Casinos and 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I couldn’t help but notice–the car entered the interstate next to the Firelake Casino at a very high rate of speed. First thought–I wondered if the driver was mad because he had just lost a lot of money.  On second thought, “Probably just a coincidence.  Perhaps the driver lives nearby.” He sped up enough to squeeze …

Sunday: Life in Christ’s kingdom

For many in churches of Christ, historically evangelism has been primarily a cognitive process focused on the acceptance of certain truths or propositions by an individual. The goal and primary emphasis has been simple–salvation. More recently some of us have been asking about transformed lives and genuine discipleship, seeking to be and help others become …

Sunday: What Kind of People Ought We to Be?

It is common to read the Bible in small sections, ignoring the larger context. One place that happens is in 1 Corinthians 3. The context of chapter 3 includes chapter 2 where Paul explains that authentic spiritual wisdom is available to spiritual people who think in spiritual ways and can apply spiritual truths to real …

Evangelism: Finding Interested Persons, Developing Interest

A preacher, one of my former students, wrote me with a question. He was in contact with a person who wanted to be baptized in a church that baptizes in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He asked me about my experience with such situations. I responded to his question, also noting …