Sharing our Faith

Leave it in the Sock Drawer

Written by Travis Harmon

From 1999 to 2004, I worked for a police department in northeast Arkansas as a patrol officer. The story I am about to tell is possibly the single most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me. If you are not a police officer, you may not think it so embarrassing. But I have rarely felt more like a complete and total failure than I did on this day. In fact, I have told only two or three people in my life about this incident.

I worked the second shift, so I got off work at about 10 p.m. On this particular day, I was asked to come back to work at 6 a.m. to help the short-handed first shift. My routine was completely thrown off. When I got home I made my gun “safe,” and I left all of my gear out because I had to put it back on and go to work so early.

I got to work the next morning and the first call I took was a vicious dog call. It is so rare to actually find a vicious dog that I rolled up to the house knowing that I would find a loveable little pup that was just annoying a neighbor. When I got to the back of the house, I was confronted with the most ferocious bulldog I have ever seen. We had about 90 feet of open grass between us. When he saw me, he immediately started to growl. As I was drawing my pistol and taking aim, he started to charge. I rapidly aimed and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. For some reason the dog stopped about 30 feet from me and I realized my gun was on safety. I felt so inadequate. I quickly moved the safety to fire, and the bulldog, fiercer than before, started toward me. I pulled the trigger and was again rewarded with nothing. I stood perfectly still, out of fear or bravery, I do not know. As the animal charged and ran by me, he tried to bite my arm. By only the grace of God, he missed, and his teeth only made a glancing blow at my hand, leaving an imprint. He ran by me and circled for a third charge. I knew instantly what had happened. The night before, in an attempt to make my gun “safe,” I had also taken the bullet out of the chamber. I quickly backed away to my car. In my retreat, I loaded my gun, having missed two opportunities to save myself. I then called the dog catcher and waited in my car until he arrived.

I cannot tell you what a miserable failure I felt like. Even now, years later feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy flood my heart over the incident. I almost lost an arm. If it had been a person with a gun or a knife instead of a dog, I would be a dead man. My two girls would have been fatherless. What if I had been sent to a bank robbery instead of a dog call? I was defenseless. I had the skill to save my life but it was a false sense of security because I had made the tool that could do it inoperable. If I had needed to use my weapon to protect a brother officer, he or she would have been dead because of me. It was all because I wanted this dangerous object to be “safe.” I never felt so unworthy to be an officer.

One day when discussing firearm safety with fellow officers, I heard one remark, “If you want the gun to be safe, leave it in your sock drawer at home.” I wonder if many Christians are not putting their Christianity in the sock drawer at home and leaving it there, or if they put in on safety and try to take the bullets out?

For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12

Christianity is not safe. We do not want to talk to our friends about it because we know it can pierce the joints and marrow. We live in fear that our friendships will be damaged if we discussed our beliefs. In reality, Christianity is a defensive weapon that is to save life. In the Great Commission Jesus says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mar 16:15 We are not to leave it at home. We are to take it with us. In fact, our friends should be furious with us if we do not try to talk to them about our Lord. They will be one day. Our Lord will also be furious with us if we try to make it safe. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire Mat 7:19-23

I have a hard time not taking Mark 4:8-9 personally; “And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. (9) And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” I have ears. I hear. How am I doing on my hundred yield increase? My sixty? Or even my 30? You know what? I have a neighbor that I have lived by for four years that I have never talked to about the Gospel because I wanted our relationship to be safe. How safe is that? I cannot tell you what a miserable failure that makes me feel like. I think I better go see him on the way home if I want to make it home. Rom 1:16

Evangelistic Seminar

A Secret to congregational growth: meet the needs of the community in which you serve.

Written by Michael Farris,
Heritage Christian University Alumnus

Every Christian has a special place in the body.
The congregation's work at South Haleyville on July 29th serves as a great example of what can be accomplished when every member does their part!

