RUSH SPRINGS, Okla. (BNc) – “The Preachers Files Lectureship was an unqualified success,” said Tim Hester, of Mississippi, one of 18 speakers participating in the annual gathering.

Conducted at the Rush Springs church July 9-11, the lectureship theme was “Seeking First the Kingdom.”

Speakers from across the United States, India and Tanzania enjoyed lectures and the finest southwestern cuisine during the three-day event.

Joe May, of Arkansas, initiated the lectures, with the lesson, “Seeking First the Kingdom After We Fall.”

Considered by many the best lesson during the three-day event, David Hersey of the Granby, Mo., church discussed, “Seeking First the Kingdom While Living in Wicked Times.”

Speaker for the Sunday service was Dick Sztanyo, of Pelham, Ala., who discussed “Modern Day Idolatry.”

The Rush Springs congregation hosted its first lectureship, but one of the elders said so much interest had been focused on the weekend lectures the church would want to host another lecture.

The lectures were directed by Lee Parish, an administrator of preachersfiles.com and Bibletruthforums.com. Parish is a member of the congregation.

Speakers included some Rush Springs area preachers, but many came from out-of-state to attend, including speakers from Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and other states.

The website, which can be found at www.preachersfiles.com was created and continues to be administered by G.E. Watkins, a preaching brother from Austin, Tex. Watkins said the website had grown nearly exponentially since its inception in 2001.

The website offers sermon outlines, weblogs, Christian articles and a forum for Bible studies. Recordings of the lessons have been posted online at the website.

Photo: George and Joy Jensen of Tanzania attended the lectures. Photo by John Henson.

AUSTIN, Tex. (BNc) – The Southwest School of Bible Studies, sponsored by the Southwest congregation, graduated nine students July 4.

Last weekend, nine students received the Diploma in Biblical Studies: Emily Cammock, James Cammock, Andy Chvavarrilla, Jojimon George, John Haffner, Daniel Lange, Moisés Umaña, Maritza Umaña, and Saraí Umaña.

In addition, Kelcy Chavarrilla and Kristina Sowell received the Certificate of Biblical Studies for successfully completing the Christian Women’s Studies Program, designed for student wives and other ladies interested in continuing their spiritual education.

The month of July is always a busy one at the Southwest School of Bible Studies (SWSBS), as students complete assignments and sit for final exams and plans are made for graduating yet another class. This is always a bittersweet time as the congregation and school bid farewell to graduating students and their families, knowing that they are going forth better prepared to work in the Lord’s kingdom.

The weekend began with the SWSBS Graduation Banquet on Friday evening, July 2, attended by the students, their families, friends, and members of several congregations of the Lord’s church.

This was an opportunity for the students to celebrate the completion of their studies and enjoy once more the company of the saints in the school setting.

On Sunday, July 4, brother Dave Rogers of the MidTown congregation in Victoria, Tex., was the graduation speaker for both morning and evening services. He was accompanied by his wife Luann. It was especially meaningful to have brother Rogers with us, as he graduated from SWSBS 30 years ago.

The graduation ceremony itself followed the evening service, with the graduating class being given departing charges by the elders of the Southwest congregation, the faculty, and the director of the school, Rick Brumback.

The ceremony closed with the students being awarded their diplomas with the congratulations of the elders, faculty, and all in attendance.

Each of these, with their respective families, will be making the transition to life and work beyond the Southwest classroom.

Daniel Lange and Saraí Umaña will marry on July 17 and will be moving to Tucson, Ariz., to work with the Mission Valley congregation.

James and Emily Cammock will be returning to his homeland of New Zealand, looking forward to working together to spread the Gospel in that part of the world.

Andy Chavarrilla, together with his wife Kelcy and their two children, Kiley and Kaden, will be working with the congregation in Three Rivers, Tex.

Jojimon George will be temporarily remaining in Austin with wife Shiny and their daughter Stacy.

John Haffner is looking forward to his work with the Rocksprings, Tex., congregation.

Moisés Umaña and his wife Maritza will be returning to SWSBS to complete their coursework during the first quarter.  Currently they are working with the Grove Avenue congregation in San Antonio, Tex.

We pray for these individuals and their respective works, knowing that great good for the Lord’s kingdom will be accomplished.

All of these individuals, with their families, have demonstrated tremendous commitment to the cause of Christ. They have been diligent in their in-depth study of God’s Word. No doubt most students at SWSBS could not complete their education without the prayerful, emotional, and financial support of faithful brethren who value the preparation and training that is being gained. To all such supporting individuals and congregations we extend heartfelt appreciation for your generosity and fellowship in these labors.

At this same time, five full-time SWSBS students have completed the first year of the program and will be resuming their studies as second-year students in August. These are Jewell Herring, Tim O’Banon, Jacob Rutledge, Jeff Whatley, and Sam Wilson.

