Remembering Sister Lela

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Tribute, Subject Index by Holmes, Bobby

(April 3, 1933 - October 1, 1998)

Sister Lela, as everyone called her with affection, was not rich in this world’s goods and modern ways of thinking. She cleaned houses when she could to help pay the bills. Though she was poor by the worlds standards she was wealthy in God’s eyes for she was a faithful child of the King.

I first met sister Lela McCarter in about 1985 when I was invited by brother Mike Hurst to hold a meeting for the small black church of Christ in the rural community of Sturgis Mississippi. Mike was a young white man studying at Mississippi State University in Starkville. He had noticed the meeting place of this group of saints while driving through the country one day and as it looked like people were meeting there he started asking questions and found they indeed met, but had no one to preach for them. He volunteered to do so and they gladly accepted. Mike soon found out through sister Lela that the church there was under the “oversight” (control) of the large white Lee Blvd. Church in Starkville.

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Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage: A Universal Moral Law?

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in MDR, Subject Index by Mayberry, Mark

Introduction

In recent years, many discount the teaching of Matthew 19:9 on marriage, divorce and remarriage by saying, “Jesus’ words do not apply to alien sinners, but only to citizens of the heavenly kingdom.” Cultural accomodationists tell us that lost mankind is not accountable to the gospel, but rather answers to some vague and undefined “universal moral law.” How does one answer such heresy? First, it must be acknowledged that the Bible affirms the concept of a universal moral law (Rom. 2:12-16). However, the question is this: Where did such a code originate? Is it innate, inborn, instinctive and intuitive? Or, is this so-called universal moral law based upon man’s memory - however dim - of divine revelation?

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A Review of the Neubauer-Maxell Debate on Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in MDR, Subject Index by Wallace, Steve

On August 25-26th, 2000, two of our institutional brethren squared off in a discussion on marriage, divorce and remarriage. The two disputants were Holger Neubauer, assistant to the president at Tennessee Bible College in Cookeville, TN, and James Maxwell, vice-president of Southwest Christian College in Terrell, TX. The debate took place in Monroeville, AL and was sparked by differences among brethren in a church there.

The propositions and content of the debate are pertinent to issues facing conservative brethren. On Friday evening, the proposition was,

    The Holy Scriptures teach that Non-Christians in an adulterous marriage can repent and be baptized and continue in the marriage, being sanctified and justified.

Brother Maxwell affirmed and brother Neubauer denied. On Saturday afternoon, brother Neubauer was in the affirmative on the following proposition:

    The Holy Scriptures teach that repentance requires that Non-Christians in an adulterous marriage sever the marriage before being baptized.

Hopefully, this review will be a helpful contribution to the study of this issue. Brother Neubauer was well prepared and thorough in both the negative and affirmative. In his defense of error, brother Maxwell made some arguments worthy of attention if only for the purpose of preparing brethren to answer them. This review is intended as an overview of the debate, rather than a point by point report.

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A Free-Form Exchange on Instrumental Music and the Holy Spirit

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Inst. Music, Holy Spirit, Subject Index by Hafley, Larry Ray

( Editor’s Note: The following correspondence was initiated with brother Hafley by a man who sought to defend the use of instruments of music in Christian worship. We will limit our identification of the man to his first name, Don. Don’s grammar and punctuation, as well as his sentence construction, lacks formality. We thought it best, however, to retain the form rather than seeking to edit the posts of one with which we disagree. The correspondence is reprinted here for your study on this important subject.)

Don (Post 1):

we better stop praying “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”there are musical instruments in heavenThank You Lord Jesus for filling this brothers heart with Your version of Your word.The Lord won’t agree with my version of “nothin.”Message text written by don

Larry Ray Hafley (Post 1)

Don,Where did you learn that there are “musical instruments in heaven”?Please cite the source of your information.Thanx. Larry

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Guarding the Guardian

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in False Teachers, Themes, False Teachers, Fellowship, Subject Index by Holmes, Bobby
This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series, False Teachers.

For many years I have stated that the greatest threat to God’s people was in the realm of fellowship. A few years ago, in the now deceased Christianity Magazine, Ed Harrell launched his plea for “a better understanding” of brethren regarding brother Homer Hailey and advocated a continued fellowship with him, placing such matters in the context of Romans chapter 14. Many brethren felt that the controversy raised over a false interpretation of Romans 14 would be the greatest battle to be fought against Satan and his forces. While the false doctrine that is being advocated by so many on Romans 14 is indeed a very real threat to the people of God, and while it’s ultimate end, if followed, will allow any and all sin into the fellowship of God’s people, I believe the subject of fellowship in general is the very core our problem. If you will think for a moment, it becomes very obvious that God has placed “fellowship” as His guardian for the purity of His people. It was so in the Old Testament when He forbade His people to have any “fellowship” with the people of other nations. It was so when He commanded His people to put away their strange wives (Ezra chapter 10). It is so also in the New Testament.