Many in Haleyville, Alabama have had a difficult economic year. After a season of disastrous weather & rising unemployment, many parents struggle to make ends meet, even more so to budget for extra expenses such as backpacks & school supplies for their children. Being aware of this financial need, allows an opportunity to meet even a greater need in this society: the training of parents to train their children. After admitting the less-than-desirable results from the typical VBS, this congregation decided 3 years ago to incorporate their normal VBS into an ANNUAL PARENTING SEMINAR. (Classes for all age groups with the focused age-appropriate topics for everyone in the home, including godly principles for the family.)

What gets all the locals to step foot into a church building to enjoy listening to an hour presentation? Simple: SCHOOL SUPPLIES for their children. In an atmosphere of love and concern for all, the knowledge of the church's desire to help makes everything go very smoothly. With the advertisements making it clear that this event is not merely a 'handout' (which usually includes some wordy tract about the church that most may toss in the trash) all who registered for the Seminar were aware their only payment for all supplies is cooperation and appreciation.

But while all the members spent countless hours preparing the classrooms, running errands, packing the bags, organizing the papers, cooking the meals, etc., a few more were needed to fill key-teaching roles to provide as much helpful, engaging, enlightening, fun, and meaty content during that short 1.5 hours the visitors time there. Along with the teachers within the South Haleyville congregation for the younger ages, Heritage Christian University alumni Kyle Mashburn & Michael Farris enjoyed the honor having Dr. Bill Bagents, Vice President of Academic Affairs at HCU, on board for a special benevolent & evangelistic evening- which met a variety of particular needs relating to the nurturing of the family.

Each speaker was given the class-group appropriate for their specialized field of expertise. Kyle, whose zealous emphasis in youth ministry suited him perfectly to both entertain and teach a full class of young junior high kids about what their roles are as children to their parents. Michael, whose joy for helping others find and develop their talents, not to mention love for magic tricks, helped appeal and relate to the high school group who are on the brink of serious decisions that will chart the rest of their lives. But no one other than Dr. Bagents was asked to accept the offer to conduct the interactive discussion with an auditorium class filled with the children's parents, grandparents, and guardians. His invaluable material and experience, along with his great ability to bond with strangers made the time fly while helping each one better deal with the situations that every parent needs advice for handling.

At the end of the program, every student present got a new backpack filled with the supplies needed for their school year. Members unite for a cause, different talents are needed & used, community is helped, the Lord's name is lifted up, God's will is taught, lives are changed. Such effective works must continue.

Charles Coil Lesson

How to Recruit and Train Workers for World Evangelism

Charles Coil was a leading evangelist among churches of Christ. In 1967, Coil preached a gospel meeting with the Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland, Texas. At the meeting in Midland, 339 responded to the invitation, including 86 who were baptized. Many believe this is the largest number of responses in history at a gospel meeting associated with the churches of Christ in the United States.

Four years later, in 1971, Coil established International Bible College (now Heritage Christian University) with a singular focus: to train effective communicators of the gospel. HCU remains committed to that singular focus. In the lesson linked below, Charles Coil tackles the importance of that focus and discusses “How to Recruit and Train Workers for World Evangelism.”

Take a listen. This lesson will bless your life in much the same way that Chares Coil blessed so many.

"How to Recruit and Train Workers for World Evangelism" -- Charles Coil

Reaching Inactive Christians (2)

Reaching Inactive Christians, Part Two

Every soul matters to God. But, many of those who have been cleansed of their sins turn back to a life of sin and leave the Lord. Listen as Dr. Justin Imel teaches a class on “Reaching Inactive Christians.” This is the second of two lessons.

Reaching Inactive Christians, Part Two

Reaching Inactive Christians

Reaching Inactive Christians, Part One

Every soul matters to God. But, many of those who have been cleansed of their sins turn back to a life of sin and leave the Lord. Listen as Dr. Justin Imel teaches a class on “Reaching Inactive Christians.”

Reaching Inactive Christians, Part One

P.S. -- This is the first part of two lectures. Part Two will be posted tomorrow.

Ten Reasons People Leave the Church

Why Do People Leave the Church?

