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Teaching the Old Lessons Mark White Every once in a while, some well-meaning but misguided brother will chide us for teaching the old lessons. He will say, “You are answering questions which no one is asking any longer.” By this, he means to squelch our teaching on the first principles of Gospel obedience and salvation […]
Teaching the Old Lessons Mark White Every once in a while, some well-meaning but misguided brother will chide us for teaching the old lessons. He will say, “You are answering questions which no one is asking any longer.” By this, he means to squelch our teaching on the first principles of Gospel obedience and salvation […]
The Pulpit Roger Shouse “Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hikiah, and Masseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishel, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand.” (Nehemiah 8:4) Ezra stood at a wooden podium. […]
Understanding the Message Greg Gwin Did you hear about the fella who was discussing his recent visit to a church service? Someone asked him, “What did the preacher preach about?” To which he replied, “I don’t know. He didn’t say!” There could be at least a couple of reasons why a person could attend a […]
Was the Death of Stephen Unnecessary? Windell Wiser The title that heads this article may sound strange, but the actions and philosophies of some merit our consideration of such a question. It is true that we live in a country where we enjoy religious freedom. It is not against the law to preach Christ in […]
Is It Right to Criticize Another Person’s Religion? Kevin Kay It’s not only right to criticize false religion, no matter whose religion it is; it’s the faithful Christian’s responsibility. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:7-9). Paul criticized those who tried to bind the shadows of the Mosaic […]
Understanding Angels Mike Johnson When you hear the word angel, what image comes to mind? Various visualizations may occur, but there is a good chance that paintings, drawings, modern-day television programs, and movies have influenced what we see. Some may think of a beautiful woman with long hair wearing a white robe who moves about […]
Following Elders into Error Mike Johnson Elders have a vital function in the Lord’s church. They are to oversee the flock— they are to feed, or shepherd, the local congregation of which they are a part (Acts 20:17, 28; I Pet. 5:1-2). Elders are to watch for grievous wolves (or false teachers) who threaten the […]
Reaping What We Sow (Gal. 6:7-8) Mike Johnson Near the end of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, in a section of practical applications, Paul warned, “(7) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (8) For he who sows to his flesh will of […]
Preacher’s Point I would rather have thousands to say to me at the judgment, “We heard you preach and You hurt our feelings,” than to have just one lost soul to say, “I heard you preach, but you did not tell me the truth.” John T. Lewis Related Article
So, What’s a Good Sermon? Jefferson David Tant Out of all the thousands of sermons preachers have delivered and to which people have listened, how would we determine which sermons are good, which are bad, or which are so-so? I would suppose that even preachers evaluate themselves from time to time, and on occasion might […]
Restoring the Erring Mike Johnson The book of Galatians can be divided into three sections. Chapters 1-2 are autobiographical as Paul defends his apostleship, which is a foundation for what follows. Chapters 3-4 are doctrinal. Here, Paul defends his message about salvation through Christ without the works of the old law. Finally, chapters 5-6 are […]
=========================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 1 April 2021 =========================================== Silence of the Preachers Joe R. Price Jeremiah was set in place by God to be His prophet to Jerusalem, […]
Dangerous Preaching Sewell Hall A man who accepts the task of preaching the gospel accepts a dreadful responsibility. “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). Application of these words may not be limited to what we commonly term local preachers, but they apply […]
================================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 2 May 2021 ================================================= Dangerous Preaching Sewell Hall A man who accepts the task of preaching the gospel accepts a dreadful responsibility. “My brethren, […]
============================================= SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume II Number 4 July 2021 ============================================= How Jesus Faced Temptation Mike Johnson Christians often face temptations, and new Christians are especially vulnerable to the “schemes” of […]
Silence of the Preachers Joe R. Price Jeremiah was set in place by God to be His prophet to Jerusalem, Judah, and the nations. With God’s word, Jeremiah was set “to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:4-5, 9-10). When he was severely […]
