Some friendly advice to aspiring Christian writers from a man of experience.

Why is it that some people say they just cannot seem to find a “friendly” church?

I grew up among kindly people of the Baptist affiliation. My father’s family was of this persuasion. A more gracious, benevolent group of folks could scarcely have been found. It was heartbreaking, therefore, to eventually discover that the church of my ancestry was unknown to the New Testament.

Because Kenneth Starr grew up associated with the church of Christ (we understand he currently worships with an Evangelical Bible Church), some have used the connection to vent personal, long-smoldering frustrations, firing both verbal and literary missiles at the Lord’s family.

Church leaders bear a most serious responsibility before God. Unfortunately, some professing Christians take advantage of good leaders and “church hop” from place to place to avoid faithful oversight.

Many churches are leaving the pattern of faith and practice found in the New Testament and adopting a modern, community model.

The writings of the so-called “Church Fathers” are valuable sources of information for that period known as the “post-apostolic” age. Unfortunately, the literature frequently is also abused.

Jesus declared that “worship” must be consistent with revealed “truth” (John 4:24), namely God’s word (John 17:17). This includes the musical engagement of the church.

Not all churches, even those belonging to Christ, are of equal quality. This is forcefully illustrated in Christ’s letter to the church in Laodicea.

The Corinthian Christians had promised a contribution for their poor brethren in Jerusalem. But they had failed to keep their pledge. How was Paul to motivate them to have a greater spiritual vision?

Pilate paraded Jesus before the crowd and exclaimed, “Behold, the man!” (Jn. 19:5). Significantly, this very phrase is found in an Old Testament prophecy that heralds the coming of Israel’s Messiah.

In his letter to the church in Laodicea recorded in the book of Revelation, the Lord expresses his disgust with their current condition. What could have elicited such a response?

Our great need today is “prophets” — not promoters, pushers, psychologists, and pleasers. In this presentation, Wendell Winkler discusses the answer to this need — study.

Steve Lloyd is a respected gospel minister who edits an electronic journal, A Closer Look At Things Pertaining to the Faith. In a recent issue he interviewed Wayne Jackson regarding some of the needs in the church today. This is the text of that dialogue.

Was the church of Christ established on the day of Pentecost? Or was it established at some earlier time in human history?

Is it possible to rediscover the church of the New Testament in today’s world? Many sincere people have never considered this possibility. But is it possible?

In 1992, Harold Camping, radio preacher out of Oakland, California, “prophesied” that history would end in 1994. It didn’t. Now, he is suggesting that the “great tribulation” is upon us, and all Christians should abandon the church. Read this review of the gentleman’s latest theory.

How do atheists determine what is moral or immoral? While they frequently claim there is a “standard,” closer examination reveals that the name of the game is “make up your own rules.”

A new scientific article asserts that dogs, in some ways, are closer to humans than chimps are. This is a new twist. Actually, it is but another one of the many anomalies that cast suspicion upon Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Do we realize the impact that television is having on our children? Can we fathom how the character of television is changing right before our eyes? Reflect on these questions in this week’s Penpoints article.