Shadyside Church of Christ

Our consumer mentality often carries over into how people search for a church. They look for programs, ministries and niceties which appeal to them. In turn, many churches focus on offering things which will attract people. Certainly, a church is to offer something to the world, but what exactly is a church to offer?

Those who die with Christ in baptism and are raised with Him become a "new creature." Old things have passed away, and the new has come. What are those old things? What are the new? How extensive is this transformation to be? Every devoted Christian needs to know the answers to these questions and to make a personal assessment.

Contrary to what many people think, an atheist has beliefs.  These beliefs have certain sure outcomes and consequences, and they also preclude other beliefs from being true for them since they are mutually exclusive.  Here's a brief look at some beliefs of atheists with some contrast with what is taught in God's word.

Temptations are the devil's attacks in this war between good and evil. He is "calling us out!" Too many Christians don't take these attacks very seriously and give in too easily. Scripture provides plenty of instruction on how to overcome in these times of testing. We should fight hard to resist the devil and bring honor to our Master.

When Paul was in Athens, he was provoked by its idolatry and a shrine to "An Unknown God." He began teaching about Jesus and the resurrection and eventually had opportunity to declare this Unknown God to them - the living and true God. This situation is so similar to today's world in which people are worshiping many "unknown" gods, but need to hear of their Creator and His...

Many people who say they are Christians are believing things and practicing things which are not found in the New Testament. What does the New Testament teach us about Christian beliefs and practices? Do we need to go to any outside sources for instruction about the church or being a disciple? Here is a brief overview of what is written in scripture, and where we should go to get our answers.

When Jesus put aside His clothes, took a towel and began washing the disciples' feet, He was teaching them. When He was finished, He asked them if they knew what He had done. Do we?                

On more than one occasion Jesus challenged His listeners if they had "ears to hear."  Unless a person is truly deaf, would they not be able to hear what He said?  What is Jesus talking about?  What would cause a person not to be able to "hear" the words of God? Show less

Jesus came proclaiming a gospel of the kingdom.  Gospel means, of course, good news.  We tend to focus exclusively on the good news of salvation which we do not wish to downplay at all.  However, there is much more to this "good news" than that men and women can be saved from their sins.

When the woman in the parable lost one of her ten coins, she lit a lamp and swept the floor until she found it. Then she called friends and neighbors to rejoice with her because she had found her coin. In the same way, angels rejoice when a sinner repents and returns to God. Just how diligent are we at "sweeping our floors" and how thrilled are we to rejoice with angels?

Today's world, rooted in progressivism, is characterized by uncertainty as people do not believe in absolutes.  So people focus their lives on just about anything from social justice to patriotism.  None of these things fulfill the soul's deepest longings and offer an unstable, ever-changing, environment.  Only one "thing" is a sure foundation for life, the One who calls Himsel...

Through the years, when God saw the need, He would bring about change and renewal.  As Israel wandered further and further from keeping the moral and love commandments of its covenant with the Lord, He knew it was time for a change, an upgrade as we would say today.  So He brought in a "new and living way" so that people could confidently draw near to Him and become the kind of people He...

Nothing too serious.  No calls to repentance.  No suffering.  None of that holy living.  This is especially true around Christmastime.  Let's just keep the Babe in the manger along with that nice story about no room at the inn, shepherds, wise men and that little drummer boy.  That's enough Jesus for me.  Only one problem with Jesus "Lite" - He's not the real Jesus.

It has always been considered a great honor to be invited to eat at the King's table.  In several places, scripture speaks of the Lord having His followers sit down at His table in His kingdom.  It will be a great dinner with all the family there and the Lord as host.  Everyone is invited.  Will you have a place at the table?

A good bit of our lives is involved in placing a value on things.  What groceries will I buy?  Is that car worth it?  How will I spend my time this evening?  Even this - What will I do with my life?  Judas thought Jesus to be worth only thirty pieces of silver.  What is Jesus worth to you?

On His way to Jerusalem for the last time to face the cross, Jesus heard the cries of Bartimaeus calling for Him to have mercy on him.  Jesus stopped the entire procession in order to attend to Bartimaeus' call for help.  This event is about so much more than Jesus' healing another blind man.  There are several take-aways here for us to learn from.

Paul had trouble communicating with the church at Corinth.  He told them that they were "men of flesh," still carnal, and were not seeing and living life from a spiritual perspective.  He tries to correct this by teaching them that all things are about God and the Lord Jesus, and that they were "the temple of God," but in danger of destroying it!  Didn't they know that thr...

Jesus welcomed a rich man's inquiry about how he might have eternal life.  He had been on the right track by keeping the commandments, but when Jesus told him what else he had to do, he went away sorrowful.  He would not pay the price.  Since the blessings of the kingdom of heaven are so incredible, the cost to enter is very high.

Surveys and observations indicate that real faith is declining in the world.  Many churches are absorbing secular beliefs and practices.  Jesus wondered whether He would find faith on the earth when He returned.  Scripture records the amazing things God did with just a few people who had real faith.  What was their faith all about?  Can we have that faith today?

From the outset, the early church assembled on the first day of the week. This is God's design, and it serves several purposes with attendant benefits. If we fail to assemble, we miss out on those benefits, and the entire church suffers.

Believers know that God has divine power and can do anything which is consistent with His character. But when God decides to work through His people (which He does a great deal of the time), He is, in effect, willing to limit His power to what they will do. This should cause every disciple to seriously consider their work in the kingdom.

When Jesus was on the earth, people had questions for Him. Some were sincere in their questions, but others were just trying to find accusations against Him. However, Jesus also had questions for those who heard Him. These were questions of life and death. And today, you and I still need to answer these questions.

We all have unanswered questions about life. Why did this happen and not that? Why did this happen to me? Etc. - our questions are many. Asaph had questions, too, about all the evil in the world, and these weighed on him so much that he nearly lost his faith. Then God brought him out of his despondency by reminding him of the final end of both the wicked and the righteous.

When God gave mankind the right to eat meat, He told Noah that the life of the flesh was in the blood. Consequently, the eating of blood was forbidden. Later under Moses, animal sacrifices were established as their blood would provide atonement for the soul of the sinner. But atonement is only a covering since the blood of bulls and goats cannot remove sin. Now what?

Timothy received glowing praise from Paul about his devotion to his work in the kingdom. Timothy had worked hard and demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice for the cause of Christ. But Timothy still had difficulties to overcome, and he needed continuing instruction and encouragement from Paul.