A Line in the Sand

Posted by Chris on May 4, 2008 under Sermons

Why Did We Divide?

• The Issues:
  1. Missionary Society
  2. Musical Instruments in Worship
  3. Professional Ministers

American Christian Missionary Society

• During the war, Southerners were unable to attend the national meetings in Ohio.
• October 1861 – The ACMS considered a resolution to support the Union.

ACMS Statement of 1863

“We unqualifiedly declare our allegiance to the U.S. government … We tender our sympathies to our brave and noble soldiers in the field.”

Southern Reaction

• Tolbert Fanning
  – Nashville, TN
  – Editor, Gospel Advocate
• ACMS authorized Disciples to join the Union army in the murder of the Southern people.

• David Lipscomb demanded the ACMS repent
• Restarted the Gospel Advocate:
  “… not a single paper known to us that Southern people could read without having their feelings wounded by political insinuations and slurs …” (1866).

The “Old Fogy”

“We are not at home in a fine editorial chair, with a cigar or pipe in our mouth, opening the letters and telling others how and where to work, but we are in the field.” — Ben Franklin (1867), editor of American Christian Review

Ye Shall Know Them By Their Periodicals

• Christian Standard, edited by Isaac Erret.
• Progressive paper for the post-war support of the Union.
• “Standard Men” vs. “Advocate Men”

Class and Culture

• Central Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Built new French Gothic style building in 1872
• Seated 2000, stained glass, organ, choir pit
• Cost = $140,000
• “It is finished” – John 19:30

• “We know the doctrine advocated by [the writers in the Christian Standard] comes from the North. It is neither scriptural nor Southern, and it is not suited to Southern people.” – T. R. Burnett (1892)

Musical Instruments in Worship

• Not an issue in frontier churches
• Visible point of separation
• Economic and social arguments
• Use of Scripture arguments
• Legal battles over church property

Alexander Campbell in 1851

“But I presume, to all spiritually-minded Christians such aids would be as a cow bell in a concert.”

An Aid to Singing

• Midway, Kentucky, in 1859
• L. L. Pinkerton brought in a melodeon to help the singing that was so bad it “scared even the rats from worship.”

“Refined Ears”

“These refined gentlemen have refined ears and enjoy fine music manufactured for French theaters, interspersed with short prayers and very short sermons.” – Ben Franklin (1860)

The Arguments Form

Mediating Position

“We shall advise our brethren everywhere, for the sake of peace … To discard the use of instruments …” – Isaac Errett, 1870

A Line in the Sand

• Opposed those who advocated “innovations”
• Called for separation in Sand Creek [Illinois] “Address and Declaration” of 1889 by Daniel Sommer

• Thomas Campbell – “Declaration and Address” [for unity]
• Daniel Sommer – “Address and Declaration” [for division]
  “We cannot and will not regard them as brethren.”

Division Shaped our Identity into the 20th Century

The 1906 Admission

“There is a distinct people taking the word of God as their only sufficient rule of faith, calling their churches ?churches of Christ’ or ?churches of God,’ … “ – David Lipscomb

It’s Better to Have Permission Than to Ask Forgiveness

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Recap the lessons so far …

1. Raising the Bar: Expecting the Best From One Another
2. Diet and Exercise for the Soul: Spiritual Formation
3. Every Shepherd Needs a Sheep Dog: Ministering to One Another
4. The Air We Breathe: Grace and Hope Through Jesus Christ
5. You Welcomed Me In: Practicing Christ-Like Hospitality [by Shane Hughes]
6. Cloud of Witnesses: Ministry to Youth and Families
7. Our Neighbor Across the Street: Integrating College Students Into the Life of the Church
8. We Can’t “Retire” From Church: Ministering Through Seniors, Not Just To Seniors
9. Across the Street and Around the World: It’s All Missional
10. It’s Easier to Ask Permission than Seek Forgiveness: (Practicing Permission-Giving Leadership)

We’ve heard the old saying that “It is easier to get forgiveness than ask permission.”
What does that sort of philosophy say about a group of people?

• It means that there is very little trust.
• It means that authority is not being shared; rather a spirit of anxious control dominates.

God has given us permission – for the sake of the mission

Read Matthew 25:14-30.

1. The master entrusts a large amount of resources to three servants.
2. They are asked to do something with these resources – to put the money to work.
3. Two double the investment. One does not, but not because he tried and failed. He failed by not trying …

Permission

1. Are we governed by a spirit of trust or a spirit of fear?
   • Notice what the first two servants say: “You entrusted me.” They have the attitude of trust.
   • Notice what the third servant believes:
     1. “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.”
        • How did he know this?
     2. “So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
   • We fear God. We fear failure. We fear what others will think. We fear that they may say NO.
   • Trust leads us to experience God’s happiness. Fear will lead us to laziness, inaction and we will become as harsh as we expect God to be – and that’s not God’s disposition. He said YES.
2. Saying Yes and Hearing Yes
   • “I don’t think that anyone is telling me no, but I don’t hear anyone telling me Yes.”
   • We have to learn to echo God’s Yes.
     1. For the sake of the mission, God has given us permission.
     2. Leaders need to say YES – empowering the congregation – accelerator and brake.
     3. Congregation also echoes YES by developing a spirit of trust in God and one another.
        1. A culture of CAN DO vs. CAN’T DO
        2. That’s how we will hear God’s voice
        3. God always says YES to those who come to him with a broken, contrite heart.

Spring … Again!

Posted by David on May 1, 2008 under Bulletin Articles

This incident occurred at the Jewish temple when Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus for presentation. They were being good Jews. Such presentation was the correct thing to do with any Jewish child (see Leviticus 12:6-8). All firstborns were to belong to God (see Exodus 13:1, 2).

This entire incident strikes us as strange. First, there is Simeon. He is a very godly man with the Holy Spirit on him. He has been informed by God that he will not die until he has seen the “consolation of Israel.” His understanding of that godly purpose for Israel was simply weird. It involved a salvation for all peoples, a “light of revelation to the gentiles” (see Isaiah 49:6), and an infant less than two months old!

Second, he said the strangest things about the infant. The work of the child (as an adult) would result in “the fall and rise of many in Israel.” He would be a sword that pierced his parents. He would reveal the thoughts of many. For some he would be alienation from God-for some he would be the avenue to God. To some he would be enmity against God-to some he would be peace with God. To some he would be death-to some he would be life.

Spring is here! Is that wonderful, or is that horrible? Is Spring to you new life and hope for a warmer tomorrow, or is Spring allergies and the misery of pollination? Is it the rain that brings flowers, or the wind that brings leaky roofs? Is it the prosperity of a better lifestyle, or the destruction of a tornado? Is it the promise of fresh produce, or the devastation of a hailstorm?

Is it not fascinating that things that produce the blessing and hope of life to some also produce the certainty of misery or death to others? Is it not thought-provoking to realize that which has potential for good at the same time contains potential for harm?

Whether Jesus is a blessing or harm depends on the acceptance or rejection of the individual. Only you determine if Jesus is your means of rising or falling.