Churches associated with the 19th-century Restoration Movement[1] are once again on the precipice of a doctrinal split. In some ways, the split is practically an accomplished fact. No one has intended to cause or participate in such a split, but it is happening nonetheless. 

Jesus gave us the beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10). The keyword here is “attitudes.” What attitudes in this teaching from Christ can we employ in our marriages?

In our Sunday School class, we have recently been studying the book of Hebrews. The traditional view is that the recipients were Jewish Christians who lived somewhere in Palestine. No book of the New Testament would be more missed if it were absent from the canon than this epistle to the Hebrews. Every Bible student needs such a guide as this to help with their understanding of the Old and New Covenants. 

What was the most distressing situation you ever faced? This life seems at times to be a minefield of difficulties and sorrows. When you look back over your journey, you might be able to point to a rough patch and say, “Wow, I am a survivor.”

We, who are part of the Restoration Movement, appreciate our history of wanting to restore the church to what we read in the New Testament. But we must never have the attitude of “we have arrived.” As we examine the Scriptures we will discover things we still have overlooked.

I share this not to put down churches with loud worship music and large congregations. Praise God that they exist and impact so many lives! But church is not one-size-fits-all; it shouldn't be like a neighborhood where every house is the same.

I think I will attempt to answer the question in three parts: 1. I should not go out of my way to be unnecessarily offensive. 2. I should not be afraid of being offensive when necessary. And 3. I should get busy doing practical good deeds that, in general, people will find it hard to object to.

In his 2015 book, “Extreme Ownership,” author Jocko Willink defines the title concept as follows: “On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world.  There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes & admit failures, take ownership of them, and develop a plan to win.”

A few years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to become a part of the Board of Directors of International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES). I’ve been exposed to IDES and their incredible ministry for as long as I can remember and have, on several occasions, had the joy of sharing in its work. From participating in work trips to a storm-ravaged Pearlington, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, to helping with shed building projects after a tornado ripped through our neighboring region in 2012, to volunteering with numerous “God Always Provides” (G.A.P.) food packing events, IDES has always been a familiar and beloved mission to me.

One of the founders of AA, Bill Wilson, has said, “We believe (in the church world) that faith without works is dead (James 2), but in AA we have conclusively proved that works without faith are dead also.” For the alcoholic, that means it’s not enough to just try; you need a spiritual foundation. And for the Christian, being a “good person” is not enough; we need what Christ and the church offer. In fact, what he said mirrors the dual message of Scripture, as we compare James 2 with Ephesians 2. And yet, both sides of this equation can be lacking among many who claim allegiance to Jesus.