Special Appointments

Harvey: Resist the Adversary (Spring ’11)

April 17, 2011

Sunday Morning Peter closes his epistle with a grave warning to the church: Satan, the adversary, is actively seeking the destruction of God’s people. Though our eternal security is secure and cannot be threatened by the devil, he will attack things very precious and vulnerable things: our faith, our family, our witness, our churches. God [...]

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Harvey: You’ve Got to Make It Happen (Spring ’11)

April 16, 2011

Saturday Afternoon Elder Gary Harvey exhorts us that it is up to us to obey the impulse given us by God to serve Him. God does not force us to follow and serve Him. It is God’s will for our lives that we honor and serve God, but if we are to be in church; [...]

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Jordan: Continuing Steadfastly (Spring ’11)

April 16, 2011

Saturday Afternoon The follower of Jesus Christ cannot enjoy an intimate relationship with Him outside of the church. The local church also has the privilege and responsibility of promoting His word and His truth in the community and the world. We are commanded, and should find ready motivation, to attend and support the local church. [...]

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Jordan: It’s Not About You (Spring ’11)

April 16, 2011

Saturday Morning The world teaches us that life is about us: our desires, our preferences. Elder Matt Jordan begins in 1 Peter 5 to show us the biblical teaching that we as Christians should set aside our own desires and become servants, making sacrifices to give others what they desire. This self-sacrificial attitude is, in [...]

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Harvey: The Condition of the Regenerate Man, Part 2 (Spring ’11)

April 16, 2011

Saturday Morning Continuing the topic he opened Friday night, Elder Gary Harvey studies the dual, conflicted nature of one whom God has given eternal life. Elder Harvey begins by stirring us to imagine an existence in which every unthinking, unconsidered reaction is holy, not corrupt. That is heaven. Until then, we must struggle to subdue [...]

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Harvey: The Condition of the Regenerate Man, Part 1 (Spring ’11)

April 15, 2011

Friday Evening Elder Gary Harvey speaks from the book of Romans to bring clarity to the complex, dual nature that defines the struggle of discipleship faced by each of God’s children. When God puts eternal life in each of His children, it takes the from of a spiritual creature put into and under the subjection [...]

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Jordan: Saved From What? (Spring ’11)

April 15, 2011

Friday Evening Elder Matt Jordan opens our annual Spring Meeting reading from Acts 2. Scriptures are clear that Jesus saves. From what does He save us? Each time the Bible records a salvation Jesus provides His people, it gives context for that salvation. Eternal punishment is one judgment from which we are saved; in other [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: A Few Hymns

January 23, 2011

We were blessed with good attendance at the 2010 Defense of the Faith meeting, and the singing was blessed and uplifting. Below are a few of the best recordings captured during the song services over the three-day event. Come, Thou Fount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] How Tedious and Tasteless the Hours [Audio [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: God’s Perfect Law of Marriage

January 23, 2011

Elder Gary Harvey of Arkansas closes the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar with a discourse examining the liberating effect of God’s law. Popular understanding today views law as a stricture, an unnatural restraint on the pursuit of self-interest. While God’s law may be oppressive to the wicked, God’s children should be able to see [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: Sexual Purity

January 23, 2011

Elder Randall Cagle examines what God’s word says about sex in the seventh session of the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany. From the syllabus: Hebrews 13:4: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” God knows and has established that if sex is going [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: Why is There Suffering?

January 23, 2011

Update 5/7/11: Elder Marty provided a PDF of his slides. Elder Marty Smith delivers the sixth lesson in the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany, exploring the difficult question of how a good God could permit His children to suffer. Elder Smith makes references to resources on two web sites, Stand to Reason [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: The Truth of God vs. the Lies of Satan

January 22, 2011

Elder Dan Hall presents the fifth session of the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany. His subject is truth compared with relativism. The world we live in holds that each society, group, religion, or culture determines its own “truth” so that truth is relative to the group rather than to any absolute standard. [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: The Death Bond

January 22, 2011

Elder Dolph Painter delivers the fourth lesson in the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany, a biblical examination of debt. See also Elder Painter’s notes at the Moriah Church site. In coming to a knowledge of the Lord, the children of God learn to clean up their walk, their talk, their thoughts, and [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: The Historic Christ

January 20, 2011

Elder Gus Harter presents the third lesson of the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany, The Historic Christ. Without fear of controversy, Jesus Christ has left the most permanent impression on the history of man. All history, both past and present is dated from His advent into the world. Christ made clear claims [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: Creation

January 19, 2011

Elder John Melvin subtitles his presentation, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist.” His is the second session in the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar, presenting several logical arguments for the existence of God and His identity as the God of the Bible and creator of the universe. Download or click below [...]

