You and I have the God given ability to do great things for God.
These simple steps have significance and we will see how they develop a person to be great for God…
1) Give as God would Give
2) Grow in God’s Grace
3) Go with God’s Word
Taking Jesus to the World in which We Live!
REAL DISCOVERY There is a wholesome magazine that teaches us about science in a way that educates and enhances our life. It is DISCOVERY Magazine. Attached is a text file written by Eric Lyons of Apologetics Press. We need to teach our children to appreciate the God given nature around us - he has some valid points to say.
Religion in POLITICS is a MUST! Please consider what God can do for this Country - IF and only IF - we allow religion back into politics (i.e. NOT atheism).
Excerpts taken from A Call to Righteousness, Warner Press. Inc. Anderson, Indiana, 1984
Jesus said, “you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14. Go now, in the name of Him who said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8.
Action Step 1: YOU CAN PRAY. This is a spiritual battle. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12). Begin with serious and continuous prayer.
| 1. | Pray for those who are producing pornography. Our outrage at what pornographers publish is so strong that it may not occur to us to pray for them. But Jesus said, “pray for those who mistreat you.” (Lk 6:28) “Forgive your enemies.” (MT 6:14) It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8) |
| 2. | Pray for all the organizations that God is raising up to expose and turn back the tide of this evil. All have a single purpose, to expose light to darkness. |
| 3. | Pray for the young men and women who pose and perform in these pictures. Pray that whatever causes them to do it will be removed. |
| 4. | Pray for the victims of sexual abuse, especially children. Pray for people who have been violated by rapists. Pray for children who have fallen into the hands of greedy pimps and walk the streets of prostitutes. |
| 5. | Pray for young people who have no models or morals in the home to serve as a bulwark against these sins in our society. |
| 6. | Pray for the church — ECC and the whole body of Christ. Pray that we may have boldness to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph 5:11) |
| 7. | Encourage the formation of prayer groups to pray for a return of our nation to a high standard of morality and a renewal of the body of Christ. |
| 8. | Host a prayer walk in areas that are ripe with this material. |
Action Step 2: YOU CAN READ
| 1. | Read again what the Bible says about morality, purity, and holiness. In your daily devotions become alert and make note of verses that apply to this issue. Read specifically Leviticus 18 through 20 and Paul’s writings in ROM 1:18-32; ROM 13:8-10; 1 Cor 6:13-20; Eph 5:8-21; Col 3:3; Gal 5:16; Eph 5:3. |
| 2. | Read books that speak to the seriousness of the problem: * Hall, Laurie. An Affair of the Mind. Wheaton, Tyndale House Publishers, 1996. * Means, Patrick. Men’s Secret Wars. Grand Rapids, Fleming H. Revell, 1999. * Rogers, Henry. The Silent War. Arkansas, New Leaf Press, 1999. * Roberts, Ted. Pure Desire. California, Regal Books, 1999. |
| 3. | Read local newspapers to become aware of needs and opportunities for action. |
| 4. | Read publications issued by the professional groups working against pornography. |
Action Step 3: YOU CAN BECOME MORE AWARE. Pornography can cause us to become desensitized. Take note of how pornography has perverted and pervades our society. Consider x-rated movie theaters; magazines, advertisements, videos, MTR stations, etc.
Action Step 4: YOU CAN KNOW THE LAW
| 1. | Research and learn what the anti-obscenity and display laws are. These are often available through the government offices and/or public library. They can at least direct you to where to get this information. |
| 2. | After becoming acquainted with the laws, discover which ones are actually being enforced. It may be that the only thing necessary for the enforcement of the law is for one person to notify the responsible law enforcement agency. |
| 3. | List the names and addresses of all officials in your community, who are in the position to either enact or enforce laws. |
Action Step 5: YOU CAN SPEAK
| 1. | Neil Gallagher suggests that “if every Christian, every time he or she enters every store, would praise or complain to the management (as is appropriate) about the sale of pornography, it would soon disappear.” (Neil, Gallagher. How to Stop the Porno Plague. Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis) |
| 2. | Begin with an olive branch. Kindly go to the manager and in your own words tell him or her how you feel about the store’s sale of materials that are so destructive to the moral climate of our country and community. Sometimes that is all that is needed. Save your threats not to purchase for later. Don’t argue. |
| 3. | Speak to your friends. Tell them what you have learned and what you are doing. Loan your books. Ask them to join you in speaking to these purveyors of pornography. |
| 4. | When you become aware that laws are being broken, speak to the proper law enforcement officials and issue a complaint. Be specific and ask for an investigation and a report of the results. |
Action Step 6: YOU CAN WRITE. Personal letters and letter campaigns make a tremendous difference. To whom should you write?
