Sunday Preview

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Luke 6:46-49

Religious Light Bulb Humor

Not sure who wrote these (I did not write any of these) but they're pretty good! Enjoy!

How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?
None. God has predestined when the lights will be on..let Him turn it on if He wants.

How many Church of Christ folks?
CHANGE?? But we have NEVER done it that way before!

How many Neo-evangelicals?
No one knows. They cannot tell the difference between light and darkness.

How many Pentecostals?
Ten. One to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness...

How many TV evangelists?
One. But for the message of light to continue, send in your donation...

How many Fundamentalists?
It better be a 1611 bulb!

How many Episcopalians?
None, they assume darkness is the nature of the bulb and it would be harmful and disrespectful to violate personality of the bulb.

How many Baptists?
Two, one to change the bulb, the other to preach on tithing in order to pay for the new bulb.

How many Premillennialists?
While knowing where the lightbulbs are, they are persuaded to wait for the official lightbulb changer but no one knows when he will arrive.

How many Arminians?
Since the bulb has free will - it must make the decision.

How many Amillennialists?
Two, one to change the bulb, the other to remind others not to fear the old darkness or trust the new light--both are only symbolic.

How many Emergents?
It doesn't matter as long as we love each other.

How many seeker sensitives?
First we must find out what kind of bulbs the community wants then we will proceed.

The Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop...

Restoration Movement Influences in My Life

Recently I was asked to write about some of the people who have had influence in my life regarding the Restoration Movement and my enthusiasm about its principles. The first name that came to mind was Dr. Lloyd Knowles, one of my professors at Great Lakes Christian College. I had attended the Church of Christ since I was eight years old, but it wasn’t until I went to Bible College that I heard the term “Restoration Movement.” I remember reading The Stone-Campbell Movement by Leroy Garrett and Christians Only by J.D. Murch and feeling a kindred spirit with the early leaders of the Movement. I was thrilled by the stories of men with varied denominational backgrounds deciding to drop the names and creeds that divide, taking the Bible alone as their rule of faith and practice, simply calling themselves Christians. Dr. Knowles was the person who kindled my lifelong study of the people, principles, and history of the Restoration Movement.

Another influential person is my father-in-law Ray Merritt. He had a worldly background and was converted to Christ as an adult. He was schooled in Restoration principles in his formative days as a new believer. Later, he decided to answer the call to the full-time preaching ministry. I liken our relationship to that of the apostle Paul and his young protégé Timothy. Ray has been a constant encouragement to me in my faith and ministry. He has also introduced me to others who have shaped my thinking in profound ways.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” That verse reminds me of my friend David Willis from Newport News, Virginia. When we were rookie preachers, we spent countless hours together talking about preaching, the Bible, and how to communicate the principles of the Restoration Movement in our modern day. David was/is a fellow traveler on this journey.

Ray Bennett and George Faull were mentors and teachers in the early days of my ministry. I met them both at the Hillsboro Family Camp in Hillsboro, Ohio. Ray’s passion for preaching and zeal for the tenets of New Testament Christianity resonated with me. Listening to him thunder away about “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism” ignited a fire within me to follow in the footsteps of our Restoration Movement forefathers and direct my listeners back to the Bible. George modeled an open heart and mind, as well as a desire to get it right when interpreting the Scriptures. To this day, these brothers encourage me as a preacher of the gospel.
Several writers have shaped my understanding of theology and our Movement.

Authors like Dr. Jack Cottrell, Don DeWelt, Carl Ketcherside, Marshall Leggett and Victor Knowles have challenged and inspired me. The writings of the early pioneers like Thomas and Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott still have relevance today. Their plea for union among Christians based on the truth of the Scriptures is timeless.

The point is this; the mentors and people of influence in your life will be different than mine, of course. But choose them wisely, because other than the impact of the Bible and the Holy Spirit, the direction of your life will be largely determined by the books you read and the people with whom you associate.

