Many churches have a significant percentage of their members who are single. Excluding children, many of the adult members are not married. There are a number of reasons for this ever growing demographic in the Lord’s church.

• Human lifespan is longer – there are more widows and widowers
• The divorce rate is higher – sometimes even among Christians.
• Many never marry – some are unasked; some are unanswered. And a higher percentage than ever either decide not to marry or else they are waiting until later in life to marry.

I realize that this can be very discouraging to some who fall into this category and who would love to be married if the right situation would arise. Some are content in their singleness and have made a conscious decision not to marry.

But I am afraid that there are too many single Christians who feel that they cannot serve the Lord effectively because they are single and so, as a result, as powerful force is left untapped in many congregations.

There are many positive and valuable things that a single Christian can do and I would like to remind you of some of those things in the hopes that we can mobilize a group of disciples who can make a huge difference in the life of a church in the here and now and a great difference in other people’s eternal destiny.

1)  Do not become discouraged.

Being single is no reason to have a low self-esteem. Singles sometimes ask, “What’s wrong with me?” Nothing is wrong with you, except perhaps that you are focusing on the wrong thing. Look to your strengths, talents, and abilities. (Married people who concentrate only on what they can’t do or don’t have will never be happy either.)

There are many great men and women of God in the Bible who were single (either never having married or having lost a spouse). In the Old Testament, some of them were Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Mordecai. In the New Testament, we have Paul, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, John the Baptist, Timothy, Barnabas and, of course, Jesus.

When you find yourself feeling lonely, do something for someone else to take the focus off of your aloneness. Visit with friends, enjoy the children of others (buy them things; take them places you would like to go, like the zoo, a museum, etc.). Just keep busy doing something.

2)  Recognize your opportunities.

The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7:7-8, recommends the single life. He is not forbidding people to get married (1 Timothy 4:3), but he wants you to realize that you are definitely not a second class Christian if you are unmarried.

The fact is that marriage divides a person’s interests into two areas – serving the Lord and being with your mate. An unmarried person has the time to do things for God that married people often cannot do. Notice this passage from 1 Corinthians 7:32-35:

“But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord – how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world – how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world – how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.”

He continues on to discuss one who does not give his daughter in marriage and says that such a one have chosen what is better. There are some advantages in being single over being married. (There are also advantages in being married over being single. It is not all one sided in either direction.)

Some advantages a single Christian has are:

• Can be more spontaneous
• Freer to come and go
• No one to answer to about time
• More time to study the Bible and pray
• Have get-togethers at your place (make it a potluck)
• More time to attend gospel meetings in other places
• Often in a position to contribute more than average to the church
• Galatians 6:10

3)  Maintain sexual purity.

This is very important. A single Christian must work very hard, with the Lord’s help, to keep himself or herself pure.

There are two important things to watch out for – your friends (1 Corinthians 15:33) and your activities (Ephesians 5:11).

Remember that you are be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Don’t let your unmarried status be an excuse to sin it up. Think about the example you are setting for others.

4)  Help others.

One of the biggest problems of single Christians is turning inward, only being concerned with self. Give of your self to others (Acts 20:33-35; Matthew 20:25-28).

Matthew 19:10-12 speaks of those who refuse marriage (“make themselves eunuchs”) for “the kingdom of heaven’s sake.” Being single often gives you more time to help others.

• The needy – James 1:27
• Sick, hungry, lonely people – Matthew 25:31-46
• Spiritually weak – Galatians 6:1-2
• The lost – Matthew 4:19

Conclusion

If you find yourself in this situation, by choice or by circumstance, use it to the glory of God. The church has a huge army of single, godly men and women out there who need to be mobilized in His service. Realize that this is an opportunity to serve God and the church and the world around you in a way that will make a difference in the lives and eternity of others. May God richly bless you.

--Roger Hillis    

I hope you are enjoying and profiting spiritually from this series I have been writing on the subject of Strengthening the Local Church. A few have commented to me that they are benefitting from these articles and I truly pray that they are being helpful to you.

For the next few weeks, starting next Monday, Lord willing, I want to focus on the value of several groups in the church, people who can use their talents to help the church to grow spiritually and numerically.

There seems to be a feeling on the part of way too many Christians that, if they can’t ever serve as a preacher or elder or deacon, they really aren’t very important to the Lord and His work.