| 1. | Write to local store owners or managers. Follow up personal visits and phone calls with a personal letter. Be sure to thank local businesses for any positive action they take. |
| 2. | Write letters to the editor of your daily paper. This is a good way to get public audience with the whole community at no expense to you. Write concerning both positive and negative activities. |
| 3. | Write TV sponsors. Letters of approval, as well as disapproval are appropriate. |
| 4. | Write to local TV stations as well as the networks, especially if it is a locally produced program. |
| 5. | Write to local law enforcement officials, either about laws that need enforcing or enacting. |
| 6. | Use your influence to get other persons to write. Several personally written letters will be more effective than one. |
| 7. | Write to stores that use questionable material for advertising in their catalogues or billboards. |
| 8. | Write to the publishers of comic books and raise the standard of the content of this material. |
Action Step 7: YOU CAN MOBILIZE
| 1. | Gather together interested persons in the local congregation to study, pray and plan. |
| 2. | Find other existing groups in the community and get together to share your findings and concerns. See if you can form a local chapter of one of the national organizations. |
| 3. | Expand your local church organization to include occasional meetings with civic leaders in the community for two-way communication. |
| 4. | Encourage church leaders to mobilize all the churches for a united effort. |
Action Step 8: YOU CAN MODEL YOUR MESSAGE. If we do not model our message, the validity of the message must be in question. To believe literally means “by-life,” or “by-my-life.” The history of the early church was not written in a book called “I Believe” but rather “The Acts.” The emphasis was on doing. Your action can make a difference.
| 1. | Cancel at once any subscription to any magazine, cable network, newspaper or video service that caters to the obscene, indecent, or pornographic material. |
| 2. | Lift up the standard by what you read, by what you watch on TV, by how you talk, and by what you value. Your friends will quickly know the difference. |
| 3. | Witness to your children, grandchildren, and friends about your Christian values and your interest in the New Testament purity of life. |
Action Step 9: YOU CAN BE PROACTIVE. With the rise of the internet, you may be exposed to unsolicited pornographic or obscene material.
| 1. | Complain to the ISP (Internet Service Provider). |
| 2. | Complain to the sender’s ISP. Most providers don’t want their services to be used for this. |
| 3. | Complain to the HKSAR government, asking them to investigate the situation. |
| 4. | Monitor your computer at home and at your child’s school. Install a computer filtering system on your home computer (surfwatch.com; net-nanny; cyber patrol; or American family filter). |
| 5. | Investigate if public libraries or your child’s school have such filtering systems. |
| 6. | Sponsor a billboard promoting Anti-pornography. (One city in US sponsored one that said “Real Men Don’t Use Porn”). |
| 7. | Create and distribute stickers, bumper stickers, business cards or magnets that mention a negative effect of pornography. |
Action Step 10: YOU CAN UNITE IN SPONSORED PROJECTS
| 1. | National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families |
| 2. | Enough is Enough |
A single voice counts, but when that voice is multiplied by one thousand it becomes strong. Together as we unite our voices, we can make a difference in America - TODAY!
YOU - yes you! You are invited to our open house - MAY 12th, 2007 from 11:00 until you want to leave. We plan on having small groups from the Singing Youth of Denver (SYD). I hear they’re sounding real good. Please make plans to come by, eat some food, hear some songs, and enjoy the company of people who love God.
Welcome
The members of Twin Peaks church of Christ invite you to visit. You will find us a friendly congregation. We desire your visit to be a spiritual experience.
We believe when Christians meet together, God is among us (Matthew 18:20). Our worship focuses on praising God and edification (1 Corinthians 14:26). Therefore, you will experience a reverent atmosphere where all parts of the service are done in a decent and orderly fashion (1 Corinthians 14:40). Our worship service is held in a room called the auditorium. There are rows of chairs and you may sit wherever you feel comfortable.
The following is intended to provide an overview of our beliefs and what to expect in a typical worship service.
Who Are We?
We are a people of restoration spirit - wanting to restore the original New Testament church in our time. To do this, we study the Bible to find out what the original church was like and attempt to imitate it today. We call upon men to follow New Testament pattern just as the apostle Paul instructed the Corinthian and Thessalonica churches (1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15). We do not consider ourselves as being a denomination - nor as Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish - but simply as members of the church which Jesus Christ established. That is why we wear His name, a descriptive term indicating that the church belongs to Christ (Romans 16:16).
What Is Our Message?
Our message is the same as the first-century church:
Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins and raised again three days later (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Salvation is only in His name (Acts 4:10-12)
The Bible is the inspired Word of (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
The Bible provides the body of our preaching and teaching
What is Our Worship Like?