Ain't No Grave

New Sermon Series Begins Sunday

Jesus was a masterful teacher. When crowds gathered around him, one of his favorite techniques was to ask them questions. These questions are as relevant in our day as they were when they were first posed. Our summer sermon series, Questions Jesus Asked, will take a fresh look at some of our Lord’s most penetrating and timeless questions.
June 5 Who do people say that I am?
June 12 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to life?
June 19 What can a man give in exchange for his soul?
June 26 Why do you call me Lord, Lord?
July 3 Whose portrait and inscription are on it?
July 17 Do you love Me?
July 24 How do you read it?
July 31 Which of these three was a neighbor?
August 7 Why do you nullify the command of God?

A Wonderful Week

This week I had the privilege of participating in a Time of Refreshing retreat sponsored by Bob Russell ministries. It was fantastic. Six other ministers and I spend three days learning from Bob Russell, staff and elders from Southeast Christian Church, and Jack Hillerich, President of Louisville Slugger (photo is of the group with Mr. Hillerich). We stayed at the Country Lake Camp, and we also toured Southeast and Louisville Slugger. The retreat really lived up to its name. I was refreshed and encouraged. And I got to meet six new preacher friends.

I also celebrated the 24th anniversary of my ordination to ministry. I am so blessed to get to do what I do. I still love it!

Ed Bousman

I first heard Ed Bousman preach at the Hillsboro Family Camp in 1987. I had never heard of him before, but he really impressed me. He was the first person I had even known who had memorized the entire New Testament. Over the years, I had the privilege of hearing him many times.

Ed was from Newport News, VA. He was a Timothy of the 24th Street Church of Christ (later named Northside Christian Church). That church gave birth to the Northampton Church of Christ (a church I served for a number of years). Ed used to tell me that he considered Northampton his home church too. I remember one Sunday morning when I looked out and saw him seated in the congregation. I was very nervous, but he was encouraging afterwards (as he was many times through the years).

This morning, Ed went to be with the Lord. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

On Being Better Bereans

On Being Better Bereans

New Sermon Series Begins Sunday

The Bible says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Challenges from sincere seekers and challenges from unbelievers confront us everywhere. That’s why Cedar Creek is beginning a new series called Why I Believe. Whether you are a new believer or longtime Christian who wants to deepen your own grasp of the truths of God’s Word, this series can be a great resource to strengthen the foundations of your faith.

April 24 Why I Believe in the Resurrection
May 1 Why I Believe in the Bible
May 8 Why I Believe in Creation
May 15 Why I Believe in Jesus
May 22 Why I Believe in Baptism
May 29 Why I Believe in Communion

The Restoration Movement – an Informal Analysis

Recently, I was asked to write an opinion piece, giving an informal analysis of the current state of the Restoration Movement. I gladly agreed to do so, and I want to share it with my blog readers.

When I use the term Restoration Movement, I am referring to the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (not the a capella Churches of Christ or the Disciples of Christ denomination).

Among the positive things I have seen in recent years is a renewed interest in church planting.. Researchers consistently document the fact that new churches are reaching non-Christians with the gospel more effectively than established congregations. Generally speaking, new church plants grow at a faster rate than traditional church models. Another positive sign is the emphasis on world missions. The National Missionary Convention has become one of the premier conventions among our people. Bible colleges are sending more students on short-term mission trips than ever before. There seems to be a genuine desire on the part of the younger generation to minister cross-culturally. I believe these are positive trends that honor the Lord as believers seek to fulfill His Great Commission.

