HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH EZINE

Rubel Shelly has been the minister for the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee since 1978 and has successfully led a once faithful congregation into the depths of apostasy as he has also done for himself. When I was a young man, I read books and sermons by this man that were sound. Apparently, however, too much learning hath made him mad. He, and others, have determined in their mind that they will follow the errors made by those who strove so diligently to restore the New Testament church. Shelly and his associates endorse the "We are Christians only but not the only Christians" view of the restoration movement era.

Friends, I know how bigoted it sounds to many for us to say that only those who are members of the Lord's church can spend eternity with God. It is, however, not bigotry, it is simply Biblical truth. Obedience to the commands of the Gospel will place anyone inside the Lord's body, His church. And if anyone can show me biblical evidence that there is any other way, I will apologize.

I have a number of websites that you should become familiar with and study, several of the sites are of Shelly and his cohorts, others refuting his current ultra-liberal stand. Read as much of this information as you can.

My heart is filled with gratitude to Almighty God for his unspeakable mercies with which He has blessed us in this day. For those He granted us from the beginning of life, and particularly for those He has vouchsafed us during the past year [of war]. What should have become of us without His crowning help and protection?

Oh, if our people would only recognize it and cease from self-boasting and adulation, how strong would be my belief in the final success and happiness to our country! But what a cruel thing is war; to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world!--Robert E. Lee

Chula Vista Books is owned and operated by Mark and Teah McWhorter. We carry a wide selection of Bible related materials--ladies' books, childrens' materials, commentaries, apologetics, lectureship books, missions books, class books, debates, sermon books, church history, topical studies, Bible covers, Bibles, tracts, BCCs and more.

We also send out used book lists from time to time. Unfortunately we do not have a catalog at present but invite your inquiries. If you would like to be on our mailing list, send us your email address.

Mark McWhorter, 420 Chula Vist Mtn Rd, Pell City AL 35125, Phone 205-338-1843

Does your congregation have a web site? Can you add, update and delete information from your existing web site easily? If you answered no to either question visit The Lord's Way. This new service allows you to create a web site for your congregation and update it yourself whenever you want by simply completing online forms. The service is designed for any congregation that wants a web site that contains current, updated and fresh information but does not want to invest the time and money in learning about the inner-workings of the Internet. Your new site will be packed with information about your congregation. Visit us and take a tour!

Several people have asked me what the significance was of the cat picture in the heading above. I've always been a lover of animals. When I was very young, we always had at least one or two dogs, and some cats. During my mid teen years, I, and a neighborhood friend, often went hunting for squirrel, opossum, rabbit, quail and or dove. I often wondered why I had such a feeling of remorse when I killed one but finally, that feeling overcame my desire to hunt and I completely quit, also quit fishing.

Actually, dogs have always been my favorite animal, and I can truthfully say that I have rarely met one that I did not like. Cats were always a distant 2nd in my choice of animals, until the one above came along. When a small kitten, she was dropped out a car near my sister's house and, for personal reasons, she could not keep her so she brought her to us. We cared for her and had the veternarian spay her. It was some time before I learned the nature of this Siamese, she actually displayed a hateful nature. She cared for no one, other than me and my wife. But she became so strongly and obviously attached to me that I was overwhelmed. Anytime she saw me sitting, she wanted to lay in my lap. She would purr and make gentle gutural responses to my rubbing her and calling her "pretty kitty". She would come running when I arrived home from work, muttering those kind greetings.

It is difficult for anyone to ignore such obvious love from any source. I think, if she had been an ugly opossum, I would still have loved her. But anyway, after about 11 years, she somehow hurt her foot, badly. We cleaned it and put antibiotic ointment on it and it seemed to improve. But in a week or so she began to act sickly and would eat very little so we took her to the vet. He treated her with antibiotics, but she continued to grow worse and the foot swelled up and was again badly infected. I tried to force-feed her but she became weaker and weaker to the point she could no longer stand.

The vet said that he could remove the foot and also take x-rays and other diagnostic procedures to try and find what was wrong, but could not guarantee any positive results. He and I both concluded that she was too far gone to help so I tearfully asked him to euthanize her.

So there is no significance to her picture there, other than I love to see her.

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18

A twentieth century reader, discovering this passage in the Bible for the first time, may have questions generated by what the Lord Jesus said. Did he build his church? If so, when? Does it exist today? If so, how and where? If it does exist, can I be a member of it?

Did He Build His Church?