Our worship is modeled after the first-century church. We believe the original pattern is important, Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Worshipping God in truth is to worship Him according to His Word, because His Word is truth (John 17:17). Therefore, we must include only items found in His Word, and we must exclude items not found in His Word.
Items of worship observed by the first-century church were:
Observation of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week
Singing
Praying
Preaching
Giving
The worship practices of the church of Christ are probably different from most religious groups in two (or more) of these items. So permit us to focus on these two and state our reasons for what we do.
Observance of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week
This memorial supper was inaugurated by Jesus on the night of His betrayal (Matthew 26:26-28). It is observed by Christians in memory of the Lord’s death (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). The emblems – unleavened bread and fruit of the vine – symbolize the body and blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:16).
We observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week following the pattern of the first-century church as set forth in the New Testament (Acts 20:7).
Every Sunday the Lord’s Supper will be included in worship to God. During this time, men from the congregation will pass plates. The first plate will contain unleavened bread. Each person participating will break off a piece of the bread and eat it. Next, trays filled with small cups of “fruit of the vine” (grape juice) will be passed. Each participant will drink the contents of one of the cups. If you choose not to participate, just pass the plate or tray to person next to you.
Acappella Singing
We sing a cappella. The ancient meaning of a cappella is “as in the chapel.” This means without instrumental music. The New Testament pattern leaves out mechanical instruments of music; therefore, we believe it right and safe practice to leave it out too. If we used instrumental music we would have to do so without New Testament authority.
There are only 8 verses in the New Testament on the subject of music in worship. Please check them for yourself:
1. Matthew 26:30
2. Acts 16:25
3. Romans 15:9
4. 1 Corinthians 14:15
5. Ephesians 5:18-19
6. Colossians 3:16
7. Hebrews 2:12
8. James 5:13
Historically, the first appearance of mechanical musical instruments in church worship was not until the sixth century A.D., and there was no general practice of using it until after the eighth century. There will be a man (a song leader) from the congregation that will direct the assembly in the singing of hymns a cappella.
Praying
Men of the congregation will offer prayers during the service (Philippians 4:6). We pray to God thanking Him and praising Him for blessings, especially the sacrifice of His Son for us. We also pray for specific needs of our members, community, state and country. All is graciously accomplished through the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Preaching
Usually the full time minister will provide a sermon. You may notice that he does not have a title and we do not address him as Pastor or Reverend (Matthew 23:8-12; Galatians 2:6-8; 1 Peter 2:5). He will not be wearing any special ecclesiastical clothing to set himself apart. The reason is we believe in the priesthood of all believers, and that all are spiritually equal. The sermon will last from 25 to 35 minutes. It will be refreshingly Bible-centered.
Giving
On Sunday morning, often after the Lord’s Supper, plates or baskets will be passed to take up a financial offering (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). As our guest, you are not expected nor required to make a donation. Please just pass the collection plate to the person next to you.
What are the Terms of Membership?
When speaking of membership, the churches of Christ do not have a set of procedures or ceremonies to follow to be inducted or included in the church (the people who worship God). The New Testament gives certain steps to become a Christian which were taken by people in the first-century. When a person became a Christian he automatically was a member of the church.
What is expected of Visitors?
You are welcome to participate in any or all of the service but do not feel obligated to do so. You will be asked to fill out a visitor’s card. If you do not feel comfortable in giving some or all the information, do not do it. It is not required. Please stay a few minutes after services so we can greet you. You are also welcome to attend one of our Bible classes. We have Bible classes for all age groups from cradle roll through adult.
Comments to Consider
We believe that following the Bible pattern is essential for Christians to follow. God vested all authority in Christ (Matthew 28:18) and since he serves as God’s spokesman forever (Hebrews 1:1-2), it is our conviction that only Jesus Christ has the authority to say what His church is and what we should teach (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Steps to Become a Christian
God has a plan for salvation. Obey the Gospel! Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 (NKJV) “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
What is the Gospel?
Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 :1-4, 20-21 (NKJV) “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.”
The word “gospel” literally means good news or good tidings about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Obedience to the Gospel will save you Hebrews 5:8, 9 “though He [Christ] was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to ALL WHO OBEY HIM.”
Jesus said in John 12:48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”
How do I Obey the Gospel?
HEAR the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This is an OBEDIENT faith that causes you to take action on what you have been taught through your hearing. Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” What did they hear? They heard, from Peter, the preaching of the gospel. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Please consider these scriptures also: John 6:45, Romans 10:14, James 1:22, and Revelation 1:3.
