tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26720982288581549132024-02-08T10:03:38.623-08:00Hugh's News and ViewsHughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-55602820560271467722012-10-30T05:50:00.001-07:002012-10-30T05:50:59.092-07:00THE GREAT PHYSICIAN AND HIS PRESCRIPTION <br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">On one occasion when Christ was eating and having social fellowship with tax-collectors and sinners, the self-righteous Pharisees severely criticized Him, claiming that anyone who professed to be of God would not be found associating with such people. Jesus' response was: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Matthew </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">9:12</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-13).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">19:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). He did not come to save those who thought they were already in a right relationship with God. Of course, no one is, though many think they are. But the fact is "There is none righteous, no, not one . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of G" (Romans </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">3:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, 23). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The first step toward getting well is to recognize that one is sick. Once that is done it is advisable to find a competent doctor and take the medicine that he or she prescribes. Likewise, the first step in being saved is to recognize that one is lost. Once that is done it is advisable to turn to the only One who can save and follow His plan for being saved. The only One who can save us is Christ. "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">4:12</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">It goes without saying that we must have confidence in an earthly physician. But if we want to get well we also must be willing to follow the doctor's orders. Christ is the Great Physician of the soul. We need to learn as much about Him as we possibly can. He alone can heal us of all our soul's diseases. But He has a "prescription" for getting us well and we must follow that "prescription."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">After Christ had died for the sins of all mankind, been buried, and resurrected (I Corinthians 15:1-5), He appeared to His disciples and said to them: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). He told His apostles to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">16:15</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-16). To those same men Jesus said: "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47). These passages encapsulate the Great Physician's "prescription."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">When one turns to the book of Acts one finds the apostles carrying out the charge that Christ had given to them. Beginning in the city of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and spreading out from there, they preached the gospel, urged people to believe in Christ, to repent of their sins, to confess their faith in Christ, and to be baptized for (<i>eis = </i>in order to) the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 8:26-40; 10:34-48; 16:30-34; 18:8; 22:16). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">It seems to me to be the ultimate cruelty for those who profess to be preachers of the gospel (the good news) to talk constantly about the Great Physician but to never tell sin-sick souls what the "prescription" is by which they can be "healed" (that is, what they must do to be saved). No one likes to keep going to a doctor for visits and consultation, but with no instructions as to how to get well. Let those of us who preach tell people about the love and care and compassion of the Great Physician and of His power to "heal," but let us not fail to tell them what His "prescription" is for being saved and about the after-care that is so vital to maintaining good spiritual health.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">November 11: Cottontown </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Cottontown</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">November 18: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Oak</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Grove</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, Red Boiling Springs, TN</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">October 30, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-17668194508908233952012-10-09T09:35:00.001-07:002012-10-09T09:35:09.333-07:00Christ<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Jesus Christ lies at the heart of God's great meta-narrative of redemption about which we wrote last week. Since He does, all people need to know the following Bible truths about Christ.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">1. He co-existed with God from all eternity in a pre-incarnate (pre-fleshly) state. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1-2). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2. He became flesh and dwelt among us. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…." (John 1:14). This was accomplished through means of the virgin birth. "And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and call His name Jesus…Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know (have not had sexual relations with, hf) a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God"(Luke 1:30-35). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">3. He lived a sinless, perfect life. "Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth" (I Peter </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2:22</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, quoting Isaiah 53:9).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">4. He spoke the words of life. "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63b). "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">5. He died to atone for the sins of all mankind. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">6. He was given an appropriate burial. "And when Joseph (of Arimathea, hf) had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and departed" (Matthew 27:59-60).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">7. He arose from the grave. "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3-4).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">8. He ascended back to the Father in heaven. "And when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud receive Him out of sight" (Acts 1:9).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">9. He ascended to receive and to reign over His kingdom. (Daniel 7:13-14). This kingdom is not earthly or secular but spiritual, being comprised of all who have obeyed the gospel of Christ, been saved from their sins, and added to the church (John </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">18:36</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; Colossians </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">1:13</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">-14; Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2:47</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">10. He ever lives to make intercession for us. "Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">7:22</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">11. He will come again. "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">1:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">12. He will judge the world and deliver the kingdom to God the Father (II Timothy 4:1; I Corinthians</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">15:24</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">-26).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">October 9, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-31534998916223671352012-10-02T06:17:00.001-07:002012-10-02T06:17:26.772-07:00GOD'S META-NARRATIVE<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">A meta-narrative is an over-arching, comprehensive, controlling story. God has such a story. It is the story of human redemption from sin, culminating in eternal life in heaven. This beautiful story is gradually unfolded on the pages of the Bible. Far from being a disjointed collection of sixty-six documents, each book of the Bible is a part of this amazing meta-narrative, and each makes its own contribution to the unfolding of God's eternal purpose to save man through Christ. Where does this tremendous story begin?<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Paul, an apostle of Christ, wrote of God: ". . . who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (II Timothy 1:9). Similarly, Paul spoke of the "hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began" (Titus 1:2). Thus, God's grand meta-narrative was conceived in His infinite mind before the world ever existed, and though Christ did not suffer for the sins of the world in historical reality until the end of His earthly ministry, in the grand purpose of God Jesus was "the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The Old Testament, with its various promises and covenants, was only a precursor of Christ and the ultimate revelation of God's purpose as set forth in the New Testament. The promised seed of woman (Genesis 3:15), the call of Abraham and God's promise to him (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6; 18:17-18), the people chosen to bring forth Christ according to the flesh (the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, the Hebrews/Israelites/Jews), the Law of Moses with its various institutions (commandments, tabernacle, temple, priests, sacrifices, rituals, and festivals), God's marvelous covenant with David (II Samuel 7:1-17)—all of these and more—provide pictures and previews of God's complete revelation of mankind's Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the gospel plan of salvation. But Old Testament laws and institutions were never intended to be the final word, "God having provided something better for us" (Hebrew 11:40), that "something" being Christ, the gospel, and the church (the community of the redeemed) which is "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23) and the magnificent manifestation of "the manifold wisdom of God" (3:8-12).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Many Old Testament prophecies speak of Christ, the new covenant He would inaugurate, and the spiritual kingdom He would set up. Some of the more significant prophecies are those found in Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 53, Jeremiah 31:31-34, and Daniel 2:31-44. Oddly, those uttering the prophecies did not always comprehend their significance (see I Peter</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">1:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-12), but God knew what He was doing in gradually unfolding His great meta-narrative! "Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world" (Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">15:18</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">It remained for Christ, however, to begin to reveal all that God had had in mind from the beginning. Thus, during His earthly ministry Christ began to "utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world" (Matthew </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">13:34</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-35). He spoke of His faithful followers being able to "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). Because God's ultimate purpose and plan had been kept secret from the foundation of the world, it was referred to as "the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God" (Ephesians 3:9). "Mystery" does not mean something mysterious or incomprehensible, but to the fact that up until a certain point in time God's grand scheme of redemption had not been revealed. However, with the coming of Christ, His ministry, His death, burial, and resurrection, His ascension, the setting up of His kingdom (otherwise known as the church) on the first Pentecost following His resurrection (Acts 2), and His reign over that spiritual kingdom, the "mystery" has been revealed (Ephesians 3:3-7) and all that was "according to the eternal purpose which He (God, hf) purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11) has now been made known by "the word which by the gospel was preached to you" (I Peter 1:12, 25b). (See also Colossians 1:24-29).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In a grand doxology to God's marvelous meta-narrative, Paul wrote: "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen" (Romans</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">16:25</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-27).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">What an amazing story! We all would do well to learn that beautiful story and how to avail ourselves of "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (II Timothy </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">2:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">October 7 (a.m.): </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bethlehem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church of Christ</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">October 7 (p.m.): </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Red</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Manchester</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">October 2, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-74290520857218758042012-09-18T06:34:00.002-07:002012-09-18T06:34:51.670-07:00SHORT VERSES, STRONG MESSAGES <br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">It is interesting to note a number of brief, compact passages of Holy Scripture that nevertheless pack strong, powerful messages. Consider the following (all from the New King James Version of the Bible).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Genesis 18:25b</u>: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Proverbs 16:18</u>: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Proverbs 22:7</u>: "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant of the lender." (Did you ever take out a 25- or 30-year home mortgage?</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> )<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>John 11:35</u>: "Jesus wept" (Message: Christ was tenderhearted and sympathetic; so should we be.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Acts 20:35c</u>: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>I Corinthians 14:33</u>: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." (Question: Have you ever asked yourself, "Did all of the different kinds of churches and religions really originate with God?")<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Ephesians 4:26</u>: "Be angry and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Ephesians 5:1</u>: "Therefore be followers (imitators) of God as dear children."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Philippians 2:14-15</u>: "Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Colossians 3:17</u>: "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."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Colossians 3:23</u>: "And whatever you do, do it heartily to the Lord and not to men."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>I Thessalonians 5:16</u>: "Rejoice always."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>I Thessalonians 5:17</u>: "Pray without ceasing." (Translation: Don't leave prayer behind; don't leave prayer out of your life.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>I Thessalonians 5:21</u>: "Test (prove) all things; hold fast what is good." (Meaning: Don't be gullible when it comes to spiritual matters.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>I Thessalonians 5:22</u>: "Abstain from every form of evil." (Note: Just because the Bible does not specifically mention a thing as being a sin does not mean that it isn't. Use a little common sense.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">* <u>Hebrews 10:31</u>: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">A passage of Scripture does not have to be long in order to convey a strong message. Let us learn from the short verses of the Bible.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 30: Cottontown </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Cottontown</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">October 7: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Red</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Manchester</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (p.m. only)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 18, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-60740824033368819632012-09-11T05:52:00.002-07:002012-09-11T05:52:32.802-07:00IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span><u></u></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">My favorite season of the year is now underway – college football! I look forward to Saturdays and watching my favorite teams play on TV. I no longer enjoy going to the stadiums, dealing with the crowds, fighting the traffic, sitting on an uncomfortable seat in all kinds of weather, contending with long lines to get to an unsanitary restroom, paying six bucks for a cold wiener on a stale bun (erroneously called a hotdog), and four bucks for a small coke (which these days is about a half-gallon in size). I much prefer the comfort of my Lazy-Boy recliner, just a few steps from a clean bathroom, and "free" concessions (including my own "Huford Hotdog") made possible by my wife's frequent trips to the nearby Kroger Marketplace.