Burns Church of Christ

he elders have several pieces of information they’d like to share with the Burns family at this time, so we’ve prepared a “Shepherds’ Notes.” We hope to do this more often in the future, so that we can keep each other informed and encouraged about the work going on at the Burns Church of Christ.

You can download a PDF of their notes here, or read the full text below:

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Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

When Christians stick together they have a good chance of defeating Satan.  When he rolls out his armory against us we will need all the help we can get.  God will be there for us and with His help we can overcome sin and defeat.

But the verse quoted above (a verse I mislocated to Proverbs in last weeks “Pew Notes”) certainly tells us that there is power when we join together and work on the same side.  Team work is essential if the Titans are to have a winning season.  Team work is essential if we are to be a church that overcomes.

God was wise when he brought us into a family, His church.  He knew that we needed each other. In fact, I would go so far as to say that we must have each other. The only people there are, are people who need each other.  That’s the way God made us.  Adam was not complete until another human being arrived on the scene.

In the family of God we are supporters that lend strength to each other.  In the body of Christ each part makes the body strong.  When we are working together, we have greater strength to overcome the evil one.  Christians who stick together are the ones who find power to go on in the face of severe challenges.  Challenges that would floor us by ourselves are met and overcome when there are family members who are there for us.

There is little wonder that God wants all of us to be involved in a local church.  We find power to overcome in numbers.  When Christians stick together they will have such strength that Satan will not be able to snatch us away from the loving bosom of Jesus.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3

It is a diabolical human trait. We dwell on the past and remember the things we should have long forgotten. We often go to the blame garden and pluck the memory that can best serve us in judging ourselves and others.

I like the way David Augsburger puts it: “Going through our old memories to place blame is like hunting a black bead in a dark room at midnight wearing heavy gloves and a blindfold.”

We are ill equipped to judge ourselves. We judge with blinders on and with deep seated emotions. Our emotions get in the way of treating our own mistakes with some semblance of clarity. Little wonder that we cause inner suffering for ourselves as we look at those dark shadows lurking about in the halls of days gone by and rattling the bones that have so long been dead.

Recognizing that we are so ill equipped to judge ourselves brings us to a greater realization of how unqualified we are to judge a brother or sister. Jesus would help us to see that our vision is impaired as though a plank were protruding from our eye. How can we say to a brother or sister, “Excuse me I would like to remove that speck from your eye?”

Paul stated it carefully in I Corinthians 13:5 (Love) keeps no record of wrongs. Love is breaking the lead from our bookkeeping pencil, tearing up the scorecard and beginning again. Love ends the blaming game and gets on with the real questions: “What is the loving, responsible, truly respectful thing to do now?

(Deacons) who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
I Timothy 3:13

Deacons in the church serve in various capacities to help the flock function.  They are usually assigned special tasks to make sure that the church operates well and that members’ needs are met.  They usually serve in material and physical areas.

We have three deacons who are serving at the present time: John Gabriel, Butch Jack and Stan Whitfield.  Each of these men are serving us and keeping the operation going.  When something needs doing one of these men are there and ready to accomplish something for the Lord and His church.

Charles Dauphin has served this church for a number of years as deacon.  When he and Marcia married, it was the decisions of the elders to give Charlie a leave of absence.  He has had that leave and we welcome him back as a deacon for the Burns Church of Christ.  He has resumed his former duties and will work in the areas designated by our shepherds.  He will be especially involved in selecting men to serve during worship.  He will also make contact when we have members and family members who are sick and in the hospital.

We welcome Charlie back to the work of deacon and wish for him and Marcia a joyful service as members of our family.

Thanks to Donna Oliver for organizing the food for the family of Mary Hall.  The family really appreciated the way Donna and her team of workers served the food.  Thanks to all who were a part of this special service for Mary and her family.

Burns has so many who serve to make this church a good, friendly church.

‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’  Mathew 25:40

This quz is over chapters 18-21. There’s lots of new material–so I hope you’re ready! Good luck!

Test 5

I listened recently to a sermon by a well-known preacher. He described well the functions of different members of the Lord’s body and stressed the importance of each member’s role. He referred to Ephesians 4:11 and following: “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…”

We focus a great deal on elders, deacons, and ministers-but those of us who serve in these leadership roles really have one job: glorifying God by equipping everybody else for the work of ministry! (Remember, ministry is just a fancy word for service…)

The preacher I listened to said that there are only three kinds of people: those who go out with the gospel (apostles, missionaries), those who send others and equip others (elders, preachers, givers, and disobedient saints-that is, everyone who isn’t going or sending.

Every person at Burns has a special responsibility and opportunity to spread the good news to our friends, family, and world. While our elders shepherd us, and our deacons serve around us, and our ministers teach to us, we all share a common responsibility as the body to make a difference in the kingdom of God. This year is more than halfway complete: will your spiritual status be different than it was on January 1? Did your “spiritual new year’s resolutions” keep you on fire, or have they fizzled out?

A teacher once referred to himself as a “red-circle” player on the basketball team. What he meant was that he was one of those players who spent the entire game on the bench, with his elbows on his knees. If you do that for long-you have these nice red circles on your legs to prove it! If you haven’t quite found your niche in the body at Burns, look around for your opportunity to minister-or ask one of the elders or deacons for some ideas. There is no room for red-circle players in God’s church.

Listen to how Paul concluded his message about the united body of Christ: “when each part is working properly, [it] makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Eph 4:16). Will you be a go-er, or a send-er?

This week, we’re shaking things up a little bit. Instead of a “quiz” — you’ve got a set of online flashcards to go through. The first card will give you a clue — and the answer will be either a place or a person. These cards go through chapters 13-18…and if you want, you can sign up with a free account on flashcarddb.com, and it will help keep track of how you did. Sign-up is not necessary though.

Good luck — and study hard!

Burns Church Bible Bowl Flash Cards (2 Samuel 13-18, People and Places)

Though by this time you ought to be teachers… Hebrews 5:12

It was a sad reminder for me. I was talking with a person who had been a member of the church several years ago and is now unfaithful.  I thought that he and his wife could have been great leaders of the church and by this time they would have been good teachers. But, alas, they didn’t follow through on their faith and learning.

It is sad to see potential that is never reached.  As church leaders we see this happen all the time.  It still is a sad thing to behold.

Now, not everybody can be a teacher.  Gifts are still very important.  But when a person has a gift for teaching and because of personal neglect and loss of focus, they never teach, it is a sad thing.  Oh, what a waste of talent!

If you want to be of use in the Master’s service:

• Stay in love with Jesus.
• Keep a focus on His word.
• Use every opportunity to learn the word.
• Take opportunity to learn methods of teaching.
• Always apply the word to self before others.
• Watch and study good teachers.
• Read and study good books.
• Stay in touch with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Let’s be all that we can be–through Him!