BELIEVE the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Faith is essential…faith that God is who He says He is…when seeking the truth, God will bless you. Acts 8:35-37 says “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ 37 Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” The eunuch has faith…he believed that Jesus is God’s Son. The eunuch’s faith was obedient faith! (See also James 2:24, Mark 16:16, John 5:24, John 6:29, John 8:24, Acts 16:31, Romans 16:26, and Galatians 5:6)
REPENT of your sins: Luke 13:3, 5 says “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Jesus emphatically tells us where there is no repentance, no change of heart, spiritual death is inevitable. Acts 17:30 records “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” EVERYBODY has an opportunity to turn from wickedness in the world and to turn to Jesus. (See also Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 26:20, Luke 15:7, Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, and Revelation 2:5)
CONFESS Jesus Christ: Matthew 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” Jesus acts on our behalf when we confess our belief in Him (see Acts 8:37). You are confessing based upon your belief in Jesus Christ being God’s Son. (See also Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 16:16, and 1 Timothy 6:12)
BE BAPTIZED for the forgiveness of sins: Paul wrote in Romans 6:3-4 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Baptism is a water burial (immersion) and a putting away of the old man, so that we have an opportunity, through Jesus Christ, to a new life. We are baptized INTO Christ, into His body, which is His church. In Acts 8:36-38 the faithful action is baptism (WATER baptism), full immersion, and immediate. (See also Acts 10:48, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Mark 16:16, and 1 Peter 3:21)
REMAIN FAITHFUL even until death: Revelations 2:10 says “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” And James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” In your walk of faith, Satan will try your resolve; however, we are promised that for those children of God who remain faithful to Him to the very end, God will reward us with eternal life and everlasting peace.
It all seems so easy. Just a mouse click away. In my experience, however, mice are nervous, wary, skeptical creatures and “clicking” on them is often quite difficult. When considering the vastness of cyberspace and the ability of mice to “run and hide” the task of getting on the electronic highway is rather daunting. I would never say it is impossible - after all, there is a highway and somebody is on it! Somehow you have navigated to this page and read this little blurb. Thank you. Comment if you wish…
The ABC’s of Salvation
From http://www.cacoc.org/abc’s.htm
Acknowledge that God not only exists, but that He is eager to bless people whose hearts are hungry for His presence (Hebrews 11:6, Acts 17:24-28, Matthew 5:8).
Admit your own unworthiness when compared to such a holy and righteous God. After our ancestor Adam, ALL of us have chosen the path of sin (Romans 3:23, 5:12-14), and our guilt separates us from the close fellowship our Creator desires.
Allow God’s Spirit to melt away your pride and soften your hardened heart, as you turn away from The sins you once cherished (Hebrews 3:7-15, 2 Corinthians 7:10).
Believe that Jesus is God’s Son, who came to this earth so that by his sacrificial death and amazing resurrection from the grave he could take the punishment that our sins deserved (Isaiah 53:4-12, Romans 3:22-26) and guarantee our own victory over sin and death (Hebrews 2:14-18, John 3:14-16).
Be immersed in water so that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus might become a reality in your own life, as you are born anew into God’s spiritual family and become a new creation in Christ (Mark 15:15-16, Galatians 3:26-29, Romans 6:3-7).
Boldly let others know that you are now a believer and wish to take your stand with Jesus (1 Timothy 6:11-16, Matthew 16:13-18, Romans 10:9-10).
Connect with the larger body of believers, the church into which God has now placed you, so that you can grow spiritually through teaching, fellowship, service, and accountability to your other brothers and sisters and to the leaders of the local flock (Acts 2:41-47, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15, Hebrews 10:23-25).
Celebrate your new spiritual status by joining your fellow Christians in a weekly memorial to the source of your salvation, the death of your Lord, by participating in the Supper he established (Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 & 11:23-26).
Continue to grow in your family by allowing the Spirit to strengthen and lead you (Galatians 5:16-26, Romans 8:1-17), by sharing your faith with others (Philemon 6, Matthew 10:32-33), and by discovering ways to use your God-given gifts to serve others and bring praise to the Lord (Romans 12:1-8, 1 Peter 4:8-11).
As you review these “ABC’s” you may realize there are still “steps” you have not taken. Please understand that we are ready to help you in your journey with Jesus!
Welcome to the homepage of the Twin Peaks church of Christ. We’re located at 741 South Bowen St in Longmont, Colorado. Feel free to call us - (303) 651-9427.
We invite you to attend Bible study with us every Sunday at 9:00 AM with worship service immediately following at 10:00 AM. There is a mid-week Bible study and Devotion beginning at 7:00 PM every Wednesday.