Family News and Notes
Glad to see everyone here this morning you were among those who set your clock forward for Daylight Savings Time last nite. If you just got here you were missed at Bible Class.
Building Fund Day. If you plan to contribute you may do so today.
Brochures for the upcoming Gospel Meeting April 23 thru 26 are on the table in the foyer. Please take one or more as needed to give to friends and neighbors. Spread the word and make your own plans to attend.
Many thanks to the young people and parents who spent last Sunday afternoon making some beautiful butterfly sun-catchers and then delivering them to the 80+ residents of Pleasant Springs Nursing Center. Thanks also to the kind donors who donated money for the Pizza lunch for the young people. It was a nice afternoon for a youth service project and left both the residents and participants feeling good.
The Wednesday evening service was great with the men of the congregation presenting the lesson.
Ladies Day, yesterday, here at the building was a great success. Many were in attendance. The ladies did a great job in preparing for this and the lesson and singing was good.
If you plan to attend the egghunt/weiner roast/bonfire/devotional on April 8 at the Stewart's, bring blankets, lawn chairs, drinks & chips for your family. Everything else will be provided. See you about 2:30 PM.
VISITATION TEAMS will not meet again until April 11th. Time and agenda to be announced later.
With regards to the recent tragedy involving the Matthew Winkler family in Selmer, TN the elders at the Huntingdon Church of Christ have set up a fund to help the children of this family. IF you wish to make a donation toward this effort you may mail your donation to: Huntington Church of Christ
Matthew Winkler Family fund
18900 West Main Street
Huntingdon, TN 38344-4315
The family has a separate fund at: Winkler Family Fund
229 Ward Circle Suite A-23
Brentwood, TN 37027
Please keep the Winkler family in your prayers, and also remember Matthew's wife Mary.
Deborah Biesemeyer got out of the hospital Thursday, but is staying in Mabank for a few days, prior to beginning her Chemo treatments on Monday.
At last report Elna O'Neal was still at the home of her daughter, Candy, in Dallas, during her initial recovery period. She hopes to come home soon.
Nancy Chastain is back at home again, but continues to be seriously ill. She is in need of our prayers.
Jean Bell has been sick at home for several weeks and would appreciate phone calls and cards.
Wanda Abbey Rivera (Betty Abbey's daughter) has been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. She was scheduled to have surgery. Please remember her in your prayers.
Juanita DuBose (Judy's mom) is scheduled to have her heart valve replaced Tuesday morning at Baylor in Dallas. Judy requests your prayers for her mother. Her dad is wheelchair bound at home and we need to remember him as well.
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Jean Bell, Deborah Biesemeyer, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown, Billye Campbell, Nancy Chastain, Perry Cooper, Irene Duncan,
Patsy Duncan, Vernon Garrett, Hollis Lee, Joyce Lee, Georgia Lide,
Courtney Marshall, Elna O'Neal, Wayne Pickrel, Marie Plemmons, Helen Roper, Dorothy Sargent, Alva Mae Sheets, Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt, LaShedra Traylor
ALSO: Wanda Abbey Rivera, Melba Boyd, Cristell Cato, Austin Cody,
Juanita DuBose, Wesley DuBose, Larry Freeman, Horace George, Pat Hughes,
Betty Newman, Thelma Reed, Ruby Jeffery, Wayne Lineberger, Lonita Thompson
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What's Expected Of You?
In every organization there is a level of expectation of the collective body toward the individual members. For example, if you join the country club, then the club has a right to expect you to pay dues so the recreational facilities can be maintained. If you join a service club, like Lions or Kiwanis, the members have every right to expect your participation in their community projects. In fact, most of us would agree that a group has every right to expect something of its members, based on the purposes and goals of that organization.