You see it every Sunday – the empty pew where some dear brother or sister once sat, a dear Christian who has now turned back to love this present world. Why? Why would a disciple who had seen the goodness of God ever wish to turn back from following Him? People leave the faith for many reasons, but we want to look at ten in this article. Prayerfully, exploring these ten reasons people become unfaithful will fortify us against unfaithfulness and help us reach the wayward brother. A future post will explore methods of reaching the inactive Christian, but for now let’s simply explore reasons people walk away.

Reason One: Manipulation from the evangelists. When people see the evangelist in the role of a salesman, they are highly unlikely to convert. But, when they do convert, these new Christians fall away in alarming numbers.

Reason Two: Lack of further instruction. When churches fail to carry out the final mission in the Great Commission – i.e., “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:20, ESV) – new converts commonly fall away.

Reason Three: Conflict. Nearly all of those who fall away experience anxiety from conflict immediately prior to their inactivity. Typically, this conflict arises with the minister, with another church member, or with a family member.

Reason Four: Change in Motivation. Those who leave the truth often encounter some change in life that removes their motivation for faithfulness. This change in motivation could be that the children whom they wanted raised in the church have left home, that they have accepted a new job which required longer hours, that they have found a new hobby that consumes their passions, or something comparable.

Reason Five: Assimilation. Those Christians who walk away from the Lord often do not feel needed by the local church. On the other hand, those who are helped in using their appropriate talents usually remain faithful.

Reason Six: Worldview. The way an inactive Christian looks at the world differs dramatically from the way an active Christian looks at the world. For example, when facing a serious personal crisis, active Christians are much more likely to turn to Scripture for comfort than a non-active Christian.

Reason Seven: Doctrinal Disparity. Active members and inactive members view Christian doctrine quite differently, according to a number of research studies. For example, inactive members normally demonstrate some ambiguity when asked concerning the inspiration of the Scriptures; active Christians do not.

Reason Eight: Supportive Relationships. Active Christians have a majority of their close friends in the local congregation, but inactive Christians have few close friends in the church.

Reason Nine: Marriage. The choice of one’s spouse greatly affects faithfulness to the Lord. As a rule, families strive for religious unity; therefore, marriage outside the body of Christ greatly diminishes the likelihood of faithfulness.

Reason Ten: Change in Perception. Those who drop out of a congregation often change their outlook after their conversion. For example, they may have believed the church could meet some perceived need that they quickly discover is not met in the church; they then look elsewhere to fulfill their desire.

These are some of the reasons research has uncovered that people become unfaithful. What are some of the reasons you’ve seen?

Campaign Report from Hohenwald, Tennessee

Work with the Springer Church of Christ

Written by Zach Dayton, HCU Student

From March 19 to 23, 2011, I had the great privilege of leading four students – Charles Jones, Wil Martin, Chase Walters and myself – in a campaign with the Springer Church of Christ in Hohenwald, Tennessee. We went to Hohenwald to help the congregation reach out in its community and to encourage the local brethren. Yet, the congregation greatly encouraged us.

We arrived at the building about 4:30 Saturday afternoon, and the church had a huge fish fry ready for us. We met several new people that night, including the local preacher, Mark McDonald. We stayed with Mark and his family. Usually staying at the home of a complete stranger brings a lot of stress, but when we left, we were close friends.

Brad McKinnon, the Christian Service Director at Heritage Christian University, drove back and forth between Florence and Hohenwald to preach in the Gospel Meeting. His amazing lessons were designed to motivate the church to be active in the Lord’s work.

Personally, the most encouraging part of the campaign was the devotional we held every morning. A different student conducted the devotional each morning. The devotionals gave us a message from God’s Word to help wake us up and to put us in a proper frame of mind to do the Lord’s work.

We students went out in the community to knock doors. As we went, we were mindful of the trust the church had given us to set the proper example in the community. We knocked over 200 doors and had over 130 contacts. We were able to put many flyers into people’s hands.

At Heritage Christian University, we – from students to administration – have a serious focus on real-world ministry, so we do things many other schools do not do. We take a whole week each semester to send students different places to bless churches by putting our training into practice.