Worship the King in Public Prayer

We are studying through what the New Testament teaches regarding the congregant worship of the Lord’s church assembled each Lord’s Day.  We have established the fact that no one will engage in any activity this side of eternity more urgently important than worship to God Almighty.  We begin with prayer.  Congregant prayer is at the very core of worship, in fact every aspect of public worship involves prayer in some way or another.  We all pray – or should pray – during the Lord’s Supper, during the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, during the giving of our means, during the reading of the Word and during the proclamation of that Word.

Daniel’s prayer in 2.19 – 23 is both inspirational and instructive.  Daniel’s faith is unwavering in this context of what “appears” to be a life ending crisis for both him and his companions.  Daniels faith expects an answer from the Lord and he receives it during the night in a vision.  God reveals to Daniel both the dream itself and it’s interpretation – just as the king demanded.  His prayer is iconic and powerful –

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.  To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.

This prayer has nine major components:

1.     Vs. 20 – Daniel ACKNOWLEDGES God for who He is -    14 times the Name of God is named either directly or indirectly in this very short yet very spiritual prayer.

2.     Vs. 20 – Daniel PRAISES God for His eternal existence.

3.     Vs. 20 – Daniel acknowledges God for His SUSTAINENCE.

4.     Vs. 21 – Daniel acknowledges God’s SOVERIENTY.

5.     Vs. 21 – Daniel acknowledges God’s POWER.

6.     Vs. 22 – Daniel praises God for His REVELATION.

7.     Vs. 22 – Daniel praises God for giving him KNOWLEDGE.

8.     Vs. 23 – Daniel gives THANKSGIVING to God.

9.     Vs. 23 – Daniel praises God for his BLESSING of being heard.

As we consider these components, we observe that congregant prayer in worship has seven focuses.  Prayer in worship is: Public, Private, Purposeful, Planned, Praiseworthy, Powerful and Pure.  Let’s observe these focuses.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS PUBLIC:  Since public worship is, after all, public – the publically led prayer is very much a proclamation.  The publically led prayer proclaims that there is but one God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  It proclaims, not only who God is, but who we are - sinners worthy only of death and damnation.  It also proclaims the Love the Mercy, the Grace AND the Judgment of God to surely come.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS PRIVATE:  Ironically, public prayer is also intensely private as well.  When a man prays publically he reveals his private meditations, not only to God, but to all those assembled.  This is necessary for in order for the individual worshipper to pray in public worship, one must be led.  A public prayer is one man’s surrendering his private worship to God in a public forum, inviting all hearers to follow his lead.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS PURPOSEFUL:  The public prayer is, more than most anything, an address to the King of the Universe.  The leader must be constantly aware that our public prayers must glorify God, His Majesty, His Awesomeness and His Perfection.  Secondary purposes should also be met as well.  The saint should be comforted and the sinner should be disturbed.  Finally, the public prayer is the purposeful place and time to petition the favor of Heaven for those known and loved by the congregation as well as to ask for blessings on the leaders of the land.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS A PLANED PRAYER:  As one anticipates leading in public prayer it is a more than appropriate to plan what is to be said.  Planning for prayer begins with meditation upon what is needed to be said and how best to say it.  It therefore goes without saying that one should pray about his upcoming opportunity for spiritual leadership in prayer.  It is always appropriate to “pray the Scriptures” as well as much of the Word is either in prayer form already or suitable for prayer use.  As thoughts gather, taking notes about what one ones to say is very useful so that memory will not fail.  As  things come together, a written outline or even a complete text will fine tune what is needed for the real event.  It goes without saying that rehearsal is a good final touch in preparation.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS FULL OF PRAISE:  As Daniel praised God, so should we.  The public prayer acknowledges Gods sovereignty, sustenance and total provision is all things.  Our public prayers, as did Daniel’s, should be in a mindset of total humiliation before God.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS A POWERFUL PRAYER:  It is universally acknowledged that “prayer changes things.”  Why?  It is the simple fact that prayer is powerful.  The powerful prayer must come from a righteous man (James 5.16) or it will avail little or nothing.  Not only that, the man who leads the public prayer in worship must have a broken and contrite heart before God regarding both his own sins and the sins of the greater society as well.

THE CONGREGANT PRAYER IS A PURE PRAYER:  All the above is a mockery if the man leading in the public prayer does not have a pure motive.  The public prayer that leads the congregation in pure worship is one that prays from pure motive.  That pure motive?  The “mind of Christ” that says “not my will but thine be done.”