I do, however, see some dangerous trends among us. One of those is a de-emphasis on biblical doctrine and a heavy reliance on pragmatic church growth principles. These need not be mutually exclusive, but our forefathers pointed people to the Bible, believing that the truth of God’s Word is what changed lives and caused the church to grow. They promoted unity, and they also pleaded for an adherence to truth (“union in truth” was the term they used). Historically, there has been a doctrinal distinctiveness about our movement. This came as a result of a genuine study of the Scriptures. Perhaps the most well-known distinctive is our understanding of the place of baptism (immersion) in God’s plan of redemption. Some have made a case that this particular doctrine was over-emphasized. They may be right, but I wonder if the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. Our churches do not seem to have the unity of belief and practice that they did a few decades ago. We seem to be on a path toward blending in with a generic brand of evangelicalism. Other issues like church polity, gender roles, and the authority of the Bible have also come under scrutiny in recent years.

We may be approaching another crossroads in our history. Will we continue to preach the Bible, believing that our forefathers’ “restoration plea” to call people back to the Bible, and wear the name “Christian” is still valid? Or will we morph into something other than what we have known in the past?

Skit Guys - Grace

The Gospel Coalition

This week Tracy and I attended The Gospel Coalition Conference in Chicago. There were a lot of things that were great about it. First, the fact that we were able to go together. I am privileged to attend things like this on a fairly regular basis, but it was really special attending as a couple. Second, the preaching was outstanding, and very challenging. Third, the worship was tremendous. Fourth, the resources were plentiful (there were lots of freebies as well as discounted books).

This conference, like its cousin Together for the Gospel is attended primarily by folks who adhere to Reformed theology. However, they do allow non-Calvinists (like us) to slip in. Honestly, I heard nothing preached that could not have been preached at Hillsboro Family Camp or the North American Christian Convention. The theme, Preaching Christ from the Old Testament was executed very well. If you download messages from the website, be sure to check out the messages by Tim Keller and Don Carson.

Six Keys to Poor Preaching

Great post by Darryl Dash. I wanted to share it:

Six Keys to Poor Preaching


I’m no expert in bad preaching, but I’ve done my share. I’ve observed that there are countless ways to preach well, but there are only a few key steps you need to master if you want to preach poorly. Anyone can do them.

1.Skip on exegesis – Preaching preparation is half exegesis and half homiletics. If you want to save time, skip the exegesis and spend all your time on the homiletical side. Your schedule will thank you. (Nobody else will.)

2.Forget the big idea – We’ve been taught that sermons should be bullets, not buckshots. It takes a lot of time and work to come up with the main burden of the text. If you want to preach poorly, then remember, clarity about the big idea of the text must be sacrificed.

3.Come up with your own purpose for the sermon – Sure, there is such a thing as authorial intent. And yes, in theory, our sermon’s purpose should match the text’s purpose as much as possible. But if you stick to the purpose of the text, you’re robbing yourself of the ability to come up with all kinds of clever messages that may not be strictly biblical – but do they ever preach! (They sell books too.)

4.Prepare at the last minute – We’ve all tasted food that’s simmered. And we’ve all tasted food that’s been microwaved at the last minute. If you want to preach poorly, then don’t allow yourself the luxury of simmering. All it takes is one or two good sermons for your people to lose their taste for microwaved sermons. We can’t let that happen.

5.Preach moralism – Spurgeon said, “Whenever I get hold of a text, I say to myself, ‘There is a road from here to Jesus Christ, and I mean to keep on His track till I get to Him.’” But really, have you seen some of these roads? If you want to preach poorly, it’s far easier just to tell people they should be better and let them figure it out.

6.Preach to everyone in general – Don’t preach to the people in front of you. Preach to some generic audience. That way your sermons will be just as bad in your next church too.

High Five Etiquette

Go Irish!

National Preaching Summit

Every year the National Preaching Summit re-ignites my passion for communicating God's word. It is a two-day seminar for preachers who meet annually in Indianapolis, Indiana. The fellowship with other preachers is wonderful and the challenge and motivation from the speakers is what I look forward to each year. I'm so thankful that God allows me to proclaim His good news!

If you're a preacher, mark down next year's dates (March 12-13) and plan to attend.