Oldham Lane Church of Christ

We have, at our fingertips, the very words of God. They are the most valuable possession we have and their primary purpose is to press us to faith in Jesus Christ.

In the year 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés arrived in the New World with an army of men and, upon arrival, famously commanded his men to burn their ships. Why? He wanted to impress upon his men that “retreat” was NOT an option. By burning or otherwise sinking their fleet, Cortés and his men could not retreat. They had no choice but victory or death. As Christians, we're commanded to...

While the winds of change constantly swirl around us we find the pattern for a stable anchor laid out in this letter from the Apostle Paul to a young minister, Timothy.

Every person must ask themselves the question, “What’s my win?” Because if you don’t define your win, then you’ll just keep running. You’ve got to know where the finish line is. If you don’t care where you get to, then it doesn’t really matter which way you go, but life isn’t an aimless endeavor. Your life and the things that make up your life matter. There is a goal. There is a prize, but if you...

Have you thought about what it will be like right after you die? What will those first 5 minutes be like? Mankind is the only creature that knows he’s going to die. God made us with that recognition, and God gave us scripture to tell us how to live until we die. So, it would seem that ignoring the subject is not a good idea.

Integrity is our decision-making filter. Before engaging in a certain activity, we must ask ourselves, “How will this affect my character? What will this do to my influence?” In other words, what’s your price tag? Can you be bought? If so, what’s the going rate for your integrity? Every person has a price? What’s yours?

Even in his faithful moments, Samson comes across as an arrogant and selfish guy. It also seems that Samson lived his whole life as a defiant sinner, but somehow snuck into God’s good graces at the end. But God felt that this man, marred by sin, was worthy of induction into the Faith Hall of Fame, therefore, who are we to judge.

Integrity is chosen. You don’t stumble into integrity. No one has ever stepped in it. Never has anyone said, “Oops! There I go again. I fell into integrity.” Integrity is the conscious decision to do what you ought to do even if it costs you.

When we first met Gideon, he was hiding in a winepress. His story closes with him living up to his title—valiant warrior.

Integrity goes beyond you. It goes beyond you to the you’s around you. It’s not enough just to be blameless. It’s not enough to be on your best behavior. It’s not about doing good for goodness’ sake. Your integrity is meant to be leveraged beyond you.

Chris and Blake conclude their sermon series by discussing how to communicate God’s word and will for human sexuality to our children, our friends, and others.

To love God with all your strength is to love Him with everything in your life—every moment, every opportunity, every ability, every capacity, every resource. Your money, your children, your spouse—all of it is a chance to love and honor God; the One who made you and the One who delivered you. It’s a whole-hearted, life-encompassing, community-impacting, exclusive commitment to our Heavenly Father...

Pornography is a dangerous tool of the enemy that silently steals life, pleasure, and oneness from the God-given blessing of sex. As we struggle with sexual brokenness, we must continue to participate in the fight. Not through our own power, but by submitting our hearts to HIS power.

Christianity is a thinking person’s religion. It’s not anti-science. It’s not irrational. It’s not merely emotional. It’s based in truth; God’s truth. Which means that not only is it knowable, it is our responsibility to know it. Being a disciple requires you to use your brain.

Chris and Blake discuss the dividing line when it comes to sexuality in our society.

The greatest commandment, as given by our Lord, is an ALL IN exhortation. It’s body, soul, every fiber of your being.

There are two ditches here that we should avoid at all costs. There is the truth only ditch and the grace only ditch. Both are detrimental to the cause of Christ. And both are unloving.

A healthy heart promotes healthy habits. When my heart is in rhythm with God, it shows up in the rhythm of my life.

Sex is not man-made. Sex is God-designed, but it is only God-ordained when it occurs within the confines of marriage. There’s a reason God placed boundaries on this sacred gift. He knows the urges, and the temptation to satisfy those urges. He knows all about the allure of the god of sexual pleasure, and He is keenly aware that Satan will pull out all the stops to entice people to bow down to the...

In a culture so preoccupied with sex and where sexual freedom in all its forms is celebrated and defended as a human right, Romans 12:1 & 2 reminds us that we are called to show and tell the good news of Jesus, which includes God’s design for sexuality.

As the Oldham Lane congregation begins the process of appointing new shepherds, Chris brings a lesson on what a godly shepherd should look like. One of the first questions that should be asked of any prospective elder is this: “Does he “walk by the Spirit?” If he doesn’t, then he’s not qualified. Doesn’t matter if he meets the qualifications as spelled out in scripture. First and foremost, he must...

Everyone is a builder. Every single person is a General Contractor. We are all building something. The quality of what we build depends on what we do with the specifications we have been given. That is Jesus’ message in a nutshell. He gives us the blueprint, then says, “Go build a life.”

Who are your prophets? Who are you listening to? Who has your ear? What is their message? If you want to know if someone is proclaiming a message from God or from their own corrupt heart, just look at what the message is producing in you. Who or what is shaping you? What is making you you?

Abraham’s legacy can be divided into three sections: 1) Leaving, 2) Living, and 3) Looking.

Discipleship starts with a funeral. Before you become a child of God, before you can enlist in the Lord’s army, before anything can change in your life, you must die.