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January 11, 2009TO 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.
FAMILY NEWS
NEW CLASSES UNDERWAY: Our Bible classes have changed and we encourage you to look into the new classes. On Wednesday night and Sunday night we are looking at challenges to the Bible and to the Christian system. So far we have looked at OBE (out-of-body experiences) experiences and what Paul's OBE was. We are currently looking at homosexuality and God's teaching--are people born gay, and were biblical characters homosexual lovers--Jonathan and David, Naomi and Ruth, etc.? Jim Harasewicz completes his wonderful study on the parables today and Larry Brewer will beging a new class next Sunday morning. We work hard on making these classes interesting and relevant. Come and join us in these studies.
FAIR EXHIBIT PROPOSAL. The congregation here plans to have a booth at the Cass County Fair in August. The Niles congregation has expressed an interest in being lnvolved with us in this outreach. John Clayton has made up a proposal of a booth titled "Know Why You Believe What You Believe," which would provide materials on how we can know there is a God, which God we should worship, and what we should understand from the Bible. We already have materials that we can make available to visitors on this. A sketch and outline of what the panels might contain was distributed last Sunday. We would like for everyone to look at that, and if you have another idea let us know about what alternative you might offer. If you see a change that should be made in the plans offered, that would be welcomed as well. Give your ideas to Bill Gibson, Bill Salmons, Karl Marcussen, or John Clayton
TODAY’S LESSON
END TIMES MADNESS
INTRODUCTION
We live in a culture immersed in
weirdness.
UFOs, ghosts, bigfoot, psychics, Y2K, video games, etc.
In religion--end times
Lots of reasons for end times
madness--UFOs, ghosts, bigfoot, psychics, Y2K, video games, etc.
In religion--end times
Makes money.
People are unhappy, frustrated, scared.
Vulnerable to rumors--John 21:21-23--this is not new.
People do not know the Bible--are easily misled.
Acts 1:7
We need to be skeptics when it
comes to religious claims.People are unhappy, frustrated, scared.
Vulnerable to rumors--John 21:21-23--this is not new.
People do not know the Bible--are easily misled.
Acts 1:7
"One who will not accept
hearsay--that always demands evidence."
Second Peter 1:16--"We did not follow cleverly invented stories (the Greek is the word for myths) when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Believe no story unless there
are multiple witnesses.Second Peter 1:16--"We did not follow cleverly invented stories (the Greek is the word for myths) when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
All biblical witnesses have
multiple testimony--John 5:31; Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; Matthew
18:16,19-20.
Learn to test everythingDeuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:21-22
First Thessalonians 5:21
How do we test?--Acts 17: 11
Galatians 1:8-10 makes a promise.
ApplicationsFirst Thessalonians 5:21
How do we test?--Acts 17: 11
Galatians 1:8-10 makes a promise.
UFOs, abductions, crop
circles, aliens
Big foot, Loch Ness, etc.
Bermuda Triangle
Ghost stories--Amityville horror, Scottish spook castle
Psychic Hotline
Y3K - Y2K, etc.
End Times--
Big foot, Loch Ness, etc.
Bermuda Triangle
Ghost stories--Amityville horror, Scottish spook castle
Psychic Hotline
Y3K - Y2K, etc.
End Times--
Be aware this is a huge
money-making scam.
End times promoters do not take the Bible literally.
End times promoters have an agenda.
See Does God Exist?, Nov/Dec 2008, page 11.
Realize we are all in our end time. Be prepared!
End times promoters do not take the Bible literally.
End times promoters have an agenda.
See Does God Exist?, Nov/Dec 2008, page 11.
Realize we are all in our end time. Be prepared!
"DOES GOD EXIST"AND DOWAGIAC
One of the ministries this congregation is involved is is the Does God Exist? ministry that John Clayton directs. The Church here does not have financial involvement in this ministry in the sense that any of our contribution goes into the ministry, but the Dowagiac Church of Christ bank account and insurance does involve Does God Exist? Does God Exist? is supported by congregations and individuals all over the world, and is financially independent. There are two full-time paid employees and two part-time employees. The offices for the program are in the Clayton home and at the Rink Printing Co. in South Bend. The storage area is in a building at Bill and Patty Gibson's camp ground.
Every year the Does God Exist? staff prepares a report on the year's activities. This explains the ministry, what it does, how it does it, and what the financial situation is. Copies of that report are now available. Please be sure that you get a copy today before you leave and read through it. We want everyone at Dowagiac to be aware of what this work is about and what it does. Our contribution every month to the prison ministry is also connected to this program. If you have any questions please feel free to ask John Clayton or Karl Marcussen.
One thing that you need to be aware of is that in August of this year there will be a special Does God Exist? retreat at Michiana Christian Service Camp located between Dowagiac and Niles off of highway M-140. This will involve daytime classes every day from August 10 through the 14. Each evening there will be a special Does God Exist? seminar lecture. These are the visualized lessons that John Clayton presents throughout the world on faith in God and how science supports the existence of God and the validity of the Christian system.
We hope that everyone will save their evenings that week to be a part of this series--Monday through Thursday night. This will also be advertised to other Churches in the area, and may lead us to other outreaches in the area in the coming years. If anyone wishes to come to any or all of the daytime classes they are welcome to do so. Mark your calendar!
One of the ministries this congregation is involved is is the Does God Exist? ministry that John Clayton directs. The Church here does not have financial involvement in this ministry in the sense that any of our contribution goes into the ministry, but the Dowagiac Church of Christ bank account and insurance does involve Does God Exist? Does God Exist? is supported by congregations and individuals all over the world, and is financially independent. There are two full-time paid employees and two part-time employees. The offices for the program are in the Clayton home and at the Rink Printing Co. in South Bend. The storage area is in a building at Bill and Patty Gibson's camp ground.
Every year the Does God Exist? staff prepares a report on the year's activities. This explains the ministry, what it does, how it does it, and what the financial situation is. Copies of that report are now available. Please be sure that you get a copy today before you leave and read through it. We want everyone at Dowagiac to be aware of what this work is about and what it does. Our contribution every month to the prison ministry is also connected to this program. If you have any questions please feel free to ask John Clayton or Karl Marcussen.
One thing that you need to be aware of is that in August of this year there will be a special Does God Exist? retreat at Michiana Christian Service Camp located between Dowagiac and Niles off of highway M-140. This will involve daytime classes every day from August 10 through the 14. Each evening there will be a special Does God Exist? seminar lecture. These are the visualized lessons that John Clayton presents throughout the world on faith in God and how science supports the existence of God and the validity of the Christian system.
We hope that everyone will save their evenings that week to be a part of this series--Monday through Thursday night. This will also be advertised to other Churches in the area, and may lead us to other outreaches in the area in the coming years. If anyone wishes to come to any or all of the daytime classes they are welcome to do so. Mark your calendar!