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Defense of the Faith 2010: The Inspiration of Scripture

January 19, 2011

Elder Marty Hoskins presents the first lesson of the 2010 Defense of the Faith seminar at Bethany, defending the divine inspiration of the Bible. Download or click below to play immediately. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

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Richard Halbgewachs: Joy in Christ Through Suffering

January 9, 2011

Elder Richard Halbgewachs delivers the third in a series of three lessons on the joy of Christ, using Philippians as a text. In this lesson, we face a comforting, but disturbing truth: God uses suffering to mature His children. Sometimes we receive evil at the hand of the Lord, and our proper response is…joy. When [...]

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Lasserre Bradley: Facing Storms

January 9, 2011

Sometimes storms come upon us even while we are obedient. Such was the case when Jesus’ disciples obeyed His command to board a ship and cross the Sea of Galilee while He tarried. They were in the center of His will, but the tempest came upon them with no less ferocity. Elder Lasserre Bradley examines [...]

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Lasserre Bradley: Cause for Celebration

January 8, 2011

Though 900 miles from Jerusalem and held captive by a Babylonian king, Nehemiah was greatly burdened by the condition of the city of God. Elder Lasserre Bradley examines the story of how Nehemiah followed his burden and was blessed by God to see the work accomplished, the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. By recognizing and following [...]

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Richard Halbgewachs: Joy in Christ’s Righteousness

January 8, 2011

Elder Richard Halbgewachs delivers the second message in a three-part series on joy in Christ, drawn from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In this message, we see a distinction between the thrills of the world and the abiding, fulfilling satisfaction that is joy in Christ. It is a lasting joy, because it is based upon [...]

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Lasserre Bradley: A New Year, a New Building, a New Beginning

January 8, 2011

Elder Lasserre Bradley delivers a message on beginning anew, using Psalm 119:32-40 as a text. Like the psalmist, we should turn away from the unprofitable things in our past: failure, disappointment, bitterness, resentment. Do not let bitterness take root, against God or man. Having turned away from negative habits and attitudes, we are to occupy [...]

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Richard Halbgewachs: Joy in Christ, Not Circumstances

January 8, 2011

Elder Richard Halbgewachs delivers the first message in a three-part series on joy in Christ. His text is Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The first lesson is to discount circumstances and focus on spiritual blessings. The message of Christian discipleship goes against natural understanding. It is this: Joy comes from living a sacrificial life. God’s [...]

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Steven Bloyd: A Message of Comfort

January 8, 2011

Discouragement comes from many quarters as we live our lives. What is it that keeps us from giving up? Where do we get the strength to continue in the face of discouragement? Paul said we had a cause for which “we faint not, but though our outward man perish.” We are to keep our eyes [...]

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Glenn Blanchard: What the Bible Says About Giving

January 7, 2011

The Bible has a great deal to say about money, and more to the point, about how the followers of Jesus should manage their money. In plain language, Elder Glenn Blanchard lays out the scriptural case for giving generously to the church and those in need. Download or click below to play immediately. [Audio clip: [...]

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Vernis Stanaland: Renewal

January 7, 2011

Elder Vernis Stanaland examines scriptural stories of renewal and reconciliation to make a very practical application. In every human relationship, we will experience hurts and grievances, or simply differences of opinion. These can sharply divide us, as they divided Barnabas and Paul when they could not agree on John Mark’s eligibility to travel with them [...]

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Winfrey: The Ascension of Christ (Spring ’10)

April 25, 2010

Elder Jeff Winfrey closed our Spring 2010 meeting by magnifying the ascension of Christ recorded in Acts 1:9: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” The cross is cruel, bloody, somber, sorrowful. The ascension is beautiful and encouraging to [...]

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Abernathy: The Kingdom of God (Spring ’10)

April 25, 2010

Elder Buddy Abernathy examines the phrase “the kingdom of God,” highlighting the different meanings of the phrase when it used in various contexts in scripture. In Daniel 4:34, the phrase refers to the entire created universe. Elsewhere, as in Matthew 13, the kingdom of God in Christ’s parable of the wheat and tares identifies God’s [...]

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Abernathy: Fear the Lord and Walk in His Ways, Part 2 (Spring ‘10)

April 24, 2010

Elder Buddy Abernathy turns again to Psalm 128 to deliver a second message exhorting us to show our love for God by honoring Him with our reverence and obedience. When God’s people put their own comfort, pleasure, and convenience ahead of Him, they do not prosper. In Haggai 1:1-6 the children of Israel are found [...]

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Winfrey: Three Storms (Spring ’10)

April 24, 2010

Elder Jeff Winfrey turns to Psalm 107:23-25 to show that God can work through storms in the lives of His children. We are not in a position to know if a storm was caused by God or not, but the scriptures show that God most certainly can use the weather to work His will. Elder [...]

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Winfrey: God is Satisfied With Jesus–Are You? (Spring ’10)

April 24, 2010

Elder Jeff Winfrey preaches from Isaiah 53:11 when the prophet records that God would look on the suffering of Jesus and be satisfied. If God is satisfied with Jesus, should we not also be satisfied? Consider what Christ accomplished: Substitution: He became sin Satisfaction: He was a sufficient atonement Redemption: He paid our debt and [...]

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