Togetherness.
RADICAL DIFFERENCES
The past two Sundays you have heard wonderful lessons from men in the
congregation while I have been involved in a campaign in Nassau, The
Bahamas, and the Spiritual Growth Workshop in Orlando, Florida.
The contrast between these two places was astounding. The
Southwest Church of Christ meets above a store in Nassau and has a
membership about the size of our congregation here. Radio talk
shows had been arranged, and one in particular was quite
interestng. We were on the air for 90 minutes with a man who is a
well-known talk show host in The Bahamas. We had a lively
liscussion and a lot of free publicity for the Church there.
Attendance grew every session, and we had 80 or so people in the last
session. Services were conducted with four men leading the
singing with a lot of free style additions to the melody. Food
was served every time there was a break, in fact when we had the 80
they had to run out and get more food. The warmth and love and
dedication to the Lord was obvious, and a number of visitors came.Orlando was a workshop sponsored by the Concord congregation. Keith Lancaster, who used to be with Acapella, a popular quartet, had been secured to lead the singing. Ten talented keynote speakers presented inspiring lessons--Randy Harris, Charles Hodge, David Johnson, Wayne Kilpatrick, and other well-known speakers. There were 5,000 who were supposed to attend the workshop, and classes were held on a wide range of subjects. There also was an exhibit area where things like Bibles, CDs, and DVDs of hymns were sold, students were recruited for Christian colleges, and mission works like ours were displayed. I knew a lot of the folks in this workshop, because I have been on it three times before, and have worked with many of them in campaigns at various times in the past.
The brethren from the Southeast came to the Orlando workhop, and I thought about how different this was than what they knew at home. It was radically different in cosmetic things that do not matter, but in what really counts we were all together, and that is the theme of today's lesson.