The answer to the first question is a strong "YES". Jesus does not make empty promises. If we think he does, then the scriptures - the Bible – become useless to us and we can have no confidence in anything he said. He doesn't make empty promises for he built the church as he promised to build. The church was establishes in the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus. Read the second chapter of Acts for confirmation of this. Thereafter the church is spoken of as an existing, functioning, growing institution. It was blood bought (Acts 20:28), loved (Ephesians 5:25); Spirit inhabited (1 Corinthians 3:16); persecuted (Acts 8:1);suffered for (Colossians 1:24); praised (1 Thessalonians 1:3); comforted (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9); and warned (Revelation 2:5). It was not a Jesus of Nazareth fan club, nor was it a social club with religious rules. It was the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), consisting of the saved (Acts 2:47), called the household of God (Ephesians 2:19), and existing for the grand purpose of preaching and serving that God might be glorified (1 Peter 4:11; Matthew 5:16).

Does This Church Exist Today?

Certainly it does! Does Jesus still live? Yes, he does (Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 1:18). Does his blood still cleanse? Yes, it does (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 10:12). Does he still reign? Yes, he does (Hebrews 13:5). Do we still have his word? Yes, we do (Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25). Let me emphasize once again that the answer to all of the above questions is a very strong YES! And since we have all of the above YES answers, we again affirm that the church which Jesus established in the first century can, and does, exist in the twentieth century.

Where Is This Church?

It can exist anywhere and everywhere that the pure word of God is preached (Luke 8:11), and is faithfully followed (2 John 9). It knows no racial, social, or gender boundaries (Galatians 3:28, for "God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:34-35).

Can I Be A Member Of It?

Certainly! Anyone can! In fact, God wants everyone, in every nation, to be a member of it (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 1:10). If you do what people in the first century did to become a Christian (Acts 2:38-41); and do what they did to remain faithful (1 John 1:7; 3 John 2-3), then it follows that you will be what they were and have what they have. The New Testament scriptures reveal to us the nature, organization, worship, work and purpose of the church. The scriptures have not changed nor have the afore-mentioned things concerning the church changed. Not only is man not authorized to make any changes, he is sternly warned against doing so(Galatians 1:6-9; Revelation 22:18-19). Any changes made in teaching concerning the purpose of/for the church causes it to cease to be the Lord's church. It then becomes the church of the man or men who made the changes. A changed, counterfeit church will not prosper at judgment (Matthew 15:9-14).

Some will ridicule the idea of a first century church in the twentieth century. However, those who do so, do not understand the first century church nor do they understand the needs of twentieth century man. Progress, so called, has not brought a change in man's needs. We still need direction (Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12), forgiveness (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:10,23), comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:18), hope (1 Corinthians 15:19). WE STILL NEED CHRIST!!

We dare not seek to "modernize" the church of Christ to fit modern man; nor should we follow those who are seeking to do so. One cannot "update" that which is never out of date. Study the Bible, obey what it tells you to do, and rejoice at being a part of a church that isn't subject to the whims of an unstable society.

Reprinted from Kepkes Korner Sermons

For those in the listening area of WDNG (1450) AM in Anniston, Alabama tune in for the Colvin Street church of Christ's radio program on Sunday mornings. The time slot is 9:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. CST

Regular speakers will be William B. Kughn and Elbert Lewis.

The future of the church rests on our ability to train effective leaders. There will always be a need for leaders to rise to the occasion as servants, Bible class teachers, ministers, deacons, and elders. Believing that such training should begin at an early age, Leadership Training for Christ provides an opportunity for youngsters, beginning in the third grade, to recognize and develop leadership skills.

Training is Biblical, practical, and in-depth. Leadership Training for Christ provides local congregations an opportunity to work with children and teens on a year-round basis. The second annual SELTC convention is being planned for March 29-31 in Mobile, AL. For more information please see our website Click Here or call 205-988-5808.

The Bear Valley Bible Institute, Scottsboro Extension (BVBISE) is half-way through it's second year of operation under the oversight of the elders of the Broad Street Church of Christ in Scottsboro, Alabama. The school is an extension of the BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE of DENVER. 40 courses (and eight out-of-class mini-courses) completed over a four-year period lead to the Bachelor of Biblical Studies Degree. The Associates Degree may be earned in half that time.

One course is taught each month (except July and December) in two all-day Saturday sessions along with outside assignments. The school is TUITION FREE. The only costs to the student are for required texts & materials, and a $5 fee each Saturday to help cover the teacher's expenses. The teachers are academically well-qualified and experienced gospel preachers who know and love the Bible as the verbally inspired and authoritative word of God, and who volunteer their time and work as a labor of love.

BVBISE is committed to training sound and able Bible teachers (men and women), and faithful gospel preachers for service in the kingdom of Christ. The format is designed to make this training possible for men and women who must continue their jobs and other pursuits while they study. Credit is given for previous college or preacher-school study. A preacher-school graduate may be able to earn the Bachelor of Biblical Studies Degree in as little as four months of study. For more information please contact the Broad Street Church of Christ, 613 South Broad Street, Scottsboro, AL 35768. Phone: 256-574-2489. EMAIL

Truths Learned From Children

1. No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.

3. If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person

4. Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato