Mountain View Church of Christ

07/30/2025

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." — Romans 16:17, KJV

Over the years, I've seen some church splits for various reasons. Sometimes it's due to the eldership deciding to hire a new preacher, not because of stagnation or lack of growth, but simply because they wanted a change.

I may not personally agree with that reasoning, but I have seen it cause divisions and splits. I've also seen divisions occur when false doctrine creeps in and the leadership allows or condones it.
Splits due to doctrinal issues, I can certainly understand and agree with, as the scripture states above. But what I want to talk about is something I’ve noticed with a few splits I’ve witnessed over the years, something I think might be an idea for a type of mission work that larger congregations should consider.

In a few instances, I've seen a large number of members leave a larger congregation and start attending a small congregation that was struggling or dying out. In those few instances, the long-term result was the growth of both congregations and an outreach that was unlikely or difficult in the area where the small congregation was located. Maybe the building was in disrepair, or the AC was broken, and they couldn't afford to fix those issues. But with the extra members, they could.

We are a small congregation, and the lack of people can definitely hinder growth and this in no way applies with us as there are no large congregations here to do such mission work. But I can give some insights of the struggles of being small. With few people, there are fewer able to invite friends, host studies, and perform outreach. Oftentimes, people who visit aren't strictly looking for sound doctrine—or maybe they are, but if there are lots of options in the area, they may overlook the small church. Regardless, with few people, the singing isn't as loud, there are fewer to participate, the fellowship is smaller, there isn't enough manpower to do a VBS, and there might not be a youth group. Sometimes, visitors won’t come back if you’re too small for these reasons.

Seeing those past splits lead to eventual growth for both congregations gave me an idea: what about large congregations setting up mission teams for what we could call a “member lending program”?

We send mission teams and money all over the world to grow the church, but sometimes we have congregations very close by that could use some help—whether monetarily, with the worship service, or even just by filling seats. Why can't we send mission teams to them?

So, imagine a large congregation sets up two or three mission teams of twenty people who will visit a struggling congregation down the road on a Sunday morning, on a weekly rotation. Mission Team 1 will visit the small congregation, bringing twenty people with them, helping with services if asked, filling pews, and adding their normal contribution to that congregation for the week. The next week, that first team will attend their normal congregation while Mission Team 2 visits the smaller congregation.
What are the results? Increased contributions for the smaller congregation, more people to help with the worship service, better singing, more fellowship, and I would assume greater morale and hope for future growth.

We don't need to think of the church as a single congregation with a mindset that lending some members for a few services here and there is going to affect the budget or reduce the number we report. Consider that the church is a whole—the people. Saving souls is saving souls. If this idea is feasible, let's grow the church as one body.

Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

07/24/2025

There are a lot of immoral influences in the world, I remember as a teenager when we were at church and when we were at High Rock bible Camp – there was a huge focus on teaching against drugs, alcohol and s*x before marriage. It was pretty cut and dry within God’s word that such immoral things were against God’s law and was therefore sin. Those of that partook in such debased behavior for the most part understood that we would be lost if we continued in our behavior and were in no way under the presumption that we were still living a Christian life while participating in that behavior.

Times have changed, however as we know God’s word is eternal. Isaiah 40:18 “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” And Matthew “24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Times have changed, however the way in which the immoral influences, the peer pressure, the way the world is reaching our children and the future of the church has also changed. Kids are being taught via Tv shows, movies, and social media from a very young age that certain immoral behaviors and actions are not only not sinful, but are things that should perpetuate pride in an individual. I’ve seen in it at our camps, our churches, our public schools, and even at Christian Universities.

There is a mindset and a belief that a Christian can act upon homos*xual tendencies, marry someone of the same s*x, or dress as the opposite s*x and still be considered an upright and faithful member of the Lord’s church. I want to take a few minutes and go to God’s word and see what the Lord said about things, both in the Old & New Testament.

I do first want to lay some ground rules for arguments sake on this and about any topic we would take about from the bible:

First of all according the verse below all scripture is inspired and to be used not only for doctrine, but also to correct errors in our beliefs. If we believe something to be right and scripture says that it is sinful – our opinion does not matter. We align to God’s word, not the other way around.

Tim 3:16 “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 perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Secondly, scripture is not opinion based, it’s not up to private interpretation – God had in mind a message he was trying to convey when it was written and we either get it or we’re wrong. Along those same lines some will argue that Jesus did not speak on this topic, that does not matter since his apostles, who were inspired and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit delivered his word. If you don’t believe their teachings, you may as well not believe any of it.

1 Peter 1:20 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Fornication is Sin:

Fornication quite simply is s*x with a person you’re not married to.

1 Cor 6:18-20
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

1 Thes 4:3-8 also agrees with the above scripture that we cannot be a Christian and practice fornication.

Since Jesus quoting from Genesis, only recognized that marriage is between a man and a woman. Since God defined marriage and is the one that joins a man and a woman, then no matter if a country recognizes gay marriage or not, it has no bearing on the fact that God does not join them together – therefore since the marriage is null in the eyes of God – the s*x would in fact be considered fornication and therefore sinful.

You cannot be a Christian and continue unrepented in sin.

Matthew 19:4-6
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Both the Old Testament & the New Testament define homos*xual relationships as being contrary to the laws of God.