Our Most Kind and Loving Father in Heaven;

Blessed be your Name forever and ever.  You possess all wisdom and all might.  You change times and seasons throughout history.  You remove rulers and establish rulers.  You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.  You reveal deep and hidden things to Your children.  You know what is in the darkness.  All light dwells within You.  To You, Oh God of our fathers, we give thanks and praise, for You have given us wisdom and might.  You have made known to us the plan and pathway to eternal life through Your Sacred Word.  Bless us all in You will, forgive us of our many and grievous sins.

In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray - AMEN

A Moment of Silence?!?!?

Wednesday night marked the first time since the Newtown tragedy for a school sporting event.  The Newtown High School girl’s basketball team hosted a neighboring school district at home.  Before the game it was announced that in “honor of the victims” that there would be a “moment of silence” before the game began.  How sad!  How tragic!  If the slaughter of 20 innocent children and 6 brave adults is not enough to turn us to prayer to God Almighty, what is?!

The public, the media and the “experts” are all wringing their hands asking; “Why?”  Sadly, these discussions are just so much “rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic.”  People are driven to just “fix” the problem, not solve the problem!  We don’t have a gun problem, a mental illness problem, a divorce problem, a video game problem, a school security problem…even a “moral problem.”  These are all unfortunate and tragic symptoms of THE REAL PROBLEM.  WHAT IS IT?  WE HAVE A SIN PROBLEM!  The sin dross of one young man’s heart murdered the innocents and the adults at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School.  The same sin dross has fueled every mass murder in American history since 1622 when 347 men, women and children were massacred at Jamestown, Virginia.  That same sin dross will fuel every future murder, mass and otherwise, until the end of time.

In the long ago, the God of Heaven answered the question “Why?”  “…your iniquities have made a separation between you and God, and your sins have hidden his face from you…” – Isaiah 59.2 (ESV).   As our Lord has often told us…unless we repent we will perish.  America, and all of mankind, is lost without hope in its separated state.  We must all “repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” in order for true progressivity to take place in society.  “It is not within man to direct his own steps” as Jeremiah put it.

The entire nation should pray as Daniel did in the long ago; “…we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.”

A “moment of silence” makes a mockery of the truth and to the memory of the innocents.  God must once again be held in the same high esteem as He once was for our nation to survive.  Adams put it best; “Our form of government is suited for a religious and moral people and none other.”  It is sheer folly to ask God to protect our schools when He is barred at the front door.

There is, however, GOOD NEWS!  God has solved our sin problem through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Sin and dross can be defeated through Him!  That message is entrusted to you and me, the church of Christ.  Truly, “Jesus IS the Answer!”  Let’s get busy in dispensing the salt and light of the gospel to a dark and deteriorating world.

BAAL - Found Alive and Well in America!

Many might say that the ancient Canaanite god known as “Baal” is long dead.  He is so dead that he is totally forgotten to the point that most people in America have no idea of who he was / is.  Having said that, Baal is very much alive and well in 2012 from every little crossroads to the biggest cities in America!  Here’s proof:

·   As a god, Baal was both a single god and multiple gods, ones choice.  In America we are extolled to “attend the church or synagogue of your choice this weekend.”
·     Every locality that wanted could have their “brand” of Baal.  One town’s Baal was different from every other towns “Baal.”  They had “unity in diversity.”  So does America, or so she thinks.
·    The theology of Baalism was interpreted individually by each adherents own experiences and “stories.”  He was not interpreted lineally but allegorically.
·        Baal worship was thought to “manipulate” the god into doing what the people wanted.  Today the so-called Word of Faith movement claims that we can “force” God into doing what we want as long as we say the
“right words” and the so-called “sinners prayer” commands Christ to “come into my heart and save me.”

·  Baal worship was extremely entertaining and very popular.  Narcissistic motivations are used almost exclusively among denominations and TOTALLY by the so-called “Emergent Church.”
·   Baal worship allowed and even encouraged sexual sin outside the marriage covenant in ways that we cannot even speak of.  Today it is increasingly common in denominational “churches” to accept and encourage fornication, adultery and even homosexuality.
·         Ultimately, Baal required the human sacrifice of innocent children in order that the worshippers might get what they wanted…prosperity.  A good crop was far more to be desired than the life of a child.  Not much has changed in America today, just ask people who “choose” death over life at the local abortion mill.

