Venice church of Christ

Hearing is seminal for faith. If the Gospel is not heard, it cannot be believed; if it cannot be believed, it cannot be obeyed! If none go to preach, none can hear and believe, and the faith is extinguished. Let us proclaim the Gospel! Hear | The Plan of Salvation | Sermon Outline

God is not the deist God who set everything up and let it run. God is active in His creation. And He stands ready to empower our lives in faith...if we would only ask Him to do so in prayer! Empowering the Christian Life Through Prayer | Prayer | Sermon Outline

The Scriptures are replete with examples of God's people crying out for deliverance and God proving faithful to them and His purposes. We do well to seek deliverance in prayer. God’s Deliverance Through Prayer | Prayer | Sermon Outline

Christians understand they ought to pray. But why? We explore the logic of prayer and what prayer is all about in various circumstances. The Logic of Prayer | Prayer | Sermon Outline

Prayer is an important aspect of the Christian life. What's it all about? Prayer | Sermon Outline

In many respects life is all about assessing risk. And yet Christians are called upon to live by faith. How do we balance risk and faith? Risk and Faith | Sermon Outline

Jesus knew His time was near. He prepared His disciples for His departure. They would not be abandoned; they would have reason to rejoice. Jesus Prepares His Disciples | Jesus in John | John 13:31-16:33 | Sermon Outline

Jesus fed five thousand people with a few loaves and fish. They wanted more food. Jesus wished to give them the Bread of Life. They refused. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand | Jesus in John | John 6:1-71 | Sermon Outline

Jesus visited Jerusalem and made quite the impression. Many wished to learn more; but would they understand? The First Passover | Jesus in John | John 2:13-3:21 | Sermon Outline

Youth is great and can be fun, but it is a vapor. Darker days are coming. Remember your Creator now. Youth and Age | Wisdom From Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8 | Sermon Outline Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All...

Righteousness and wickedness are part of life "under the sun." Much is beyond our understanding. According to the Preacher it is enough for us to seek righteousness and live in joy. The Righteous and the Wicked | Wisdom From Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes 8:5-17 | Sermon Outline Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment: for to every p...

Solomon had the means to see the end of pleasure and labor: joy for a moment, but ultimately vanity and a striving after wind. The End of Pleasure and Labor | Wisdom From Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 | Sermon Outline

Life and all that is within it is as a vapor, and we are soon forgotten. We may rail and protest and rather accept the delusions, but the reality remains as true as when the Preacher declared it: all is vain. All Is Vain | Wisdom From Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 | Sermon Outline Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath man of all his labor...

God gave Israel a weekly Sabbath rest for good reason; refreshment is mandatory for healthy living and is a sign of freedom. The Sabbath is not enjoined upon Christians; yet Christians do well to develop a discipline of rest. Rest | The Disciplines | Sermon Outline

Just because fasting is not commanded does not make it unimportant. As a natural impulse in a time of distress in prayer fasting can have great power in its working. May we never think fasting will twist God's arm! Fasting | The Disciplines | Sermon Outline

We can perceive from the New Testament how the Apostles maintained prayer offices. The discipline of prayer offices help us orient our lives around God as opposed to the alternative. Prayer | The Disciplines | Sermon Outline

We hear a lot about postmodernism. For some, it is the biggest philosophical threat to the world; for others, it is just the way things are. As with all philosophies, we can find some good and many challenges in postmodernism. Postmodernism |

Jude would have rather written about other subjects. Yet many false teachers were advancing a proto-Gnostic viewpoint in the churches. Jude wrote to encourage Christians to affirm the faith delivered once for all. Jude | Sermon Outline Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy unto you and peace and l...

John would rather speak to Gaius in person, but Diotrephes has forced his hand. When John comes it will not go well for Diotrephes. Gaius does well to show hospitality to the Christians who proclaim the Gospel and to commend Demetrius the faithful. 3 John | Sermon Outline The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health...

Some are starting to doubt the physicality of Jesus. John would have them know for certain: to suggest Jesus was not human was the spirit of antichrist. Christians can have nothing to do with such errors and those who propagate them. 2 John | Sermon Outline The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth; for the truth's s...

It may be Paul's shortest letter, but Philemon is compelling reading. In the ancient world, slavery was a given; it was the declaration of the fundamental equality of all mankind, and the hope of liberation in Christ, which likely led to Onesimus' freedom, and for many more slaves after him. Paul's Letter to Philemon | Sermon Outline Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Ph...

It's never pleasant or desirable, but disassociation sadly proves necessary at times. We explore what it is, when it ought to be used, and how to avoid its abuse. Disassociation | Sermon Outline

The work of the church does not stop with the collective level. There is much for individuals to do in order to encourage and build up the body of Christ. Individual Responsibilities in the Local Congregation | Sermon Outline

In practical terms, the Christian's work with the church is with the "local" church. But Christians do share in participation in the church universal. What does that look like? Individual Christians and the Church Universal | Sermon Outline

Christians share in fellowship, or association, with one another in Christ. What does this involve? How has the term been used beyond its Biblical meaning? Fellowship/Association | Sermon Outline