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">My loyalty is to the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Tennessee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> Vols. Admittedly, they have fallen on hard times in recent years and still have a ways to go to get back to the National Championship days of 1998. (Give us time!) At the same time, it is no secret that I also love and root for the Alabama Crimson Tide. My son, whose blood runs orange, likes to quote scripture to me and remind me that "no man can serve two masters." But as one born and bred in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Alabama</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> I have never been able to completely abandon the Tide. (I still refer to all </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Alabama</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> teams as "Bear's Bunch.") Since I do not think </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Tennessee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> has a chance at the National Championship this year, nothing would suit me better than to see the Crimson Tide repeat as National Champs. I hope they will get to play </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">USC</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> in the Championship game and stick it to Lane ("Long Term") Kiffin, the Judas Iscariot who coached the Vols one season then high-tailed it back to the West Coast. (Hey, guys, this is <u>Hugh's</u> News and Views. I can say what I want to. If you disagree, write your own News and Views! </span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> ).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Is there a better College Football Conference than the Southeastern? Obviously not. Everybody wants to get in it, whether they are geographically located in the Southeast or not. That's fine with me. Just be prepared for some hard-nosed football. And don't go back home crying after running into teams like Alabama, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, and Georgia. (Sorry I had to delete </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Auburn</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> and </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Arkansas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">from this list.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">On a more sobering note, I am saddened by what happened at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Penn</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">State</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. I always liked Joe Paterno and thought he was a straight arrow. Even after he got too old to coach and insisted on hanging on, I was for him and his teams. (I like old preachers, old cowboys, old country music stars, and old football coaches.) Yes, Joe Pa had eclipsed "The Bear" in the number of victories, but I still liked him and thought he ran a clean program. Little did any of us know that he and the top officials at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Penn</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">State</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> looked the other way and covered up for an accused perverted child molester on his coaching staff. All wins going back to 1998 (111 as I recall) have been taken away from Penn State and Paterno, moving him from first to twelfth on the list of the winningest coaches in college football. His iconic statue has been removed from its pedestal outside Beaver Stadium. How the mighty have fallen! "</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Happy</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Valley</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">" is not a very happy place these days. What a sobering reminder of the biblical text: "For whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). Or, as Ira North, a great gospel preacher, used to frequently say, "You can't do wrong and get by with it."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In many ways the game of football is a metaphor for life. As we enjoy the new season, let us also learn valuable lessons, not the least of which is: Football is a game; our relationship with God is not. If folks took the latter as seriously as many of them do the former they would be way ahead in the game of life.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In the meantime, "Go Vols!" "Roll Tide!"<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 30: Cottontown Church of Christ, Cottontown, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 11, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-31782866808508270362012-09-04T05:12:00.000-07:002012-09-04T05:12:06.841-07:00Preaching: Then and Now<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In 2006 I published a book titled <i>The Kind of Preaching Needed Today.</i> In the opening chapter I emphasized that we need preaching that: 1) Informs, 2) Convicts, 3) Converts, 4) Confirms, 5) Comforts, and 6) is Relevant. I have not changed my mind about the kind of preaching that is needed today. I still believe all of the preceding points are essential to the kind of preaching that will result in the salvation of souls (see I Corinthians </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">1:21</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Pursuant to the above thoughts and as a sequel to last week's "News and Views" titled "Book, Chapter and Verse," I would like to draw a contrast between the kind preaching that was heard in the churches of Christ in an earlier time with the kind of preaching that is frequently heard today.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Things we used to preach</span></u></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The authority in religion<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Rightly dividing the word of truth<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The facts, commands, and promises of the gospel<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The identity of the church of the New Testament<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The difference between New Testament Christianity and modern-day denominationalism<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">A way that is right and cannot be wrong<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The cases of conversion in the Book of Acts<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Acceptable worship<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Why we observe the Lord's Supper every Sunday<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Why we do not use instrumental music in worship<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">God's law on marriage, divorce and re-marriage<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Be thou faithful unto death<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The day of judgment<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Heaven<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hell<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Things preached today</span></u></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to stay positive in a negative world<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to be a good husband and wife<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to raise good kids<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to be a good neighbor<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Random acts of kindness<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Principles of business and financial success<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">I'm okay, you're okay<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to be authentic<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Kindness is the word<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">How to be tolerant and accepting of others<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Maintaining good physical and mental health<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Let's not be so dogmatic<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Judge not<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">There are many right answers to a question<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Doctrine divides, love unites<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Some (though certainly not all) of the matters we now hear are good. I am not suggesting that the Bible does not address any of them, because clearly it does. My concern is that too often today we hear messages that address only our earthly, temporal needs (the popular terminology is our "felt" needs), and fail to address those matters that have to do with the salvation of our souls. There needs to be a sense of Biblical balance in our preaching. One should not hear only the latter kinds of sermons to the neglect of the former. We need to be concerned about preaching "all the counsel of God" (Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">20:27</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">And in addressing matters relating to the salvation of souls, we need to make sure the message does not come across as: "Unless you believe to some degree, repent to a certain extent, and are baptized by some mode, you may be in danger of being somewhat condemned." That is a far cry from the clarion call to faith, repentance, and obedience that rang from the lips of Christ and His inspired apostles and prophets, and it stands in stark contrast to the clear and distinct message set forth in the New Testament. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 5: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bethlehem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church of Christ</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 30: Cottontown </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Cottontown</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 4, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-50878021730397350302012-08-28T09:21:00.001-07:002012-08-28T09:21:20.916-07:00Book, Chapter and Verse<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">There was a time when all preachers in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> were known as "book, chapter and verse" preachers. By this it was meant that they endeavored to "speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">4:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">), and to prove every point they made by the Scriptures. They shunned the religious doctrines and commandments of men, they refused to preach their own opinions, and endeavored instead to set forth the will of God about any and every matter of which they spoke. I am thankful that we still have many such preachers—men who wish to be known simply as gospel preachers, men who can back up what they proclaim by a "thus saith the Lord."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Unfortunately, "book, chapter and verse" preaching has sometimes been wrongly characterized as "proof texting." Proof texting is an abuse and misuse of scripture. It ignores the larger context of a verse and uses the verse to "prove" a preconceived notion or point of doctrine. As someone has observed, a text taken out of context is a pretext. Every passage of scripture must be understood in the light of its larger context, including the total teaching of the Scriptures on a particular subject. For example, all the verses ascribing salvation to faith in Christ must be understood in the light of <i>all</i>that the New Testament teaches with respect to what one does in response to the saving grace of God.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">On the other hand, to cite a single verse of scripture in support of gospel truth, facts, commands, promises, threats, and warnings is not wrong. In fact, we have biblical precedent for such. In Romans 3:9-19, the apostle Paul, in establishing the sinfulness of the Jews (in spite of their numerous spiritual advantages), strings together a number of isolated "proof texts"(as some would label them) from widely separated passages in Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Isaiah to prove his point. Often, he uses but part of an Old Testament passage. And he is not averse to even combining parts of various verses in order to drive home his point! <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Similarly, one might spend time studying the Book of Hebrews and noting the frequent quotations from the Old Testament found in that "word of exhortation" (Hebrews</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">13:22</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). Thus, before one speaks too condescendingly about "proof texts," it might be well to ask, "May gospel preachers today use the New Testament in the way the inspired writers of the New Testament used the Old Testament?" May we cite book, chapter and verse (in context, of course) in support of what we preach? <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">It is rather apparent why many in contemporary society (even religious society) do not appreciate book, chapter and verse preaching. It condemns their life-style, their religious biases and prejudices, their religious practices and beliefs. Little wonder that they do not want certain texts read or quoted to them!<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who believe there are many ways to God and to heaven do not like to hear John 14:6 and Acts</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">4:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-12.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who think that one church is as good as another do not want to hear Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:22-23 and Ephesians 4:4.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who believe that one is saved by faith only do not want to hear James 2:24, 26 and Mark 16:15-16.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who think that one living since the death of Christ and the inauguration of His last will and testament can be saved without baptism do not like to hear Acts 22:16 and I Peter 3:21.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who think that sprinkling or pouring constitute acceptable baptism do not want to hear Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:12.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who profess to be able to be "good Christians" whether they go to church or not do not want to hear Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7 and Hebrews 10:24-25.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who advocate for women preachers and women church leaders do not like to hear I Corinthians 14:34 and I Timothy 2:11-14.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The practicing homosexual does not want to hear Romans </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">1:26</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-27 and I Corinthians 6:9-10, but how he/she so desperately needs to hear the next verse and the promise of forgiveness that it holds out to all who will repent of their sinful lifestyle.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those who believe that everybody will ultimately be saved do not like to hear Matthew 7:13-14, 21 and II Thessalonians 1:6-10.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">But make no mistake about it: We need book, chapter and verse preaching! Such is the only way to accurately set forth the true will of God and to proclaim the gospel of Christ, the power of God for salvation to all who will believe and obey it (Romans 1:16-17; I Corinthians 15:1-4).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 2: Bethlehem Church of Christ, Lebanon, TN (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 5: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bethlehem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church of Christ</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 9: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">LaGuardo</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Mount Juliet</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (a.m. only)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 28, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-67019504556200842452012-08-22T12:14:00.002-07:002012-08-22T12:14:34.778-07:00You are still run , Bobby<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bobby gripped the steering wheel and held the car tight to the narrow road. On his right, snake-like rows of cotton, once farmed by his family, flashed by. He didn't seem to notice. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, as if on some distant finish line.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">"I never did struggle to run," he said. "It was a relaxed feeling for me. It was always natural. I was a poor starter, though. I was always behind at the start."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The name Bobby Morrow will not mean anything to most of my readers. But to the sports world of the mid-1950s his name was a high profile name.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In 1956 at the age of 20, Bobby Morrow won three Gold Medals for the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">United States</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> at the Olympic Games in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Melbourne</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Australia</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. He ran the 100 meter in 10.5 seconds, took the 200 meter in an Olympic record of 20.6 seconds, and anchored a world-record 400 meter relay of 39.5 seconds. His three Gold Medals were the most any man had won in track and field since Jesse Owens took four at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Berlin</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">in 1936.