April 2007
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The Traditional Party Line
by Warren Berkley
Years ago, a man from a neighboring church came to the city where I was located, walked into my office and immediately said, "OK, what is your position on the marriage question?" I said, "...whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." His response? "Yeah, the traditional party line!"
Problems and the church
by Pat Farish
A local church of Christ is composed of saints. In a mature church, some of these saints are bishops, and some of them are deacons (see Philippians 1:1). The organization implied in these words allows a church of Christ to work as a church. Each member of this church, each saint, will have a "good works" personally to perform; but there is work to be done by the collective ("the church"), and this is the purpose of the organization provided.
The Preacher's Pen
by Mark Roberts
The Highland Oaks church of Christ and the Pitman Creek church of Christ are merging. Highland Oaks has about 2000 members, while Pitman Creek has only about 200 members. The smaller church is merging into the larger church, something that happens from time to time as neighborhoods and demographics change. The difference here, however, is that nobody is moving. Pitman Creeks building is located about 14 miles from Highland Oaks and it will remain open and the Pitman Creek members will remain there. They will share common staff, eldership, budget and vision, in what is being called the first "multi-site" church of Christ in America. One of the Highland Oaks elders, Don Crispin, said they will be "one congregation meeting in two locations." (Reported in The Christian Chronicle, "One church, two locations," by Erik Tryggestad, April 2007).