The Great Flood Mike Johnson Genesis 6-9 accounts for the great flood in ancient times. Chapters 4 and 5 tell about the descendants of Cain and Seth, the sons of Adam and Eve. From the text, we can conclude that Cain’s descendants were generally wicked, and Seth’s were generally righteous. It appears from chapter 6 […]
The Pulpit Roger Shouse “Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hikiah, and Masseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishel, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand.” (Nehemiah 8:4) Ezra stood at a wooden podium. […]
That Preacher Offended Me! Harry Osborne What would you think of a preacher whose sermons offended people and were taken as insulting by the hearers? What if a preacher caused the audience to be filled with anger because of the hard things he said? What if he went so far as to mock false beliefs? […]
Jesus: Intolerant, Confrontational, and Exclusionary Dan Gatlin The typical denominational view of both Father and Son is that “God is love,” and only love. What is so easily forgotten is His severity (Romans 11:22) and wrath (II Thessalonians 1:3-10). Jesus is depicted as quiet, soft-spoken, harmless, almost a wimp (nothing could be further from the […]
Distinctive Preaching W. Curtis Porter I cannot conceive of their having ever been a time in all of the history of the church that distinctive preaching was not needed. Perhaps there have been periods of that history in which such preaching was more sorely needed than at other times; but if so, the failure of […]
The Need for Distinctive Preaching Jim Deason The role of the teacher is to hold back nothing profitable, but to teach the whole purpose of God (Acts 20:20, 27). That is the key to faithfully fulfilling the work of an elder or evangelist, i.e., that we hold back nothing that is profitable to the people. Preaching on the love of […]
SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume I Number 2 May 2020 ================================================== Table of Contents Failure to Get Back to Basics ————— Connie W. Adams Now Is the Time to Obey God—————- Author […]
Contend Earnestly for the Faith (Jude 3) Mike Johnson It is clear from the Old Testament that God intended for us to adhere to His Word, and the Scriptures should not be violated (Deut. 4:1-4, 5:32-33; Josh 1:7; Num. 22:18, 24:13; Pb. 4:26-27, 30:5-6; Lev. 18:4-5). Consider now the same concept from the standpoint of […]
Do Not Preach Any Other Gospel! (Galatians 1:6-9) Mike Johnson In Galatians 1, Paul said he marveled because the Galatians were “turning away so soon” to “a different gospel.” He also pointed out there were some who had troubled them and wanted to pervert the gospel of Christ. Then (v. 8) he warned, “But even […]
The Importance of Biblical Teaching Mike Johnson The Bible emphasizes that it is essential for our teaching to be in a very bold and straightforward manner, and preaching must be in strict compliance with the Bible. The early church received a great deal of teaching, and the Bible describes the instruction done then and that […]
======================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume I Number 7 October 2020 ======================================== BIBLICAL AUTHORITY (2) THE AUTHORITY OF GOD Mike Johnson Everyone is subject to authority today. Employees, for example, are […]
You Preached Right at Me Author Unknown Frequently after a preacher of the gospel declares the pure and plain Word of God in a scriptural and forceful manner, someone in the audience will complain to him, “You preached right at me!” Actually it is a good thing for the complainer to apply the lesson in […]
What Were They Told? Author Unknown In the first century when sinners were convicted of their sins and obviously believed that “that same Jesus whom” they had “crucified” had been made “both Lord and Christ”, they said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, WHAT SHALL WE DO?” They were […]
Truth’s Narrow Door Earl Kimbrough Jesus said, “Strive to enter in by the narrow door.” (Luke 13:24, RV). Truth is always narrow. This is true of all truth. Two plus two equals four. Of all the answers that might be given as the sum of two plus two, only one is right. A person who […]
Poison Author Unknown A worldly-wise lady said, “Oh! Oh! All the religions have so much good in them! We shouldn’t criticize or condemn any of them.” To this, a wise man replied, “So has rat poison a lot of good in it; it is 98% cornmeal, yet the 2% poison in it is enough to […]
Preacher’s Point “I would rather have thousands to say to me at the judgment, ‘We heard you preach, and you hurt our feelings,’ than to have just one lost soul to say, ‘[ heard you preach, but you did not tell me the truth.’” (John T. Lewis)
THE KIND OF PREACHING WE NEED Greg Gwin People may have various views about preachers and their work, but the Bible plainly states the kind of preaching that is needed in the world today. We need preaching that is: 1. Bible-based: The Lord told Jonah to “preach the preaching I bid thee” (Jonah 3:2). Some […]
PREACH A SERMON PREACHER Hugh Davis Preach a sermon preacher but make it short and sweet; Our stomachs strike at twelve o’clock a hungering for to eat. Preach a sermon preacher with words so smooth and fair; For philosophy and theory we are thirsting; for scripture we don’t care. Preach a sermon preacher, punctuate it […]