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bobby Morrow was a member of the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">and an outstanding student athlete at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Abilene</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christian</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">College</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (now University) in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Abilene</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. Bobby returned to </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Abilene</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> from </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Melbourne</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> a hero. Don Morris, president of the college, called him a "conquering hero." Four years later—in 1960—still in his prime, Bobby was snubbed for the Olympics in</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Rome</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. He was stunned. So was his A. C. C. coach, Oliver Jackson. </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Jackson</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> never asked for an explanation. Neither did Bobby. Never a romantic about his ability, Bobby simply quit. He never ran again.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bobby Morrow's story was detailed in a major article in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Dallas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> Morning News in July 1990. I was living in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Dallas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> at the time and read the story with great interest. The details set out above, as well as some of the verbiage, are taken from the story. I was a student at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Freed-Hardeman</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">College</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Henderson</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Tennessee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> in 1956 when Bobby won those three Gold Medals in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Melbourne</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. On Sundays I would go out to preach in country and small town churches—places like Broadmoor, Bakerville, Dyer, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">New Providence</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, Yorkville, and Humboldt. I had a sermon on "The Christian Race" that I especially enjoyed preaching. And I used Bobby Morrow as an example of what it takes to be a winner—physically and spiritually. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">When the story came out in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Dallas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> Morning News in 1990, I prepared and presented another sermon, giving it the title of this essay. I have preached it a couple of times since. It was/is designed to encourage those who once were running the Christian race but have dropped out to re-enter the race. Sadly, there are many who have become "drop outs." But they need to know that forgiveness is available, that restoration is possible, that renewal of spiritual vitality is accessible, and that a new start is possible.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">By his own admission, Bobby Morrow was a terrible starter. "I was always behind at the start." But as Oliver Jackson his coach said: "He had that second gear. He could float. About the last quarter of the race, he'd turn it on. He was poetry." His former wife, Jo Ann, now married to a former Abilene Christian classmate—himself a track coach—said of Bobby: "I've seen a lot of track in my lifetime, but I've never seen a runner as pretty as Bobby," allowing herself a moment to enjoy the memory.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">"Therefore, seeing we also are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 2: Bethlehem Church of Christ, Lebanon, TN (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 5: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bethlehem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church of Christ</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">September 9: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">LaGuardo</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Mount Juliet</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (a.m. only)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 21, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-30466180158219713882012-08-14T06:10:00.001-07:002012-08-14T06:10:24.015-07:00Coming Home<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Those of us old enough to remember World War II will recall the days of anxiety our families went through waiting to hear from loved ones on the battlefield and anticipating their safe return home. The following is an incident related by my mother (and of which I have some memory) that took place in the summer of 1945, the summer the war ended. It has to do with the grave concerns my maternal grandparents had for one of their sons—my uncle Frank—who was in the war and who had not been heard from in sometime. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Our immediate family was living in </span></b><u></u><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Panama City</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> where my father worked in the Wainwright Shipyard. My mother was worried about her brother. She took my sister and me with her on the Coastal Stage, a local bus-line that served the Gulf coastal areas of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> and </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Alabama</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, back to our hometown of DeFuniak Springs. From there we got a ride with a neighbor of my grandparents who worked in town to the remote area of northern </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Walton County</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> where my grandparents lived on a rented farm. I do not recall how many days we stayed with them, but one day, according to mother, after dinner (the </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">noon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> meal) we were all out on the front porch when we heard a car coming up the dirt road to the house. We knew somebody was coming but we did not know who. A taxi drove up into the outer part of the yard and a young man still in his twenties and dressed in a military uniform emerged from the back seat of the cab. My mother and grandfather (Big-daddy) bounded from the porch and almost knocked each other down as they both tried to get through the small gate in the fence that separated the small dirt yard around the house from the larger yard outside the fence. "It's Frank," they cried. What hugging, what crying, what joy we all experienced that day at Frank's safe return home. My grandmother (Big-mama) pulled back the table cloth from over the food that had been left on the dinner table, and I am sure that a big fresh pot of strong coffee (the only kind Big-daddy ever drank) was made on the old wood-burning cook stove. There was no killing of a fatted calf, but there was every bit as much rejoicing over the safe return of Frank as there had been when the prodigal son came home.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">This is the 67<sup>th</sup> summer since that event took place, but some of its scenes are still etched in my memory. My grandparents have now been dead for many years. My grandfather died two weeks to the day after my wife and I were married in 1957. My grandmother lived on until 1982, dying at the age of 89. My mother lived until the age of 93, dying in 2008. Frank was discharged from the military in</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> and lived in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> for the rest of his life. His life was not always an easy one. In the late 1980s, when Jan and I lived in Dallas, we took a trip to San Antonio for a few days of R & R. On our return home, we pulled off I-35 at the little town of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Cibolo</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">where I had learned Frank was living. I stopped at a service station/garage (the garage was no longer in operation) and asked the man at the front if he knew Frank Pope and where he might live. He said, "If you'll step back into the garage you'll find him back there with several other fellows." I walked back into the rear part of the building and saw a circle of older men visiting with one another. I looked the group over and spotted the one I was looking for, though it had been many, many years since I had seen him. I said, "I'm looking for that fellow right there," and pointed to Frank. He did not know who I was. I said, "Let's step outside a moment." He got up from his chair and followed me outside. When I told him who I was he was utterly dumbfounded and broke down, sobbing. I'm sure I cried too as we embraced. I took him to the car and introduced him to my wife. We talked and reminisced for a good little while. That was the last time I saw him. He passed away in 1995 shortly after I moved to </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Selma</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. His daughter called me from </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">San Antonio</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> to tell me of his death and to ask if I could come and serve as a pallbearer. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so. At one point in his life Frank confessed his faith in Christ and was baptized into Him. But over the years his life took many twists and turns. However, I know that at least on one occasion he experienced a happy homecoming at a remote farm house in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Walton County</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 19: Cottontown Church of Christ, Cottontown, TN (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 14, 2012</span></b></div>
Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-82155244403794179662012-08-07T06:13:00.001-07:002012-08-07T06:13:48.469-07:00Madison Street Church - Clarksville, Tennessee<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span><u></u></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">This past Sunday my wife and I returned to the</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Street</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Tennessee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> for a "Family and Friends Day." I spoke to the adults during the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> hour and preached at the morning worship service. This was followed by a wonderful congregational meal in the church's fellowship hall. For Jan and me it was like a Homecoming.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In September 1964 we moved to </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> with our two young sons—</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bryan</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, 5, just beginning the first grade, and Brett, 2. Jan and I were in our mid-twenties and flushed with excitement about our new work with a large church in a college town that offered the opportunity for both of us to do additional school work at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Austin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Peay</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">State</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">University</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">. During our years there Jan completed her degree in Elementary Education and I took several courses in the History Department but never completed the requirements for a degree.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Great preachers preceded me at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison Street</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">—C. W. Brannan, J. O. Jones, and Robert Larimore Brewer (nephew of G. C. and Charles Brewer), my immediate predecessor. The church was blessed with great leadership from a strong eldership and an active corps of deacons. Dr. Joe Morgan, president of the University, was an elder; Tillman Taylor who taught in the History Department of the University was an elder; H. G. Blackwell, president of an insurance company, was an elder. Dr. Wentworth Morris, Chairman of the History Department, and his family were members of the congregation, as were other faculty members and staff. Located just three blocks from the main entrance to the University campus, we had a number of students who attended our services. During most of my four plus years as minister of the church (1964-1968) I taught the Sunday morning college class and had an opportunity to influence a number of young people. But the church was not a "college" church; the members represented a healthy cross-section of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> life, including a number of military families from nearby </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Fort</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Campbell</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison Street was an active, and, therefore, a growing church. We hosted area-wide "Training for Service" series, having such men as Alan Bryan and John Allen Chalk as keynote speakers, as well as specialists for various classes concerning </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">work, personal evangelism, leadership, etc. We hosted Missions Conferences, bringing in men we supported in various mission fields and others who could inspire us to greater evangelism—men such as Wesley Reagan, Ira Y. Rice, Jr., Bob Davidson, Forrest Suddeath, Alan Highers, and others. We conducted great gospel meetings, featuring some of the finest preachers of the day—</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Burton</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> Coffman, Batsell Barrett Baxter, Willard Collins, and Jimmy Allen. We brought Bill Banowsky from </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Lubbock</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> for a special engagement (following his debate with Anson Mount of Playboy Magazine fame) to speak to us—especially the college crowd—about the Playboy philosophy. Marshall Keeble, the great black evangelist, came to Madison Street twice, attracting the largest crowd in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison Street</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">'s history during his second engagement. During our ministry, the leadership of the congregation brought about the integration of a small black congregation (30-40 members) with the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison Street</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> church. The times were ripe for all of these things to occur and for them to be successful.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Soon a new chapter will be written in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison Street</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">'s history. Their present property has been sold and they have plans to relocate to thirty-five acres in northeast </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> left to them from the estate of one of the church families. The master plan for the construction of new facilities in several phases has been developed. Geoffrey Sikes has served as the church's minister for the past twenty-five years, and has been a diligent servant. We anticipate bright days ahead for the church at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Trenton</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> Crossing! It was good to be with them this past Lord's Day and to renew old friendships in the Lord.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 8: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Meads</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Chapel</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 12: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Science</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Readyville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (P.M. only)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 19: Cottontown Church of Christ, Cottontown, TN (all services)</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 7, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-1250495392960973292012-07-31T06:26:00.001-07:002012-07-31T06:26:25.919-07:00OUR NEW KROGER MARKETPLACE<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">OUR </span></u></b><u></u><u></u><b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">NEW</span></u></b><u></u><b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> KROGER MARKETPLACE</span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">A year or so ago, a new Kroger Marketplace opened down at the end of the road we live on. We had been doing most of our grocery shopping at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Wal-Mart</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Super-Center</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, but we decided we owed it to ourselves to check out this new place, and are we glad we did! Buddy-roe, let me tell you—it is something else! Neither Feenie Allison's nor Cull McHenry's Grocery Stores back in DeFuniak Springs, Florida where we did our grocery shopping when I was a boy—with occasional forays to the Piggly Wiggly—could hold a light to our Kroger Marketplace!