Family News and Notes
DON'T FORGET THE FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON scheduled for TODAY right after the morning services. Everyone is invited.
We need to replenish several items in our Pantry, so please take one of the inventory sheets on the table in the foyer. Check those items that we are low on and if you are willing and able to bring some of the items you are encouraged to do so. Thanks.
EVERYONE is encouraged to complete an ATTENDANCE CARD. Fill out a card for the Bible Class and another for the Sunday morning and evening Worship service and on Wednesday nite fill out another card. Visitors are encouraged to furnish a complete and legible mailing address. (Please print) Your cooperation in this important records keeping is needed.
Copies of the Minutes from the Men's Business Meeting on Sunday, October 12, and Financial Statement for the month ending September 20, 2003, are available on the table in the foyer. If you are interested, please feel free to take a copy.
Sandra and Darrell Cooper returned home Tuesday evening following a lengthy stay in Houston (approximately 90 days). They will be here a week or two before Sandra has to return to Houston for further treatment.
Joyce Lee received a report from her doctor last Monday that she has two (2) blocked arteries in her heart. She is to return to the doctor in a few days to receive further evaluation as to what type treatment is recommended.
Ralph Phillips is scheduled for cataract surgery on October 23, 2003.
Steve Thomas, Djuana Thomas' husband, has not been fully diagnosed as to his problem yet, but is suspected to have West Nile Virus. He has been in the hospital this past week, but is now back at home. He and the family wish to thank everyone for their phone calls, cards, and prayers during his illness.
Ken Mulllins, of North Ridge congregation, is in Titus Regional Medical Center. He will be having surgery sometime in the next 2 weeks.
Please change your records to reflect this new address for Brandon and Staci Cook.
Brandon & Staci Cook
2529 West Cactus Road #2090
Phoenix, Arizona 85029
602-237-5794
Staci Cook's grandmother, Odessa Graham, passed away on Friday, October 10, 2003. Her funeral was conducted on Monday in Oklahoma.
Yvonne Smith, sister-in-law of Thelma Reed, passed away this past week. Graveside service was conducted Thursday at 11:00 AM at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Mount Pleasant.
REMINDER. Bible Quiz on Tuesday, October 28th in Clarksville. More later.
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"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be"
-Robert Browning
With great love
we joyfully announce our marriage,
which took place
September 10, 2003
Belt Line Church of Christ
Irving, Texas
by Don Hatch, Minister
John David Wright
and
Shirley Ingram Campbell-Wright
Please join us at a wedding reception
Saturday, October 25, 2003
5:007:00 PM
Pilgrim's Community Room
Southside Pilgrim's Bank
Mt. Pleasant, TX.
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Sandra Cooper, Bonnie Horton, Howard Horton, Carl Lee, Joyce Lee, Autumn Miller, Ralph Phillips
ALSO: Judy Betts, Marie Butler, R. C. Grissom, Ken Mullins, Gene Riley, Steve Thomas
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Service Arrangements
ANNOUNCEMENTS.........................Bud Roach
SONG LEADER AM .....................Lee Moses
PM ........................Bill Jones
PRAYERS Sunday
AM First Prayer.......................Lewis Robertson
AM Closing............................... Frankie Sargent
PM First Prayer..........................Wayne Pickrel
PM Closing.................................. Roger Grimes
PRAYERS Wednesday Nite
First Prayer......................................Jack Cooper
Closing...........................................Jerry Freeman
COMMUNION FOR OCTOBER
AM Jerry Freeman......................Grady Duncan
Vernon Garrett.........................Bob Hedges
Devon Phillips.............................Joe Ferrell
PM Ralph Phillips.........................Glenn Parham
ATTENDANCE COUNTER.........Grady Duncan
TRANSPORTATION........Call Frankie Sargent
903-572-2647
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Is Faith Dangerous?
by Lee Moses
In the aftermath of 9-11, there have been many efforts from those in power to avert the finger of blame from pointing at the Islamic religion and their holy book, the Qur'an. Some have claimed that Islam is a "religion of peace," and therefore not responsible for influencing the conduct of these and other countless Muslim terrorists. Others have tried to say that all religions are equally bad. Professed Christians, apparently in an effort to make a show of charity, have asserted that Christianity has been just as guilty as Islam in promoting terrorism. Atheists, however, have used the events of 9-11 as an opportunity to gloat. Many atheists have claimed that all religion is evil and will continue to result in evil, citing 9-11 as proof. One article advocating this notion asserts, "Faith is dangerous."