That is most unfortunate, because the Bible teaches that God loves every person, without partiality or favoritism (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11; James 2:1-4). Every person, male or female, is important to the Lord and vital to accomplishing His will in the world.

Each of us is a unique individual, created in God’s image, with an immortal soul, to glorify Him while living on the earth. You know people I may never know. You love people I have never even met. You have, within your realm of influence, people who need to be saved and who may have been placed in your life by God, so that you can touch them with the gospel. And if you don’t do that, it may well be that no one else ever will either. And that is true for me also. And it is true for all of us who are Jesus followers.

Two passages make it abundantly clear that every one who is a disciple of Christ is important to His work.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 compares the church to a physical body and teaches us that every part of the body is important to its proper functioning. No one should feel more important than anyone else, as we perform our work for Him. No one should feel inferior to others either. We all matter to God.

The context of this passage deals with the spiritual gifts that first century Christians were given before the New Testament was completed. Some thought themselves better than others because of their gift and some didn’t think they were as important as others because they got a different gift than someone else. But they were all to work together, just as all the various parts of our bodies work together. Although we do not have these same miraculous gifts today, we are all gifted by God with natural talents and abilities that should be used to help other people come closer to God and to glorify Him in every way we can. And Paul points out that, even with the miraculous aspects of their gifts, the greatest gift of all is to love others.

Romans 12 is an entire chapter of the New Testament that emphasizes how we are different, but that we should all use our abilities in a way that honors the Giver. You can do things I cannot and you are accountable to God to do what you can. And I need to do whatever I can.

Well, with that introduction, if the Lord doesn’t come back first, I plan to spend the next several weeks discussing what various groups of Christians can do that will strengthen the church where they worship.

The groups I plan to discuss, if I am able, will be:

• Single Christians
• Older Christians
• Women
• Teens/Young people

I hope you will benefit from this short series within the larger series of Strengthening the Local Church. May the Lord richly bless you as you seek to do His will.

--Roger Hillis

There are a number of essentials when it comes to having a growing church. One of the most important factors is having a sense of direction that comes from a leadership in tune with God’s word and the needs of a lost world. I want to discuss three vital principles about the needs of a church that will grow and prosper in a hostile world.

These leadership principles must be present in a church that wants to grow. God’s plan is that leadership be provided in a local church by scripturally qualified shepherds who lead and guide the people toward heaven. Many churches do not have elders who can lead the church in that way, but even if there are no “official” leaders, someone must keep the church on track in following God’s will. If there are no elders, someone must point the church in the right direction. Often, this task falls to the preacher, so here are some things I hope will help.

1)  Forward thinking

Far too many churches worship their past and continue to cling to outdated ideas and methods to try to reach the lost. Just because a Bible correspondence course had 400 students and the church baptized 50 of them back in the 1960’s doesn’t necessarily mean it will still work today. (I am not against using correspondence studies; if they are up to date in appearance and challenging in content, they can still work. But we often use old fashioned looking stuff today to save money in a world where we can do much better with little expense.)

Paul said, in Philippians 3:12-14, that he was going to press on in his service to God, without being bound by his past. (Whether you think he meant his past failures or his past successes doesn’t matter; he was going to keep moving forward from that point onward.)

Decisions need to be made involving Bible classes, budgets, buildings, etc. that should be geared toward helping people make it to heaven. We should not simply be interested in keeping house or just holding our own (while we wait until we have elders).

Two questions should drive our decision making process. First, is it scriptural? Second, will it help people go to heaven?

2)  Focus on really important matters

In Matthew 6:33, the Savior reminds us not to think too much or to worry about the things of this world, material possessions. Rather He says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (physical needs, rh) shall be added to you.”

The Lord is not saying that we don’t need to take care of ourselves physically, but He is emphasizing that we must learn to put first things first. Some things are just more important to God than other things and we should learn which is which and have those same priorities.

I don’t know who said it first, but a lot of people have repeated it and I think it certainly has value for us today. “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.” Doesn’t that make sense?

There are some really important goals we need to accomplish. We need to help people to become Christians. We need to help new Christians to grow spiritually. We need to help the weak to grow stronger. We need to help the fallen to return.

In the final analysis, it is all about souls and saving them to the glory of God.

The devil will make certain that there will be many distractions, anything that can derail us or cause us to procrastinate in doing the right thing.

• Some people will get sick physically.
• Someone will hurt your feelings.
• Not everyone will do the right thing.
• You will study the Bible with people who do not obey.
• Some Christians will just quit.
• Temptations will grow stronger and more frequent.

