Recently I was reading a “liberal magazine” called “Grace Centered Magazine”.  In that magazine was an article by Jeremy Walden.  The article was titled “Bore No More”.  In this article he wrote:
 

“Church is so boring!! It's a reason people leave the church. It's a reason they don't invite their friends. It's killing the passion we should have for God. In response, many well-meaning souls scream, "We are not in the entertaining business!" What's missing is an understanding of our current educational culture. The new buzzword in education circles is "edutainment." It simply means the act of learning through a medium that both educates and entertains (The American Heritage Dictionary). It is the way we have learned and are learning. We are a generation that grew up learning by watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. Our children have learned to read and spell with computer programs. We have been edutained.  We have discovered that there are various ways to learn. Each person has a dominant learning style: either visual (seeing), kinesthetic (touching), or auditory (hearing). One size doesn't fit all. One method of teaching doesn't fit all.”

After looking at the featured writers of this magazine it was no surprise to me that this article said what it said.  Faithful Christians recognize the following names listed in this magazine as very liberal denominational minded men.  They are: “Joe Beam, Dr. Rubel Shelly, Lee Wilson, Dr. Lynn Anderson, Al Maxey, Edward Fudge, Dr. Dallas Burdette, Dennis Crawford, Buff Scott Jr., Paul Woodhouse, Fred Peatross, Chris King, etc.”

The attitude of entertainment is not new, but it is growing.  Sadly, it is a concept that is foreign to the New Testament.  We do not find the New Testament church bringing in choirs, drama teams, skit crews, praise leaders, or any other sort of pep rally type of methods into the worship service.  We must be willing to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), not with spirits and flutes.  The argument that Jeremy Walden used in his article was the idea that we need to fit Bible teaching into methods that entertain.  He believes that we must be willing to have “edutainment” in the church.

God gave us a format for worship on the 1st day of the week.  He wants us to sing, preach, partake of the Lord’s Supper, pray, and give as we have been prospered (Ephesians 5:19, Acts 20:7, I Thessalonians 5:17, and I Corinthians 16:1-2).  God does not want us to aim to be like Sesame Street, Mr. Rodgers, or Chuck E. Cheese.  Jeremy Walden is off in his logic.  He believes, as do other liberals, that worship is dull and boring.  Since when did we begin to change the word of God to fit the desires of men?  Many of our brethren and all in the denominational world need a better understanding of how to apply God’s word.

Applying Bible Authority is not a difficult thing to do.  The Bible teaches that we must do all things by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17).  The words of Christ are the words of the New Testament (Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 12:24, John 12:48, John 16:13, Hebrews 1:1-2, and John 6:63).  We know that we are to sing in worship to God because that is what God said to do, that is what we have examples of in the New Testament, and it is inferred that only the voice was used (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26, Acts 16:25, I Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 2:12, and James 5:13).  We know that changing singing to playing would be sinful because God tells us not to change His word (Revelation 22:18-19).  The same method is applied in understanding the Lord’s Supper.  Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper with two emblems.  There was the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:17; 26-30).  He did not use coke and popcorn.  He used the unleavened bread that represented His body, and the fruit of the vine which represented His blood.  That was His example for us to follow and His command to do that in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19).  We know the frequency of the Lord’s Supper is to be the first day of the week because of an example we have (Acts 20:7).  We know by implication that this occurred every first day of the week, so we imitate that same practice.

The old tried and proven example of Noah and the building of the Ark is a good example of following Bible Authority.  God gave Noah dimensions (300 x 50 x 30 cubits – Genesis 6:15).  God told Noah to use Gopher wood (Genesis 6:14).  Noah had to do what God had told Him by direct command.  Noah could use expediencies to build the ark.  He could use a hammer, a cutting tool, etc.  But, Noah could not decide to use anything that would add to the command that God gave Him.  Noah could not decide to use mostly Gopher wood, then a little cherry wood around the doors.  Noah could not change what God told Him to do (Deuteronomy 4:2).  The same applications need to be made today.  We are told to sing, we are not told to play.  Adding an instrument does not aid, it adds to the command of vocal music and melody made in the heart.  We are to be pleasing God, not trying to please ourselves and others.  The problem is that some people do not want to live by what God has authorized.  Someone is trying to change God’s pattern!

In the Spring of 2000 I received in the mail an invitation from “Rochester Christian College” that said this:
 

"Dear Friends,
These are challenging times for all of us in Churches of Christ. Typically, grandparents and their grandchildren prefer different music, different translations of the Bible, different styles of congregational worship, different styles of praying, different ways to communicate truths from God’s word, etc. All of our congregations are challenged to provide a worship service that satisfies our senior members while providing a worship experience that also connects with our youth.

