Posts by Southwest Church of Christ (Page 3)
The Stony Soil
As Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, He did not always find a receptive audience. The problem He faced was that many people were “hard of hearing” (Matt. 13:14-15). To illustrate this problem, Jesus told “The Parable of the Four Soils.” In it, we can see ourselves as we really are concerning how we receive the Word of God in our lives. Therefore, let’s consider the second one, the stony soil (Matt. 13:5-6). According to…
A Change in SWSBS Directorship
As elders, we realize that the fields are “white unto harvest” and that many good, honest people are seeking to be taught God’s Word. Therefore, faithful men and women who are well prepared with a deep knowledge of the Biblical text are urgently needed to sow the seed of God’s Kingdom (Luke 8:11). The Southwest church of Christ, aware of this need and understanding our responsibility to help meet it, inaugurated a full-time school of Bible studies on September 4,…
The Thorny Soil
As Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, He did not always find a receptive audience. The problem He faced was that many people were “hard of hearing” (Matt. 13:14-15). To illustrate this problem, Jesus told “The Parable of the Four Soils.” In it, we can see ourselves as we really are concerning how we receive the Word of God in our lives. Therefore, let’s consider the first one, the thorny soil (Matt. 13:7). According to…
I Would Do It All Over Again
Winston Churchill’s wife was named Clementine. He affectionately called her Clemmie. Churchill wasn’t generally considered handsome. He wasn’t athletic. He wasn’t rich. He wasn’t the young man that most moms were dreaming of for their daughters. Clementine’s mother, Lady Blanche Hozier, wasn’t overjoyed at the thought of her daughter marrying Winston. But, despite Winston’s many shortcomings, he possessed the one essential ingredient needed to make marriage work – love. He loved Clementine. At a banquet late in life, Churchill was…
The Wayside Soil
As Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, He did not always find a receptive audience. The problem He faced was that many people, though they had ears to hear, their ears had become “hard of hearing” (Matthew 13:14-15). To illustrate this problem, Jesus told a parable that is known as “The Parable of the Four Soils.” In it, we can see ourselves as we really are concerning how we receive the Word of God in…
Recreation or Re-Creation?
In a world that is filled with entertainment and recreation, what room is left for Christ? Robert Taylor rightly wrote, “We live in an age where people prefer fun over faith, the lake over the Lord, things over the truth, sports over the Savior, gadgets over God, gimmicks over the gospel, laughter over the Lord, recreation over redemption, and entertainment over edification…the bottom line of it all is…where are our hearts at?” How can a Christian balance recreation and holiness?…
The Betrayal & Arrest of Jesus
It has been said that “those who hurt us the most are those closest to us.” Surely, it is painful and discouraging to be betrayed by a close relative or friend. However, our experience doesn’t even compare to the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. We often concentrate on His death, burial, and resurrection– and rightly so, but from His betrayal and arrest, there is a wealth of information that we can learn from. First, Jesus’s betrayal and arrest reveals God’s…
Is God Good? – Jim Lloyd
Someone may be described as “good” if they are useful or fulfill a purpose (“He’s a good baseball player”, “She’s a good surgeon”). However, “goodness” is also appropriately defined in terms of moral character and uprightness. The Bible tells us that with God both definitions are appropriate. God Himself is good, generous, and benevolent (1 Chron. 16:34, Ps. 103:8). Everything He created was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). The Bible tells us God is working in this world and on our…
Can the Bible Be Trusted? – Rob Whitacre
The authenticity of Scripture is one of the three pillars of faith: God, the Bible, and Christ. If any of these fail, the entire Christian system falls. We are living in a growing culture of skepticism and unbelief. Believers in Scripture no longer represent the vast majority; at best, it is 50-50. If we are going to change these numbers, we need to go on the offense. An offensive Christian is an evangelistic Christian. The purpose of this article is…
Did Miracles Really Happen? – Kevin Cauley
Christianity is a religion of miracles, and the Bible records the historical fact of them. Passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 declare this. The truthfulness of the Bible’s message rests squarely upon miracles (John 20:30-31). Christianity is a historical religion with historical evidence for its truthfulness, and miracles are the key witness. Many have challenged the Bible’s claims of miracles. The philosopher David Hume wrote, “A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and…
Does God Exist? – Branyon May
Often the answers to the simplest of observations can yield the greatest insight. Consider the following questions. Where did all the stuff in our Universe come from? Who or what put order and design in nature? How did we end up on a life-bearing planet? By answering these questions, we can form a reasoned argument that our Universe is not an accident but a purposed result (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). Natural Existence Demonstrates the Need for Supernatural The simple old…
Personal Evangelism
What is your understanding of personal evangelism? When we consider this topic, we are dealing with a subject absolutely essential to the health and growth of the Lord’s church in every community. So, what is it? Simply put, personal evangelism is taking the work of sowing and watering the seed of the kingdom personally, so that God may give the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). It is a command that every Christian should be doing (Mark 16:15). Therefore, let’s consider some…