Together. There is no such thing as family without together. No matter how the word is used — whether in regard to biology, or mathematics, linguistics, or physics — family always suggests something held together by a common bond.

The church is the family of God (Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19). God is the Father, saints are His children. We are referred to as “sons of God” (Galatians 5:5-7).

There are things that bind families together — things like common goals, common interests, and even common struggles. The church is the same. All these things are both recommended and common in the family of God. Worship brings the family of God closer to the Father. Worship is filial (fatherly) devotion, an attitude of reverential respect, of love and high regard for the one who has given us life. When we direct our love toward our common Father, we become stronger in both our devotion to Him and our devotion to one another. We are told to “worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). While this may refer to the attitude we are to have when we worship Him, I believe there is more to it than that. I believe He means we should reach down to the very depth of who we are and accord to Him the most reverent feelings of that inner being. In the ultimate reality, worship is the adoring reverence of the creature for the Creator, and that means our most fundamental feelings of love and devotion must be extended to Him. When that is the case, it is axiomatic that we also come closer to one another.

Being together as a family brings us closer to the Father. He is the focal point of our assembling. When we sing together, we bring honor to His name. “I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15) carries the same responsibility as the worship to which we earlier alluded — there must be a reaching down to the essence of who we are when we sing praises to Him. Colossians 3:16-17 begins with “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” a sure indication of the need for the deepest respect we can muster before we even begin to sing praises to Him. Also, as we are told to teach and admonish “one another” in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, the command closes with the enjoinder that we sing “with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Worshipful prayers brings us closer to God. As we each come closer to Him in our personal prayers and supplication, we come to be closer to one another, praying to the same Father, seeking the same blessings, extolling the same Savior. The Lord’s Supper, served in the assembly of the saints, brings us together so that we can “consider one another to provoke unto love and good works”
(Hebrews 10:23- 25). Worshiping together promotes an intimate relationship with the family.

Family love is never better or more to be desired than in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Love is the divine mucilage, it binds us all together in Him (Colossians 3:14). That love originated in Him, and is radiated to us; we ought therefore to radiate it to one another. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7). There’s togetherness in that. Nothing brings us closer to Him than love for one another, born of love for Him. It makes peace possible. It solidifies unity. It emboldens hope. It gives security to a proper direction. It makes motive high and noble. Furthermore, to love the brethren is to be like the Father. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22). We are brethren. We each belong to God our Father. Brethren love brethren.

The family together is a beautiful sight. Think about the pictures you have seen of families together — paintings, portraits, photographs — they all speak to togetherness, to a common love, and to a common devotion to a common father. The family together is what the church of our Lord is all about. Let us be careful that we don’t diminish its beauty by being derelict and neglecting the family together. I love my family, don’t you?

~Dee Bowman

Wednesday Auditorium Class:
Daniel

Men’s Friday Morning Study:
Ephesians

Women’s Tuesday Morning Study:
“Am I My Sister’s Keeper?”

Foundations Bible Study:
A study through the Old Testament
Thursday evenings at Bill & Naomi Weatherford’s home

We have finished the process of selecting and evaluating 4 men for the eldership. I would like to encourage our members to make every effort to join together this Sunday morning, June 20th, as we devote our service to the appointment of Melvin Enzor, Ken Harris, Melvin Robinson and Bill Weatherford as elders.  I look forward to worshipping God with you on Sunday.

-Adam Jones

“They appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:23

June 14th – 18th,  7:00pm each night

Champions for Jesus is based on Psalm 60:12, “With God we will gain the victory!” This thought is carried out in each lesson as the children will meet various characters from the Bible who could be considered champions for Jesus. Each of these champions were people just like us, yet each showed a tremendous love for their Lord.

THE LESSONS:

Monday: Caleb…from detective to disciple (Numbers 13, 14) Real CHAMPIONS walk with God!

Tuesday: The Servant Girl…from maid to missionary (2 Kings 5:1-15) Real CHAMPIONS speak up!

Wednesday: Joseph…from pit to power (Genesis 37:12-36; 42-45) Real CHAMPIONS forgive!

Thursday: John…from fisherman to follower (John 19:1-30) Real CHAMPIONS kneel!

Friday: Timothy…from teen to teacher (Acts 16:1-5) Real CHAMPIONS live as God’s children!

Listen here

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me”  Psalm 119:30

We enjoyed an excellent series of sermons April 18-23, presented by Phil Robertson. The Rules of the Spiritual Road is a powerful message, guidance for our spiritual journey, listen to all the sermons below:

Rule #1 – I am Responsible for All My Actions

Rule #2 – Fear God

Rule #3 – I Must Surround Myself with Godly People

Rule #4 – I Must Embrace the Role of a Servant

Rule #5 – I Must Lead a Disciplined Life

Rule #6 – I Must Not Think Highly of Myself

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And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein.  (Isa 35:8 ASV)

There is a highway of holiness, little known and least walked, even among Christians. How can we as Christians find the highway of holiness?