================================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume I Number 10 January 2021 ================================== BIBLICAL AUTHORITY (5) Obedience and the Old Testament Mike Johnson One of the most vital questions involved in the study […]
============================== SEEKING THINGS ABOVE “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1) Volume I Number 11 February 2021 ============================== BIBLICAL AUTHORITY (6) The New Testament: God’s Message Mike Johnson The Scriptures teach the authority of God, Christ, and the […]
Amen David J. Riggs It appears to me that we are living in an age where preachers are trying to be sensational instead of spiritual, shocking instead of scriptural, cute rather than correct, clever instead of clear, different rather than doctrinal, and unusual in the place of unerring. What we need today is more fearless […]
True Life The goal of the gospel is to prepare people for heaven. Its emphasis centers upon happiness in a life to come rather than upon this life. “For what profit is it to be a man,” Jesus once asked, “if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” The Lord would teach […]
How True Sometimes when a congregation is seeking a preacher they want: The strength of an eagle, The grace of a swan, The gentleness of a dove, The friendliness of a sparrow, The night hours of an owl, The dress of a peacock. And when they find such a bird they expect him to live […]
IS IT NARROW MINDED? Jere Frost I don’t know about you, but I get a little weary of hearing the word “narrow” used as a slur against preachers who adhere to the Bible in their preaching. Sure they are “narrow,” but so are factory workers, surgeons, druggists, and teachers. The factory worker is so “narrow” […]
Steamed Up Over A Sermon? John Clark Did you ever get really “steamed up” over a sermon? If you have not you have missed a fascinating human experience. I have some “what to do in case of” thoughts on the matter. Next time you get upset at a lesson, you try these things. First, you […]
Modern Preachers “The modern preacher takes a few tablets of the doctrine of Christ, dissolves them in a gallon or two of sentimental rose water, puts a little of the solution in an atomizer and sprays the congregation to the tune of “sweet spirited” Christianity and the fragrance of a gentle life. If, by evaporation, […]
“Break It To Me Gently” There were two brothers, John and Richard, who lived in the same town. John lived with his twelve-year-old cat. Richard lived with their eighty-eight year old mother. John’s whole life was his cat. He never went anywhere without her. One day he was faced with a terrible decision. He had […]
WHAT IS A SERMON FOR? People often say after a service, “How did you like the sermon?” This is not the most important question to ask. The crucial question is not “Did you like it?” but “Did it HELP you?” Sermons are not preached TO BE LIKED but TO BE LIVED! Did the sermon bring […]
Can We Have Too Much Positive Preaching? Greg Gwin We readily acknowledge the importance of positive preaching. Brethren need the “comfort of the Scriptures” (Romans15:4). Paul sent Tychicus to the Ephesians so that he could “comfort your hearts.” Timothy was dispatched to Philippi (Philippians 2:9) and Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:2) in order to comfort the […]
Who, or What is Right? Very few preachers I have known or heard have mounted a rostrum to declare to an audience, “I am right in all that I believe, teach and practice and anyone who will not accept this cannot be right with God.” What I have heard, and through the years tried to […]
A Preacher’s Wildest Dream Realized! We love to hear you extrapolate About the meaning of Christ’s word; We simply cannot get enough; Expounding on things of the Lord! We hate to see you close the book When “now in conclusion” you say We wish your sermon would continue on Such short sermons are our dismay! […]
They Were All Wrong A good many years ago, a preacher went into a town where there was no New Testament church. He preached in a house of worship and then in the market place of the city. Soon the religious leaders of the city heard him and invited him to address them. They thought […]
A Preacher Who Wouldn’t Do A church was in need of a preacher. One of the elders was interested in finding out just what kind of a preacher the church wanted. In order to do this he composed a letter as though it had been received from a preacher and read it to the […]
BIBLE PREACHING John the Baptist’s message from the wilderness was not “Smile—God loves you.” It was “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come.” Jeremiah was not put into a miry pit for preaching, “I’m OK; you’re OK.” It was for crying against adultery, idolatry and other wickedness […]
A Lesson from Luther Mike Johnson Luther was quite slow from a mental standpoint. He was well-liked in the community, and it was easy to get along with him. However, some of the young men in the neighborhood could not resist having some fun with him from time to time. At the little store where […]