Ashville Road Church of Christ

My apologies for being a little late on this week’s Sermon Encore.  Last Sunday morning I delivered a lesson entitled “Reviving Parenthood.”  Here are some statistics related to fathers that I didn’t have time to share in the lesson:

For three decades America has increased her fatherless homes to the point that 23,000,000 children will be sleeping in fatherless homes tonight. And what are the results? Single-mother families are five times more likely to be poor, ten times more likely to go to fail, and three times more likely to have children as teenagers. While only 24% of children come from fatherless homes, 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. 85% of youths in prisons grew up without a father.

The moral, dads, is this: If you want to change the world, stay home!

A worry that has consumed man’s thoughts for years has been money, and now it seems possible to become even more concerned.  The recent signs of instability in the market have brought much anxiety in the hearts of Americans.  We’re worried about the future quality of our lives and the lives of generations to come.  Furthermore, it is disheartening to watch our leaders and experts struggle with these problems.  There are currently steps being taken, and we know that our nation has bounced back from obstacles of this measure in the past.  So, as we see the country attempt to collectively work together, what can the individual do?
More »« Less

This being a political season, the airwaves are congested with frenzied rhetoric declaring that the end has come.  Both presidential candidates argue that America is headed for certain doom.  Each says that the only thing that will save us is his election.

Our current economic situation is a perfect example.  Politicians favoring the “bail-out bill,” as it is called, predict a dire future if it is not passed, invoking scenes from the thirties of bread lines and soup kitchens.  This is not to say that the situation is not serious—it is—but you can’t blame me for being a little skeptical about the sincerity of these speeches.  We’ve heard all this before, and yet the hype never seems to move us forward, no matter what the current crisis may be.
More »« Less

Thanks to those who brought underwear for the children in Romania.  Supplies are being shipped to Romania this week.

Jim and Gloria Harrington and Chris Lee will travel to Romania on December 10.  They will return on the 23rd.  The purpose of the trip is to help assemble and deliver Christmas gift bags to 5,000 poor children in orphanages, day care centers, and hospitals, visit and encourage members of the Bucharest Church, and deliver medical supplies to Children’s hospitals.

Money is needed for travel expenses, college expenses for a young member of the Bucharest Church, and medical supplies to be purchased in Romania.  If you can help with this, please write checks to Ashville Road Church of Christ and give to Richard Box or Jim Harrington.  Thank you.

Yesterday morning’s lesson was entitled “Guarding Your Deposit.”  In light of our nation’s recent economic crisis, the theme seemed appropriate.

In 2 Timothy 1, Paul describes the gospel as the Christian’s deposit, saying to Timothy, “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (v. 14).  Thinking of the gospel as a “deposit” should sober us to the seriousness of our responsibility as Christians who have been entrusted with the message of Christ. More »« Less

It is little use to talk about church growth without emphasizing Bible study.  The apostle Peter writes, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2, KJV).  The word of God is a Christian’s nourishment (Mt. 4:4).  Without it, his soul becomes weak and emaciated, and if the spiritual fast is not eventually broken, he will die.

This is why it is important for churches to have a sound Bible school program.  Bible class is the best place for Christians of all ages to receive the nourishment they desperately need.  This is where they put down roots, where they develop deep convictions that will keep them from falling away in tough times.  Elders who invest in a vigorous Bible school program are wise.  They know it is vital to the strength and stability of their congregations.  Ira North was fond of repeating the saying, “As goes the Sunday school, so goes the congregation.” More »« Less

The Sermon Encore is a new feature of the Ashville Road Church of Christ web site.  Every Monday, notes on Sunday’s sermons will be posted to promote further study.  Sermons typically have a short lifespan–they die on the Monday following the Sunday they were preached.  The Sermon Encore is a work that is intended make Sunday’s sermon last through Sunday, into the rest of the week, and hopefully for a long time after that.  We hope you benefit from this deeper study. More »« Less

Fall is a busy time of the year at Ashville Road.  A quick glance at the church calendar reveals three retreats, a youth rally or two, some banquets, a teachers’ workshop, Friends and Family Day, and the Fall Festival.  When a church is this busy, it is a good idea to back up and remember why we do all these things.
More »« Less

“He makes it look so easy.” That is a statement I hear from fans who admire their favorite athlete or artist. They’re envious of how the star can swing the bat or club. Spectators often believe that the performance is completely effortless – that they were born with a gift. While it may be true that some are more inclined to a certain skill, it is actually deceiving to watch an artist paint or a baseball player launch a ball over the outfield fence. These men and women have behind their skill years of failures and successes, pain and practice, and trial and error. And they don’t perform effortlessly. Their outer appearance masks complete concentration and control. More »« Less

Visitation for Mildred Hopper will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Trussville from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6.  There will be a graveside service Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Winston Memorial Cemetery in Haleyville.