“Two are better than one…And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”-Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 We talk quite a bit about our congregation at North Second Street in the corporate sense. God continues to bless us. We are growing. What are we going… Read More »
Year In Review 2022
God blesses his people when they trust and obey. After nearly a quarter-century of existence, the Church of Christ at North Second Street is overseen my elders and served by deacons. On March the sixth we ordained David Brown and David Muiznieks as shepherds for the flock. Shortly after Scott Ford and Jim Lahue were… Read More »
Home For The Holidays
There is an undeniable, God-given instinct to sit by a fire on the brief days of winter and snuggle loved ones during those seemingly interminable nights. For thousands of years, human society followed the seasons in an effort to stay alive and feed their families. When a family had planted, tended, harvested, and stored the… Read More »
The Importance Of The Church
“and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”-Acts 20:30 What is more important: Doing things that glorify me or things that glorify Jesus? Working to build up my personal reputation or a church that endures? Making disciples who follow me or the church? Hopefully… Read More »
Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears A Crown
President Harry Truman had a plaque on his desk which read, “The buck stops here.” Truman was reacting to the reputation of typical politicians who would, “pass the buck” when it came to making actual decisions, standing on principle, or clearly stating an honest opinion. Truman understood how heavy those decisions could be. He was… Read More »
A Generation Who Does Not Know The LORD
“the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua…all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”-Judges 2:7-10 I don’t know who… Read More »
Mid-Year Report 2022
This is our first full reporting period of the post-COVID era1. Last year we noted an elder at a large congregation in middle Tennessee reported their attendance was down 15-percent. It is estimated only one-in-ten churches gained in numbers during 2020-2021. North Second Street actually saw a slight increase in 2021 as we got back… Read More »
Healthy Churches Bear Fruit
“So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”-Matthew 7:17-18 How do you judge the health of a plant? If it is vibrant and healthy, it yields fruit which strengthens those who partake of what… Read More »
Nothing New Under The Sun
“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”-Ecclesiastes 1:9 My friend, Brooks Cochran, gave me a book consisting of a series of David Lipscomb’s answers to reader’s questions from the years 1866 to 1910. Lipscomb was the editor… Read More »
Put In Order 2022
How do you measure the success of an eldership process? Certainly, the best outcome is the ordination of a plurality of men who come to the office with the congregation at peace and little to no objection to be overcome. But what does it mean if men are selected but never installed? Sound familiar? I… Read More »