But in the midst of all of these difficulties, the ship must stay the course. That’s really the point of Luke 9:57-62. It shows us how important serving Christ is and we must never give up.

3)  A deep sense of dependence on God

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

We are dependent on Him for everything we do. He is the One who save souls (1 Corinthians 3:6); we are simply seed spreaders. He is the one who builds up Christians (Philippians 1:6); we are merely the vessels He works with and through.

We must emphasize prayer to God in all we do as we pray for ourselves and for others.

If we try to do things by our own strength, in our own way, for our glory, with human ideas, we will fail.

It is not about us. It is all about Him. It is all for Him.

Conclusion

Those who lead in a local church need to remember these principles in the decisions they make.

God’s plan is for elders and deacons and every church needs to work to have that scriptural organization. Even then, the shepherds should continue to use these divine principles to guide us to heaven.

Until then, these ideals and values can be used to help the church prosper and please God.

--Roger Hillis

RogerLeeHillis@gmail.com

Some of my fondest childhood memories include attending Vacation Bible School at various congregations in the Southern Illinois community I grew up in.

The church where my family attended started conducting a VBS early in my lifetime. It was always a highlight of my young summers and I enjoyed it so much that I usually went to 3 or 4 different VBS sessions each year.

I most clearly remember a wall chart that one of our elders used to help us learn the books of the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament. It was made on a huge sheet that covered a big part of one wall of the auditorium. It was popular in those days before projectors and Powerpoint to use bed sheets with charts drawn on them in gospel meetings and other teaching settings. Gospel meetings would often consist of a single chart on a bed sheet discussing various subjects or book studies from the Bible and the preacher would use that chart every night. At VBS, we learned the divisions of the testaments: Old Testament as Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets and Minor Prophets and New Testament as Gospels, History (Acts), Epistles (or letters) and Prophecy (Revelation). And then we would all say the books in order every day.

I recall a time when attending another congregation’s VBS and having the lady who taught my class say to me, “Wow, you can really find those verses in your Bible. You are the fastest one in the class.” Do you think that made me feel good? Of course it did and I remember it more than 50 years later.

There is tremendous value to the local church that can be seen in conducting a Vacation Bible School. Our desire is to teach the Bible to as many people as possible, right? In my experience, as a child and as an adult and a preacher, more guests are willing to attend something like a VBS than almost any other special event.

If the congregation where you worship doesn’t have a VBS (maybe you used to have one, but haven’t in the last several years), it might be a really good teaching opportunity that can reach some lost souls for the Lord.

In 2017, I had the privilege to preach regularly for a church that was between preachers. Early in the year, someone mentioned that they were disappointed that they didn’t have very many children. A lot of churches are like that and it is a very difficult trend to reverse. Young families with small children are drawn to churches that have other children to be friends with their children. So if there are only a few young ones, many families decide to worship where there are more kids. It can be a self-defeating cycle.

I asked why they quit having VBS because I knew they had previously enjoyed good crowds at VBS. They told me that they didn’t think they had enough children to have a Vacation Bible School. But it seems to me that this is exactly why it would be helpful to have one. If you don’t have VBS and it would attract others to the church, why not try having one? It will be small at first but if you have faith that God’s word will not return to Him void, then it is worth the effort. If you have four children and they each bring a friend, you have planted seeds of God’s truth in the hearts and minds of eight young people.

That church had seven children in Bible class on Sunday before we did a one day VBS on Saturday. We had 41 children to attend classes that day and 40 adults. Everyone was thrilled, of course and we repeated the effort in 2018 with similar results.

There are lots of ways to conduct a VBS. Many churches have a 5 day study – Monday through Friday, either in the day time or the evening. A recent trend has been to have these special classes for children for 3 days, Sunday through Tuesday. We tried an idea that I had read about several years ago from a church in Indiana that had a one day Saturday study. We chose that plan to start with and began at 9:30 and ended at about 2:30 in the afternoon. Individuals paid for a lunch break at a local pizza shop and then we came back for more classes and songs.

Our theme was Faith, Hope and Love, 3 classes with 3 separate Bible stories. We wrote our own class material. It was marvelous and the children had a wonderful time and the church members really worked very hard to invite people to the class and to prepare and deliver the lessons.

The biggest benefit from VBS is that it shows our young people how important they are to the church and therefore, to the Lord. It helps children to be excited about learning the Bible and that is always good.

