Family News and Notes
Men remember that we have a Men's Business Meeting following the evening services today. All the men of the congregation are encouraged to attend.
Wanda Miller was inadvertently left off the Birthday List for the month of September last week. Her birthday was Sept. 7th.
Ladies Bible Class resumed last Tuesday morning. 12 ladies were present.
A letter was received from Don and June Freeman thanking us for sending them our bulletin each week, and they sent a donation for our Building Fund in memory of Jo Jones.
Mary "Mackey" Taylor had her surgery last Thursday at Richardson Regional Hospital. She wishes to thank everyone for remembering her in our prayers. At the printing of this bulletin we had not received an update from her.
Joe Ferrell has been in the local hospital for tests. The results were good. He will have more tests this coming week. He was able to be at services Wednesday evening. He wishes to thank everyone for keeping him in your prayers.
Georgia Lide is back home at the Villa from her extended stay in the hospital in Paris.
Bonnie and Howard Horton continue their recovery. Continue to keep them in your prayers.
Hazel Phillips is feeling better. She was in Tyler last Tuesday and Wednesday.
Carl Lee continues to improve from his recent surgery. He is scheduled to return for more corrective surgery on September 23rd.
The last update this editor has on R. C. Grissom is that he is still in the hospital in Tyler. We need to not only remember R. C. in our prayers but Myrtice as well.
Sandra Cooper is still at her son Kyle's home and is continuing her treatment. She hopes to return home soon for a short time before returning for additional treatments.
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PEACEFUL STROLL
By: Grady Duncan
I walk the narrow path, through this old pilgrim land,
My trust is in the Lord, who leads me, hand in hand.
To help me reach my goal, He provides my every need.
if I follow each step, and His instructions, heed.
Then, if I grow weary, and need a little rest,
we lie down in green pastures, and I lean upon his breast.
He tells me of a home, that he has built for me,
and when I close my eyes, its beauty, I see.
Then as I press onward, it's with a faster pace,
knowing I'll be with God, and look upon His face.
Onward, daily onward, on down the narrow trail,
scaling every mountain, crossing the peaceful dales.
Someday the path will end, and I shall toil no more.
Then Christ will lift me up, to Heaven's shining shore.
Which path have you taken? Where does your pathway lead?
If you follow Jesus, success is guaranteed.
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Our Prayer List
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Woodrow Cooksey, Sandra Cooper, Bonnie Horton, Howard Horton, Carl Lee
ALSO: Ray Nell Benson, Judy Betts, Marie Butler,
R. C. Grissom, Nita Horn, Dana Rigano, Gene Riley,
Nelcene Steele, Mary Taylor
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Service Arrangements
ANNOUNCEMENTS........Gene Campbell
SONG LEADER........................Bill Jones
PRAYERS Sunday
AM First Prayer..............Lewis Robertson
AM Closing..........................Kent Cooper
PM First Prayer.....................Jim Duncan
PM Closing...........................Wade Miller
PRAYERS Wednesday Nite
First Prayer...........................Rodney Cook
Closing................................George O'Neal
COMMUNION FOR SEPTEMBER
AM Wayne Pickrel..........Wayne Charlton
David Neal...................Rodney Cook
Ronnie Stewart...........George O'Neal
PM Tim Jones..............Rhodney Freeman
ATTENDANCE COUNTER...Grady Duncan
TRANSPORTATION....Call Frankie Sargent
903-572-2647
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A Deluded Call to a "Greater" Vision
by Lee Moses
As many readers are now aware, the congregation of people in San Antonio formerly known as the "Oak Hills Church of Christ" have now changed their name simply to the "Oak Hills Church." Their preacher, Max Lucado, is the mastermind behind this "great vision." The Oak Hills website records how Max came to the conclusion that this, and the implementation of other unscriptural practices, should be done:
Over the last few months, I've sensed our Master urging us to expand our dreams for San Antonio. He calls us to a fresh vision: a vision of a city-impacting church.