They will be joined in August by a new incoming class of nine students: Stefani Adkins (Livingston, Tex.), Micah Dawson (New Boston, Tex.), Justin Gonzalez (with wife Christine and children Gabriel and Trevor, of Katy, Tex.), Cory Myers (with wife April and young son Talen of Dripping Springs, Tex.), David Olmos (San Marcos, Tex.), Francis Omoding (with his wife Susan and their sons, Ronald and Paul, of Entebbe, Uganda), Shelby Rutledge (Mt. Vernon, Tex.), Ryan Stryker (Goliad, Tex.), and Eddie Watkins, who along with his wife Jennifer and daughters Marcy and Abigail are members at Southwest.

Your continued support for our current and entering students is greatly appreciated. The Lord has continued to bless his church with time and opportunity to learn and share the Gospel of Christ.

Thanks are due to him and to his people who recognize the importance of preaching and teaching the Word. It is our prayer that we each celebrate the lives transformed by his Word, and we pray that we each continue to carry the Gospel to every creature (Col. 1:23).

Malcolm Hill, 76, has spent 35 years as president of the Cookeville college, which he founded in 1975. He is retiring from his position as president due to health problems but will remain as chancellor, an advisory position to the president.

David Hill, 49, has been with the college since 1990, working in various capacities, including director of public relations, director of missions, business manager and instructor.

“My goal is to maintain the stability that we’ve enjoyed for the last number of years,” said Hill.

You may visit their website for more details.

FLORENCE, Ala. (BNc) –

Dr. Frederick W. Danker, reknowned classicist and lexicographer, spoke at the first annual Charles Coil Lecture Series Apr. 9, hosted by HCU’s Friends of the Overton Memorial Library.

Dr. Danker edited A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Christian Literature (3rd rev. ed., 2000) and authored The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (2009).

His lecture series, “Beyond Borders with St. Luke”, was attended by faculty, staff and students from HCU, Freed-Hardeman University, Amridge University and the University of North Alabama.

Ministers from across Alabama and Tennessee also participated.

Distance-learning students were invited to enjoy the lecture series online.

In addition, Dr. Danker spent three days on the HCU campus, meeting with students and faculty, visiting classes and examining the library.

“Dr. Danker has an amazing grasp of the cultural and historical backgrounds of Luke and Acts,” said Dr. Bill Bagents, a guest at the lecture series. “He gave us new tools for appreciating the beauty, focus and complexity of Luke’s writings.”

HCU began in 1971 as International Bible College “to increase the number of capable men and women with world vision and to prepare them for a life of Christian service. From its beginning, the university offered a four-year program of study emphasizing the biblical text and evangelism,” according to the school’s website. In 2000, HCU added a graduate program and changed to its present name.

Editor’s note: Thanks to Lori Eastep, HCU Director of Public Relations, for information and photos.

MT. JULIET, Tenn.  (BNc) – “Could we have a conference like this every six months?” one participant asked.

Another stated, “I would pay many times over what this conference cost me; it is that valuable.”

One suggested, “I think there needs to be a lab that can prevent minister burnout.”

Such were part of the conversations of those who attended the first annual EQUIP Conference Mar. 26-27 at the Mt. Juliet, Tenn., church.

Jonathan Pettus is the involvement minister at Mt. Juliet. I called him about a year ago and inquired of brotherhood seminars and workshops for involvement ministers. He knew of none. Jonathan suggested that we have our own.

Jonathan and I asked four other involvement ministers to join us in organizing an event designed specifically for involvement ministers in churches of Christ. It was decided that we would call it “The EQUIP Conference.”

An involvement minister equips members of the church for service.  He helps them discover their God-given gifts and helps them develop them and deploy them.

While the idea of involvement ministers (IMs) is relatively new to churches of Christ, we found that there are many highly qualified and educated IMs in the Lord’s church.

Twelve men were selected to lead discussions on the most relevant topics to IMs. The topics ranged from involvement software to evaluations, from assessments to empowerment, from promoting ministries to engaging new members in ministry.

On Friday afternoon of the conference, there were 70 people enrolled to attend. Many more came that were not enrolled bringing the total to well over one hundred participants. They came from Oklahoma, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas and other states. Participants included evangelists, elders, involvement ministers, church education ministers, deacons, college students and their wives.

James Waugh was the keynote speaker. We learned that the church doesn’t have a mission: God does. God calls the church to join him to fulfill his promise made to Abraham (to bless all nations). We also learned that the final goal of the lost is not the church, but to send them back to the world to reach the lost.

The conference lab leaders used state of the art technology in the new classrooms of the Mt. Juliet church. All labs were recorded and DVDs and CDs are available at our website.

The response to the effort has been overwhelmingly positive and everyone is looking forward to the conference the last weekend of March, 2011.

Editor’s Note: Travis Irwin is the involvement minister at the Athens church. He may be contacted by email or by phone at 423-920-3060.

Brother Elias Owana Omollo, who preaches for the congregation at Lieta, taught fourteen men from surrounding congregations from the book of Ephesians. Classes were conducted each weekday from 8:30 to 11:oo a.m. and from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Each student was also given a DVD on Ephesians by Dennis Carrow. The men stayed with Christians and their food was provided by the congregation.

The Kalamindi congregation started this program in September of 2009. In the first two-week session they had 21 men from congregations at Lieta, Suna, Ngulu, Wayara and Kalamindi. Attendance this session was lower because of bad rains.

