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12 Excellent Rules to Promote Among Church Members Today

1. To remember that we are all subject to failings of one kind or another. Therefore, we need to help each other overcome temptations (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 3:17).

2. To help bear one another's infirmities (Gal. 6:1-2).

3. To pray one for another in public assemblies and especially in our private prayers (James 5:16).

4. To avoid going from house to house for the purpose of tale-bearing or tearing down what has been built up. Our tongues should be used to praise God and to build each other up in the faith (Heb. 3:13).

5. Always turn a deaf ear to any slanderous report and to lay no charge against any person until there is well-founded evidence (Titus 3:2).

6. If a member be in fault, tell him of it in private before it is mentioned to others. Never make a private matter public without first trying to resolve the conflict in private (Matt. 18:15-17).

7. To observe the just rules of Solomon. That is, one ought to leave off contention before it escalates into something greater (Pr. 17:4).

8. If a member is offended, consider how God-like it is to forgive those who repent and how unlike a Christian it is to seek revenge (Luke 17:3-4).

9. Remember it is always the great task of the devil to promote distance and animosities among members of the church; we should therefore be watching against everything that furthers this end (1 Peter 5:8; Eph. 4:26-27).

10. To consider how much more good we can do in the world at large, and in the church in particular, when we are united in our love for one another and for our God. A contrary spirit will never promote the goal of the church (Matt. 5:16; John 17:21-23).

11. We should be ever looking for ways to promote the welfare of the church and one another. We must never forsake a single assembling together of the saints, because fellowship aids in promoting love and good works (Heb. 10:25).

12. Last, we must consider the express injunction of the Scriptures and the beautiful example of Christ as to all of these things (Eph. 4:3, 32; 1 Peter 2:21; John 13:5, 15).

Discipline, once considered "standard operating equipment" has fallen on hard times, and in its place permissiveness reigns. —Anonymous

Christian Rock Music: The New Trojan Horse

[Editor's Note: This article was first published in the Columbia City Crusader on November 13, 1994. It has been reprinted elsewhere since them.] Last Saturday a "Family Adventure Seminar" was held at a congregation near here. The morning session was quite profitable for the first hour-

Review of Spong's a New Christianity for a New World (8)

As we come to the conclusion of this review, there are two main points yet to be made. The first pertains to the absolute hypocrisy of the author. We do not make this charge to be mean, but it is simply the case that Bishop John Shelby Spong tries to

Review of Spong's a New Christianity for a New World (7)

In order to set up his "new Christianity," Bishop John Shelby Spong must first try to demolish the Christianity of the New Testament, which has stood for 2,000 years. One might think that someone trying to take on this task would need a gigantic ego, and one

"Correcting Scripture or Correcting Us?"

In a recent Wednesday night Bible class, I shared a video of a speech made by Yvette Flunder, pastor and bishop in the United Church of Christ, ultra feminist in a lesbian "marriage," and social activist. Though she claims a relationship with God, she called for a "

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Christian Rock Music: The New Trojan Horse

Review of Spong's a New Christianity for a New World (8)

Review of Spong's a New Christianity for a New World (7)

"Correcting Scripture or Correcting Us?"