1. Doctrine rooted in the Bible (We speak where the Bible speaks)
a. How do you hear God’s voice?
i. Everyone claims to hear it, one way or another; why doesn’t everyone hear the same thing?
b. Scripture and Spirit – both matter (When you listen and I listen, how do we resolve?)
c. Jesus’ view of the scriptures
i. “Not one word shall pass” -Removing words was not OK,
ii. “It is written…”, Jesus relied on scripture, not rabbis or other sources
iii. Mark 6, Pharisees adding rules was not OK
d. CoC – Unfortunately, we tend to add rules; that’s not the right way
e. Response: getting rid of rules doesn’t mean failing to guide yourself and family
i. Children need rules and guidance (“Obey your fathers”) Eph. 6
2. A Call for Unity; Not like denominations
a. Why is this a principle for churches of Christ?
b. Barton Stone: desire to create unity, free of creeds
c. Alexander/Thomas Campbell: people were more faithful to their creeds than to each other; we create the separation ourselves
d. What’s a denomination?
e. Following Christ, not church governments
3. The 1st Command – Love the Lord your God (an Objective World View)
a. “On this rock I will build MY church.”
b. 1 John 5:3
c. The world only knows a subjective world view
4. The 2nd Command
a. Morality based on God’s design, not self-oriented
b. Love your Neighbor as yourself
5. God’s plan for families (praying, singing, talking, commitment)
a. Marry the right person
b. Be fruitful – replicate God’s gift to you (Gen 1:27-30; Gen 9:1-7; Jer. 29:5-7,10-14)
c. Be present
d. Educate your children (choose a school, plan)
e. Pray frequently as a family (parents need to plan)
f. Sing, read the Bible, train children regular routine (what’s regular?)
g. Discipline with love, not volume or violence
6. Stepping off the boat (following Christ requires faith), Learning to live uncomfortably
a. Loving the hurting and broken
b. Understanding our failures
c. Following God’s path
d. Learning to change
e. Less self, more Christ
7. Our life is in the Kingdom (community, relationships, supporting each other)
a. God and faith should be 1st in your life (“Come follow me”)
b. Life should be sweet and innocent, not built on trauma, greed, or hate
c. Happiness comes from knowing who you are and knowing your Father
d. Our Father has a role for us.
8. Worship – from the heart; it’s not for show or entertainment (John 4)
a. Simplicity
b. Focused on God, not ourselves
9. Baptism by immersion, Connection to the cross, Lord’s Supper
10. Discipleship – we continue to grow
11. Revelation
a. The lesson of the early church (Preterist view)
b. Suffering for living by faith
c. Overcoming
d. The struggle between the world and the church
e. The call for repentance
f. God’s deliverance (Rome then; how will He deliver you?)
g. An eternal plan
12. Heaven
a. The Resurrection
b. Understanding the parables