Come join us this Sunday, January 17th as we discover the highway of holiness.

  It’s the time of year when we tend to look ahead and wonder what’s coming in the new year. It’s the time of year when we tend to look back and see what has happened in the past year. Both of these views are important, the latter necessary to make good on the former.

I should like to suggest some things we should look for in the coming year.

We need to look out for time. Time is all we have. It’s the stuff of which life is composed, and it’s therefore important what use we make of it. Time misused is not just a shame, it may even be a sin. Procrastination is a constant problem. It has been in the past and it will be in the future. We have such a short amount of time that it behooves us to protect and care for it meticulously. For one thing, it is not time to rest. The scriptures say “there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God.” They also speak of “redeeming the time,” the implication being that we buy it up for an effective use. Leisure time is good; but it should be the exception, not the rule. It is something to be earned, then enjoyed. We must guard our time. It’s all we have. (Read Hebrews 4:9)

We need to look to our plea. We have a plea for a return to New Testament Christianity. It is a plea that not only makes good sense, but has eternal ramifications. Its importance is seen in what it does–it makes Christians, saved people. It makes churches, saved people. It recommends Jesus as the hope of the world. It is distinctive in that it treats man’s inner most being, not just his physical and social needs. It is distinctive in that it has no worldly organization, only that which is authorized and commanded by the Creator. It is a plea for people, people who are not welded to the things of the world, who realize that we tend toward a spiritual destiny, who understand that we live in a probationary period, one where we equip ourselves for that divine destiny. Now doesn’t that sound important? Then how can we neglect it? How can we ignore it? How can we relegate it to second place? (Read I Peter 4:11)

We need to look to our attitudes. Attitudes are such an important consideration. Our attitude is our spiritual posture. As such, it’s descriptive of what we are apt to do in a given situation. When things are good, we would do well to be thankful and, at the same time, careful. When things are bad, we would do well to adjust our attitude to fit the occasion, to understand patience and the need to remain faithful, no matter the situation. Our attitudes as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, are the dispositions that form our conduct in these various roles. That means they should be formed carefully and used efficiently. We might do well to remember, too, that attitudes are formed by what we hear, see and read, what impresses us in various ways, and develop a real caution as to what we allow residency in our minds. (Read Matthew 5:3-12)

We need to watch where we are going. Everyone is going somewhere, and no matter who that someone is, he makes his own choice as to his destination. We would do well to remember that in the final matter of things, there are only two ways to go–the broad way or the narrow way. And while we give intellectual assent to the fact of how foolish it is to choose the broad way, if we’re not careful we can do so by default. That is, we get a little off course and make little excursions away from the narrow way and first thing we know we’ve taken a wrong turn and are going the wrong direction. Many a person has gotten off course just because he decided to make to make a little side trip. (Read Matthew 7:13-14)

We need to look ahead at our various emphases. Everybody is majoring in something–not just in school, but in life. It may be a trite expression, but if we’re not careful we can major in minors and minor in majors. That is, we can easily give a first rate dedication to a second rate cause. Is it asking too much that we sit down in some quiet place and determine what will have priority in our lives? And once we’ve made the list, is it asking too much that we give primary attention to it, not merely intellectual approval? When everything is said and done and we have finished with the school room of life, our eternal destiny will be measured by whether or not we completed our major. What will your major be? (Read Matthew 22:37-40)

We need to look homeward.  No Christian is mature we does not seem himself as a stranger in a foreign land, a so-journer in another country. “This world is not my home, I’m just ‘a passing through,” says Albert E. Brumley’s song. When we feel such a strong attachment to this world, it becomes increasingly difficult to look at where we’re supposed to be going. The view becomes dim and cloudy. And that’s a shame, because where we’re going is a far grander place than the place where we are. We need to look to Jesus who authored our faith, as to Him who will finally finish our faith. Anything less than a homeward view is foolish. To put our faith in this world and its offerings is to commit spiritual suicide. Look up. It’s were it’s at. (Read I Peter 2:9-11)

Just a few things that should grab our attention in the coming year. We need to look back; we need to look forward to the new year. But we would be foolish not to look inward, as well.

-Dee Bowman

Copyright (C) 2008 Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.

Back to the Beginning

presented by Sewell Hall

November 8-13, 2009

Sunday, 10am             Back to the Beginning

Sunday, 5pm               Back to Beginning Membership

Monday, 7pm              Back to Beginning Devotions

Tuesday, 7pm             Back to Beginning Purity

Wednesday, 7pm       Back to Beginning Unity

Thursday, 7pm           Back to Beginning Growth

Friday, 7pm                 Back to Beginning Joy

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