It is also helpful for adults as well. Churches that have VBS in the evening usually have better attendance and teachers who volunteer are able to do so, even if they work during the day, so you have a bigger pool of workers.

Songs are a really important part of a VBS. The children always enjoy them, plus you can teach them important things in song. Songs may make it easier for them to memorize the days of creation, the sons of Jacob, the judges, the books of the Old Testament and New Testament and lots of other valuable things.

Remember that you are planting seeds of truth in young hearts. What was it that brought the prodigal son to his senses in Christ’s parable? It was what he had been taught when he lived at home with his father. So he had rebelled against that for a while (haven’t a lot of our young people in the church made this same tragic choice?) but he was brought back by what he remembered from his youth.

A Vacation Bible School does not have to be “big” to be a success or to have an eternal impact on souls. If you have ten children and show them that they matter to the Lord, it can make a difference in eternity. The number is not the important issue. If you have 2 or 3 children, make this a special event that they will remember forever.

But if you aren’t going to work hard to prepare useful and practical Bible lessons, if you aren’t going to make much effort to invite friends, neighbors, family members, if you don’t really want it to succeed, don’t waste your time and effort. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

If you are willing to really work at this, VBS can be a powerful teaching opportunity for the people of God. Do it right and you will reap eternal rewards that will honor and glorify God and save souls.

--Roger Hillis

All right, it’s not totally new (Ecclesiastes 1:9). But I don’t hear many people talking about it these days. Everyone always seems to be looking for the latest gimmick or scheme for church growth. We have filmstrips, videos, lesson plans and suggestions galore. And, as long as they teach the truth, it really doesn’t matter which one you might be the most comfortable using.

But, may I suggest going back to a really old idea? Maybe it’s time to resurrect something that has worked for us in the past.

Why don’t we try to bring our lost friends and neighbors to our services so they can hear the gospel, be convicted by it and obey God’s plan for the salvation of their souls?

Now be honest. How long has it been since you personally brought a friend or neighbor with you to the regular worship services of the local church you are a part of? I don’t mean a Christian visiting from out of town, but a real life, bonafide sinner who needs to hear the gospel?

Some churches have had a “bring your neighbor” day with a special emphasis on doing just that. You may not be totally comfortable with that idea and yet, it does provide a format for those who are shy to invite their friends. That’s really the same principle as a gospel meeting. It’s a “bring your neighbor” week; we just don’t call it that.

However, it seems to me that we have all but quit trying to bring lost people to gospel meetings. We want them to come. But, they usually don’t. We expend lots of time, effort and money on a meeting. And we are satisfied if one or two guests show up all week long. In the last gospel meeting where you attend, how many non-Christians did you personally invite? We expect someone else to bring the guests. We are really disappointed if no one comes. But how much did we do toward getting non-Christians there? We either need to work at having a successful meeting or we need to stop wasting everybody’s time, money and energy.

The principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7) teaches us that the results are proportionate to our efforts. In other words, if we continue to do the same things in the same way we have always done them, we will continue to get the same results. No one will come. If you think that’s acceptable, that’s between you and the Lord. But if you don’t think it’s enough, then we need to come up with a plan to do better.

Here’s a suggestion.

Plan your regular services in advance. Choose important sermons and coordinate the songs to go along with the lesson. Announce the sermon title at least a week in advance.

This will give everyone an opportunity to say to their friends, “Say, the lesson this week at services is going to be something I think you will really enjoy. We'd love to have you come.” Is that so hard? Can’t everyone do this?

This has the additional advantage of giving our guests the chance to hear the regular preacher, the one they will hear each week if they become a member. Often, they get excited about a gospel meeting preacher and then he goes back home and the person they hear at their next visit is someone very different. That doesn’t hurt anything, I guess, but it can set up false expectations and some disappointment on their part.

I recognize that announcing sermons a week or month ahead will require more organization on the part of the local preacher. And there will be times when the needs of the moment may require choosing a different sermon than the one previously announced. But the extra effort will be well rewarded.

However, the key is still going to be personal effort to invite lost souls. Those of us who have gotten out of the habit are going to have to get back into that habit. We need to pray about it and work much harder to bring our friends to hear the gospel.

Let me ask you again and I want you to give an honest answer. How long has it been since you even tried to get a guest to come to our services? If everyone else put the same amount of effort into bringing outsiders to worship, how many guests would ever come?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

The gospel still has the power to save souls. But we have to get people there to hear it.

