Valentine's Day!!"
Jarrod Jacobs

We welcome you to our first annual “Valentine’s Day” celebration. Since this is a day when folks think about love and romance, we thought about the greatest expression of love on earth, God’s love (Jn. 3:16). So, the elders decided to begin our worship with our little ones performing a skit this morning to remind us of God’s love for man. One Bible verse will be read concerning the love of God, and then one of the ladies will come to the pulpit and read a poem about love.

A little later, brother Jeff Lankford will lead us in songs which relate to this special day. We also have a guest speaker today who will speak about “love languages” and how we can show love toward others in a post-modern society and where cultures are merged together in the world economy. Unfortunately, he is not a Christian, but the elders have talked with him about this, and have decided to go ahead and let him speak because he has given many stirring speeches on love in his career. Please make sure and look under the seats, as you will find something “sweet” for all the “sweethearts” that are assembled with us today.

Due to time constraints, we will not partake of the Lord’s Supper today. We plan on doing this next week, though. We will also forego any prayers today because there will be a lot of visitors, and we don’t want them to be offended, or get the wrong idea about us. We don’t want people to think we’re some kind of cult, but want them to return, and visit on their terms, in a comforting, non-threatening, non-confrontational, atmosphere. Perhaps next week we will offer up prayers to God.

Our evening services are cancelled because we know that there are many who wish to be with family/friends during this holiday. We at Southside understand this, and hope that all will have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. We will look for you back again next week!

P.S. Don’t forget that our St. Patrick’s Day observance is coming up. Be sure and check the bulletin board and keep up-to-date on all the celebrations and special services planned this year!

But Seriously, Folks…

What did you think as you read those paragraphs above? Were you shocked? Dismayed? Amused? Would you be surprised to learn that some of our brethren are doing some of these things? The only difference between them and what is described above, is that I combined the activities into one day. They simply practice them “piece-meal.”

I know of a congregation in Lexington, KY who, for a whole week, gathered folks together to learn about creation, and never prayed to God one time! They

sung no psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16), and the Bible was not preached! Why? Put simply, it is because they thought they would appeal to the evolutionist in a way he would accept rather than using the Bible he would not accept! (With this kind of reasoning, when would it ever be the “right time” to present the Bible to him?) I know of several congregations in this part of the world who engage in plays/skits during their VBS. They have their young ones practice in their “Bible” classes, and then have them perform for the rest of the group. I don’t know where it has happened on a Sunday (yet), but if they could do such Monday-Friday (and they did), why not Sunday, too? Too, I am aware of folks who have justified women usurping authority (I Tim. 2:11-14) by saying, “She was asked by the elders, so it is OK.” Some have said, “She is more qualified than the men here, so she is the one who needs to (preach, lead songs, be an elder or deacon, etc.).” Such reasoning contradicts plain passages of Scripture. Finally, there are also congregations of God’s people who allow false teachers in their midst under the pretense that, “He won’t teach it from the pulpit. We have an agreement.” Brethren, where will it end?

In all seriousness, what we do today we do every Sunday. We’re assembled this morning to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). We worship God through: singing praises to God, prayer, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, preaching, and giving of our means (Acts 2:42, 20:7; Eph. 5:19; I Cor. 16:1-2; etc.). We do this every first day of the week, because this was commanded and is the example left for us by the apostles of Christ (Acts 2:42, 20:7; I Cor. 16:2). When deciding who will occupy the pulpit, we recognize that only those men who are “faithful and able” will be preaching “the word” to us (II Tim. 2:2, 4:2). Those who have fellowship with God, have fellowship with us; and for us to “receive” any man (“sincere” or “nice” as he may be) who is not teaching the truth, makes us a “partaker of his evil deeds” (II Jn. 10-11). We will also meet this evening at 5:00 p.m.. It is still the Lord’s day (Heb. 10:25). We will gather at 5:00 p.m. for the same purpose that brought us here this morning: worshipping God “in spirit and in truth.”

The world thinks it knows how to “win” folks. Yet, the world’s way of winning people and the Lord’s way are diametrically opposed. Therefore, let us not fall into the trap of following the world, but let us be satisfied to do things the Lord’s way. He has told us what He expects in worship, as well as how to please Him day-by-day (Col. 3:17; Jn. 4:24). When we do things the Lord’s way, we will be blessed!

The Old Paths - 2/14/10