Chestnut Ridge Church of Christ

03/22/2026

Our meeting with Bro. Brandon Stephens starts this Wednesday! We hope to see you there.

01/25/2026

Services will be at 12 noon today, to allow more members to make it as ice and snow is thawing some.

01/12/2026

A well-beloved father died, leaving behind several grown children. He had done his best to teach them about life—about loving their families, hard work, and right and wrong. He had even filled notebooks with poems, proverbs, and his own musings and advice, hoping they would cherish and read his words even after he was gone.

His children grieved, but eventually moved on. They all felt and expressed their love for their departed father in different ways.

One son felt closest to his dad while hunting, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors. That was how he liked to remember his father, but he drifted away from his siblings and never bothered to read anything his dad had written.

One daughter remembered her dad fondly around the holidays and occasionally looked at old photos, but she cared little for her father’s old notes, which were full of old-fashioned ideas. The poetry went over her head, the advice seemed simplistic and failed to account for her modern lifestyle, and the jokes were too often at the expense of people she liked.

Another son had always been at odds with his father. They had fought, parted ways, and never reconciled. But when youth gave way to wisdom and maturity, he felt remorse for his behavior and read through his father’s old notes. He was stricken as he read the poignant poetry, witty and winsome wisdom, detailed records of family history, and sound advice for clean, happy living.

He rushed to ask his siblings if they had likewise read through their father’s notes. They had always been much closer to him, and perhaps, he thought, they could share some more insights and unwritten advice of his. To his shock, they scoffed at the idea of reading what their father had written.

“Let us remember Dad how we want to remember him.”

We often treat God this way—a fond idea shaped to fit our fancy. An outdoorsman might boldly proclaim that he feels closer to God in the woods than in any church. An “enlightened” thinker enjoys the spirituality but not the morality of Christianity. The list could go on.

Can we really know God without knowing His word?

1 Corinthians 2:11
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

2 Peter 1:20–21
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

A knowledge of God’s word—which the Spirit revealed to the writers of Scripture—is the only way to know the true God, and not a fantasy fashioned after our own ideas.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] with any questions or discussion.

10/21/2025

Our meeting with brother Greg Gay begins tomorrow! Here is a sample of his plain spoken, winsome teaching. We hope you will attend worship with us and hear him teach each evening, Wednesday-Friday at 7:00, Saturday at 6:00, and Sunday morning at 10:00!

Evangelist Greg Gay discusses the meaning behind the phrase "this cup is the New Testament" and what impact this has on Christians observing the Lord's Supper.

10/12/2025

Our 2025 fall meeting is just around the corner! This year, Bro. Greg Gay will be our speaker! We hope that you will make plans to be with us at every available opportunity. If you have questions please contact us, we would love to be of assistance!

06/02/2025

Our meeting with Bro. Cullen Smith is coming up this weekend. Bro. Cullen is a powerful preacher, and we are confident that you will be built up in the faith!

05/30/2025

Looking for a church but don’t know where to start? Pay us a visit! Ask us questions! Become part of our church family!

05/24/2025

Pay us a visit, we’d be thrilled to meet you!

05/16/2025

Come worship with us!

04/15/2025

In our day and time, we are constantly overloaded with information. Everywhere we look, people offer advice on how to live a better life. In fact, people chase podcasts, self-help books, and influencers in search of guidance to find that better life, but in the noise of it all, we often ignore (or forget) the greatest source of wisdom ever offered: the word of God.

When Paul writes to the young evangelist in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, he would say "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." As believers, we know the words contained within the bible are significant to us, but why do we think this way? In part, it is because of the statement Paul makes, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God."

The bible is not a collection of man made fables that are here to teach us good moral lessons about life, but it is instead "inspired by God." In the original language the phrase is more accurately translated as "all scripture is breathed out by God." The idea for us should be simple: the words contained within the pages of scripture are God's words, and they are there to help us lead a good and better life.

What benefit do we gain by studying the words of God? Paul would tell the young evangelist there are at least four things it can do for the believer. It is first off "profitable for doctrine" which is to say that it is good for instruction. The scriptures are the only way that we can receive instruction from God. This doctrine does not speak of man made doctrines, but rather the doctrine inspired by God. It isn't enough to trust blindly in men who claim to be teachers of God (whether they be family members, preachers, or whoever else), but we must make sure that the teachings we receive from others are rooted within scripture: the source of God's instruction.

Secondly, it is profitable "for reproof." The idea is simply that the scriptures are able to convince and convict a person of their sinful ways. The errors of our personal conduct or the errors of doctrine are determined by what the bible says, and not the opinions of men. It should also be of not that "for reproof" doesn't just point to the scripture as the source of determining error, but it is also the agent for which we fix error.

Thirdly, scripture is profitable "for correction." These words carry with it the idea of restoration. As believer in God there are times when we stumble, and fall short. We, of course, know that this is human nature, but we know that God is long suffering and merciful. It is through His words in scripture that we can restored to His favor, if we keep His commands. The bible has been described as a rule book because "it is the source that guides our lives in accordance to God’s instructions." When we are out of His guidance the scriptures help us to return.

Lastly, the scriptures are profitable "for instruction in righteousness." Not only does scripture instruct us about God's revealed doctrine, but it also instructs us in righteousness. It teaches us how to live holy and peaceful lives. The scriptures teach us how to think and act it teaches us how to receive salvation; it leaves nothing for the imagination because God has laid it all out as plainly as He can.

As he ends, Paul tells the young evangelist that scripture enables as person of God to "be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." How can we be complete in our lives? We start by reading God's words contained within the bible, and allow those words to to direct our paths. Everything we need, in terms of our spiritual health, can be found within the scriptures

How is it with you? Do you revere the words of God? If you do and would like to study the bible further so that you can be complete, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time!

04/08/2025

The world that we live in today is always hungry for more—more wealth, more power, more validation. More people today chase after the fleeting presence of having more than ever before, yet every time they think they reach it it vanishes away. In our endless pursuit of more, we often forget about the quiet beauty of "enough."

In 1 Timothy, Paul writes to his "son in the faith," and he warns him of the dangers of chasing after more. Even in Paul's time, there were people who were hungry for more. In verse 5 Paul speaks of some false teachers of that age, and he says that they suppose that "godliness is a means of gain."

There were those in Paul's time, as well as in our own time, that believe that being a Christian was a means of physical gain. They thought they could gain more wealth, power, or validation simply from being a Christian. In their minds, they thought they were so worthy that they should gain from it. In regards to these men Paul tells Timothy withdraw himself. He was to have nothing to do with them.

Now, he shifts his focus back to Timothy and he says in verses 6 and 7, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." Instead of viewing their "godliness" as a means of physical gain, Paul tells Timothy where the real gain is at.

Paul argues that godliness creates gain because it builds contentment within the believer. Instead of a conquest for more, the Christian is happy with what they have, and how they can use that to further Christ's cause. One man makes this application, "Ironically, the false teacher would use godliness for gain while never receiving the gain of godliness."

Why is the Christian content with what they have, Paul says "we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." This is a common realization that every human being needs to come to. The only gain, in our lives, that is significant must pertain to the spirit and not to physical possessions.

How is it with you? Are you tired in your pursuit of more? Then turn to Christ, and learn to be content with the blessings which God gives to us all. If you have any questions, or we can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to reach us!