--Roger Hillis

Biblical Insights

August 2002

This article has to do with some of the Core Values of who and what God wants us to be, as His people. These are vital Biblical doctrines that must be maintained and that cannot be compromised. What are some of these distinguishing teachings that separate the Lord’s church from man-made denominations? What are some of the Biblical truths that we must always cling to, no matter what else happens to us or around us?

In Proverbs 22:28, the phrase, ancient landmark, refers to property boundaries (usually a large stone that would mark the end of one person’s property and the beginning of his neighbor’s land) – see also 23:10-11. The Law of Moses prohibited moving these landmarks (Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17). This was  a matter of honesty and integrity.

A similar thought is found in Jeremiah 6:16, where the spiritual landmarks that God had set in place, and which should never be moved, are referred to as “the old paths.”

While our methods may change with time, and how we present these ideas to people may vary, the truth of the gospel must never be compromised.

1)  Undenominational Christianity

There is only one true church; it is the one Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16:18. Christ is the one head of the one body (Colossians 1:18). Further study of the New Testament shows us that each local church (sometimes we use the term, congregation or assembly) is autonomous, that is, independent and self-governing.

The overseers (or elders) are appointed to watch out for the souls of the members and they are the only authority over a local church. They serve under the authority of Jesus in heaven.

The Lord’s church is not one denomination among many. It is undenominational. We are not trying to be the best denomination. As a matter of fact, we are not trying to be a denomination at all. We are just trying to be the church you can read about on the pages of the New Testament.

2)  Who is a Christian?

We must never underestimate the value of God’s plan of salvation, as outlined in your New Testament. We must stand firmly for the truth that one must believe in Christ as God’s Son (this is sometimes called faith), that we must repent or turn our hearts and lives away from sin, and we must be baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16 are just a few passages among many that teach us how to be saved.

Infant baptism, salvation by faith only, once saved, always saved are doctrines of men, not of God. People who believe these things are not saved, because they have not done what the Bible tells us to do to be forgiven of our sins.

I am not trying to be mean or hateful about that; I am just trying to show what the Bible teaches. If we don’t really think lost people are lost, we won’t try to save them.

3)  True Worship

This includes the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week and no instrumental music, which are two areas where many denominations have abandoned God’s word. New Testament worship is not fancy and it is not entertainment. It is a reverent celebration of all that God has done for us (1 Corinthians 14:40). It is directed to God and must please Him. He has told us in the Bible what He wants us to do in worship. We cannot compromise with anyone to change what He has said.

4)  Bible authority

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). That means we only do what He has told us to do in every area of our service.

“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11). This passage is the basis for the statement that we “speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.”

The whole question of the silence of the scriptures deserves a lot of study and meditation.

5)  The difference in the Old Testament and the New Testament

Many people turn back to the Old Testament for authority for their actions. It is vital that we understand that the Old Law was “nailed to the cross” and replaced with the New Testament (Colossians 2:14). That’s why we don’t offer animal sacrifices, why we don’t worship on the Sabbath Day which is Saturday, why we don’t use instruments of music, and many other things.

6)  The work of the church

The work of the church is spiritual, not social. “But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

We must have an over-riding conviction that the power of the gospel will convict and convert and transform our world.

Many people don’t understand this. Churches around the world have turned primarily to secular appeals to try to get people to attend. And those who offer the most social activities often have the biggest crowds. But it is the gospel that will save people, not social and recreational events.

7)  The importance of unity

Everyone in the church needs to be on the same page and working together by the authority of the New Testament. Ephesians 4:1-3; 4-6, 16 emphasize unity and the need for every part of the body to do his or her share of the work.

Conclusion

Why are these things important? Because they all come from the Bible.

Please understand that I am not trying to create a creed that consists of seven items that all “faithful” churches must ascribe to, in order to meet God’s approval. This is simply an attempt to emphasize some of the Biblical principles of New Testament Christianity that seem important to me as I read the scriptures.

Remember that these are non-negotiable truths. And there are others; these just stand out to me as being the difference between the true faith that comes from heaven and a false hope that originates with men.

--Roger Hillis

When we look at the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, we see the tremendous success of the first century Christians in converting the lost. Acts 5:14 tells us: “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.”

Multitudes of both men and women were being saved. Multitudes. Not five or six people per year like most congregations expect these days. Multitudes. Can you try to imagine that in your mind? Is it still possible?