If your congregation has made a transition to a contemporary worship style, or if your leaders just want to consider some contemporary ways to lead praise and worship in congregational settings, or if you just want to learn about alternatives, we invite you to become a participant or a sponsor of the Zoe Worship Conference to be held on the campus of Rochester College, August 11-13, 2000.
. . . .
...Primary participants in the conference will be Mr. Larry Bridgesmith and Mr. Randy Gill, both alumni of Rochester College, who plan and lead worship at Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, TN, and Jeff Walling, a well-known brotherhood speaker
. . . .
Yours for the Master, Signed: Elton Albright
Director of Church Relations."

I included the above quote in this article to show who is changing the worship.  It is our very own brethren.  The extreme liberal movement in the church is far beyond sponsoring churches, the social gospel, and benevolence errors.  The “Grace Centered”, non-authority, Unity in Diversity groups like the Shellyites, the Lucadoites, and the ACU crowds are out right changing the worship we read about in the New Testament.  Even those who would be for the Institutional issues are fighting this crowd.  The extreme liberal crowd is basically having their own community church movement.  They are going further away from the truth to attract the denominational crowds.  They want the numbers in their worship services.  I like to refer to it as the out with the truth in with the crowd worship.  This violates every principle of doctrine that faithful brethren have fought to uphold in this lost and dying generation.

So, what occurs when brethren change the word to please men?  Well, they are lost and converting all those many people into a denomination they have formed in themselves.  Notice what the inspired word says about pleasing men over God.  (Galatians 1:6-12) “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  (Acts 5:29) “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”  (Jeremiah 10:23) “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” The Bible is clear, authority does not come from man it comes from God (Matthew 7:21).  We are not out to please and entertain.  When the saints come together it is to worship God, not serve as a local work of entertainment.

Many have lost the focus of worship.  We come together as saints to worship God.  When worshipping God we certainly can be edified; but our purpose for assembling is to worship God (John 4:23-24).  The Bible does not give us any suggestion that worship is to be for us.  For example, when we partake of the Lord’s Supper we do so in remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice for us (I Corinthians 11:23-26).  When we sing praises we do so to God.  Whatever we do we are to do to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).  We should not be out to be the best show in town.  We need to be the best place for truth in town.  Those who are perverting the Old Paths need to change the name that they claim to be owned by.  Christ died to purchase the church of Christ (Acts 20:28), and He did not want us to turn His body into the local circus.  It is important for us to realize who these liberal change agents are; so that we do not find ourselves worshipping with them and inadvertently bidding them Godspeed in fellowship.  Doing such would be sinful (Ephesians 5:11 and II John 9-11).  Those of us who are sticking to the pattern that Christ and the inspired writers of the New Testament gave us need to contend for the faith (Jude 3).  The church belongs to the Lord and the worship is to be pleasing to Him, not man.

Those Needing Our Prayers
Desiree’s mother has a brain tumor that was just found last week and is also have circulatory problems.  Ann Holt (she will need a ride to services because of her health problems), Betty Brown, Joan Croyle, Bill Croyle, Gracie Cook (Desiree’ is friends with the family of this infant who is suffering with underdeveloped lungs) and John & Olive Anderson.

John and Olive’s New Address
John and Olive Anderson have moved and they have a new address and telephone number.  It is posted on the bulletin board.

Study at the Yeager's Today and a Potluck too **(not a part of the work of the church and later realized by the congregation that announcements of a social nature should not have been listed in the bulletin - B.A.Y.)
All are welcomed to the Yeager’s for  bible study after services today.  We will also have a potluck.  The plan will be the same as last time.  Everyone bring a dish, drinks, etc.  The Yeager’s will supply the meat, condiments, etc.  After lunch we will be studying “How to Show the World We Are Christians as Individuals”.

Door Knocking
Every Saturday unless otherwise noted, plan on meeting here at noon.  If you are fearful of talking with folks still come and be a “silent partner” to someone who is more comfortable speaking to others about the Gospel of Christ.

Graduation Party  **(not a part of the work of the church and later realized by the congregation that announcements of a social nature should not have been listed in the bulletin - B.A.Y.)
Everyone is invited to Christy Graham’s graduation party.  It will be June 23rd from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. at Yellow Creek State Park.  Please let Bill and Brenda know if you are planning to attend by June 17th.

Ladies Class
The next ladies class will be at Julie’s house on Sunday June 30th at 2:00.