Boredom, a seemingly simple emotion, takes on intricate layers within the church. At first glance, it might be dismissed as transient, yet upon deeper reflection, it’s evident that this emotion touches the very core of one’s relationship with worship. In understanding boredom, one is not just confronting a momentary lapse of interest, but addressing the dynamics of personal faith, engagement, and the very essence of worship.
Continue reading “Bored in Church: The Layers of Boredom Amidst Worship”6. “I gave the money for that, so I’ll make the decision as to how it’s to be used.”
Once our gifts are in the offering plate, they belong to the Lord and His church. The donor relinquishes all control and is entitled to nothing as a result. (Even the IRS agrees with that. Money given to a mission program or to benevolence cannot be dictated by the donor. Church procedure decides how it will be used.)
Continue reading “10 Things Christians should never say (part 2).”Being a disciple of Jesus means following Him, learning from Him, and seeking to live according to His teachings. It involves a personal commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior, and a desire to imitate His life and character. Jesus called His disciples to a radical and transformative way of life, and He made it clear that there is a cost to being His follower.
Continue reading “Being a Disciple of Jesus.”In life, we often face trials and temptations that test our faith and character. It is during these moments that we must cling to our convictions and remain faithful to God’s word. The profound wisdom found in Revelation 2:10, Jude 21, and 2 Peter 2:20, provides guidance on how to navigate through challenging times while remaining steadfast in our devotion to God.
Continue reading “Faithful and Steadfast: Navigating Trials and Temptations”The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, emphasizes the importance of hearing the gospel message of Jesus Christ. In Romans 10:13-17, he outlines the necessity of proclaiming the good news and the profound impact it has on individuals’ lives. This passage sheds light on the transformative power of the gospel message and highlights the vital role of hearing it.
Continue reading “The Necessity of Hearing the Gospel Message of Jesus”Rodney Nulph
Today, we will continue with part 2 of Rodney’s article. Full details at the end of the article.
Secondly, we must have directions. This point makes me smile. Why? Because often people are quick to give directions to places on earth, whether they know how to get there or not! On numerous occasions, I have asked for directions, only to have two people begin arguing on how to get to where I wanted to go. “Go down here and take a right.” “No, you go left.” I usually just smile, say, “Thank you,” and drive on, realizing the ones giving directions were more lost than I was. This is so true spiritually!
Continue reading “Navigating (part 2)”Rodney Nulph
Today, I want to share an article I read on the Gospel Gazette. It’s too long for a single bulletin article so I’ve divided it into two articles. This is part 1 and next week we will have part 2. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Note: I have put the link to the original article at the bottom and contact info for the original author.
Continue reading “Navigating (part 1)”Psalm 34:18–19
“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” (ESV)
This verse is often interpreted as a message of hope and comfort for those who are going through difficult times. But just as important is the idea that the Lord is always near to those who believe in Him. God cares deeply for every one of us.
Continue reading “The Lord loves you and wants to be close to you.”The promise that Jesus will walk with us is found throughout the Bible. One of the most well-known passages is found in Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says to his disciples, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This promise comes at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, after Jesus has been resurrected from the dead and has given his disciples the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations.
Continue reading “Jesus walks with us.”Bright and shiny light bulbs! What an invention the light bulb. Every time I need to see what is in the darkness I can flip that switch and that bulb shines brightly. Yet is that bulb actually shining? Nope, actually the bulb is just protecting the filament that has been carefully placed within the bulb that causes it to shine.
Continue reading “The Element Within!”In today’s bulletin, I want to talk about my beliefs on church activity. Now, let me say right up front that this has drastically changed over the years. There was a time when I believed that a church was failing in its responsibilities if it wasn’t always busy doing something. What we were doing didn’t matter as much as long as the church was doing something. That all changed when I learned the phrase, “Holiness doesn’t equal holiness.” That truth drove me back to the Bible and Jesus as my example. I saw that Jesus was always busy but even then, what he was doing mattered more than simply being busy. He always prioritized people over busyness and if he was interrupted he took the time to see the person and their needs. Just as important, he always took time for himself, rested, and encouraged his disciples to do the same.
Continue reading “Patience, family, and church work.”The other day I was reading a email and the writer mentioned Numbers 11:11 which says, “Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?”
This started me to thinking about the answer to Moses question. Why would God allow Moses to carry such a monolithic task? Why would God entrust the success of His great plan of redemption, for all mankind, on this one man?
Continue reading “A New Perspective”The letter of Jude and the person are not well known to modern readers of the Bible. Most have no idea who he was or why his unique letter is even considered Scripture. I call his letter unique because of its contents. In the letter Jude refers to a book called “The Assumption of Moses” and one called “The Book of Enoch.” Do not let this cause you to think they are inspired or even worthy of your time to read them. Jude is simply referencing books that were well-known in this time to make a point about faithfulness and the danger of rebelling against God.
Continue reading “Introduction to Jude”As we begin our new year at Central Haywood we need to think about what we can do to help the church grow. Each of us is important to the overall growth of this church.
Continue reading “Finding your place within the body of Christ.”Talk about an oxymoron. The epitome of isolation and loneliness connected with what should be the epitome of family, purpose, and belonging. You may disagree with my choice of titles, but chances are, you were taught to be a “lone wolf” just like me. From childhood most of us were taught that all we needed to succeed in life was hard work and determination. We were conditioned to believe that we don’t need anything or anyone to attain our goals in life. We were raised to be lone wolves in life, in work, and perhaps most importantly, in our faith.
Continue reading “Lone Wolf Christianity.”
Central Haywood Church of Christ 