Let’s think for a moment about how they did that.

First, they taught “publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20). We do pretty well with the “publicly” part. We faithfully proclaim the truth in our meetinghouses and are willing to try to convert anyone who comes to us. But how are we doing with the “from house to house” part? I fear not so well.

Second, they brought family and friends to hear the gospel. “…Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends” (Acts 10:24). How much are we doing that today? How long has it been since you personally invited your relatives and close friends to hear the good news of salvation?

Third, they taught one on one whenever they could make such opportunities. Jesus taught Nicodemus privately (John 3). He spent time together with the Samaritan woman speaking to her of spiritual things (John 4). It appears to have been just Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in the chariot (Acts 8). Are you bold enough and confident enough to go “one on one” with a lost person, with just a Bible between you? Can you sit across a kitchen table with a sinner and look him in the eye and teach him the plan of salvation? Have you ever done that, even once?

Fourth, they went to where the people were. Paul and Silas preached to some women who were at the riverside praying (Acts 16). Paul preached to Greek philosophers at Mars’ Hill in Athens (Acts 17). On the preaching journeys, they often traveled to synagogues and schools to spread the truth (Acts 19:8-10). Again, are we doing that much?

They used these simple methods and converted multitudes. We use these methods very little, if at all, and then we shake our heads and say, “No one seems interested in the gospel any more.” What’s wrong with this picture?

--Roger Hillis

About two months ago, some of our members met a disheveled-looking older man named John at an evening service. He sat alone on the back row near the media booth—if you're a member, you may remember seeing him if you think back. I’d like to tell you his story.

John was at the church building when I arrived to work one weekday. He was living in his car and had spent a cold night here in our parking lot. I introduced myself and asked, “What can I do for you?” His answer: “I was just wondering if I could have a cup of coffee and somebody to talk to. I haven’t talked to anybody in a long time.”

John and I had breakfast together that day, and I was impressed at what an intelligent and honest man he was. He quoted several poems (favorite poet: E.E. Cummings), great novels (favorite: Moby Dick), and ancient religious creeds (at one point in his life, he was a diligent seminary student). He was open about his past, about his current vices and sins, and about his current needs. And he shared a good deal about his family life and how he had gotten into the predicament where he was that day.

The most compelling thing about him was that he had deliberately created a distance between himself and his family—four siblings all living here in Louisville—because he felt unworthy of their love. And, as these things often go, as his life got worse, he believed himself less and less worthy of being accepted back among them. He had made no contact with any of them for over 4 years.

After we spent a long time together, I bought John a place to stay for a couple of nights, told him to clean himself up and get something to eat (it’s amazing how much good that can do for the mind and the heart), and gave him a Bible with Luke 15 bookmarked (look it up real quick; it helps the story). I encouraged him to read it that night, and I invited him to come worship with us on the promise that we would do our best to help him more then. At the service he came to, we were talking about the importance of solitude as a spiritual discipline. And although John had been alone for a long time, he told me later that the sermon helped him to see the difference between seeking healthy solitude and isolating yourself as he had been doing for so long.

So the next morning, John came to the church building and we called his sister with whom he was the closest. She and her husband both cried on the phone when they heard that he was okay (they had wondered if he was even still alive), and they asked is they could come meet him. After not having spoken in almost five years, they had a tearful reunion in our lobby, and some of the first words spoken were, “Come on, John. Let’s go home.”

The scene reminded me of Luke 15. A son who had gone astray was welcomed back home by those who love him. It showed a small glimpse of God’s love and his willingness to bring even the most ragged, ashamed, and broken spiritual son home into his family. And it showed what brothers and sisters should do when one of our own comes back from the prodigal fields—celebrate their return and enthusiastically welcome them among us!

Pray for John, that he and I can continue our friendship and that I can share the gospel more fully with him. And give thanks to God that he is willing to accept wayward sons like us into his home.

- Dan Lankford, minister

When one begins to examine the health and spiritual condition of the local church, there are seven areas of emphasis that need to be evaluated and strengthened. This article will discuss these seven areas as an overview. Each one of these sections deserves its own full review.

There are two considerations in each of these areas of church life. The most important question is whether what we are doing pleases God. That is, does the Bible teach us to do what we are doing or have we merely been doing these things because that’s the way things have always been done around here?