<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">In addition to aisles and aisles of all kinds of grocery items, lockers full of an unbelievable assortment of frozen food items, and a meat department bulging with all kinds of steaks, chops, roasts, hams, seafood, etc., the Marketplace features a beautiful array of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a bakery and a deli. But that is just the beginning. It has a walk-in clinic, an optometry department, a pharmacy, a floral shop, a Starbucks, and a bank where my wife does all her banking. It even has a furniture department, a home goods department, and a jewelry store. Outside, up at the front of the parking lot, are several bays of gas pumps where we buy gas for our vehicles, usually at a savings of several cents per gallon, based on how much Jan spends inside the store and how many points she has accumulated. (True to her feminine logic, she thinks the more she spends inside the more she will save at the gas pump!) And talk about convenience! <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Plus, the first Wednesday of each month is Senior Citizens' "Discount Day" when we older folks are able to pick up a lot of "specials" at some pretty good deals. Besides that, on that day they serve free coffee, orange juice, fresh fruit, doughnuts, and other goodies. Jan does not like for me to go with her on those days because I embarrass her by taking advantage of all the freebies, going back for seconds, etc. Too, she fusses about how all the "old people" clog up the aisles with their shopping carts as they park them helter-skelter, socialize in the aisles, and take forever to move on. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Modern religion in many respects has mimicked modern marketing techniques. Churches now strive to meet all the "felt needs" of their constituents and prospective constituents. In effect, they have become religious supermarkets. They build kitchens, fellowship halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, spas, and bowling alleys. They install coffee bars and juice bars. They sponsor softball teams, baseball teams, basketball teams, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, fitness programs, drama productions, and dance classes. (Yep, one </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> a few years ago conducted a Monday night class on Ballroom Dancing.) They conduct financial seminars, retirement planning seminars, AA classes, divorce recovery classes, weigh-down programs, and all kinds of self-help programs. Counseling is available on a wide variety of matters. <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">The subliminal message that is sent by all of this activity is that "we may be a church, but we are not a bunch of stuffy old religious fuddy-duddies; we are as 'cool' as any social or civic club in town, so come on down and join us, and we'll show you how church can be fun" (in other words, we really won't "preach" to you all that much)! Some churches have bought into the notion that "if we build it, they will come," only to be terribly disappointed that not only did they not come and the church did not grow, but it actually declined, leaving it with a big debt and facilities that are unneeded and unused.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Don't misunderstand me. Some of the above things are good. I'm not against helping people live more fruitful, productive, happy lives. Our world is in a mess and many people's lives are in a mess, including the lives of many who are Christians. But we need to remember that Christ came into the world to save sinners (I Timothy </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">1:15</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">19:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). He came to call sinners to repentance (Matthew </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">9:12</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-13). In Him alone can mankind find redemption (Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">4:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">-12). The gospel of Christ is God's only power to save (Romans </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">1:16</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). Without obedience to the gospel, a person is eternally lost in torment (II Thessalonians 1:6-9). The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">3:15</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). If the church does not preach the gospel to sinners, who will? If the church does not concern itself with the mission that was the mission of Christ, who will? The church is the manifestation of the manifold (multi-faceted) wisdom of God (Ephesians </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">3:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">). It has a greater and more enduring purpose than simply helping people enjoy a better life here on earth. How unutterably sad it is when spiritually hungry people ask for a fish and are given a stone instead.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">I love our new Kroger Marketplace and all that it has to offer. I love churches that are committed to Christ, to the practice of New Testament Christianity, and to the mission that Christ gave to His disciples. That mission is clearly spelled out in Matthew 28:18-20.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 1: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Green</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Mount Juliet</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 5: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Street</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> ("Family & </span></strong><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Friends" Day) (morning and afternoon)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 5: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Neelys</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Bend</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Madison</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (P.M. only)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 8: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Meades</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Chapel</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">August 12: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Science</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Readyville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"> (P.M. only)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">July 31, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-476941456750277022012-07-24T06:34:00.002-07:002012-07-24T06:34:39.847-07:00THE RESTORATION PLEA AND A LITTLE "HUGH-MOR"<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Over the last few weeks I have been writing about church history, the restoration plea, and the concept of going back to the New Testament and being what the followers of Christ were then—Christians only, without denominational affiliation—people who constituted themselves into autonomous (self-governing) churches of God/Christ (I Corinthians 11:16; Romans 16:16).<span> </span>It is freely admitted by all church historians that there were no different denominations in New Testament times, or for several centuries thereafter.<span> </span>Faithful churches of Christ today are pleading for a return to that same state of spiritual affairs.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Strangely, it is believed by many that it is impossible in the 21<sup>st</sup> century for people to be what the followers of Christ were in the first century. It has never dawned on some that undenominational Christianity is possible today.<span> </span>It reminds me of the story of a you<strong><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">ng schoolboy whose given name was Dammit (a family sir name). His class was participating in a spelling bee, and the teacher was going down the roll, giving out the words to be spelled. It came Dammit's turn. The teacher gave out the word—"Eucalyptus"—then quickly added, "But, Dammit, I know you can't spell it." Unknown to the teacher, the principal was standing just outside the door. Momentarily forgetting about the boy's name, and not realizing what he was saying, he stepped inside the room and exclaimed, "Well, (bleep), I think you ought to at least let him try!" </span></strong></span></b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I do not approve of profanity and I certainly mean no offense or disrespect toward anyone, but the principal had a point: if there are those who think we cannot be Christians only, members of the body/church of Christ only, without also being members of a denomination, and if there are those who no longer accept the premise of the restoration principle and the restoration plea, so be it. But, please...at least let the rest of us try!</span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I find it passing strange that in our post-modern culture of pluralism in which it is asserted that we have many viable religious options, the </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">ONE</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> thing that some say is NOT possible is to be simply a New Testament Christian without denominational affiliation!<span> </span></span></b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">On another humorous note: One of the great old preachers of the ancient gospel was Joe H. Blue (1875-1954) whose labors were confined primarily to</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Arkansas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Missouri</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Oklahoma</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, and </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>The story is told of the preacher of a black church who ran off with all the church's money.<span> </span>Some of the leaders contacted brother Blue and asked him what he thought they ought to do.<span> </span>Brother Blue said, "Go after him, bring him back, and prosecute him."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">A few weeks passed and one day brother Blue ran into one of the members and asked if they had found the prodigal preacher.<span> </span>"Yes, sir," the brother replied, "we found him and brought him back.<span> </span>He done spent all the money, but we gonna let him preach it out!"<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Another of the grand old heralds of the restoration plea was Jefferson Davis Tant (1861-1941).<span> </span>Fanning Yater Tant, in the biography of his father—<i>J. D.</i></span></strong><u></u><strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TANT</span></i></strong><u></u><strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">: </span></i></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TEXAS</span></i></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> PREACHER—</span></i></strong><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">tells the story of his father being in a debate with a particular denominational preacher who denied that baptism is essential to salvation. When brother Tant introduced I Peter 3:21, his opponent ridiculed it by saying, "Baptism is just a picture of salvation, but it doesn't have anything to do with actually being saved.<span> </span>One is saved, and then is baptized to 'picture' his salvation."</span></strong><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Brother Tant responded, "Well, it's a pity Peter did not know that on the day of Pentecost. Otherwise, he would have said to those inquiring sinners, 'Repent, and get your picture taken...in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins' "(Acts </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2:38</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Sometimes a little humor can disarm the cavils of those who wish to take issue with plain gospel facts and simple gospel truths.<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 29: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Oak</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Grove</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, Red Boiling Springs, TN<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">August 1: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Green</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Mount Juliet</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">August 5: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Madison</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Street</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Clarksville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> ("Family & </span></strong><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Friends" Day) (morning and afternoon)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">August 5: Neely's </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bend</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Madison</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (P.M. only)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">August 8: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Meades</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Chapel</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">August 12: </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Science</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Readyville</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></strong><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></strong><u></u><u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (P.M. only)<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<u></u><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 24, 2012</span></strong></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-24686350865639316902012-07-10T05:56:00.002-07:002012-07-10T05:59:52.992-07:00NEUTRALIZING THE RESTORATION PLEA<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Over the course of nearly sixty years I have read many books, articles, lectures, and sermons concerning the restoration principle, the restoration plea, and the restoration movement. I also have heard many lectures and sermons regarding these matters. I have endeavored to make my own contributions—both in preaching and in writing—to the noble effort to restore the simplicity of original New Testament Christianity, free of the apostasies and corruptions that have been introduced into Christianity down through the centuries.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">It now comes as somewhat of a surprise to discover that a revisionist attempt is underway (and has been for some time) to undermine and reduce the impact of the restoration plea and the restoration movement by asserting that the restorers were actually only a later generation of reformers and that what we know as the Restoration Movement was really just a later version of the Protestant Reformation Movement of the sixteenth century.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Several years ago I read what purported to be a history of <i>The Stone-Campbell Movement</i>. It was quite obvious from the beginning that the author was seeking to revise the concept of restoration and to cast it as just further reformation. In the Introduction to the work (page vii) it was asserted by one of the endorsers of the work that "Some needed corrections of common misunderstandings are included in this text. The earliest leaders referred to themselves as 'reformers,' not 'restorers.' Their work was a continuation of the sixteenth century reformation, not a restoration of the first century church." In the "News and Notes" section of one his recent essays (</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 23, 2012</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">), the author of the above book stated, "</span></b><strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The distinction I draw between restoration and reformation, and that our heritage is reformation and not restoration, is one of its (<i>The Stone-Campbell Movement</i>)<i> </i>challenging thesis" (sic).<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">It is certainly true that Alexander Campbell and other leaders of the Restoration Movement sometimes referred to themselves as reformers and to the effort they were about as "the current reformation." Obviously, when restoration takes place change/reformation also occurs. So, there is a degree of overlap between the two concepts. But make no mistake about it—the early restorers were concerned with "a restoration of the ancient order of things"—a complete return to apostolic Christianity as set forth on the pages of the New Testament! The early leaders of this effort used "Reformers" and "Restorers" interchangeably, but never in their mind did the former exclude the latter.<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Beginning on February 7, 1825 (The Christian Baptist, Vol. II, No. 7) and ending on May 5, 1829 (The Christian Baptist, Vol. VI, No. 10), Alexander Campbell wrote a series of thirty-one essays titled "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things." Campbell believed there was something missing from the "Christianity" of his day that was badly in need of being <i>restored</i>! <u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">In 1836, Walter Scott, one of the great heralds of the restoration plea, wrote a book titled <i>The Gospel Restored</i>. Moses E. Lard, one of the outstanding scholars and leading lights of the Restoration Movement, credited Scott's book with first teaching him the ancient gospel, the gospel as originally set forth in the New Testament. Therefore, to assert that these men were only reformers and not restorers is without historical warrant.<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Through the years, the effort to go back and be what the first-century followers of Christ were—Christians only, without denominational affiliation—has been rightfully referred to as the Restoration Movement. Revisionist efforts to make it simply an extension of the Protestant Reformation Movement, and to cast the autonomous churches of Christ as "another denomination among denominations" is designed to neutralize the force and impact of the restoration plea. But such a revisionist approach is a patently false characterization of what the plea and movement was and is all about. <u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 11: Highland Heights Church of Christ, Lebanon, TN<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 29: Oak Grove Church of Christ, Red Boiling Springs, TN<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 10, 2012</span></strong></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-88436700757325417562012-07-03T05:48:00.003-07:002012-07-03T05:48:32.920-07:00W.T. ("TIP") Grider<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The first preacher of the restoration plea I ever remember hearing was W. T. ("Tip") Grider of Rose Hill, Alabama.