Predictably, those trying to say that Christianity is equally evil with Islam will point to such events as the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and such like as proof. But were any of these prompted by Christianity, the system of religion? The basis of true Christianity is the New Testament, and any Christian activity must be authorized by the New Testament (Col. 3:17; II Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). There is no New Testament authority for anyone to wage a "holy war" in the name of Jesus. Contrarily, when Peter attempted to engage in physical combat for Jesus, Jesus told him, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. 26:52). The New Testament instructs each believer to "suffer as a Christian" (I Pet. 4:16), not "as a Christian, cause others to suffer." Time and again, the New Testament instructs mankind not to retaliate in vengeance; much less does it encourage physically attacking others unprovoked (Matt. 5:38-44; Luke 9:52-56; Rom. 12:17,19; I Thess. 5:15; I Pet. 2:23; 3:9). Meting out justice upon earth is a charge which has been specifically enjoined upon civil governments (Rom. 13:1-4). Christianity is a religion which is impossible to impose upon another by physical force, and nowhere does the New Testament encourage such. Those who have claimed to be doing God's will by slaying unbelievers merely act in their own self-interest. The Crusades were supposedly to reclaim the "holy land" from the Turks; however, there is no physical holy land in Christianity - only a spiritual holy land (John 4:21-24). The Crusades likely appealed to the masses as an opportunity to plunder great fortunes during a time of famine in Europe, and appealed to pope Urban II as an opportunity to increase the power and prestige of the papacy.
The previously-mentioned article ("Faith is Dangerous") derives the following as its final conclusion:
Peaceful coexistence with tolerance between Islamic and the western pro-Christian peoples would be considerably enhanced if both societies would reject faith-based thinking and adopt pro-fact cultures using the scientific method with emphasis on critical thinking supported by verifiable evidence. . . . Blind faith is the problem. Faith is promoted by religious clerics to prevent inquiry and rational thinking in order to protect insupportable religious dogma. Faith is an obstacle in the way of intellectual growth, tolerance and consequently, world peace.
This statement would be true if the writer did not interchangeably use "faith" and "blind faith." Blind faith is a belief/system of belief which cannot be supported because it is not based on evidence. If people would only understand that true faith (Christianity) depends upon verifiable evidence! (Acts 17:2,11; 18:4,19; Heb. 11:1; I John 4:1). True faith does not cause people to act irrationally. True faith does not cause people to murder one another. True faith can be proven, demands that people live righteously, and is the only way one can be saved. Is faith dangerous?
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The Grace Of Exhortation
By David A. McCain
Have you ever met someone who has truly mastered "the grace of exhortation?" Aren't they a delight to be around? Think of the people in your life who have meant the most to you. I'll guess they are folks who are practitioners of the grace of exhortation. They are the people who know the right thing to say, in the right way, and at the right time, when you really need it. They live by the "Golden Rule" (Mt. 7:12), which by our common paraphrase states, "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you!"
Faithful Christians are to strive to be encouragers and exhorters of others, and we have a special responsibility to encourage and exhort our brethren in all that is holy and good. Paul commanded, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:9-10). I didn't realize, though, how much the Scriptures have to say about exhortation, until I made a detailed study of the subject. The word "encourage" appears 9 times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the force of the concept is strengthened by a change to the word "exhort," or a derivative thereof, which appears 34 times in 33 verses. A sampling of those passages follows:
"But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him..." (Deut. 1:38). "And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves..." (Judges 20:22). "....but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God" (I Sam. 30:6). "...to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord" (II Chron. 31:4). "...We exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children" (I Thess. 2:11). "We exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak..." (I Thess. 5:14). "...give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine" (I Tim. 4:13). "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (II Tim. 4:2). "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 3:13). "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Heb. 10:25).
There are many ways we can practice the grace of exhortation. A visit to the sick, ...a vase of flowers to a shut-in, ...a meal for a family in need, ...an invitation to dinner to a lonely person, ...a repair accomplished for a widow, ...a well-placed compliment to a young person, ...taking a moment to listen to an old person's reminiscences, ...a note of encouragement, ...a smile and a warm hug or handshake, ...a pat on the back for a job well done, ....a friendly greeting, ...providing transportation to worship, the doctor's, or the market, ...a willing ear, a compassionate heart, and a helping hand to someone in trouble, ...and a thousand and one other "little things" which can help to comfort the weak, to lift up the downtrodden, to restore the unfaithful, and to keep the faithful ever moving forward in the Lord's work! Are you an exhorter, or an exasperation? Think about it seriously, and then determine to be an exhorter!
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