Collegevue Church of Christ

09/01/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

God Comes First (Matthew 6:33)

Loving Him with our whole heart is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-37). We say it and sing it, but do we practice it? What do our calendars say? What about those Sundays when the kids have a ball game or when we are on vacation - does He come first those Sundays? What do our checkbooks say? Does He come first in finances or is He somewhere down the list, perhaps even beneath what we spend on recreation? What do our closets say? Do our wardrobes reflect godliness or worldliness? In the Apostle’s words, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18).

- by Frank Himmel

08/25/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

Preaching Fear

One of the strange phenomena of our day is the spectacle of religion dropping the appeal to fear while other human interests have picked it up. Just look around. Everybody is preaching fear except the church.

We are being taught to fear everything from AIDS to radon, from the hole in the ozone to the cutting down of the rain forests. We see fear as a good thing - something worthwhile and productive.

We want people to fear except when it comes to religion. Then it becomes a "no, no." We are enjoined to talk exclusively about the love of God. Don't mention the wrath of God. Don't talk about hell. Don't warn the disobedient. So, we are told, don't preach the fear of God.

". . . Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter 1:17). Living in fear! It's the right thing to do!

- by John Gibson

08/18/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

First Things First

Life is filled with "firsts." We celebrate a child's first steps, the first day of school, a first job, or the purchase of a first home. We often remember these moments because they mark new beginnings and shape the course of our lives.

The Bible also emphasizes the importance of first things. Throughout the Bible, the principle of giving God our best appears repeatedly. Under the Law of Moses, Israel was instructed “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God…” (Exodus 23:19). While Christians are not under that law today, the principle remains: God deserves our first and best, not our leftovers. Jesus also taught that God desires first place in the hearts of His people. He said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). When God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

Putting God first affects every area of life. He should have first place in our schedules, our decisions, our relationships, our finances, and our priorities. Too often, God receives whatever time is left after work, recreation, and other responsibilities have claimed our attention. Every day presents a new opportunity to decide what will come first. Will it be our own desires, or the will of God? The answer is revealed not merely by what we say, but by how we live.

Will today be a first for you? If you have never truly put God first, let today be the day you begin. Commit yourself to making Him the highest priority in your life and then continue putting Him first every day that follows. There is no better time to begin than now.

- by Josh McCord

08/11/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

You Finish the Story

There was once a congregation in which every member was just like you.

Each one cooperated and supported every phase of the work just like you.

Everyone worked as hard and attended the same services and gospel meetings that you did.

The elders, deacons and preacher were all as interested in the church as you are.

Everyone put the same emphasis on recreation, business and other material affairs that you do.

Each member contributed monetarily just like you do.

Within a year or so, the congregation..........

- Selected

07/30/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

In Pursuit of Happiness

The Declaration of Independence famously states that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights — “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Men are actively engaged in that pursuit. The problem is that most people are looking for happiness in the wrong places.

Solomon had every opportunity to find happiness in the things of this world. He had wealth, power, pleasure, possessions, and unlimited opportunities to satisfy his desires. Yet after experiencing it all, he concluded that it was "vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

Not much has changed. People still think happiness can be found in money, gratification, recreation, success, possessions, or popularity. But those things never satisfy for long. The excitement fades, and the search begins again.

Jesus taught a different way. He described the truly blessed life as one characterized by humility, mercy, purity, and a hunger for righteousness (Matthew 5:3-12). He warned that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).

Real happiness is found in a right relationship with God. David said, "Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 144:15). Solomon eventually reached the same conclusion: "Fear God, and keep his commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

If you're looking for happiness, don't search where the world searches. Look where God says it can be found. Think!

- by Greg Gwin

07/28/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

Are You Invested?

People make investments in stocks, real estate, savings accounts, and 401(k)s. Much of this is done with the future in mind - especially retirement. When we have money invested, we pay attention to it. We watch it. We are interested in how it is doing. Why? Because we want a good return on our investment. The same principle applies to spiritual things.

Are you invested in your eternal destiny? If heaven is really our goal, then it should affect the way we live every day. Jesus said, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20).

Are you invested in the local church? Do you care about its strength and growth? If we truly care about the church, it will show in our attendance, our giving, our service, our encouragement, and our willingness to work. We will be "steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Are you invested in the spiritual well-being of your family? Do you care about the faith of your children and grandchildren? If so, you will make time to teach them, encourage them, and set the right example. God's Word tells us to diligently teach His truth to our children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

The truth is simple: What we are invested in will show!

If we are invested in heaven, it will show in our lives. If we are invested in the church, it will show in our commitment. If we are invested in our families, it will show in the time and effort we give them. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). So, where is your investment?

One day, our earthly investments will be gone. But the spiritual investments we make will have eternal consequences. Let's make sure we are investing in the things that matter most. Think!