Is Baal alive and well in America?  Absolutely!  In EVERY way he is every as much alive as he ever was EXCEPT in name only.  Beelzebub lies about who he REALLY is.  Let’s reject Baalism and worship the One True God in Spirit and in Truth! 

Picture courtesy of: en.wikipedia.org

When and Where Was Saul Saved? - Acts 9 and 22

Yes, the question is; "Where and when was Saul saved?"  (In our next post we will examine the question; "How was Saul saved?")

Nearly  all people say Saul was saved on the road to Damascus.  But...was he?  Was Saul told to "pray through" or say the "sinners prayer?"  If so, whose version of that prayer was he to pray?  Did Christ or Ananias tell Saul to "say a prayer "something like this?"

Another presumed "truth" from Acts 9 is that "Saul was knocked off  his beast of burden."  But...was he?  The picture to your left illustrates it so but is it history or speculation?  We will not answer these questions by reason, logic, emotion, conviction or opinion.  Let's, rather, look at what the Scriptures say!
  

That's what the Bereans did in Acts 17.11, why not us?  First of all Acts 9 tells us that Saul simply "fell tot he ground."  It never says whether he was riding an animal or walking.  We simply don't know, the Scripture is silent on that account.  This account of Saul's trip to Damascus is one of the most misunderstood and, therefore, one of the most abused passages in all the New Testament.  Out of such misunderstandings come the nightmares of allegory, presumption and error.  

We will approach out subject like an interview.  Questions are asked of the Scripture and the Scripture answers.  We will not speculate, presume or spiritualize the answers...the answers will neither add to nor take anything away from the Word of God.  Here goes!

1. Was Saul saved when he was still in Jerusalem?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.1a - "But Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord..."  Acts 22.4 - "I persecuted this Way to the death..."

2. Was Saul saved when he went to the High Priest for letters of extradition?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.1b fl. - "...(Saul) went to the High Priest and asked for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."  Acts 22.4 - 5 - "...binding and delivering to prison both men and women as the high priest and the whole counsel of elders can bear me witness."

3. Was Saul saved when he saw the light and fell to the ground?  Were his sins at this point washed away?    Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.4 - "...he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting [present tense - RM] me?"  Acts 22.Acts 22.6fl - "As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me....And I fell to the ground."

4. Did Saul "know the Lord" on the road?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.4 - "Who are you, Lord?"  Acts 22.8 - "And I answered, "Who are you, Lord?"

5. Did Jesus tell Saul what he needed to do for salvation on the road?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this time?  No.  Acts 9.6 - "But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."  Acts 22.10 - "And I said, "What shall I do, Lord?"  And the Lord said to me, "Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do."

6. Did Saul find salvation during the 3 days in Damascus?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.9 - "And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank."  Acts 22.11 - "...I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus."

7. Did God send a preacher to Saul?  Yes.  Acts 9.11 - "Rise and go to the street called Straight...for behold he is praying."

8. Was Saul saved when he was praying?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.12 - Jesus told Ananias that "...he (Saul) has seen in a vision a man named Ananias..."

9. Did Saul's vision of Ananias contain instructions for his salvation?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No. Acts 9.12 - "...and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him so that he might regain his sight."  (Note that the word "might" is conditional.)

10. Was Ananias' gospel message to Saul conditional?  Yes.  Acts 9.17 - "...(Jesus) has sent me so that you may (conditional - RM) regain your sight AND be filled with the Holy Spirit."

11. Was Saul saved when he received back his sight?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  No.  Acts 9.18 - "And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight."  Acts 22.13fl - "....(Ananias) came to me, and standing by me, said to me, brother Saul receive your sight"  And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him."

12. Was Saul saved when he was baptized?  Were his sins at this point washed away?  Did he "call upon the Name of the Lord" at this point?  Yes.  Acts 9.18c - "...Then he rose and was baptized..."  Acts 22.16 - "And now why do you wait?  Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His Name."

