October 13, 2022
"With the passage of years the movement . . . has been identified with restoration, not unity," Lewis Foster wrote in 1984. "In fact, with many, this early essential unity thrust of the movement has been allowed to drift out of sight compared with the place it once occupied."
October 3, 2022
(We first ran this Communion meditation in January 2014.) By Ronald G. Davis In the 16th century, Francisco Coronado and a group of Spanish soldiers explored the American Southwest, looking for golden cities! A priest accompanied them to carry God’s blessing and protection. When they reached the source of the Rio Grande River in what is now central Colorado, as the traditional story is told, that priest was mortally wounded by Native Americans defending their independence. As he lay dying in the Spaniards’ escape southward, he saw a glorious sunset on newly snowcapped peaks. “Sangre de Cristo! Sangre de Cristo!”
August 10, 2022
A little more than half of the respondents (54 percent) reported their church uses the prepackaged Communion cups (with juice and bread sealed in a single container, purchased from a vendor). Among those folks, 42 percent either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” they were easy to use, while 45 percent either “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed” the prefilled cups were easy to use. . . .
The Communion survey has closed; look for results Aug. 10. (Thank you to all who participated.) This file also contains briefs about e2 partnering with Crossroads Church Partners, and Kentucky Christian University planning a Minister Appreciation Luncheon.
July 25, 2022
I know of a rock that God created that can’t be moved by anything in all of creation. . . . Jesus described that rock as he was teaching his disciples . . .
June 13, 2022
By Michael C. Mack Today is Father’s Day, a day we set aside to love and honor our dads. And it’s good that we do so! The fifth commandment instructs God’s people to “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). The commandment is repeated several times through Scripture. Jesus discussed it in his teachings, and the apostle Paul referred to it as he taught Christ followers how to live together in Christian households. So, it is right and proper to give honor to our dads. But we must remember that we
May 1, 2022
By Tom Ellsworth In 1856, postal authorities accepted a new name for a little community in southern Indiana: Santa Claus. Then, in the 1920s, the Postal Service decided there would never be another Santa Claus Post Office in the United States. Consequently, every December, more than 400,000 pieces of mail are routed through the town because of its Christmas-themed postmark. I suspect the community’s founders never anticipated the full impact of the unique name. On a little knoll just a mile or so south of Santa Claus stands quaint, white-framed Mt. Zion Christian Church, the oldest church building in Spencer
March 14, 2022
By Stuart Powell By AD 32, the region of Judea had endured the shame of Roman oppression for a century. The Jews longed to see David’s kingdom restored but didn’t know how to make it happen. They dreamt of a kingdom where Jews ruled Jews and the Law of God brought perfect harmony in the Promised Land. The Jewish faithful opposed all Greek and Roman customs and mandates. They refused to offer sacrifices to the emperor, honor the false Roman deities, or willingly pay the tribute Caesar demanded. In response, the Romans ridiculed their faith and mercilessly killed any Jews
March 7, 2022
By Stuart Powell There is nothing strange about a herd of cattle in the farmland of Indiana. However, one herd contained a single member who stood out among the many. Amid the collection of four-legged bovine grazed a two-legged, feathered, web-footed, white goose. Nothing could hide the differences between the bird and the other grazing animals. Christians are called to be like that goose in the world. Just as a goose doesn’t belong in a herd of cattle, followers of Jesus don’t fit in with the ideas and priorities of worldly people. God expects us to intermingle with the rest
February 28, 2022
By Stuart Powell God created humanity as male and female. He took care of their need for relationships by teaching them how to love him and each other. When they sinned and learned of their nakedness, God covered their shame, as explained in the Tree of Life Version: “Adonai Elohim made Adam and his wife tunics of skin and He clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). This is the first record of God clothing humanity. Initially, Adam and Eve knew nothing of evil, shame, or clothing. When they disobeyed, the fruit opened their eyes to evil, and evil exposed their shame. God
February 7, 2022
When believers gather to share in the loaf and the cup of the Lord’s Supper, we too come together in harmony . . .
January 3, 2022
As we eat and drink, remember that Jesus knows our failures as clearly as he knew Peter’s.
November 29, 2021
Angels received the privilege of announcing the birth of Jesus, but God gave the church the task of announcing to the world Jesus' sacrificial death to pay for sin.
November 25, 2021
In a 1954 editorial about Thanksgiving, Burris Butler wrote: "As a nation we have been blessed with abundant material benefits. For these we may properly give thanks, but our thanksgiving should not stop there . . ."
November 22, 2021
We often ponder the impact of our sinful choices on our lives and spirits, but do we consider the impact of our sin on God?
August 16, 2021
At least once this past week you almost certainly felt overwhelmed or inadequate. But knowing Christ and how much he values us should lift us up as nothing else can.
What the world needs is someone who can do what the heroes of the Marvel universe cannot—kill evil at its root.
The metaphor Jesus' used, “as a hen gathers her chicks,” surely got his disciples' attention.
We don’t have to fear death any more than a seed needs to fear being planted.
February 1, 2021
A few weeks before the pandemic’s arrival in early 2020, my wife and I drove to Grand Island, Nebraska, to speak to a conference of rural churches from across the state. We had the privilege of encouraging 125 leaders. That was a pretty long trip, even in a hybrid vehicle, so we needed to stop every so often to fill up with gas. If we were to run out of gas, it would be pretty silly to get mad at the car. It’s our responsibility to fuel up when needed. In a similar way, we need regular fuel stops to
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