May 1999

Tragedy Again

Tuesday, April 20, 1999. Millions of American kids went to school, like any other day. But it was not any other day, because two kids went to school armed with all kinds of weaponry, and at the end of the day, while millions of American kids came home from school, fourteen, plus one teacher, did not. more...

What Is Wrong and Right With Generation Why

Whenever there is a tragedy such as the one in Littleton, Colorado, there is also a search for answers to many questions, and quite often the most asked question is, ""What's wrong with these kids today?"" Almost immediately after the shootings at Columbine High School, people began asking that question, and considering the number of school shootings in the past two years, the question does seem valid. more...

The Value of Family

Loretta Girzartis said, "The world is full of lonely people, each isolated in a private, secret dungeon." What a dismal image. And what a divergence from the beautiful words and pictures in Scripture, of mother and father with their children. To be placed into the arms of a caring mother and father minutes after birth; to be surrounded by warmth and love from siblings and grandparents, aunts and uncles; to have your needs met, your mind informed and your desires controlled and restrained; to know that there are people who love you and will love you all your life, and are united together in seeking your best? This is no dungeon. This is the value of family as designed by the Creator. more...

The Blame Game

""Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine; the soul who sins shall die"" (Ezekiel 18:4). more...

The Preacher's Pen

One of the areas of controversy between brethren has long been how to encourage young people to obey the Gospel and be faithful disciples. Some brethren have decided that the best way to do reach this noble and important goal is for the church to provide every sort of recreational and social opportunity imaginable. Basketball courts have been constructed, bus rides to theme parks and ski resorts provided, and parties of every sort held in ""fellowship halls."" All of this has been funded from the church's treasury. Other brethren have objected to such arrangements. Asking simply ""Where is the Bible authority for the church to be in the fun and games business?"" they have argued this cannot be God's way of helping young people. Usually such pleas have been met by stonily deaf ears and a derisive ""If the church doesn't do it no one will"" or the equally brilliant ""We'd rather do something wrong than do nothing at all."" more...