<span> </span>I was about eight or nine years old when I heard brother Grider.<span> </span>He would have been past sixty years of age at the time.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">My sister and I had been going to Sunday School (and occasionally staying for "church") at the </span></b><u></u><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">First</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Baptist</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> in our hometown of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">DeFuniak Springs</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>Our father was a member of the</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Methodist</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, but never attended.<span> </span>Our mother had obeyed the gospel as a teenager at the Earlytown Church of Christ in Geneva County, Alabama, and though she had not remained faithful in her attendance after her family moved away from Earlytown, she had never forgotten the basic principles of the gospel she had been taught and never would have consented to join a denominational church of any kind.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">My maternal grandparents lived in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Liberty</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Community of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Walton County</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florida</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, and it was here that brother Grider would come<span> </span>one or two Sunday afternoons a month to preach in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Liberty</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Schoolhouse.<span> </span>Brother Grider also conducted two or three tent meetings at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Liberty</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>My grandparents were members of the church and attended these services.<span> </span>My mother, father, sister and I (my brother had not yet been born) also began to attend.<span> </span>It was brother Grider who got my father's attention with the simplicity and purity of the Lord's undenominational way, and who eventually led him to obey the gospel, being baptized by the late Paul Simon in 1948.<span> </span>Were it not, however, for the faithful and dedicated labors of "Tip" Grider, it is doubtful if my father would ever have known the Lord's way and entered it, along with his children as they each reached the age of accountability.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I still recall our family attending a tent meeting (before writing off this venue as being unsophisticated, keep in mind the message preached, not the setting) <span> </span>being conducted by brother Grider at Liberty in which he announced that the next night he would preach on "The Impossible Thing For God To Do."<span> </span>As we were driving home that evening after the services, I remember my father saying, "Well, we are going back tomorrow night.<span> </span>I want to know what it is that God can't do."<span> </span>He was not yet familiar enough with the Scriptures to know that they teach that it is impossible for God to lie.<span> </span>(Many folks today apparently do not realize that sobering truth about God!) <span> </span>(Interestingly, the first gospel meeting I ever conducted was with the small church at Liberty—by then meeting in its own modest building—in December of 1955 during the Christmas break of my freshman year at Freed-Hardeman College, when I was still a few days shy of my eighteenth birthday.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">In the </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">March 10, 1941</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> issue of <i>Sound Doctrine </i>(Vol. 1, No. 1), edited by Leonard Johnson and Rex A. Turner, co-founders of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Montgomery</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">College</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">(now </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Faulkner</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">University</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">), there appears the following thumb-nail sketch of brother Grider.<span> </span>I am most pleased to share it with my readers because of what brother Grider meant to the cause of the Restoration Movement in </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">South Alabama</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Northwest Florida</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and to my family personally.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">"Brother W. T. Grider, whose likeness appears above (a picture of brother Grider accompanied the sketch), is not a stranger to the churches of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">South Alabama</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">. He was born </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">December 19, 1885</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bullock County</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Alabama</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, and was baptized into Christ at the age of 18 by Brother Amos Harris.<span> </span>Previous to his conversion he was a steward in the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Methodist</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>He preached his first sermon on April 6, 1906.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">"Brother Grider attended </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Jackson</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Valdosta</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Georgia</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Now</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Dasher</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">) one year.<span> </span>He also studied under Brother W. J. Haynes at the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Grady</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> for three years, and then attended </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Highland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Home</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">College</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">"Brother Grider preaches one Sunday each month for both the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Troy</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and Cedar Grove congregations, and on the other two Sundays he preaches for the Luverne congregation. In addition he preaches one Saturday night and Sunday afternoon for the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Mt.</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Pleasant</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> congregation, and one Sunday afternoon for the Snow Hill congregation. He devotes three months each year to meeting work."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The Bible exhorts us to "remember those…who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct" (Hebrews 13:7, NKJV).<span> </span>I am most pleased to do what this passage enjoins and to remember the faithful work of W. T. <span> </span>("Tip") Grider.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 11: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Highland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Heights</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 29: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Oak</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Grove</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, Red Boiling Springs, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 3, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-63302809079834785092012-06-26T08:35:00.001-07:002012-06-26T08:35:11.213-07:00The Restoration of the New Testament Church<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church history, as we observed last week, can be divided into four periods: 1) The Age of the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">New</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Testament</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, 2) The Age of Apostasy and Departure, 3) The Age of the Protestant Reformation, 4) The Age of Restoration.<span> </span>It is about this last period that I wish to write a little more this week.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Restoration assumes apostasy, departure, and change from the original.<span> </span>The New Testament predicted that such would occur, and it did.<span> </span>But in time a plea began to be made to return to the original—to go back to the church as it is described in the New Testament.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Three things about restoration in the realm of religion are worthy of note: 1) the restoration principle, 2) the restoration plea, and 3) the restoration movement.<span> </span>The restoration principle is easy to comprehend.<span> </span>It simply says that to whatever extent apostasy and corruption have occurred restoration needs to take place.<span> </span>People frequently restore an old car, an old house, or an old piece of furniture.<span> </span>Religiously, the restoration principle refers to the concept of restoring to the present age Christianity as it was in the beginning, Christianity as described on the pages of the New Testament, Christianity before it had been modified and corrupted by the doctrines and commandments <span> </span>and traditions of men.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The restoration plea is the setting forth of the restoration principle, the call for a return to the original.<span> </span>The apostle Peter, in effect, made the restoration plea when he urged: "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles [word, hf] of God" (I Peter 4:11a).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">As the result of articulating the restoration principle (making the restoration plea), a restoration movement comes about.<span> </span>As people realize wherein departures from God's original way have occurred and are motivated by a sincere desire to return to Him and His way, a movement back to Him takes place.<span> </span>People can see the reasonableness of going back to the original order of things—the New Testament order.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The Bible gives validity to such a plea and such a movement.<span> </span>In the long ago, God's Old Testament people—</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Judah</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">—had departed from Him.<span> </span>Through the prophet Jeremiah the call went forth: "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.' " Sadly, however, "they said, 'We will not walk in it.' " (Jeremiah 6:16).<span> </span>That same reaction toward the "old paths" of original New Testament Christianity is often witnessed today.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">To restore and practice New Testament Christianity in its purity is what faithful churches of Christ are about today.<span> </span>We believe that "the seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11), and that it will produce in the twenty-first century what it produced in the first century—undenominational Christians, people who are members of the spiritual body of Christ, the church of which we read in the New Testament.<span> </span>We are committed to speaking where the Bible speaks and remaining silent where the Bible is silent, to calling Bible things by Bible names and doing Bible things the Bible way.<span> </span>We have no hierarchy, no earthly headquarters, and no creed book or church manual written by men.<span> </span>Christ is our only creed and the Bible is our only guide.<span> </span>We believe with all our hearts that we can be the true and faithful church of our Lord in the present age.<span> </span>We invite all to come with us as we strive to go back to the Bible, back to the God of the Bible, back to the Christ of the Bible, and back to the church of the Bible.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 27: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hartsville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Pike</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 1: Cottontown </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Cottontown</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 11: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Highland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Heights</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 29: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Oak</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Grove</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, Red Boiling Springs, TN<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 26, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-24087146819463559272012-06-19T07:19:00.001-07:002012-06-19T07:19:45.321-07:00Church History<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">A number of years ago a sincere seeker of truth asked me, "Where did all these different churches come from?"<span> </span>I thought it was a good question then and I think it is still a good question today—one that deserves an informed answer, because<span> </span>many people simply do not know the answer to that question.<span> </span>But such an answer cannot be given without at least a basic knowledge of the general contours of church history.<span> </span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I am aware that "Church History" may be a "turn off" to some readers.<span> </span>"Church" is boring to many folks (which may say more about their appetite for spiritual matters than it does about the church itself, at least the church as set forth in the New Testament).<span> </span>"History," on the other hand, is as dry as fodder to a large number of people.<span> </span>Put the two words together in the title of an essay and one runs a good chance of not being read.<span> </span>Hopefully, that will not be the case with today's "News and Views."<span> </span>I ask you to thoughtfully consider the following simple overview of church history.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I. <i>The Age of the New </i></span></b><u></u><u></u><u></u><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Testament</span></i></b><u></u><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></b><u></u><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></i></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>This covers the period from the establishment of Christ's church in the city of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Jerusalem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> in c. A.D. 30 (Acts 2) until the close of the New Testament (c. A.D. 100).<span> </span>During this period we see how the church began and spread throughout the </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Roman Empire</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of the first century A. D.<span> </span>From the New Testament we learn how people became Christians and were made a part of Christ's spiritual body, the church; how they were organized into local, independent, autonomous congregations; how they worshiped; and how they lived.<span> </span>The New Testament contains the pattern and plan by which the Lord wants His church to function throughout all eras until the end of time (Matthew 28:18-20; II Timothy 2:1-2; Jude 3; et al).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">II. <i>The Age of Apostasy and Departure</i>.<span> </span>The New Testament predicted that a falling away from the faith and practice of the original church would occur (Acts 20:28-31; II Thessalonians 2:1-12; I Timothy 4:1-5; II Timothy 4:1-5; et al).<span> </span>True to these predictions, <span> </span>shortly after the close of the New Testament, the church began to depart from the apostolic standard and became corrupt and apostate.<span> </span>The organization of the church was changed; a hierarchy was developed; worship practices and other accoutrements were borrowed from both the Jews and pagans; many superstitious beliefs and practices arose; doctrines were devised to please the tastes of men rather than to honor the truth of God (Matthew 15:7-9; I Corinthians 4:6, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">ASV</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; II John 9; et al).<span> </span>It is this post-New Testament form of Christianity that is the predominant expression of Christianity in the world today.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">III</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">. <i>The Age of the Protestant Reformation</i>.<span> </span>This era, generally speaking, began with Martin Luther nailing his ninety-five theses to the cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, resulting in the establishment of the first protestant denomination—the Lutheran Church—in 1530.<span> </span>This age has continued down through the years until the present, with a multiplicity of protestant denominations (including numerous Community, Independent, and Bible churches) having been established.<span> </span>Every protestant denomination on earth today is less than 500 years old.