Though we do not join the Lord's church like you join a social club, nevertheless once we are added to Christ's body upon obedience to the Gospel (Acts 2:47), we immediately come face to face with a level of group expectation. Certainly the Lord, as head of the body, has every right to expect our faithful service. But, what about the rest of the church? Do our brethren in Christ, have a right to expect something from us? I would answer YES, for the Bible teaches the church has a right to expect the following things from its members.
First, the church has the right to expect your loyalty. The New Testament says we are soldiers in God's army, but soldiers are worthless if they are not loyal. We must be loyal to the cause, to our commander, and to our comrades. Loyalty demands that we defend the cause, obey our commander, and help our comrades. Today, on every hand, we witness traitors to the cause, as they deny the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures. We see insubordination to our Commander and Chief by those who deny the authority of the Scriptures. We observe disloyalty to our comrades by those who desire unity with the enemy. Brethren, the church will quickly be overrun by its enemies, unless we return to a standard of loyalty to pure New Testament Christianity.
Secondly, your brethren have a right to expect your cooperation and participation. Cooperation and participation are not just expected of soldiers, they are demanded. Armies despise loafers and leeches, and have developed effective ways to discipline soldiers who are so inclined! Likewise the Lord despises lethargy and lukewarmness (Rev. 3:16}, and also has an effective way to deal with the problem. Indifference will cause many "Christians" to be lost eternally. Loyal, cooperative members, though, will be found faithfully attending and participating when they are able. They'll be found generously giving of their means to support the Lord's work. They will be found giving of themselves (II Cor. 8:5), in order to do the Lord's work. The "let someone else do it" attitude, will not be found among loyal, cooperative members.
Finally, the brethren have a right to expect your sacrifice. One reason the church has quit growing is because most members have quit sacrificing for her. Far too many try to serve God without sacrifice; without being crucified to the world. It can't be done! We need a great crucifixion of self in the church today! We sacrifice for everything else that has meaning to us - our families, our homes, our hobbies - why not the church? Without sacrifice, no army will ever be victorious, The key to the victorious Christian life of Paul (II Tim. 4:7-8), is found in his willingness to crucify himself and to sacrifice for Christ. He wrote: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me..." (Gal. 6:14 & 2:20). Yes, our brethren have a right to expect our sacrifice for the good of the church. As Commander Spock so beautifully stated in a Star Trek movie, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."
As you consider what the brethren have a right to expect of you as a loyal, cooperative, and sacrificing member of Christ's church, ask yourself the following questions. Are you an attendee, or an absentee? Are you a servant, or a shirker? Are you a supporter, or a sleeper? Are you a helper, or a hindrance? Are you a leader, or a leech? Please don't let your brethren down, they are indeed expecting something from you! David McCain
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IS HE A GOOD MIXER?
Johnny Ramsey
Preachers are often the topic of conversation in any community. discussions are not always fair or honest or deifying. To some people "the preacher" is always juicy bait for a slander session. In denominational circles, where the church is mainly a social club, one expects a social view of the preacher to be the major view. Since it is good old American tradition to expect the pastor to be a party planner it is probably logical and legitimate to ask: "Is He A Good Mixer?"
But, in the church of the Lord, where we are supposed to put the premium on truth and spiritual emphasis it is but a sad reflection upon our shallow minds when we stoop to sectarian thinking in regard to those who herald the Gospel. Our questions ought to be: "Does he really love the Lord and His Word? Is he capable of proclaiming it? Will he stand strong and never compromise with error? Does he live a pure life and pay his bills? Does he know the Bible and does he continue to study it? Does he honor the Bible in regard to respecting elders in the church who oversee the work of the Lord?" Now, brethren, these are the kind of questions we ought to be asking!
Some preachers evidently think they should lead out in every political campaign, community project, fund drive and social issue. Anything, other than studying, praying, preaching and living for Christ has to come in second best for an evangelist of the Lord.
The kind of mixing we ought to be doing is mingling with those in errorin or out of the churchand correcting them with the sword of the spirit. This will accomplish more good for time and eternity than anything else anyway. Let us strive to put our approval on things that are excellent.
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