Yes, I understand we don’t live under the law of Moses, however moral laws that were defined under the Old Testament as being abominations, are still sinful under the New Testament. God suddenly did not consider something that was morally an abomination to be “okay”.

Leviticus 18:22, 29
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 20:14
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

As you can see below, God also did not allow cross dressing. (Trans) Also, calling it an abomination.

Deuteronomy 22:5
5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Likewise under the New Testament God still did not allow these actions to be considered morally correct. Notice in the verse below he says “Be not deceived”. Don’t let the world trick you into thinking these things are okay and that you can still be a Christian. The letter to Corinth was written to Christians, don’t be deceived!

Notice it says “and such were some of you”. They had people who did these things, but in order to be right with God, we have to repent (Luke 13:3) we cannot continue in sin that Grace may abound – God forbids it. (Rom 6:1)

1 Cor 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

In Jude referring to the homos*xual acts that went on, the writer makes it clear it was considered “strange flesh” and they are set forth as an example of eternal fire. God would not have had this written if it was suddenly “morally ok”.

Jude 7 “Even as S***m and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Continuing on in Romans Paul wrote calling these acts, whether between women or between men vile, unnatural, and an error…

Romans 1:26-32
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

There are a lot of topics in God’s word, and I believe this one has the possibility of harming the church more than a lot of other things out there. But the fact remains, our opinions, our ideas, our thoughts should be secondary to God’s word. Let’s use that inspired word to correct ourselves, lets not be deceived and thing we can do such things and be right with the Lord. We all have temptations, some may struggle with infidelity, some drugs, some alcohol, but we cannot give in to our desires and live for ourselves if we want to see God.

James 1:15 – How sin comes to fruition.

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death"

07/17/2025

At times, I believe many within the church can become blind to the abundance of their blessings. Recently, I saw a friend post a photo of the attendance and offering board at their congregation deep within the Bible Belt. The board showed an attendance in the hundreds and a generous offering. I’m sure they support a great deal of work within the brotherhood. I couldn’t imagine being blessed with so many members.

I live in Appalachia, in Eastern Kentucky. I truly believe this region is an untapped mission field for the church, and many outside this area don’t realize just how true that is. My first real experience with other members of the church came when I attended High Rock Bible Camp as a teenager. I was amazed to see so many people who were all from the church of Christ. I didn’t realize there were that many.

I also remember when I first arrived at Freed-Hardeman University (a church of Christ–affiliated college), I would walk up to people and ask them what Acts 2:38 says, or if they were members of the church—because I just couldn’t believe that almost everyone was church of Christ. I know this may seem strange to those of you who were raised in the church, but in some parts of Appalachia, members of the church are so sparse, it’s hard to fathom.

Take our county, for example. We have over 27,000 residents, but across the entire county, there are maybe around sixty members attending churches of Christ here. Once you leave our county, in some directions (more than one), it’s over an hour and a half before you find another congregation.

With the scarcity of members also comes a shortage of those able—or willing—to help during the service. I remember attending large congregations when I lived in Tennessee where I had to get on a waiting list just to help serve. What an overlooked blessing that is. Here, if someone doesn’t volunteer, it may simply not get done. There have been many services where I’ve had to lead the singing, preach, preside over the Lord’s Supper, and do both the opening and closing prayers. There’s always a concern that if just a few of us men were gone—whether due to illness or an accident—what would happen to the congregation?

When someone is absent—or as has happened, when we’ve lost several members over the years to death—it’s felt profoundly. Nearly a third of our total attendance gone. But we helped them reach their goal: they died in the faith. They are deeply missed. It’s more noticeable—the missing voices, the smiling faces, the way they lit up the whole room when they walked in. The fellowship— it hits harder when there are so few.

Do not be blind to your blessings. Appreciate the fellowship. Appreciate the singing. Appreciate the abundance of those who can help. Cherish the friendships within your youth group, the ability to host VBS and other programs, the assurance that losing one or two members will not close your congregation’s doors.

Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV)
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”

07/08/2025

Please pray for Theresia Foster, she’s being air lifted after having a stroke and blood clots.

06/19/2025

Welcome our new brother in Christ, Doug Honeycutt.

05/25/2025

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also be."

Where do you place your priorities?

05/23/2025

Matthew 28:19-20 constitutes the “marching orders” for the apostles in promulgating the spread of Christianity in the first century. Embedded within this “Great Commission” is one of the key prerequisites to being saved: water baptism. The precise wording expressed by Jesus provides clarific...

05/21/2025

We lost our van in the storm last night. It was old and was having running issues anyhow.

05/18/2025

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TaSFSgDn-VfB2vlPk1mTU0TPbnf9JjynX7Y2nBvZ7HQ/edit?fbclid=IwY2xjawKW9A5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFKUEZ1YjF3YTI5TGlCdEVsAR5_HWaPtbzgdsjGsy0B6T50C7KW22vF-2DWeCzPhs9nGsB_gDt-fi_3FnwIOg_aem_rVRm8WkXkOBxClBdl2WN2Q&tab=t.0

One of members, Sarah Foster wrote this for a paper at school. She will be attending Freed-Hardeman University in the fall of this year.

Cancel Culture in Relation to Christianity Sarah G. Foster Department of English, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College ENG 102: Writing Two Dr. Tyler Saylor February 28th, 2025 Abstract This paper expands upon cancel culture and its extremities. Religion and how Chr...

11/16/2024