The Word That Stops Christian Relationships

By Adam Faughn     Right off the bat, let me say that the title for today’s post is a little hyperbolic. There are plenty of words that can ruin relationships. Plus, this one doesn’t necessarily “stop” those relationships.     However, I hope you will see that the constant and mindless use of this one word can, at least, slow down the deepening of true Christian fellowship. And it’s a word you have probably used interacting with fellow Christians a lot…maybe even today.     What is it?     “Fine.”     When you ask someone on Sunday at worship how they are doing, it is so natural for the response to be “I’m fine.” When you text someone to see how they are feeling or how that issue in their life is going, it is very common for the answer to come back: “We’re fine.”     And far too often, that’s code for “I’m not fine, but I’ll say that because, as a Christian, I’m supposed to just be okay all the time.”     No. You. Are. Not.     Jesus looked at His disciples and, very openly, said, “My soul is troubled, even to death.” Does that sound remotely like, “I’m fine” to you?     While we need to be practical and admit that there is a time to share very personal and difficult details, we also need to realize that the Church is a family, and families share feelings, emotions, struggles, joys, and everything else.     And “fine” just doesn’t do that.     Be honest with those loving Christian family members who ask how you are doing. If things are not going well, just say so. You don’t have to elaborate, but a simple, “This has been a rough week” is at least being honest!     Oh, and one more thing. If all we say is “fine,” we are not allowing each other to obey a vital command: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Let your Christian family obey that directive from God…and just see if the bonds of fellowship where you worship don’t continue to grow deeper and stronger.

- Adam Faughn preaches for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org Visit the Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

What True Fellowship Involves

By Edd Sterchi     “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16a, NKJV)     Even though written in the negative, I believe we can examine this text and extrapolate many positive aspects of true fellowship which come forth clearly in the words used. So here’s what true fellowship involves: * Yoked together – True fellowship involves being linked together for the purpose of being productive. Fellowship operates best when people work closely together for a common cause. * Fellowship – True fellowship involves companionship and comradery (which is the definition of the Greek word translated “fellowship”). Fellowship is formed when people are truly together. * Communion – True fellowship involves close, personal association with one another. Fellowship is strengthened when personal connections are made. * Accord (harmony, NAS) – True fellowship involves unity, harmony, and peace. Fellowship grows when people get along. * Part (share, ESV) – True fellowship involves sharing and partaking together. Fellowship blossoms most beautifully when everyone does their part. * Agreement – True fellowship involves being one in thought, belief, expression, effort, and outlook. Fellowship moves forward when there is common ground.     Truly, true fellowship is wonderful. Take a look at the above list again and note all the benefits of true fellowship. Resolve to do your part to be in true and total fellowship with Christ and His church.

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/

Church (Don’t) Eat (the) Church

By Adam Faughn       Today, we are planning to enjoy a period of fellowship after our morning worship services with a potluck lunch. However, to also encourage us to be present for the "evening" worship service, we are going to go ahead and meet after the potluck, so our evening service will be at 1:30 pm. We hope this encourages more people to stay for both the meal and the worship service. We especially hope it encourages those of you who travel a good distance to worship each Sunday since you can just make one trip and then participate in the entire day.     I still remember the first time I heard a Sunday like this described as "church, eat, church." Now, of course, it has caught on, and that phrase is used quite often. In fact, in several places where I have spoken for Gospel Meetings over the last few years, it has been the norm. But as common as the phrase "church, eat, church" has become, it still sounds a little funny. It's catchy, and we know what it means, but it is still a little weird.     That said, not long ago, I heard the phrase "church, eat, church" somewhere, and it just hit me in a different way. Certainly, I knew what was being talked about, but my mind went in a totally different direction: the church doesn't need to "eat" the church.     Sometimes, we get frustrated with a fellow Christian. There might be a time when we disagree with a decision made by the elders (maybe even to have church, eat, church!). There could be a brother or sister in Christ who we feel has slighted us in the past, and we struggle to get along. Those things happen simply because we are people, and, as such, we are not always going to get things right.     When those things happen, however, I do not have the right to "eat" the church. In other words, I do not have the right to run down the Lord's Church before other people so as to weaken it.     We use this word picture in many other areas of life. For example, in a basketball game, one player drives toward the basket and makes a move that causes the defender to just look silly. You might hear the TV analyst say, "He just ate him up." What does that announcer mean by that word picture? The player making the move toward the basket embarrassed the opponent (and was proud to do so).     There should never be a time when any of that word picture is true of the Church. For one thing, we are not opponents! Even in times when we may disagree or be working through a problem, we are still God's family and need to remember that we are on the same team.     More to our point, though, we need to always remember there is just not an appropriate time to intentionally embarrass ("eat up") a fellow Christian. The only thing that should cause shame from one Christian to another is in the process of withdrawal of fellowship, and that should be exceedingly rare and for a very specific purpose. When we are dealing with regular slights or mistakes, there is never a time to embarrass our brother or sister in Christ. By the way, that is especially true when we consider that there is a "crowd" around us--a world that would love nothing more than to see the Church implode.     The New Testament regularly gives instruction about such topics as living in patience, being forgiving, and dealing one another in kindness. In a huge number of these places, the relationship under discussion is that of fellow Christians. We can safely say that God does not want the church eating the church! The question is, will I be careful to avoid doing just that? Will you?     "But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians 5:15)

- Adam Faughn preaches for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org Visit the Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith

A Religion of Relationships

By Edd Sterchi

    Too many people claim or act like Christianity is simply a religion of beliefs. And while belief is a crucial part of Christianity, it is much more than that. I contend that Christianity, in reality, is a religion of relationships.

