April 2006
This issue of Abundant Life is also available in Adobe's PDF format.What Do You Really Want?
by Warren Berkley
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
How Do We Know Jesus Really Existed?
By Ed Whittlesey
Some say Jesus never really existed and the stories about Him are just legends or myths. Before establishing Jesus’ deity we must establish that He did live. How can we know today that Jesus actually did exist? Are there historical documents or sources to confirm it? We will see that we can rely on both biblical and non-biblical sources to support the fact that Jesus did indeed exist.
More Movement by Brethren
by Mark Roberts
Recently I received a brochure advertising “Our First Annual Life After Fifty-Five Conference.” This conference will feature speakers discussing matters like “Senior Adult Ministry,” “Building Your Volunteer Team at Church,” “Outreach to Older Adults,” and “Faith’s Response to a Father with Alzheimer’s.” Certainly there is nothing wrong with teaching from God’s Word directed toward older Christians to help them continue to serve the Lord fully. Sometimes I fear we may overlook our “senior saints” as we work so carefully with our teen-agers and their unique problems. The word of God has much to say to every generation and it is good and right to teach the “whole counsel of God.”
But what caught my eye in this brochure is the location of the conference: you can elect to attend at the Skillman church of Christ in Dallas, or at the Wedgewood Baptist church in Fort Worth! Further, it is not just a denominational location where this event will occur that is troubling. The Senior Adult minister from Skillman is speaking, but so also as is the “pastor of seniors” from The People’s Church in Toronto, Canada, Dr. Timothy Starr. Also the brochure lists Jeff Laster, the “Minister to Adults” at Wedgewood Baptist, as being on the program. So here is an event staffed out with people from both a church of Christ and denominational backgrounds and ties. If that were not enough, the brochure notes detail how the day will begin with “Worship” before breaking into the various workshops.