What the Church Needs

#1 · August 21, 2003, 4:38 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on August 21, 2003, 4:38 pm
Posted by: forthright <forthright@...>

Forthright Magazine
www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross

COLUMN: Guest Article

What the Church Needs
by Leroy Brownlow

1) More Knocking on Doors and Less Knocking on
Each Other. The Great Commission demands that we
busy ourselves in taking the gospel to others
(Mark 16:15). The Bible says, "Speak not evil one
of another..." (Jas. 4:11). It is so much better
to be busy doing good rather than evil.

2) More Sound Heads and Fewer Soreheads. Perhaps
there has never been a time in the history of the
church in which we have had a greater need for men
sound in the faith and wise in judgment.
Sometimes the voice of the wise goes unheeded and
the voice of the foolish takes over (1 Kngs 12:6-
8).

3) More Open Hearts and Fewer Open Mouths. All
conduct proceeds from the heart. Prejudice closes
the heart to a true consideration of the facts.
If the heart was made right before the mouth was
opened, most church problems locally and
universally would cease to exist (Jas 3:5-6;
Prov. 26:20).

4) More Seed Slinging and Less Mud Slinging. The
task of sowing the seed of the kingdom is so great
that it should leave no time for the slinging of
mud at a brother. The fact that we have the whole
world as our foe should draw us closer together
(Prov. 18:24). There should be no division in
the Lord's camp (1 Cor. 1:10). One can
never whitewash himself by slinging mud at
another. He who tries gets his own hands dirty.

5) More Sacrifice of Self and Less Sacrifice of
Others. There are plenty of members of the church
who are willing to sacrifice the other fellow
his talent, his time, his money, and even perhaps
his reputation. Sacrifice should begin at home
(Luke 9:23).

6) More Concern over Direction Than Speed. This is
the jet and missile age. Speed is being enthroned
and multitudes bow before it. But in the Lords
work, the greater question is not: How fast are
we traveling? But rather, "Which way are we
going?" (John 14:6; Matt. 7:13-14). All speed
is not progress. On the other hand, neither is
standing still.

>From Vol. 38, The Voice of Truth International.

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Posted by: forthright <forthright@...>

Forthright Magazine
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross

COLUMN: Guest Article

What the Church Needs
by Leroy Brownlow

1) More Knocking on Doors and Less Knocking on
Each Other. The Great Commission demands that we
busy ourselves in taking the gospel to others
(Mark 16:15). The Bible says, "Speak not evil one
of another..." (Jas. 4:11). It is so much better
to be busy doing good rather than evil.

2) More Sound Heads and Fewer Soreheads. Perhaps
there has never been a time in the history of the
church in which we have had a greater need for men
sound in the faith and wise in judgment.
Sometimes the voice of the wise goes unheeded and
the voice of the foolish takes over (1 Kngs 12:6-
8).

3) More Open Hearts and Fewer Open Mouths. All
conduct proceeds from the heart. Prejudice closes
the heart to a true consideration of the facts.
If the heart was made right before the mouth was
opened, most church problems locally and
universally would cease to exist (Jas 3:5-6;
Prov. 26:20).

4) More Seed Slinging and Less Mud Slinging. The
task of sowing the seed of the kingdom is so great
that it should leave no time for the slinging of
mud at a brother. The fact that we have the whole
world as our foe should draw us closer together
(Prov. 18:24). There should be no division in
the Lord's camp (1 Cor. 1:10). One can
never whitewash himself by slinging mud at
another. He who tries gets his own hands dirty.

5) More Sacrifice of Self and Less Sacrifice of
Others. There are plenty of members of the church
who are willing to sacrifice the other fellow
his talent, his time, his money, and even perhaps
his reputation. Sacrifice should begin at home
(Luke 9:23).

6) More Concern over Direction Than Speed. This is
the jet and missile age. Speed is being enthroned
and multitudes bow before it. But in the Lords
work, the greater question is not: How fast are
we traveling? But rather, "Which way are we
going?" (John 14:6; Matt. 7:13-14). All speed
is not progress. On the other hand, neither is
standing still.

>From Vol. 38, The Voice of Truth International.

----
You can help us get the word out. Here's how:
forthright.antville.org/stories/340415/

---- Please read below

Interested in receiving a brief, thought-provoking
devotional article once a week? Then subscribe to
mercEmail (pronounced: "mercy mail"), a weekly
devotional from Steve Higginbotham, minister for
the South Green Street Church of Christ in
Glasgow, KY.

To subscribe send a blank email to either of the
following addresses:
[email protected] (HTML Version)
[email protected]
(Plain Text Version)

Archives can be viewed at
http://www.glasgow-coc.org/mercEmail.htm

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