    Take a look at John 15, for example. In verses 1-11 we can see that Jesus is the vine and individual Christians are the branches. To be productive, the branches must maintain a relationship with the vine where they draw nutrients and support. Thus, we must sustain a proper relationship with Christ to draw spiritual sustenance and produce fruit for Him. We must read and learn from His word and stay close to Him by walking with Him and living the way He leads.

    Now take a look at verses 12-17 in John 15. There we see that not only are we to have a relationship with Jesus, but we are to have a relationship with “one another.” We are to love one another. The word translated “love” in this passage is the verb form of “agape.” This is an unselfish, giving type of love that always does what is best for the other. This type of love cannot be practiced without being involved in one another’s lives. We must spend time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must develop a close relationship with them.

    Yes, Christianity is about relationships – relationship with the Lord and with His people. It is then we will be joyful and productive. What is your Christianity a religion of?

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/

Getting Through Life Alive

By David Bragg

    Under the dark shadow cast by COVID-19 during the summer of 2020 more American families opted for vacationing in the great outdoors. With camping and campers on the rise, the National Park Service issued guidelines for safety when encountering a bear in the wild. Their advice ...
    • don't run (bears will chase you)
    • don't climb a tree (bears can climb too)
    • don't push!
NPS officials actually warned campers, “Do NOT push down a slower friend (even if you think the friendship has run its course)” (Kootenai Valley Times, Bonners Ferry, Idaho).
    We are all pilgrims on this physical journey through life (1 Peter 1:1). Our goal is to fully realize the eternal life Jesus promised to those who obey and follow Him (John 14:1-4). On this journey we need the support and encouragement of fellow Christians. Satan, however, uses any means possible to keep us from attaining those precious promises, even if it is getting us to turn on each other, "pushing each other to the bears."
    Isn't it wonderful that the church of the New Testament is infused with love? Love for God. Love for the Son. Love for the Bible. Love for one another (1 John 4:21). As Christians, we need each other to help us get out of this life to live forever.

- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/ or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

By R.W. McAlister

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him” (Genesis 4:3-8)
     This is the first recorded murder in the Bible and even worse, it was between two brothers. Cain killed his brother because of his jealousy over God accepting Abel’s offering, but not his own. Notice the question that God asked Cain. “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9).
     That’s an excellent question to ask ourselves today: Are we our brother’s keeper? Do we have a responsibility to love and care for one another?
     As we study the Bible, it becomes very clear that the answer is “yes.” In fact, there are many passages which emphasize our responsibility to one another. 
     The Old Testament teaches the principle of being a “watchman” in several places. In Ezekiel 17:3, God appointed Ezekiel a watchman over Israel. “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” In general, the watchman was to look after the well-being of others.
     The Bible teaches us that we are to love one another. In fact, Jesus Himself commands it in John 13:34 & 35: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
     Now, think about how deep a love this is. Jesus wants us to love one another as He loved us, and we all know what He did for us, even though we didn’t deserve it. When we love each other like we’re supposed to, it makes Christianity very attractive to the sinner.
     Notice what Paul has to say about this in Romans 13:8: “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Also in I Thess. 4:9: “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”
     Peter also has some instructions for us regarding love. He writes in I Peter 1:22: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently…”
     This word “fervently” means “intensely” and suggests that we should love one another with our whole heart. The apostle John, who has been called the apostle of love, writes, “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (I Jn. 3:11 & 12).
     You see, if Cain had possessed the kind of love that we are to have for one another, he would’ve never even considered killing his brother. Instead he would’ve been happy for him that God accepted his offering. This is the kind of thing that happens when we start replacing love with jealousy, rage, or bitterness toward our brother or sister in Christ. Now, we may not get to the point of killing someone, but we can certainly find ourselves thinking evil of them, which will lead us to sin. John says in I Jn. 4:11: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
     Dear Reader, we are our brother’s keeper and we must love one another. Think about it this week.

- R. W. McAlister preaches for the Anna Church of Christ in Anna, IL.He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/

Suffering ... Silently ... Secretly

By Jim Faughn

• She may have just received some very bad news from the doctor.
• He may have just lost his job.
• They may have just lost a child (maybe even in the womb).
• Hopes and dreams may have vanished into thin air.
• A seemingly permanent separation has occurred between or among family members or friends.
• The loss of a spouse, though not recent, still hurts, and the one who remains is still lonely.
• The aging process is not going well at all.
• Repeatedly, prayers are sent heavenward, but a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild remains
• unsaved or unfaithful.