<span> </span>It has been during these two eras (the Age of Apostasy and the Age of Protestant Reformation) that my friend's question of many years ago—"Where did all these different churches come from?"—finds its answer.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">IV. <i>The Age of Restoration</i>.<span> </span>In the late 1700s and early 1800s men in various denominations began to recognize what had happened down through the ages since the first century and began to call for a return to the original church of the New Testament, free of the corruptions, apostasies, and sectarian divisions that had occurred.<span> </span>Their plea was for a restoration of the New Testament church in its apostolic purity and according to its original pattern.<span> </span>It was a noble plea, resulting in thousands of people leaving the churches that had originated with men in order to be<span> </span>members of the very church that one reads about in the New Testament.<span> </span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">In the next edition of "News and Views" I plan to say more about this great plea—why it is so important that one understand what it is, why it is a valid plea, and why it is so urgent that the plea continue to be made with deep love and concern, but also without compromise.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 20: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 27: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hartsville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Pike</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 1: Cottontown Church of Christ, Cottontown, TN (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 11: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Highland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Heights</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ,</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 19, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-89132381564569862422012-06-05T06:12:00.000-07:002012-06-05T06:12:02.777-07:00HOMER SOMETIMES NODS<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">During his long and distinguished career as editor of the <i>Gospel Advocate</i> (1939-1977), B. C. Goodpasture (1895-1977) wrote many outstanding editorials.<span> </span>To me, one of the most fascinating was titled "Homer Sometimes Nods."<span> </span>Goodpasture ran this editorial more than once.<span> </span>In the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">July 27, 1967</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> issue of the<i>Advocate </i>he wrote: "The Roman lyric poet, Horace, says: 'Even the noble Homer sometimes nods.'" This expression was intended to show that even someone as great as Homer sometimes "fell asleep mentally" and ended up saying things that were incorrect.<span> </span>The expression has now become an idiom in our language to indicate that we all sometimes err in what we say, however intentional such may be.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">In his editorial Goodpasture went on to observe: "In his renowned Commentary, Adam Clarke, speaking of Naaman the Syrian, says: 'He is not mentioned by Josephus, nor has he any reference to this history, which is very strange.' Whereas, Josephus really says: 'And when they sought to kill Ahab alone, but could not find him, there was a young nobleman belonging to King Benhadad, whose name was Naaman: he drew his bow against the enemy, and wounded the king through his breastplate, in the lungs.' "<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The erudite editor further noted: "In his debate with Robert Owen, Alexander Campbell says, speaking of the unholy bargain of Judas: 'He, therefore, covenanted for thirty pieces of silver, the sum for which Joseph was sold into Egypt, to deliver into the custody of the Sanhedrin the person of Jesus.' Joseph was sold for twenty, not thirty, pieces of silver. <span> </span>The 'Sage of </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bethany</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">' nods at this point."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I derive some comfort from the above thoughts.<span> </span>I have frequently "nodded" in my teaching, preaching, and writing—not intentionally, of course, but through misinformation, sometimes depending on a faulty memory without double checking my facts, and sometimes simply though carelessness. <span> </span>For example, a few years ago I was asked to deliver a major lecture at one of our Christian universities.<span> </span>In both the manuscript submitted for publication in the lectureship book as well as in the oral presentation itself I had Jesus entering the synagogue at Capernaum rather than at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21).<span> </span>How could I have made that mistake with the text right there before my eyes (to say nothing of the numerous times I had referred to that event in lessons and sermons)?<span> </span>You tell me!<span> </span>I simply "nodded"!<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">But then I "nodded" again in the same presentation.<span> </span>I referred to the two "unnamed" disciples who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus following His resurrection (Luke 24:13-27), but verse 18 plainly says one of them was named Cleopas.<span> </span><span> </span>(Here I am reminded that familiar scripture needs to be re-read, rather than relying on memory.)<span> </span>In neither of these instances did anyone call the "nods" to my attention, and those who proof-read the manuscript for the book did not catch either mistake.<span> </span>Only later, when I read the published lecture in the book, did I say to myself, "That's not right," and I was embarrassed by my sloppiness.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Now if in nearly sixty years of teaching, preaching, and writing these were the only times I had "nodded" I would not feel too badly about the matter.<span> </span>But, unfortunately, they are only two of various instances.<span> </span>My wife catches many of my glitches and corrects me, but often it is after the fact.<span> </span>("Did you know that you said thus and so?"<span> </span>"No, I didn't say that! <span> </span><span> </span>Did I?"<span> </span>"Yes you did.")<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">James wrote: "For we all stumble in many things.<span> </span>If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body" (3:2).<span> </span>While the context is not dealing precisely with the point of this essay, the language nevertheless is expressive of the fact that not only Homer but many of far less ability sometimes "nod."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<span> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> </span></span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 5, 2012</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><span> </span></span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-5216167579483143912012-05-29T05:31:00.003-07:002012-05-29T05:31:22.556-07:00Vetoing God<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I marvel at some folk's use of the Bible.<span> </span>I am amazed at the way some people go about reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible.<span> </span>Apparently, they get a notion in mind, and then go to the Bible to find the proof of what they already have made up their mind to believe.<span> </span>Consider a few examples of such.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The Bible teaches that sinners are saved by faith. Any number of passages can be presented showing that such is the case (John </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">3:16</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, 18, 36; John </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">8:24</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; Acts</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">16:31</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; Romans 5:1; et al).<span> </span>But there are other passages that attribute salvation to repentance (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2:38</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">3:19</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">; Acts </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">17:30</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">-31; et al).<span> </span>The passages affirming that salvation is by faith do not veto the passages showing the necessity of repentance.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">There are any number of passages that attribute salvation to baptism, often connecting faith and baptism as well as repentance and baptism to salvation, but in some instances mentioning only baptism (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Galatians 3:27; I Peter 3:21; et al).<span> </span>The passages showing that one is saved by faith do not veto those that attribute salvation to baptism, just as those that attribute salvation to God's grace do not veto those that attribute salvation to man's obedience to the gospel (Matthew 7:21; Romans 6:16-18; II Thessalonians 1:6-10; Hebrews 5:8-9; Revelation 22:14; et al).<span> </span>The preaching of that which is of first importance (I Corinthians 15:1-11) does not veto the necessity of also preaching the God-ordained response to that which is of first importance (Acts 2:37-38).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">It is a strange system of hermeneutics (interpretation) that takes only a part of what the Scriptures say about a matter and concludes that such is the totality of Bible teaching on the subject.<span> </span>One of the several questions that the diligent student of the Scriptures asks is, "What else does the Bible say on this subject?"<span> </span>When Satan tempted Christ, he quoted scripture by saying "It is written," and proceeded to cite Psalms 91:11-12 (Matthew 4:6).<span> </span>But Jesus reminded the devil that he had not taken into consideration everything God had said on that subject, and went on to point out what else God had said about the matter (Matthew 4:7).<span> </span>Therefore, in order to understand what the Bible teaches on any subject, we must take into consideration <i>all</i> that the Bible says on that subject!<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">A certain preacher was dismayed at the thought that people who had not been baptized/immersed might be lost.<span> </span>He was equally dismayed to think that all the good, pious people who were aligned with religious parties not sanctioned by the word of God might also be lost.<span> </span>He announced to his wife that he was going to the woods and staying until he found the "answer" he was looking for.<span> </span>She asked him, "How do you expect to get an answer."<span> </span>He said, "I don't have the slightest idea.<span> </span>Any way God sees fit to reveal it—through the Bible, by sending someone to talk to me, by a word from heaven, or by an inner understanding.<span> </span>That is up to him."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The man drove some twenty miles from his home to a wooded area and spent the next few hours praying in every position he could think of—walking, kneeling, lying on the ground, crying and pleading with God to "reveal" His will to him.<span> </span>Getting no immediate answer, he returned to a picnic table at the edge of the woods where he had left his Bible, stood it on its spine, and let it fall open to where it would.<span> </span>It fell open to Psalms 115, and in verse three he read: "But God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."<span> </span>Voila!<span> </span>He had his answer!<span> </span>For some "reason" this verse vetoed everything the New Testament says about the conditions upon which God forgives the alien of his sins; everything the New Testament says about the singularity of the body of Christ, the church; everything the New Testament says in condemnation of doctrines originating with men; everything the New Testament says about the sin of religious division; everything the New Testament says about how God is to be worshiped; everything the New Testament says about the cessation of the supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit; everything the New Testament says about the everlasting punishment of the wicked!<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I marvel at this man's hermeneutic! "Bizarre" does not begin to describe his approach to discerning the will of the Lord.<span> </span>But it is a glaring example of how when a person has his mind already made up as to what he wants (and is determined!) to believe, there is no end to which he will not go to vindicate his preconceived notions.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June speaking schedule:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 10: Leeville Church of Christ, Lebanon, TN (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 20: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Christ</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">June 27: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hartsville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Pike</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 29, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-65555415894598206242012-05-22T05:12:00.002-07:002012-05-22T08:04:00.988-07:00THE PRESIDENT AND HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span><u></u></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The President of the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">United States</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> has come out in favor of homosexual marriage. Ironically, he made known his position a few days before Mother's Day. His Vice-President and Secretary of Education had already declared themselves on the issue, so perhaps the President felt some pressure to follow suit. True leaders, however, do not merely reflect the opinions of others; true leaders take a stand for what is right regardless of the cost—politically or otherwise. If I may say so, our nation is in desperate need of true leaders—from the White House right on down to the local levels of government.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">No one should hate homosexuals, and homosexuals should not be discriminated against. Jesus taught His followers to love all human beings. He ate and associated with the vilest sinners of His day. He "did not come to call the righteous (or those who <i>thought</i>they were righteous, hf), but sinners, to repentance" (Matthew </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">9:13</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">). And we must all remember that "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">3:10</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, quoting Psalm 14:3). But here is the point: Jesus calls us to <i>repentance</i>. He does not permit us to continue in our sins. We must turn away from them. To the woman taken in adultery He commanded, "…go and sin no more" (John 8:11). There was not and is not the slightest indication that the sinner can continue in his or her sin and still be pleasing to the Lord.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">From the beginning, God ordained that marriage was to be between a man and a woman. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2:24</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">). Jesus endorsed this as being God's plan, and called on the people of His day who had departed from it to return to it. He said: "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh' " (Matthew 19:4-5). Christ recognized the sanctity of God's original plan for marriage, and wherein mankind had departed from it, He called them back to it. In this sense, Jesus was a restorationist and gave credence to the restoration principle.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The Old Testament reveals God's hot displeasure toward all kinds of sexual perversion—including homosexuality, bestiality, and incest. Not only are sexual relations between those of the same gender forbidden, but sexual relations between family members and near relatives are likewise forbidden (Leviticus 18). One is made to wonder what would happen if brothers and sisters began to demand the legal right to marry each other, if fathers and daughters should begin to demand the right to marry each other, if mothers and sons should begin to demand the right to marry each other! Yet same-sex relations are condemned right along with these other forms of perversion.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Earthly governments ignore God's moral law at their own peril. In commenting on the moral degradation of the nations of his day, the apostle Paul wrote: "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting…" (Romans 1:26-28). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">United States</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> seems to be headed down this same road, joining most of the countries of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Europe</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">. Our President has given his endorsement to such depravity. </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hollywood</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and the liberal media rejoice and applaud his actions. Liberal scholars (so-called), professors, theologians, and preachers do so as well. But God still says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 22, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-58410637053818293702012-05-15T07:12:00.001-07:002012-05-15T07:12:59.172-07:00CENTER HILL<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Last week (May 6-9), I preached in another gospel meeting (some of you will better understand that as a revival) at the </span></b><u></u><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Center</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ near</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florence</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Alabama</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>This was my thirteenth such effort with this fine congregation of God's saints.