There we have it!  Saul was saved in Damascus.  His salvation took place AFTER the light, AFTER the voice of Christ, AFTER three days of prayer and fasting, AFTER he received back his sight and AFTER he heard the Word of God preached to him by the preacher Ananias.  Saul was saved when he was BAPTIZED when his sins were WASHED AWAY which, together, constitutes CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD!  Though nearly everyone denies the reality of where and when Saul was saved, the Word of God makes it plain...one "calls upon the Name of the Lord" in baptism which "washes away sins!"  Where was Saul saved?  In Damascus.  When was Saul saved?  When he was baptized, washing away his sins and "calling on the Name of the Lord."

The POWER To Arise!

Image Courtesy wikipedia.com

It was 46  years ago.  I should not still be so affected by an event nearly 5 decades in the past.  But...it's Father's Day again and I remember that morning, January 10, 1966.  It was a morning like any other for a 14 year boy in junior high school.  I was still half asleep while my Dad was finishing his breakfast and preparing to head off to work.  He and I had a "conversation" but I don't remember the specifics.  We both fully expected to see each other again that evening.  It was not to be.  In a moment, in the "twinkling of an eye," he was gone.  The "why" questions still cascade from my mind.  "What if...?"

For years to come I have a recurring dream.  It is winter, cold and dark.  There is a terrible snow storm and my Dad is delayed in coming home.  Just before despair sets in, I look out the window and see his car swing into the driveway as always.  I am elated in my dream, Dad is coming home after all!  Then I wake up and the reality of his passing presses down once again on my soul.  My mooring is gone and I am adrift on my own.  God began that day in 1966 to call me to become the mooring in his place.  Over the years He has, and continues to give me the power to be a mooring to others.  That power He gives, not only to me but to all of us who call Him Father.  He gives us all the power to arise.

I grew up in Hampton, VA, just 8 miles from the Chesapeake Bay.  Hampton is located on a peninsula with water on 3 sides making it possible to hear the fog horns nearly every night.  Moorings for all kinds of boats, ships and barges are everywhere up and down the shoreline.  Moorings are the connection to safety for any water craft.  They are rock solid, unmoving and nearly indestructible.  From the smallest of row boats to the mighty carriers of the Atlantic Fleet...all vessels rely on a strong mooring.  However, time and weather deteriorate even the most solid of moorings.  Alongside the newer moorings made of steel and concrete are the remains of earlier, now abandoned, moorings of yesteryear.  One is reminded that a mooring is reliable for just a span of time and eventually must be replaced.  Around Hampton one can see several generations of moorings now little more than shadows of their former strength.  Since the early 17th century the moorings of Hampton have seen ships go from wood to steel, from sail to nuclear and from the 120 ton Susan Constant  of 1607 to the 106,000 ton modern day U.S.S. Harry Truman super carrier.

A mooring must be stronger than that what ties to it, always available and reliable at all times.  It is no less true for our "spiritual moorings."  Just as off Hampton, as we grow, older moorings are replaced by newer and stronger ones.  Finally the time comes when we no longer are called to be tied to a mooring, we become a mooring for others who would "drift out to sea" otherwise.  Such was the case with Joshua when Moses, the great mooring of the Exodus, died.

For the first time in his life, Joshua was alone.  For 40 years he was the faithful servant of Moses.  He was defined, not by leadership, but by servitude.  Now it was all different.  HE was now, not the servant, but the leader.  He was no longer tied to a  mooring, he WAS the mooring!  Moorings do not come on line by themselves, there is a process of preparation.

God prepared Joshua to become a mooring for all Israel in Joshua 1.  Those "mooring preps" are still valid today as God prepares each of us to moor others so that they can more still others in the future.  Here they are:

1. 

TO BE CONTINUED

Are You "Bowling Alone?" - Part II

God has always called his people to community.  He called Adam and Eve to a community called marriage and family.  He called Noah and his family to survival in a community called an ark.  He called Abraham and his descendants to a family called Israel.  Today God calls everyone to a community known as the church, the church of Christ.  By God's design we are all interdependent and complimentary.  In fact, cut off from community fellowship with God becomes, if not impossible, then extremely difficult.  Here are two biblical perspectives:

1)  The individual melts into the community for the good of all:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."  On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. - I Corinthians 12.12 - 27 (ESV)  [Text courtesy of e-sword.com]

2) Fellowship with God is permanently linked to fellowship with one another:

 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. - I John 1.1 - 7 (ESV)  [Text courtesy of e-sword.com] 

It is as God said in the beginning; "it is not good for man to be alone."  God created us as social beings in community, not as isolated islands in a sea of humanity.  God is community.  Satan is isolation.  God calls us to community, Satan calls us to isolation.  Satan caused Eve to sin by causing a separation (isolation) from God and from her husband.  Sin is separation from God, pure and simple.  He told us so in the long ago:

Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. - Isaiah 59.1 - 2 (ESV) [Text courtesy of e-sword.com]

Our challenge as the church of Christ is to attract people in sin, separation and isolation to the community, the Body of Christ.  Not only will they find salvation, they will find fellowship, friendship, happiness and contentment in community.  It is THIS challenge we will discuss Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. at the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210.  Reject isolation that night and be in community instead!