- by Greg Gwin

07/21/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

“Throw Grandma Under the Bus”

The expression "throw Grandma under the bus" refers to a person who is willing to sacrifice even someone they love in order to protect themselves or gain some personal advantage. It describes the ugly practice of shifting blame, abandoning loyalty, or publicly criticizing another when it serves one’s own self interest. Sadly, that attitude is all too common in our world. Some are quick to "throw" even family members, close friends, or faithful brethren under the bus if it serves their own purposes.

Sometimes this happens over nothing more than matters of opinion and judgment. One person likes one approach, another prefers something different, and suddenly a needless conflict erupts. Why? Peter instructed Christians to be "subject one to another, and be clothed with humility" (1 Peter 5:5). Humility leads us to yield, to listen, and to value our brethren above our own preferences in judgment matters. Not every disagreement has to become a conflict.

"But what if the disagreement involves doctrine?" Truth must always be defended. Error must always be opposed. However, even then our purpose is not to humiliate or destroy those who are wrong. Instead, we patiently teach, reason from the Scriptures, and plead with them to return to the truth (2 Timothy 2:24-26; James 5:19-20). There is a vast difference between exposing error and treating people as though they are disposable.

Too many seem eager to condemn, criticize, and cast others aside. That spirit is foreign to the teaching of Christ. Even when firm actions – even disciplinary measures - become necessary, it must be motivated by love for God, love for His truth, and love for the soul that is in danger.

Let's refuse to "throw Grandma under the bus" - or anyone else. Be humble in matters of judgment. Be patient in matters of doctrine. Stand firmly for the truth, but never lose the love and concern that should characterize every faithful servant of Christ. Think!

- by Greg Gwin

07/14/2026

07/14/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

Ever Heard of ‘Short Leash’ Fellowship?

We know of a congregation that knowingly welcomed a man with a well-established reputation for teaching error. Not only was he accepted into their fellowship, but he has also been invited to teach. When one of the elders was questioned about this surprising decision, his answer was: "We'll keep him on a short leash." A short leash? That's a novel idea - but it certainly didn't come from the New Testament.

We’re familiar with another congregation that accepted a prominent false teacher into its fellowship and has even placed him in the teaching rotation. Concerned brethren were assured that he would not be allowed to teach on the subjects where differences existed. Really? Think about that for a minute. If the man believes the doctrines he has been promoting, he has a moral obligation to teach them. If he no longer believes them, then he ought to repent and publicly renounce the error he has spread. Either way, such an arrangement is indefensible. It says something troubling about the congregation - and about the teacher who is willing to accept such restrictions.

Contrast all of this with the apostle Paul. When false teachers threatened the purity of the gospel, he wrote: "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour" (Galatians 2:5). Paul didn't put error on a ‘short leash’. He didn't give it a classroom or a pulpit. He opposed it immediately and completely.

The instructions are plain. "Mark them... and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). "Receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed" (2 John 9-11). "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Ephesians 5:11).
False teachers must not be welcomed into positions of influence. Tolerating error has never strengthened a church. Giving a false teacher a place among God's people only lends credibility to his influence and creates confusion among the faithful.

Brethren, the church needs shepherds with conviction, members with discernment, and all of us with enough spiritual backbone to stand for the truth without apology. Love for God, His word, and the souls of men demands nothing less. Think!

- by Greg Gwin

07/07/2026

Here's an excerpt from our most recent bulletin. To see archives of all our past bulletins please visit our website (www.Collegevue.com).

Fellowshipping False Teachers

One of the most troubling trends among some brethren today is the growing willingness to openly welcome and fellowship those who teach serious doctrinal error. Men who advocate false positions on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, who deny the reality of an eternal hell, or who reject Bible authority regarding the organization and work of the church are increasingly being given places of honor, opportunities to teach, and full acceptance among congregations that once stood firmly for truth. This should alarm every faithful Christian.

The Bible is not silent on this matter. Paul instructed, "Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). John warned that if we knowingly receive or encourage a false teacher, we become "partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 9-11). Rather than extending fellowship to those who spread error, we are commanded to expose and rebuke them (Ephesians 5:11; Titus 1:13).

It is therefore completely wrong for a local church to welcome false teachers into its fellowship. To do so sends the message that their teachings are acceptable and that doctrinal differences of this magnitude are insignificant. Such a course not only endangers the congregation itself but also encourages others to compromise their commitment to the truth.

Faithful Christians must never allow themselves to become comfortable with such compromise. If a congregation knowingly and persistently extends fellowship to those who teach error and refuses to correct them, serious decisions may have to be made. Our first effort should always be to teach, warn, and plead for a return to sound doctrine. However, if a church remains determined to embrace false teachers, we cannot participate in that fellowship without sharing responsibility for the error being tolerated.

Christians must seek association with a sound congregation that respects Bible authority and is committed to teaching the truth without compromise. The New Testament repeatedly stresses the importance of preserving doctrinal purity (1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Titus 2:1).

The Lord's church is to be "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). May we never surrender that responsibility by extending fellowship where God has forbidden it. Let us stand firmly for the truth, love the souls of those in error enough to rebuke them, and refuse to compromise with false doctrine in any form.

- by Greg Gwin