Effects of change within the church
April 13, 2010
One Man’s Story: Spiritual and Emotional Effects of Change Within the Church
Special editorial for BNc, by Daron Hoggatt
“And he said to them: ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!’” Mark 7:9
There are many things going on in the church of Christ today. Many things have been changing now for several years. When looking back on the history of the church we can see that when changes began to occur, the number of members also began to change. The number of people, attending the church of Christ started declining and has continued to decline ever since.
This opens up a few questions. Did the changes cause this decline? Were the changes right or wrong? How do we address the changes? These are questions we need to ask ourselves and then research for ourselves. Read more
Chaplain in Afghanistan ponders ramp ceremony
March 1, 2010
By Capt. Anthony Holloway, Family Life Chaplain
In a recent sermon, a fellow officer delivered a message that made me sit back and think. Maj. Jerry Sayre said that one can tell a great deal about a person by looking at the things that bother him. In other words, those things that make us uncomfortable say a great deal about us. I find Maj. Sayre’s statement to be quite profound.
While conducting my first ramp ceremony, I found myself ill-prepared for the wave of emotion that swept over me. “Amazing Grace” played on the bagpipes as the fallen soldiers were slowly carried past a solemn line of their comrades. Read more
Jumping Ship
February 4, 2010
by Phil Sanders, BNc Advisory Board member
Recently the Tennessean, a newspaper in Nashville, Tenn., ran an article entitled, “Churches of Christ drop isolationist view, work with other faiths.” The author, Bob Smietana, featured the changes taking place at Otter Creek Church of Christ in Brentwood, Tenn.
Smietana interviewed associate minister Doug Sanders, who repeated a number of progressive charges made against mainstream churches of Christ.
“In the Church of Christ, we had all the answers. And if we had the answers, that meant everyone else didn’t. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit it, but that’s the way it was,” Sanders said. Read more
The true winners of a debate
January 25, 2010
Guest editorial by Tim Hester, minister, Theo, Miss., church
This past week I had the great and unique opportunity to attend a Bible discussion or debate in Meridian, Miss. As I sat there and heard both sides present their arguments I thought about what a learning opportunity was being afforded to those who were present and being missed by those who were absent.
Debates or Bible discussions of this sort used to be common and popular in our communities. Yet, like many things, they have fallen by the wayside. Read more
Editor says thanks, foresees year of progress
January 2, 2010
by J. Randal Matheny, editor
I’d like to say thanks to friends, fellow workers, supporters and readers who, in one way or another, have contributed to these united efforts over the past year. Vicki and I feel a deep sense of gratitude to God for his kindness and and mercy during this new progress, on the one hand, and in the midst of many uncertainties, both personal and public, on the other.
The world is ever at war, seemingly ever more vicious and dangerous, but we enjoy the peace of God in our hearts and offer it to all who will receive it.
As the globe grows smaller, our hearts enlarge to embrace the spiritual needs of peoples, nations, cities and individuals. Read more
Mac Deaver debates on nature of man
April 22, 2009
by Weylan Deaver
CHICAGO, Ill. (BNc) – Next week Mac Deaver debates a Baptist opponent on Calvinist doctrines.
A public debate will take place Apr. 27-30 in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg between brother Mac Deaver and Matthew Black of the Baptist Church.
The issue will center around the nature of man, addressing questions such as: Are we sinners from birth? Do we inherit a corrupt nature because of Adam’s sin? Do we have free will to obey the gospel? Read more
Partner with BNc
February 28, 2009
Peter’s charge has always been a favorite of mine: “Love the brotherhood” (1 Peter 2:17b). The word brotherhood is a collective term, denoting the whole. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, individually. Together, we are brotherhood.
Hence, the only two times the word is used, both by Peter, it is upheld by fraternal and sacrificial love and solidarity with like-minded believers in suffering for the kingdom, firm in faith, resisting every effort of the devil to pull us away from our commitment to Christ (1 Peter 5:9). It bespeaks an awareness of and appreciation for a suffering, engaged and dedicated brotherhood.
To further that awareness and to cultivate that solidarity, BNc was born. And as a part of that mission, we invite you to partner with BNc. Read more
Editorial: BNc celebrates first year on the web
February 27, 2009
by J. Randal Matheny, editor
(BNc) — A year ago today, BrotherhoodNews.com made its official launch. With a couple of hands on board and a small group of well-wishers to see us off, the crew of BNc took the fair winds and blue skies as a harbinger of blessing for our voyage.
With no backing of a queen or king, no full-time captain nor even a navigator to keep us pointed toward our destiny, we still managed to steer by the grace of God and his kindness toward fools with a dream. Read more
Time Capsule Captures Moment
August 6, 2008
By Cherie Speller
From the Sunday, July 27, 2008, edition of The Daily Reflector
The columns I write generally publish on Mondays but I took the opportunity to move it to Sunday this week for the sake of history.
My family and I worship with the Westside Church of Christ, which today moves to a new town with a new name Church of Christ, Winterville. As part of the congregation’s moving celebration, a time capsule will be buried today in the lawn of the church on Winterville’s Church Street Extension. Read more
Little Is Much When God Is in It
May 30, 2008
Feature story by Neal Pollard (adapted)
(BNc)- A few years ago in Richmond, Va., a small group of homeschooled children whose families were members of the Lord’s church got together for a service project to raise money to buy hearing aids for deaf orphans in Zhitomir, a city in western Ukraine. Read more