In preparation for this important discussion, you can obtain a copy of Putnam's book to read very inexpensively from amazon.com.  Here is your link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0743203046/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

We will look forward to seeing you there!  Questions?  Just e-mail Russ McCullough at rmcculls6@bellsouth.net.

Are You Bowling Alone? (Part 1)

Photo Courtesy of: www.fotosearch.com

In his iconic 2000 book, Bowling Alone, Robert D. Putnam asserts that America is in decline because America is abandoning her "social capital."  "Social capital" is the ability and desire to publicly interact with other people by means of family, church, civic organizations, sports and politics.  This kind of interaction has been in steep decline since the 1980's and is now reaching alarming new lows.  America, instead of interacting as she once did, is "cocooning."   The author came to his books title by discovering that even though interest and participation in bowling is near all time high levels, the percentage of people participating in bowling leagues is falling off the charts.  People no longer prefer to bowl together...they prefer to bowl alone.  Americans, it appears, are preferring to do most everything alone and interacting when there is no way to avoid it.  Not only does this trend indicate a danger to society as a whole, it has potentially disastrous implications for the Lord's church.  Satan, as it were, is moving in through the side door unnoticed.  His lies are convincing more and more of us that we can be "solitary Christians."  But can we?

Before we discuss the spiritual implications of these matters, let's observe the spectrum of human preferences regarding a total solitude mindset on one extreme and a total community mindset on the other.  In the center is total neutrality towards both solitude and community.  

Serving as examples: total solitude is very clearly illustrated by life in New York City on the one hand and the Amish community clearly illustrates total community on the other.  New Yorkers have little social interaction, spend as much time as possible alone and avoid contact with strangers.  They cherish their solitude and avoid community.  Quite the opposite, the Amish treasure interpersonal interaction in nearly every activity of life.  They eat together, work together, play together and worship together.  They cherish their community and avoid solitude.  For our purposes we will call these two extremes "Solitude:"and "Community."  We will construct a graph to illustrate.  Here we go:

  NYC  1       2       3       4       Neutral       (4)       (3)       (2)       (1)  AMISH  

Here's the graphs representations:

Solitude (NYC)
1 Withdrawl from Community

2 Fear of Community

3 Discomfort with Community

4 Preference for Solitude

              Neutral

(4) Preference for Community

(3) Discomfort with Solitude

(2) Fear of Solitude

(1) Withdrawl from Solitude
Community (AMISH)

In the long ago God issued a prime directive regarding the optimum condition for mankind.  "It is not good for man to be alone." - Genesis 2.18b  There we have it.  Community is normative and solitude is not.    Jesus Christ on occasion sought solitude but he aggressively sought community far more often for as he said; "I am come to seek and to save that which is lost."  What is lost?  Mankind.  Though man needs rest and solitude on occasion, it is within community that God calls him to live for the majority of his time here on earth.   The very first community was composed of God, Adam and Eve in what we today call the marriage covenant.  Later God called His chosen people to a community that met God publicly at the "tent of meeting" a.k.a. the Tabernacle and later at the Temple in Jerusalem.  After returning from Babylonian captivity God's people met weekly in what we today call the Synagogue.  Finally, since the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God calls all of us everywhere to community with Him in the ecclesia, the church of Christ.  Why?  "It is not good that man be alone!"

On Tuesday night, June 26, 2012, there will be a group discussion of the book Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam.  The discussion will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210.  The public is invited.  We will focus on just how does the community of Christ's church address the growing trend among Americans to isolate themselves from personal interaction.  In preparation for this important discussion, you can obtain a copy of Putnam's book to read very inexpensively from amazon.com.  Here is your link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0743203046/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

We will look forward to seeing you there!  Questions?  Just e-mail Russ McCullough at rmcculls6@bellsouth.net.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2