The second question is whether or not the methods we have chosen to accomplish God’s will are the best and most effective ways to do them. In many cases, God has told us what to do, but He has left the how to do it up to us. We need to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” in our choice of effective (and scriptural) methods of doing His will.

Worship

We are taught to worship God in “spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). How we are to worship is outlined on the pages of the New Testament. Worship is to serve two purposes. First and foremost, it is to praise and thank God. Secondly, it is for the building up of one another.

At times, we may need to have some training about worship. We might need to have some singing training to learn how to do that well. There needs to be an emphasis on the Lord’s Supper during worship as we recall on a weekly basis what Jesus did for us on the cross. Those who lead in any aspect of our services should be trained in how to do it well. And we must not merely worship based on the teaching of the New Testament but we must also worship with the right kind of heart (or spirit). Our attitude should be correct before God.

We should examine every aspect of our worship and see if there are ways we can praise Him better (without changing how we worship to please us).

Spiritual education and training

We have written already of the benefits of having an organized teaching curriculum for both adults and children. There should also be some teacher training by qualified instructors so that we do the very best job we can of teaching God’s word. Special classes outside of our regular curriculum can help fill in some gaps in our Bible knowledge. There should be an intentional closeness between teachers, shepherds and parents to provide feedback for one another to the spiritual benefit of our young people.

Personal Evangelism

Jesus calls His followers to be “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Much of this work is done individually by disciples who seek to help others to become disciples as well. Classes need to be held to equip and train Christians to learn how to best teach the lost. We should encourage not only public classes but home Bible studies as well. There must also be follow up studies to help new Christians grow mature in Christ.

Hospitality

We are taught by the Lord to be hospitable to one another and to strangers (1 Peter 4:9). Christians should spend much time together outside of assemblies as we seek to help each other to remain strong in Christ. We should have other disciples over to our homes for parties and singings and other social activities. We should go on outings together and should desire to spend quality time with other Christians in many different settings.

Evangelism efforts

In addition to our individual efforts, there should be church level evangelistic events and opportunities for us to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Gospel meetings, Vacation Bible Schools, and social media should all be utilized to open up doors of opportunity for the lost to learn about the Savior. The church is to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15) and we should intentionally plan to provide chances for the lost to attend and learn the truth.

Leadership

The leaders of the local church (shepherds, elders, pastors, overseers, bishops) should model the right kind of spiritual example for others to follow. They should set the pace for evangelistic work and be personally involved in people’s lives so as to help them become more like Christ and develop strength in areas where they need to grow.

There should be on-going training for future men who can serve God’s people as shepherds, rather than waiting until something happens to current leadership before we begin to think about the future. The importance of leadership cannot be overstated, but far too many churches have underestimated the need to train new leaders.

From the pulpit

The preaching from the pulpit should be balanced to meet the spiritual needs of both new Christians and long time members. There should be an emphasis on evangelism and a focus on Jesus that reminds us of the One to whom we belong and whom we serve (Acts 27:23).

It is incumbent on the pulpit preaching to raise the level of commitment in the church as a whole. And the preacher must both teach what is right and show the way as well.

Conclusion

These seven areas of emphasis are vitally important if we want to be the church that the Lord expects us to be. Some of these things deal with our personal obligations to God and some have to do with collective actions of the congregation.

There is nothing negative about our need to constantly examine our practices to make certain that they are both true to the Bible and being successful in accomplishing what God wants us to do. If we need to improve in some areas, let us prayerfully plan to grow in our devotion and dedication for Him.

And let us never forget that we are to do everything to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

--Roger Hillis

For those who have grown up around churches of Christ, the term, gospel meeting, will be a familiar one. But for those who grew up with a denominational background or no religious history at all, this term will not have much meaning.

In the past, churches would have a series of gospel messages in consecutive evening (or morning) meetings. So the phrase, gospel meeting, refers to an effort to preach the gospel to both the church and any unbelievers that Christians could convince to attend. Some denominations (and perhaps some faithful churches as well) used the term, revival, to describe such meetings as the hope was to renew and encourage a new sense of spiritual commitment to God.

Years ago, many churches did not have a full-time paid preacher who spoke almost every Sunday. A lot of churches (but not all) in the southern and central Illinois area where I grew up would only have “preaching services” one or maybe two Sundays per month. On the other Sundays, the church would meet for Bible study and then have a short worship service that would include the Lord’s Supper, and maybe, a short talk by one of the men and then everyone would go home until next week.

