Introductions Before I begin my first sermon here at the Pleasant View Church of Christ, I figure it would be good to provide a quick introduction. I imagine most of you either have met me or are aware of me, but I am a recent transplant from New Hampshire…sent out ahead of my family, half…
Tag: Salvation
The Gospel for Hair Bands
I'm not entirely sure, but the first time I heard Europe's "Wish I Could Believe" was while listening to the Internet radio station XERS earlier this year. Having an ear for songs that speak to spiritual topics, this portion of the chorus caught my attention: Cause I, wish I could believe in God So I…
Inclusivism (More Than “General Revelation”)
[ This is a portion of a short critique I had to provide as part of coursework for Liberty University. ] Although inclusivism is mistaken in believing that (with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross) general revelation is “enough,” it is correct in holding that specific knowledge of Christ’s work is not a requirement for salvation….
Inclusivism (4 Reasons)
[ This is an edited version of a portion of an assignment I had for Liberty University. ] There are four main reasons to believe there is a possibility that people may be saved outside of specifically confessing the name of Jesus: The requirement for salvation has always been faith. Scripture notes that some Gentiles…
How’s that Coulomb Force Working Out for You?
VISION Well, we've made it to the last letter of my VISION for the Antrim Church of Christ. First, a quick review of the first five letters: V — Values — My vision for the Antrim Church of Christ is that we will only get our values from the Bible and that we will value…
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Virgin Mary
Pregnancy Tests I still fondly remember the night, about five years ago, when I went to brush my teeth for bed and Michelle said to me, "What would you say if I told you I thought I might be pregnant?" I responded, "I'd say, ‘Why do you think that?'" Without the forcing you to hear…
Missing the Bus
Introduction Today's sermon is going to be brief and a bit short on scriptural references. That's because I think the testimony it includes from a friend of mine is so powerful it's best to let it almost entirely stand on its own. First, about my friend. I can't say he and I were close…but he…
Celestial Potluck
Terrestrial Potluck Now…we were supposed to have a potluck at Gregg Lake today, but it we are delaying it because quite a few of us are spread all over the country…and beyond. For instance, Tracy, John, and their family are Alaska-way…Winslow is with his wife in Puerto Rico…and I'd have to leave the cook-out early…
Who Knows?
"Whatever." How many people have heard that word as a declaration of exasperation? Now, change the punctuation… "Whatever!" And the exasperation graduates to anger. Go one step further and put it in the mouth of a teenager…and a parent might best translate it as a two word obscene utterance (where the kid can get the…
No, We Aren’t the Center of the Universe…
One of the advantages to working for Dartmouth College for a couple years was that I could attend one course free per quarter. I did not avail myself enough of that benefit, but I did take one class that reviewed motion picture portrayals of Native Americans. As you can probably imagine, much of the curriculum's…
Even Doofuses Need Jesus
After an article has formed in my mind, I try to think of a catchy title—something that will make the average person at least wonder what the piece is about (while at the same not being a bait-and-switch). As this one continues you will probably be able to guess what I intended to have in…
The World According to Baljeet
Mount Cardigan in Orange, New Hampshire isn't terribly tall, peaking at 3,121 feet. Additionally, the main trail is a short hike of 1.3 miles. However, a good portion of it has a sharp inclination, especially as the trees thin and the granite becomes prolific. It was perhaps three quarters of the way up the mountain…
The Demons Shudder
The belief of demons This sermon is going to be both normal and abnormal. Normal in that we'll return to looking up a good number of scriptures together—abnormal in that we'll spend quite a bit time talking about demons. As a whole I don't think it's good to focus on the Devil and his angels….
Ockham’s Razor
Explanation #1 Starting off today’s sermon, I would like to explain how this tan metallic cabinet beside me got here. About a month ago, the owner was transporting it in the back of his truck while driving to Keene and hit a frost heave on Route 31, causing it to bounce out of the back…
Half-Baked
Canaan, New Hampshire I grew up in Canaan, NH…a town that was about the same size as Antrim when I lived there, but now appears to have about a thousand more people. I still remember our address and phone number…PO Box 172 and 523-7763. Not bad, eh? ☺ Although Canaan also has a couple major…