<span> </span>I conducted my first meeting there in 1958, returned the following year, and have been going back every four to five years since then.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">My relationship with the Center Hill church now extends to some 58 years.<span> </span>I began preaching there (two Sundays a month) in 1954 when I was in high school at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Mars</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bible</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">School</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florence</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>Beginning the first Sunday of January 1955 (the middle of my senior year of high school), I began preaching every Lord's Day for the church.<span> </span>This continued through the end of 1955, at which time I was one-third of the way through my freshman year at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Freed-Hardeman</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">College</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Henderson</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Tennessee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">.<span> </span>My first quarter at Freed-Hardeman, I drove back to </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florence</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> each weekend to fill my appointment at Center Hill.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">When I began as a "boy preacher" at Center Hill (and for the first three or four meetings I conducted there), the church met in an old white frame building.<span> </span>Sunday worship attendance ran perhaps 50-60 back in those days, though we always had large crowds for the meetings, with many visitors.<span> </span>Over the years, the church has grown, a "new" auditorium has been constructed (though it is now over forty years old), and it has been periodically updated and maintained in a wonderful way. The old building was bricked, the inside completely re-worked into classrooms, a sound room, and an office. An additional wing of Bible classrooms also was added.<span> </span>Several years ago, the church built a very nice minister's home on a spacious lot east of the building, and in more recent years a large fellowship building has been constructed between the church building and the minister's home.<span> </span>Ample paved parking surrounds the facilities.<span> </span>Worship attendance at Center Hill now runs around 200 on Sunday mornings.<span> </span>The Sunday the meeting started (Homecoming Day) we had 329 present.<span> </span>The meeting was well attended throughout its duration.<span> </span>(The Center Hill church still believes in gospel meetings, and has two more scheduled for this year—one in the summer and one in late fall.)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">A nicely maintained cemetery lies behind the church building.<span> </span>It was a moving experience to walk through it and to read the headstones of members past—people who were of such great encouragement to me as a young preacher.<span> </span>Their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are part of the church today.<span> </span>As I began my morning sermon, I was touched to see a few hands go up of those who were members at Center Hill when I began preaching there nearly 60 years ago (including one of the elders and his wife and one of the deacons) as well as to see the hands of those I had baptized in the various meetings I have conducted there over the years.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Following a wonderful fellowship meal Sunday at </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">noon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and a time of visiting, we had almost an hour of singing before I brought the afternoon message that completed the activities of the day.<span> </span>I sat and listened and absorbed the words of such great old gospel songs as This World is Not My Home, How Beautiful Heaven Must Be, I'm in the Glory-land Way, Peace in the Valley, Hide Me O Blessed Rock of Ages, We'll Soon Be Done With Troubles and Trials, I Walk With The King, I Believe in the One They Called Jesus, How Great Thou Art, and so many others.<span> </span>Visitors came from 50 to 60 miles away for the singing.<span> </span>Young boys—8, 10, 12 years old—led several songs.<span> </span>Various leaders had their pitch pipes and tuning forks and were expert song leaders, with the men and women singing their various parts exceedingly well (faithful churches of Christ are a cappella where the music in their worship to God is concerned).<span> </span>As I listened to and absorbed the message of those grand old songs I could not help but reflect on how they had shaped and molded the lives and<span> </span>the values and the morals of the people who sang them with such feeling.<span> </span>I am extremely glad that I have been shaped and molded and influenced by those "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (Ephesians </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">5:19</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">How good it was to go back to Center Hill one more time and to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ.<span> </span>How good to see old friends from high school days, to visit my parents' grave in Florence, to have lunch with my brother, to think about my "roots" and what is really important in life.<span> </span>Truly, Lord, You have been mindful of me!<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 15, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-80325674884081634842012-05-01T05:12:00.002-07:002012-05-01T05:12:57.078-07:00The Bible On One Page<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span><u></u></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">It is one thing to "curse the darkness" of Bible ignorance, as we did in our last "News & Views"; it is another thing to "light a candle" that hopefully will help people to better understand the Bible, as we seek to do in today's "News & Views."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">An overview of the Bible can be summarized on a single page of paper.<span> </span>Fifteen historical periods make up the Bible.<span> </span>With a knowledge of these fifteen periods, one can turn to any book of the Bible and have a general idea of what it is about.<span> </span>These fifteen periods are listed below, with the Bible books and chapters in blue that provide the continuing story line of the Bible and the books and chapters in orange that cover corollary and supplementary matters occurring during that period.<span> </span>The earnest student of the Bible should reduce these fifteen periods of Bible history to a single page of paper and attach it to the inside cover of his or her Bible as a quick reference to the Bible's contents.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">1. Creation and Early Civilization (Genesis 1-5).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">2. Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-11).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">3. Lives of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) <span> </span>(Genesis 12 -15).<span> </span>(The Book of Job likely belongs to this period).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">4. Israelites in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Egypt</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> and the Wilderness (Exodus – Deuteronomy).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">5. Israelites Enter the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Land</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Canaan</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (Joshua).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">6. Israelites Ruled by Judges (Judges; I Samuel 1-8;</span></b><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Ruth</span></b><b><span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">7. Israelites Constitute One </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">United Kingdom</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> under Saul, David, and <span> </span>Solomon (I Samuel 9 – II Samuel 24; I Kings 1-11; </span></b><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I Chronicles<span> </span>1 – II Chronicles 9</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<span> </span>(The Books of Psalms [for the most part], Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon belong to this period). <span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">8. Israelites Divide into Two Kingdoms:</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Israel</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">/</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Northern Kingdom</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (10 Tribes, with Capital at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Samaria</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">); </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Judah</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">/Southern Kingdom (2 Tribes, with Capital at </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Jerusalem</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">) (I Kings 12 – II Kings 25; </span></b><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">II<span> </span>Chronicles 10-36</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<span> </span>(Elijah and Elisha were two of the major oral prophets during this period.<span> </span>The following books of the literary prophets [in the likely order of each prophet's ministry] belong <span></span>to this period: Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamentations).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">9. Israelites into Captivity: (</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Israel</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> into Assyrian Captivity in 722 B.C.; </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Judah</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> into Babylonian Captivity in 606 B. C.) (Ezekiel; Daniel deal with</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Judah</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">'s captivity and promised return to </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Canaan</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">10. </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Judah</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> Returns from </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Babylon</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> to </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Canaan</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (Ezra; Nehemiah; </span></b><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Esther</span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">). <span> </span>(The following books of the literary prophets belong to this period: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi).<span> </span>(Note: Chronologically, <span> </span>the Old Testament ends with the book of Nehemiah; every <span></span>book coming after it can be taken back and placed <span> </span>somewhere in the framework of events covered from Genesis <span> </span>through Nehemiah, as we have attempted to do above).<span> </span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><span> </span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">11. The 430 Years Between the Old and New Testaments.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">12. The Earthly Life and Ministry of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">13. Beginning and Growth of the Church (Acts)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">14. Christianity Applied: Individually and Congregationally (Romans<span> </span>– Jude).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">15. The Ultimate Victory of the Church (Revelation).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May Speaking Schedule</span></u></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">:<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 6-9: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Center</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hill</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Florence</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">AL</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 20: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Road</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> (all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 23: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Road</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 27: </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ, </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Portland</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">(all services)<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">May 1, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-37828329327229415052012-04-24T10:03:00.001-07:002012-04-24T10:03:15.575-07:00Biblical Illiteracy<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">A number of years ago I was teaching an adult Bible class and made the passing remark that many people think that the forbidden fruit of which Eve ate was an apple but that the Bible does not actually identify the fruit.<span> </span>An elderly lady from the back of the class spoke up and said that the Bible <i>did </i>say it was an apple.<span> </span>I kindly suggested that we turn to Genesis 3 and read the account.<span> </span>Of course, when we did so, it was easy to see that the kind of fruit of which Eve (and, later, Adam) ate is not identified.<span> </span>Not to be outdone, the good lady said, "Well, it<i>could</i> have been an apple!"<span> </span>We all had a good laugh, but the point was made that many people often think the Bible says a certain thing, teaches a certain doctrine, or authorizes a certain practice when, upon investigation, many of the things frequently attributed to the Bible are not actually found in the Scriptures.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Tradition says that three wise men came to visit the child Jesus, yet when the biblical record is consulted one does not find the number of the wise men given (Matthew 2:1-12).<span> </span>The title "Reverend" is commonly applied to preachers, yet the word appears but once in our English translations (Psalms 111:9), and there it is applied to God.<span> </span>And while it is true that the root from which the word comes is found in many places in scripture to refer to holy and sacred things, Jesus forbade the wearing of religious titles of distinction (Matthew 23:8-9).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">When I was a very young preacher I was conducting a meeting in a southern state and staying in the home of one of the leaders of the church.<span> </span>He was a good man, loved the church, and had raised a good family of faithful Christian children.<span> </span>How shocked I was when one evening after the services he asked, "Hugh, how old was Jesus when He joined the church?"<span> </span>Since I thought he was being facetious, I came within a gnat's whisker of laughing in his face.<span> </span>I caught myself just in time to realize that he was dead serious.<span> </span>Now, it is certainly true that Christ and the church enjoy an intimate relationship.<span> </span>The church is the body of which Christ is the head.<span> </span>For an understanding of Christ's relationship to the church one needs to read and digest the first three chapters of Ephesians.<span> </span>But the church did not exist in historical reality during the earthly ministry of Christ, and Jesus never "joined" the church in the sense in which people today talk about "joining" the church.<span> </span>In fact, the whole concept of "joining" the church is deserving of deeper study, for the Bible speaks more in terms of a person being saved from his or her sins and being "added" to the church than it does of "joining" the church (Acts 2:41, 47).<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">In a certain city where I once lived a preacher of a particular denomination conducted a daily radio program designed to spread the beliefs of his church.<span> </span>His knowledge of both the Scriptures and basic grammar was highly suspect.<span> </span>On one occasion he cited Paul's admonition, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">6:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<span> </span>He then observed, "Yes, the Bible says the devil is <u>wild</u>, and he is getting <u>wilder</u> ever' day!"<span> </span>While his observation likely was true, there is a vast difference between the "wiles" of the devil and the fact that the devil may also be "wild."<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">We need to be diligent students of the Bible.<span> </span>People sometimes show their ignorance of the Bible by speaking against things the Bible clearly endorses.<span> </span>Desiring to appear to know more than they do, they oppose things the Bible commends.<span> </span>At the same time, not everything that is said to be taught in the Scriptures is actually taught in the Scriptures.<span> </span>Of the Bereans it is said: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so" (Acts</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">17:11</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<span> </span>Paul exhorted: "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (I Thessalonians </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">5:21</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">).<span> </span>We need to be diligently engaged in such today.