Category: Church

A discussion of the church.

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The Lord’s church is unique. The sermon discusses its nature. Both universal and local, showing Christ’s lordship, the pattern established by Christ, and the concept of local autonomy.

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This sermon describes, through the use of metaphors contained in scripture, the relationship between Christ and His church.

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The sermon seeks to explain what is, and what is not Autonomy, as revealed and defined in the Scriptures, especially regarding the Lord’s Church.

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This sermon examines the usage of the phrase “Kingdom of God” in scripture.

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The New Testament reveals characteristics concerning the church established by Christ. This church, as contrasted with the denominations of our day, is the only legitimate religious organization in which Christians should be members. This sermon reveals what are the identifying characteristics of that church.

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The sermon describes and establishes the identity and nature of the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Next Sunday will be the 20th anniversary of my first lesson preached as the evangelist for the West Side congregation. On September 3, 1989 I was a 27 year old, with a wife (same one that I have today), and two small children (Josh — age 4, and Kendra — two months shy of 3 years old).

I don’t believe my sermons that first week were recorded. On September 10th we began a gospel meeting with Ardy P. Brown. September 17th, I began a series of four lessons on True Devotion (I still have the outlines somewhere). The lesson that day was titled: Listening to Heaven (More Bible Study). That lesson, and every lesson since have been recorded and are still available to listen to either on tape or CD. (There are a few exceptions where someone forgot to hit record, or a tape broke, etc.). I don’t expect you to go back and listen to any of those early efforts.

Continue reading “Twenty Years, Next Week” →

Love is of the utmost importance in any relationship. This is especially so in the relationships sustained with the brethren. The Christian needs to have a fervent, sincere love for his brothers and sisters in Christ, that abounds, and knits them together in unity.

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The Church in Philippi is introduced in Acts 16, then aspects discussed in the lesson from the Paul’s epistle to that church. The discussion includes:

• The possible faults of the congregation
• The congregation’s virtues
• Paul’s admonitions to the brethren
• Paul’s final admonition from 4:8-9

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This first sermon preached by Jerry Fite in our gospel meeting May 9-14, 2009 contains a short review of Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Church, and a discussion of what the Bible reveals to be the true purpose of the Lord’s church.

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The New Testament reveals an explicit pattern for the organization of the local church. It is to be autonomous, with elders and deacons. The lesson details that pattern established by God.

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The scriptural concept of congregational autonomy protects God’s people from abuses of power, and doctrinal apostasy. It does not, however, allow any congregation to determine to disobey God. The sermon discusses the parameters and limits of autonomy as revealed in the New Testament.

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In Matthew 16 the inspired historian revealed a promise made by Jesus to Peter and his other disciples. The promise concerned a significant aspect of God’s plan of redemption for mankind. In verse 18 Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” The church of Christ is a divine institution, formed by Christ, and governed by principles established by Him and His ambassadors, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

Unfortunately men have continually shown themselves unwilling to acquiesce to Christ’s will regarding His church, and have altered the divine plan. Departures have been seen with regard to the worship of the church. Men have promoted innovations such as instruments of music to accompany the singing which is commanded in scripture, and have altered acts of worship such as the Lord’s Supper to the point where they are almost unrecognizable distortions of the divine plan. Men have distorted the work of the church as well, a common example of this is the present emphasis on the church as an agent of social change. This social emphasis is a far cry from the work of evangelism and edification indicated by Paul when he declared the church to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15). Men have changed at their whim the organization of the church. There has been the activation of the “universal” church, the centralization and consolidation of authority; and the alliance of the church with human institutions, councils and societies. Among the distortions of God’s blueprint for the church, and the focus of this article, is an assault on the concept of church autonomy as revealed in scripture.

Continue reading “Church Autonomy” →

Some Christians seem to be embarrassed about the distinct nature of the church, its work, and the preaching of the gospel of our Lord. This should not be so.

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