Brother Benard Kagaga, who preaches at Kalamindi, explains: “Our main reason for starting this preachers’ program is to encourage brothers who cannot make it to other countries to attend Bible schools.” Plans are to have one two-week session each quarter. The next session is to be in August.

Brother Elias, pictured with his family, graduated from the Andrew Connally School of Preaching in 2005.

KAZAN, Russia (BNc) – More than 30 preachers and ministers from more than 15 locations in Russia participated in a 3-day conference for preachers in the Deryshki hotel, October 26-29, in the suburb of Kazan, Russia.

“Churches of Christ in Russia today – Overcoming challenges and keeping the faith,” was the conference name.  This was the fifth seminar held within the past five years and was the largest.

Each day of the seminar was filled with six lectures and much fellowship.  The participants shared their experiences, searched for answers to arising questions, and discussed the doctrinal issues relating to their faith as Christians.

Charles Williams, long-time missionary to Russia and minister of the New Union church, Manchester, TN, was the keynote speaker, answering the attendees questions from the Bible and pointing out errors that had crept into some of the churches. Other speakers were: Andrey Sklyarov, director of the Barnaul School of Preaching, Oleg Yakimenko, and Mikhail Karlinsky.  Dmitry Novozhenov, current preacher in Kazan, Alexei Pshenichnikov (Alex Wheaton), and Gennady Shcherbakov, elder from Syktyvkar, took a special part in preparation and participation in the seminar as well as speaking.

The conference was held to encourage, enlighten, and strengthen the preachers as they teach the church in different locations of Russia.

MERIDIAN, Miss. (BNc) — The Northside congregation hosted a Bible debate on church benevolence Jan. 21-22.

Thursday night Patrick Donahue of Huntsville, Ala., affirmed that, “The Bible does not authorize use of the church treasury for social meals.” John T. Polk II of Dover, Tenn., denied.

On Friday night Brother Polk affirmed, “The scriptures teach that in benevolence, a local church of Christ may relieve saints and non-saints from its treasury.” Tommy Thrasher of Decatur, Ala., denied.

Moderating for Brother Polk was Mike W. Kiser of Sylacauga, Ala.

Thrasher and Donahue both had Willis Logan of Steens, Miss., moderating.

Both nights were filled with spirited discussion, motivated by a desire for the truth.

Brethren were in attendance not only from area congregations, but from three different states.

CDs may be ordered by writing Northside Church of Christ, 4217 Hwy. 39 North, Meridian, MS or e-mail: guytonmontgomery@yahoo.com.

CONWAY, Ark. (BNc) — Dr. Brad Harrub will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Youth Outreach University (Y.O.U.) in Conway, Ark. The seminar will take place on the University of Conway Arkansas, Conway campus on Jan. 22-24.

Although the seminar is free, a registration fee of $35.00 entitles one to a T-shirt and one meal during the weekend.

On-campus housing has already been filled, but there are several motels in the area.

Dr. Harrub, a well-known and well-respected speaker on Christian evidences, will be presenting his seminar, “Truth About Origins”.

Harrub holds doctorate degrees in anatomy and neurobiology from the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. He has coauthored The Truth About Human Origins, Investigating Christian Evidences, Matters of Life and Death, Diamonds in the Rough: Nuggets of Truth from God’s Word and has writen many tracts, and articles for the brotherhood and for numerous scientific publications.

Y.O.U. is sponsored by seven congregations in Arkansas: the Downtown church in Morrilton, the Greenbrier church in Greenbrier, the Liberty church in Conway, the Mars Hill church in Vilonia,the Mountain Home church in Mountain Home, the Northside church in Harrison, and Robinson and Center in Conway.

For more information, visit the Youth Outreach University website.

FORTH WORTH, Tex. (BNc) – The 33rd Annual Fort Worth Lectures held at the Brown Trail church building ended Wednesday, Jan. 13.

The lectures, “Gleanings from the Gospel Accounts,” focused on great truths about Jesus. They began Jan. 10.

A broad range of topics, ladies’ lectures, congregational singing and panel discussions crafted an environment of healthy teaching and refreshing fellowship.

Subjects included The Word Was God, Christ and the Creation, Deity Incarnate, Jesus the Sin Sacrifice, Up from the Grave He Arose, Jesus Alone Can Bring Peace to our Hearts, The Great Commission, The Miraculous Power of Jesus, Jesus as Judge, Jesus is Lord and more.

The lectures were supplemented by two stimulating panel discussions, False Teaching About Jesus and Ongoing Attacks Against Christianity.

Some of the speakers included Rick Brumback, Wayne Burger, Kyle Butt, Shelia Butt, Winford Claiborne, Willie Franklin, Gary Hampton, Dave Miller, Eddie Parrish, Bob Stapleton, Gary Workman and others.

“Balance is a good thing to have. The Fort Worth Lectures offer balance. The speakers are good Christian people preaching the truth in a spirit of love. The fellowship is wonderful and there is always a feeling of belonging,” said Maxie B. Boren, Lectureship Director.

Lectureship books and all lectures are available for purchase. The lectures are available in CD, DVD, & MP3 formats. For more information, contact the Brown Trail church.