He or she struggles with sin. Surrender has never been seen as an option, but Satan seems to win more than his share of battles. Hopelessness has not been experienced, but there are times when a feeling of helplessness creeps in.

• The loss of a parent still has left a void --- even years after the loss has occurred.
• An insensitive remark or a thoughtless act has cut to the very core.
• Accusations have been made that, though far from true, are believed by some.

What do all of these people have in common?
    We see one or more of them every day. We work with them; we go to school with them; we run into
them in restaurants, malls, gas stations, banks, and other places of business; and we worship with them every Sunday.
    Their hurts, fears, insecurities, etc. may be displayed to us in all sorts of different ways. They may
come across as surly. They may appear to be withdrawn. They may put their “smiley face mask” on and hide behind it. They may try all sorts of things, but they cannot hide from themselves the fact that they hurt.
    While they will probably never ask, the fact is that they need a friend, a kind word, some companionship, and somebody to try to understand and help, if at all possible. They may be doing a good job of keeping it a secret and they may be silent about it, but they are suffering.
    Since they do such a good job of keeping their hurts to themselves, how will I identify the ones who
need a kind word, a pat on the back, a listening ear, or some of my time and effort? I’m not sure I have the answer to that, but I think I have a plan that might help.
    How about being kind, compassionate, considerate, and helpful to everybody? It surely can’t hurt, and
it just might help more than we can ever imagine.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2 ESV)

- Jim Faughn, a retired preacher, serves as an elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

What is Real Fellowship?

By Bill Brandstatter

    We don’t really understand the concept of fellowship as early Christians did. We talk about “fellowship meals” and “a fellowship hall;” however, just eating together is not the only aspect of Christian fellowship. Just being together in the same place at the same time does not necessarily constitute fellowship.
    The word “fellowship” originates from a Greek word that indicates a joint participation and having something in common. The early Christians understood this in a special sense.
    The first time the word is mentioned after the death of our Lord is in Acts 2:42. There Luke records that the disciples continued in “fellowship, breaking of the bread and prayers.”  When we consider that the church in the first century had no sign in front of their building, fellowship takes on a different meaning. When we note that early Christians went through persecution from certain groups, fellowship becomes more beautiful. When we look at early Christians relying and depending on one another, we see the depth of real fellowship.   
    Today, many of us don’t know the other members of the congregations of where we attend. We don’t know where they live. We don’t participate in events with them. Our Sunday and Wednesday gatherings are often the only time we meet other Christians. Let us become more like the church of the New Testament. Let us reach out more to others. Let us be more willing to share our lives with those we love.  Let us rediscover the beauty and joy of fellowship as the New Testament church did. Why not visit someone this week and get to know them better? You will get a great blessing and understand better the joy of real fellowship.

- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/

Can You Spell “Bewusstseinslage”?

By David Bragg

    At the end of May 2018, 515 young people (ages 8 to 15) gathered for the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee. On the last day the field had narrowed to only two contestants: Naysa Modi (12) and Karthik Nemmani (14), both from Texas. Naysa was given the word “bewusstseinslage,” which she misspelled (it is a technical term from the field of psychology for "conscious mental states which cannot be associated with specific sensations or images; psychologydictionary.org). Up next was Karthik Nemmani who correctly spelled the word given to him, the word that led to his being crowned the 2018 Spelling Bee champion, the word "koinonia" (www.usatoday.com).
    Many are the benefits derived from faithful and consistent attendance to our Bible classes and worship. Chief among them is the opportunity for meaningful fellowship. If the word “faithful” describes your attendance, you will probably recognize the word koinonia, it is the Greek word regularly translated as "fellowship" in the New Testament. Not only was "koinonia" the winning word for Karthik Nemmani in 2018, it a winning word for Christians every year. Fellowship will make you a stronger, more faithful Christian. It will help you to win the greatest competition the world has ever known; the spiritual battle for your soul.

David Bragg

- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/ or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/

Community

By Ed Wittlif

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28 NASB).
    Community is a powerful word. It pictures a group that are together in harmony and agreement. That is what God's people need to be. Jesus said the love His disciples have for one another is what proclaims that they truly are His. Without that mutual love, there is no community, only divisions.
    The first letter to the Corinthian church points out their lack of community. They were divided as to whom they followed, they were divided by class, and they certainly were divided over spiritual gifts. Paul said they ought to be one "so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another" (I Corinthians 12:25).
    We see a great sense of community in Acts 2:43-47. Because the members demonstrated love for one another, many joined their community. They spent as much time as possible with each other. Two powerful reasons given for us to come together is to encourage each other in faithfulness and to stimulate each other to good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25).
    Jesus tells us that if our becoming His disciples costs us our physical family, we will gain much more in our spiritual family (Mark 10:29-30).
    The world is full of temptations trying to draw us away from Jesus. Satan is also active in trying to get us to give up. That is why we need to be a community. It is tough to go it alone. Therefore, be an active part of the community of God's family.

- Ed Wittlif is from Denver, CO; via the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. Joe Slater serves as minister and he may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com