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">April 24, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-60047306487232124852012-04-17T05:15:00.001-07:002012-04-17T05:15:47.731-07:00Murder on Music Row<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I must issue a sincere apology to several of my readers for the fact that a bogus edition of "Hugh's News & Views" recently was sent out over my name, but of which I was not the author.<span> </span>Fortunately, the perpetrator of the hoax did not have my complete mailing list, and only a relatively few of my readers (mainly a score or so of preacher friends in the greater </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> area) received the bogus issue.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">While the counterfeit edition touched on a number of irrelevant matters, at its heart was the effort to make it appear that I love contemporary country music, falsely so called.<span> </span>Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth, as those who know me know.<span> </span>Garth Brooks is NOT country; he is a frustrated "Rock" star who gets his kicks out of busting up guitars on stage.<span> </span>Kenny Chesney is NOT country.<span> </span>The only thing "country" about Kenny is that he always appears to have a "dip" of snuff in his lower lip (not saying that he does, only that he appears to).<span> </span>And I wish the boy would get some shirts that had the sleeves in them.<span> </span>I would recommend that he consult with the company that makes "Little" Jimmy Dickens' stage clothes, or those who made Porter Waggoner's outfits, or even the fashion consultant of the late and lamented Dave "Stringbean" Akeman.<span> </span>Most anything would be an improvement over Kenny's current wardrobe.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Admittedly, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, and little Miss Taylor Swift (bless her heart, she's pretty, but she can't sing a lick) are sweet people with some limited talent, but to list them as country music stars makes ol' Hank turn over in his grave.<span> </span>Calling them "country" is the height of irreverence for such true greats as George Jones, Merle Haggard (I go back and forth between The Possum and The Hag as to which is the greatest male country singer of all time), Charlie Louvin, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, the recently deceased great Earl Scruggs, Porter Waggoner, "Little" Jimmy Dickens (90 + years old and still going strong on the Opry), Tammy Wynette (the greatest female country singer of all time), Loretta Lynn (close second to Tammy), Jean Shepherd, "Mother" Maybelle Carter, the late, great Patsy Cline, and many others who brought honor and fame to the true country music genre.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">So, in spite of the imposter's efforts to make it appear that I appreciate "modern country," I must expose his impetuosity and total disrespect for the "true actual facts."<span> </span>My real sentiments are lamentably expressed in the following song penned by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell.<span> </span>I hope all will stand and that the men will remove their hats or caps as they read and reflect on the lyrics of "Murder On Music Row."<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nobody saw him running from </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">16<sup>th</sup> avenue</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">They never found the fingerprints or the weapon that was used<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">But someone killed country music, cut out its heart and soul<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">They got away with murder down on music row<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The almighty dollar and the lust for worldwide fame<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Slowly killed tradition and for that someone should hang<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">They all say "Not guilty!" but the evidence will show<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">That murder was committed down on music row<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">For the steel guitars no longer cry and the fiddles barely play<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">But drums and rock 'n' roll guitars are mixed up in your face<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Ol' Hank wouldn't have a chance today on today's radio<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Since they committed murder down on music row<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">They thought no one would miss it once it was dead and gone<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">They said no one would buy them ol' drinkin' and cheatin' songs<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Well there ain't no justice in it and the hard facts are cold<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Murder's been committed down on music row<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">For the steel guitars no longer cry, and you can't hear fiddles play<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">With drums and rock 'n' roll guitars mixed right up in your face<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Why the Hag wouldn't have a chance today on today's radio<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Since they committed murder down on music row<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Why they even tell The Possum to pack up and go back home<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">There's been an awful murder down on music row<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Yeah.<span> </span>Sad—so lamentably sad.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Speaking Schedule: I have just completed a three-week stint (Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening) with the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Bethlehem</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Church</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> of Christ near </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Lebanon</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN.</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"><span> </span>I will speak at all services at the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Nashville Road</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> church in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Gallatin</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">TN</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> on April 22 and again on Wednesday evening, April 25.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">April 17, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-77707493377341100222012-04-10T05:38:00.000-07:002012-04-10T05:38:21.198-07:00BRYCE'S VIEW OF THE ORIGIN OF THINGS<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Recently, our fourteen year old grandson Bryce had a school assignment in which he chose to contrast the Big Bang Theory with the teaching of the Bible concerning the origin of things.<span> </span>Unknown to his parents or grandparents, he got on the internet and found an article by Wayne Jackson on the subject.<span> </span>Bryce had no idea that Wayne Jackson is a member of the church of Christ, a gospel preacher, an astute student of the scriptures, as well as of contemporary culture and of threats to biblical faith.<span> </span>This week I am presenting Bryce's view of the origin of things.<span> </span>I have left it entirely in his words, only supplying a bit of punctuation, a word here and there to clarify the thought, and quotation marks where appropriate.</span></b></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The Big Bang Theory vs. God’s Word<span> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> </span>Written By: Wayne Jackson<span> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> </span>Summarized By: Bryce Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">There are two points of view when it comes to how the Earth and Solar System were created. The first is what most scientists believe, which is known as the <span>Big Bang Theory</span>. The second one is what most churches go by, which is that <span>God </span>is the creator of the Earth which is found in (Genesis chapters 1 and 2) where <span>God </span>created the world in six days, resting on the seventh. <span>The Big Bang Theory states </span>that some 20 billion years ago all matter of the universe was packed into a microscopic cosmic “egg.” Astonishingly, scientists now think everything in the universe grew from a region billions of times smaller than a single proton. In a book written by Dr. Robert Jastrow he says <span> </span>“all matter in the Universe was compressed into an infinitely dense of hot mass.” The flaws in the <span>Big Bang </span>is that the Bible<span> </span>says that <span>God </span>created the world in seven days which was seen by Adam from the Garden of Eden and the <span>Big Bang Theory </span>was not seen by a single person. Even though the Bible has proof, scientists still say that the days of creation were not a full week but long periods of time. The <span>Big Bang Theory </span>supposes that the universe started with a chaotic explosion which then proceeded toward order. The Bible teaches the exact opposite. <span>God</span>created the universe as a beautiful and orderly masterpiece, but it has been degenerating toward disorder in the intervening millennia. The Bible says that the human family came into existence the same week as the universe (Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11). Man has thus existed from the beginning of the creation (Isaiah 40:21; Mark 10:6; Luke 11:50; Romans 1:20). With that said, the <span>Big Bang Theory</span>and <span>God’s Word</span> are the two ways that scientists think the world was created.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Opinion By: Bryce Fulford. </span></b><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">My opinion is that <span>God</span>created the world in seven days and that the Big Bang Theory is not true. I am going to prove my point with some Bible verses. The first one comes from<span> </span>(Genesis 1: 1-31 ) 1- "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." My next verse comes from (Exodus 20:11 ) 11- "For [in] six days the <span>LORD</span> made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore the <span>LORD </span>blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." In (Isaiah 40: 21-22 ) 21- "Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood [from] the foundations of the earth? / 22- It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in." In (Mark 10:6) 6– "But from the beginning of creation, <span>God</span>made them male and female." My next verse comes from (Romans 1:20 ) 20- "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." My next few verses are to further prove that <span>God</span> is ruler of the earth. In (Hebrews 11:3) 3- "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of <span>God</span>, so that the things which are seen were not made of the things which are visible." My next verse goes along with the verse we just read which is (Romans 10:17) 17- "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of<span>God</span>." I can look at the beauty of nature and know that an accidental explosion did not create this fantastic world. So in my opinion, the world was formed and created by <span>God</span> the creator of the world.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">xxxxxxxxxxxx<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I think Bryce did a great job of summarizing what the Bible teaches about the origin of the universe and mankind.<span> </span>His teacher must have thought so too, for he gave Bryce 100 on his paper.<span> </span>I am extremely proud of Bryce and of his faith in God and the Bible as the divinely inspired word of God.<span> </span>He does not attend a private school, but a large (over 1400 students) public middle school.<span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></span></b></div><span class="HOEnZb" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<span> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> </span>April 10, 2012<span> </span></span></b></span></span>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672098228858154913.post-27883697516581842552012-04-03T13:31:00.000-07:002012-04-03T13:31:11.856-07:00A LIttle More About Paducah<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">This week I will tell a little more about my work with the </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Clements Street</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> church in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Paducah</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">,</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Kentucky</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> during the summer of 1957.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">The four elders of the church were brother Penn (I cannot remember his first name or his initials, but he went by the name of Tam), brother Lee Tucker, brother Vick (I do not remember his first name or initials, but he was the father of O. K. Vick who preached for many years in Memphis), and brother Robert Waller, Sr.<span> </span>I thought of them as some of the best and wisest men I had ever known, and, in reality, they were.<span> </span>They and their wives took me "under their wings," treated me as if I were their own son, and gave me much encouragement as a young minister.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">As I reported last week, I lived in the men's dressing room next to the baptistery of the building.<span> </span>I did not have a TV set, but I did have a radio.<span> </span>Many of my evenings were spent listening to Cardinals' baseball games.<span> </span>Though I was a</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Milwaukee</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;"> Braves' fan, folks in </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Western Kentucky</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">were big Cardinals' fans and it was fun listening to their games.<span> </span>Stan Musial was the Cardinals' star, and Lindy McDaniel, a member of the church of Christ, was on the pitching staff.<span> </span>His younger brother, Von McDaniel, came to the Cardinals that summer straight from high school and was a single season pitching sensation.<span> </span>About once a week I would drive to a city park and watch kids play baseball.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">I also used my evenings to read, study, and to begin my first efforts at writing for publication.<span> </span>I submitted my first article to Dillard Thurman, editor of <i>Gospel Minutes</i> in </span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Fort Worth</span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, </span></b><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Texas</span></b><u></u><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">, and later that fall my article appeared in that publication.<span> </span>While I do not now recall all the books I read that summer, I do remember reading S. H. Hall's <i>Sixty Years in the Pulpit, </i>Gus Nichols' newly-published volume of sermons <i>Speaking the Truth in Love, </i>and the <i>Porter-Tingley Debate</i>.<span> </span>With two sermons and two adult Bible classes to prepare each week, as well as a Monday through Friday fifteen minute radio broadcast, it was necessary for me to keep my nose in the Bible and in good resources to enable me to meet my preaching and teaching responsibilities.<span> </span>But while challenging, it was a time of great mental and spiritual growth.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">One week I recorded two or three days of radio messages prior to their presentation so that I could be out of town for a few days. <span> </span>Billy Penn, the son of one of the elders, and I drove to Carroll County, Tennessee to hear my friend Alan Highers engage in his first formal public debate.<span> </span>Alan had barely turned twenty years old when he met L. H. Brown, a seasoned Baptist preacher and debater in his fifties from Jackson, Tennessee, in a debate under a large tent in the rural community of Poplar Springs in Carroll County. <span> </span>Among other topics, they discussed the gospel plan of salvation (whether one is saved by faith only, or if baptism for the remission of sins is involved in being saved).<span> </span>Alan affirmed: "The Scriptures teach that water baptism to a penitent believer is essential to salvation from alien sins." What a grand time we all had during this event!<span> </span>Alan vindicated himself and the truth magnificently against the veteran, cagy Brown!<span> </span>It was the first religious debate Billy had ever attended, and he was absolutely thrilled by it.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Following my summer's work in Paducah, I made a quick trip to my folks' home in Northwest Florida, then returned to Loudon, Tennessee where Jan and I were united in marriage on September 7, 1957.<span> </span>It was a great summer—a summer of personal growth, of gaining experience in what I earlier had committed to being and doing.<span> </span>I shall forever be grateful to the Clements Street church and her elders for the tremendous privilege and opportunity they gave me, for the friendships that were formed, and for the pleasant associations in Western Kentucky that continue until today.<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">Hugh Fulford<u></u><u></u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><u></u><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt;">April 3, 2012</span></b></div>Hughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09826882024211672283noreply@blogger.com0