Fellowship was the “Guardian” for the purity among God’s people in the realm of morality (cf. 1 Corinthians 5). The Corinthians were told to “put away from yourselves that wicked person” ( 1 Corinthians 5:13). The reason is given in verse six. He says that wickedness will corrupt others as well so were told to “purge out the old leaven,” verse seven. In doing so they used God’s “Guardian” for maintaining moral purity among them.

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Editorial: What Is Conversion?

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Conversion, Subject Index, Editorials by Cox, Stan

In the May 12, 2001 Faith & Inspiration section of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, staff writer Patrick McGee had an article entitled “New Believers, True Believers.” The article sought to answer the question, “…what brings people to the decision to change religions?”

The article serves to illustrate just how far away modern day religion has drifted from the holy scriptures.

For example, note the following quote from McGee:

    “Clergy of a variety of faiths say some of their congregations’ most devout members are people who did not grow up in the faith - the converts.”

Of course, biblical conversion has reference to salvation from sins, not leaving one denomination to join another. Though the term can be used accommodatively in this way, the fact that an entire article is written on the subject of conversion without salvation from sin even being mentioned is an indication that the entire concept has been distorted in modern denominations.

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Associate Editorial: Genesis (A Book of Beginnings)

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Genesis, Associate Editorials, Subject Index by Fain, Larry

VBS Curriculum, 2001

(1) The First Seven Days

I. Introduction

A. Read Text – ALWAYS Read the Text FROM THE BIBLE

1. Genesis 1:1 – Genesis 2:25

B. Memory Verse:

1. Genesis 1:1 (3rd Grade and down)
2. Genesis 1:26 (4th Grade and Up) THIS WILL TAKE SOME CLASS TIME TO WORK ON IT!!

C. Lesson readings – Use as you will

1. Colossians 1:9 – 18; Romans 1:20
2. John 1:1-4; Hebrews 11:3

D. Retell the Story of Creation in your Own Words:

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Associate Editorial: Masonry is a Religion

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Masonry, Associate Editorials, Subject Index by Roberts, Tom

I’ve seen an amazing thing among members of the church of Christ who are Masons. They, among all other members of the Masonic Lodge, are unique in that they alone contend that Masonry is not a religious institution. In discussing this lodge with people in the denominational world, they usually attempt to defend it and their membership in it by the fact that they regard it as “religious.” But my brethren in the same lodge will try to deny that it is religious at all.

Obviously the reason why “Christians” will do this when sectarians will not is that most of us understand the unique nature of the Lord’s church. We know that the church is sufficient and complete so far as our religious needs are concerned and that a Christian, as a member of the Lord’s church, has no need of any other religious institution. In fact, due to the peculiar nature of the church, we stand in a complete relationship with Christ, truth and hope of heaven — lacking nothing. To suggest that the Masonic Lodge (or any other institution) can add anything to our knowledge of truth, relationship with Christ or hope of heaven is to mock the very nature of the church of Christ.

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Voices from the Past: Why Do You Want to Preach? (J.W. McGarvey)

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Preacher, Preaching, Subject Index by Deaton, Steven

Chapel Address — No. 4
J.W. McGarvey, Chapel Talks (1956)

A considerable number of you expect to preach tomorrow. What for? It will cost some labor and anxiety on your own part and some trouble to the audience which you expect to come and hear you; and what for? On your own part, what is it for? Just to fill an appointment? Well, that is very important. If a man has an appointment he ought to fill it, especially if he is a preacher. I have felt this duty pressed upon me all my life as a preacher. I recollect that I had an appointment once thirty miles from home and I expected to reach the place on horseback. When Saturday morning arrived the thermometer registered eighteen degrees below zero. Then the question arose whether I ought to risk being frozen by going to that appointment. But I mounted my horse and went. When I was within a half-mile or so of the village I met with a number of brethren who had been gathering ice for their icehouses. They told me that they were not looking for me. I answered, “Whenever I have an appointment, you look for me”. That has been the rule of my life, and I mention it so that it may help any of you who have been just a little careless. It is very important to always be prompt in filling your appointments.

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White Unto Harvest: Managing Funds in the Mission Field

Posted on July 1st, 2001 in Foreign Evang., Subject Index by Wallace, Steve

In this article we focus on a sometimes neglected subject. When we speak of the responsibilities of a preacher in the mission field the emphasis is often on preaching the truth, zeal for the lost, etc. However, the Bible also teaches that a preacher has the responsibility of seeing to the proper use of the funds churches or individuals have given him for his work. Concerning the funds collected for the saints at Jerusalem, Paul wrote:

    And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches; and not only so, but who was also appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to show our readiness: avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men (2 Cor. 8:18-21, my emph., sw)

There are a number of areas wherein Paul and his company might, had they been careless, have been blamed in the matter of the money churches had contributed. Likewise, there are things that brethren need to consider today regarding the use of funds in foreign fields. Let us notice some.

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