But once a year, the church would have a gospel meeting. It would often be held in the Summer months because many of the members were farmers and they were busy planting in the Spring and harvesting in the Fall. The Winter always threatened bad weather so the Summer months were usually the best time to have such an effort. In the early and middle parts of the twentieth century, such meetings would be 2-3 weeks or even a month or more long, if the interest remained high. People didn’t have as many distractions as we seem to have now and it was not uncommon for these long meetings to include many sincere people who would visit from their denominational churches and when they heard the true gospel, many of those who were genuinely seeking the truth would respond in obedience. If you invited family, friends, and neighbors, many of them would attend. Even among the local families in the church, some people would wait until the gospel meeting to be baptized and so it was not uncommon to hear of gospel meetings that would last a month and scores of people would be baptized into Christ.

When I was just getting started trying to preach, I preached for a while at a small church in central Illinois one Sunday per month and different members would tell me on Sunday afternoon when it was their turn to feed the preacher about the gospel meeting in the 1970’s when 13 young people were baptized on the same night of a meeting. Although they didn’t have 13 young people attending any more when I was preaching there, their dream was always to repeat the success of that one meeting.

As people’s schedules got fuller and busier, churches began to shorten the length of gospel meetings, but perhaps have two per year, one in the Spring and another in the Fall. Most meetings started on Monday night and went through the following Sunday. Then they switched from Sunday through Friday and now, many meetings run Sunday through Wednesday (or maybe Tuesday). And of course, we now try to encourage people not to wait for anything once they are convinced they need to be baptized. So most people aren’t even baptized during a regular service time, but many are immersed during the week as soon as they know they shouldn’t put it off.

We have very few baptisms these days in gospel meetings (although every one that we have is important and precious in the sight of God). I do not have any scientific research to back up this statement, but I have noted, in the places I have worshiped, that more meetings have no baptisms than those that may have one or two.

I am not writing this to convince us to quit having meetings, but there are a few things we can do to make them more effective.

First, although some preachers will think I am speaking blasphemy, perhaps in some cases, we should not call them gospel meetings. I say that only because most of our unsaved friends won’t know what we mean if we invite them to a gospel meeting. Of course, we can explain it to them and if they come, that is great. But, it is just as appropriate to call them a teaching seminar or a Bible lectureship, or, as the preacher where I worship likes to call them, a guest speaker series. We only call them gospel meetings by tradition (gospel meeting is not a phrase that the Bible uses either) and perhaps a different designation might stir up more interest and bring more sincere people who are seeking the truth. This is just something to consider.

Secondly, we should ask ourselves, what are we wanting to accomplish with this series of Bible lessons? Because our member’s schedules (and those of our lost friends) are so busy, we need to be wise about the time it takes to attend a week-long series (or even one night for some people).  Let’s use the time wisely. Isn’t that what Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5 teach us? Make it really worth their while to attend and have a theme or series of lessons that really speaks to their every day lives and then show them how that applies to their eternity as well.

Maybe we can use the time as a focused, intensive study time on a particular subject or a book or series of books from the Bible. Perhaps we should have fewer meetings but make them more targeted times of Bible instruction.

Several years ago I was away in a gospel meeting and my wife got a phone call from the preacher at another church where I was supposed to speak in about a month. He told her they didn’t really have a theme in mind but they wanted me to preach lessons that would appeal to non-Christians. That’s a great idea, of course, one I highly recommend, and so she asked him if they typically had a lot of non-Christians attend their meetings. He admitted they almost never had anyone to visit their meetings and so she asked him if they were doing something different this time that might attract non-believers to this meeting. Again he said no, so she kindly and politely asked him why they wanted me to preach sermons for non-Christians if they weren’t going to be there? He told her that they just hoped that maybe this time some might come. (That was in 1986; we had about 250 souls there on Sunday morning and now, 30 some years later, that church has about 40 on a good Sunday morning.)

Wouldn’t it make more sense to preach to the people who typically come to such services or to have a theme or study that might appeal to those who didn’t normally attend? But to just randomly preach lessons that would help unbelievers if they were there, in the empty hope that they might accidentally show up is not wise.

We cannot afford to waste the Lord’s money and the efforts, energy, time and good will of the members, just because 50 years ago, we had a gospel meeting and a dozen people were baptized. Without changing the message, we need to change the methods we are using to try to spread the best news in the universe to those who desperately need it.

--Roger Hillis

RogerLeeHillis@gmail.com