As the details of this vision crystallized for me, I shared them with our elders. They prayed, pondered, and tested the ideas and, ultimately saw them as God's will for Oak Hills. The purpose of this presentation is to share several strategic decisions that will posture Oak Hills to make, with the Lord's guidance, a citywide impact. We call you to dedicate the next forty days (August 31 to October 9) to prayer, asking God to give us all strength to obey his call. Like the Apostle Paul, we desire to say, "I obeyed this vision from heaven" (Acts 26:19 CEV).
Max calls their plan "A Call to a Greater Vision," claiming that God spoke directly to him to instruct him in this endeavor. But what did God tell him to do? According to Max, God told him to go against the very word of God. This, of course, would make no sense; for "every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matt. 12:25). God had nothing to do with Max's "vision." Max provides his own reasoning behind Oak Hills' recent decisions. He believes dropping the name of Christ is a good choice for the Oak Hills Church. He provides two reasons for this:
1. To follow the New Testament example: New Testament churches employed a variety of names, never clustering under a common banner other than Jesus Christ.
2. To reach more souls for Christ. While we deeply appreciate our heritage in the Churches of Christ, we recognize the hindrance the name creates for some. A common comment from new members is this: "We would have come sooner, but we had to get over the name of the church." This is a barrier that need not be.
In responding to Lucado's first argument, it is true that it is Scriptural to refer to the church which Jesus built by other names than the "church of Christ." But it should also be acknowledged that there is no designation which more clearly states of which church one is speaking. In New Testament times, full-blown denominationalism did not exist. However, in present times, there are numerous churches in every city; and not all can have the same relationship with God the Father and the Son if they do not abide in the same doctrine (II John 9). The phrase "church of Christ" makes clear that a body is identifying itself as adhering to the doctrine of Christ and belonging to Him. So does "the Lord's church." So does "the body of Christ." The particular use of the phrase "church of Christ" over others is an expedient, and a Scriptural expedient (Rom. 16:16; I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:12; cf. Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). What does the name "Oak Hills Church" signify? Does this church belong to Christ? To most people their name will signify the Church of Max Lucado.
In his second point, Lucado claims that they can reach more souls by omitting the name of Christ from the name of their church. But what will they do with the souls they "reach"? They will not likely be credited with bringing any to Christ. Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). When the folk at Oak Hills feel they need to drop the name of Christ from their name because it hindered some from coming, obviously it was not Christ that drew them there (cf. John 12:32). Was it Christ that kept them there? Do any of these "new members" actually belong to Christ?
Max and his merry band have not ended their "vision" (remember, this is all supposedly at the "urging" of God) with changing their name:
Recognizing the power of contemporary music, these new assemblies will be instrumental. A soft keyboard beneath an altar call, the sound of a cello during communion service . . . these tools enhance outreach. After fifteen years and several thousand sermons, I am convinced instrumentation reaches hearts.
Many things can "reach hearts," but what invention of man can save souls? What invention of man can please God in worship? These men manifest no true interest in either goal. God's wisdom is far wiser than man's, and regardless of what Lucado believes that he has learned from his experiences, it still "pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 1:21).
What's next, Max? Franchising Oak Hills? Well, actually,
Let's expand into a multi-site church, establishing Oak Hills campuses in other sections of the city. These satellite churches will, at least initially, be a part of the Oak Hills family. Think in terms of Oak Hills as a multi-site congregation consisting of Oak Hills East, South, and so on. Envision 150-200 trained and commissioned members targeting other sections of our city.
We will equip them with prayer, preparation, perhaps even a staff of two or three ministers and a healthy start-up gift. Our multi-site churches could stay linked together by viewing a video of the sermon from the "mother church." Many of these details will be sorted out by our Missions Department.
It is not specified whether Max will actually be called the "pope" in his proposed San Antonio hierarchy.
Max compares whatever "urging" he "sensed" from God with the appearance of Christ to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. However, in His revelation to Saul (Paul), Jesus did not contradict previous revelation; but instructed Saul that he was to carry out what had already been revealed, but neglected. Max claims to have received instruction to go against God's revelation. Should he be followed?
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8-9).
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