Nile Street Notes

Anna Church of Christ

104 Nile Street, Anna, Illinois 62906

833-5815

Lessons From An Empty Pew

One year ago last month, our congregation hosted a meeting with an outstanding speaker, Brother Gary Colley. On the last night of the meeting, as I was in the copy room putting away the tape of Brother Colley’s last sermon and getting ready to leave, I saw one of our elders marching across the auditorium toward me and he said in a disgusted voice, “Hang on a minute, I want to talk to you!” Now, usually, when a preacher is addressed that way by one of his elders, it means he’s in trouble and that thought was going through my mind! There wasn’t any need to worry, though, because he voiced to me his disgust and despair that so few of our own members had bothered to avail themselves of the opportunity and privilege to hear the word of God preached and explained in our Gospel Meeting. I agreed wholeheartedly. “I want you to preach a sermon on church attendance Sunday” he said. I did and I want to share a few points with you in this brief article.

What happens when someone isn’t at church? What’s one of the first things we notice? If we haven’t missed seeing them in the foyer, or in class, we often notice there’s an empty spot where they usually sit. Now, that’s another thing you’ll notice about Christians: they’re very particular about where they sit, and they’re the nicest people you’ll ever meet – until you come and sit in “their seat!” We notice when someone is in our seat. We also notice when someone isn’t in their usual seat, and believe it or not, that empty seat or that empty pew teaches us many lessons.

That empty pew teaches us that there’s something else more important to a soul than being here. For some people, it may be work, for others, it may be recreation, and for another group, it may be rest or relaxation – the “I’m too tired” crowd. What would Christianity look like today if Paul had been too tired? “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (II Cor. 11:24-28).

That empty pew teaches us that some don’t think they need to know any more about the Lord because they know enough already. Any of us know people like that? People who believe that no one else can teach them anything about any subject? Unfortunately, some people think that about the Bible. Too many, in fact. For those who think they can’t learn any more about the Bible because they know enough already, I would remind you that I Timothy 4:13 directs us to, “…give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” This is an ongoing process that doesn’t have a foreseeable end in sight.

That empty pew teaches us that some feel they can attend church any time, but some things only happen rarely and it’s o.k. to miss for them. How many of us who regularly attend every service of the church will stay home when non-Christian company comes to visit us? “Well, they hardly ever come and I hate not to visit with them.” I understand the feeling, but that’s a poor excuse in God’s eyes. I used to have an aunt and uncle who would come to visit from Texas every few years and stay several days. My aunt was a member of the church, but I don’t believe Uncle ever crossed the threshold of any assembly of the Lord’s church, and she neglected the church until after his death. I remember a time when they came to visit and one Sunday morning, we got in the car to come to church and I waved to them out the back window of the car. Mom and Dad thought we should be here and they were right. Jesus said in Matthew 10:37, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

What if Jesus had been too interested in something else to die on the Cross for humanity? Let me say that God realizes and so do we, that sometimes there’s sickness or a job requirement that will cause us to not be here, but when we have a choice in the matter, we have to choose God. There’s no reason for our Sunday morning attendance number to be very much higher, if any at all, than our Sunday evening or Wednesday evening attendance. If you do make the effort to become more faithful in attendance, extend that to include the meeting that begins here in just one short week. We can make this a successful meeting if we all decide we’re going to be here for every night or nearly every night of it. Let’s resolve to do better for our Lord and for our souls.

R.W.

A Successful Gospel Meeting Depends on You and Me!

It Depends On Our Attitude - Are we looking forward to it? Do we realize its potential for good? Are we excited about the cause of Christ?

It Depends On Our Attendance - Some meetings fail because 50% of the members do not attend any service except Sunday and Wednesday. Will we clear our schedules so we can be present at every service?

It Depends On Our Invitations - Regardless of all the advertising done through printed announcements, the newspaper, radio, etc., visitors will usually attend only if personally invited by a Christian friend. How many do you plan to invite?

It Depends On Our Friendliness - Do our visitors feel welcome and wanted in our services? How many of us make a special effort to greet visitors and invite them back?

It Depends On Our Participation - Nothing “kills” a service so effectively as a combination of back-seat sitting, inattention during the services, and lackluster singing. How simple these problems are to avoid! Will we?

It Depends On Our Prayers - Are we praying for the preacher, the song leader, the lost, the delinquent, and the spiritual growth of all who attend?

It Depends On Our Encouragement - A word of love and encouragement to one who needs to respond to heaven's invitation means so much. Words of appreciation to those who work on behalf of the meeting help to insure success. Yes, Christian friends, a successful gospel meeting depends on us. Let’s do our part!

- Selected

Our gospel meeting begins in one week - let’s all do our part!

SERMON TOPICS

A.M. – “The Barometer of Spirituality”

(Matt 7:17-20)

P.M. – “Hard Sayings of the Bible Part 3 –

Some Hard Sayings of Jesus”

(John 6:57-60)

Those For Whom We Are Praying:

Kathleen Ritchey

Loren Eddleman – Improving - experiencing more mental clarity

Josh Furlow (Friend of Rosemary)

Ruth Karraker (cancer)

Rosemary Dillow’s mother

Jerry & Betty Ward

Rodney & Nikki Lingle

Paul Frailey

Bill Whitnel

Sheilah Whittington – Lost a cousin and the mother of her sister-in-law last week.

Margeurite Ledgerwood – Her shoulder is improving.

Wardell Barnhart – Has one sister in St. Francis hospital in Cape and a brother in the hospital in Louisville, KY.

Sue Craig – Friend of Ann’s who has cancer. Hospice has been called.

Ann Harvick – Recovering from an upper arm injury.

Andy Ligons (Ally’s brother)

Gene Ballance (Kittie’s brother) – Battling pneumonia.

Angie Dasher – Aimee’s sister. Was in a car wreck on Mar. 20^th and suffered a broken collar bone, broken radius near the elbow, and a broken pelvic bone. Facing 6-8 weeks recovery time.

Jared Toler – Broke his right ankle on both sides in P.E.

Bob Housman – Wayne and Sandy’s neighbor. Suffered stroke recently and is in V.A. Hospital.

Mellie Karraker – Recover ing from bronchitis.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS

*Make plans now to attend our Spring Gospel

Meeting. It will be held Apr. 13-16 and

Brother Westley Hazel will be our speaker.

The theme is “How To Live The Christian

Life.” Potluck will be held following the a.m.

service. See the flyer on the bulletin board.

*Gospel meeting at Jackson church of Christ

from Apr. 6-9 w/Noel Quinn.

*Men’s Bible Class Apr. 7^th at 7 p.m.

*Men – If we can get together, let’s plan our

Prayer Breakfast for next Saturday (Apr. 12).

*Thanks to all who took part in our Cleanup Day

yesterday.

*Bible Class teachers change today.

*Youth rally in Arnold, MO Apr. 18&19.

*March 30-Apr. 3 – Memphis School of

Preaching Lectureship.

BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:

Last week’s answer: Love (charity). I Cor. 13:13

New question: How many total stripes did Paul receive at the hand of the Jews?

Sentence Sermon:

An empty tomb proves Christianity. 

An empty church house denies it.

Birthdays

John Shelton 4/9

You are always welcome at the Anna church of Christ!

Those Serving This Week:

Announcements:

Wayne Schultz

Lord’s Table:

Presiding:

Ron Schultz

Serving:

RW McAlister

Ryan Thornsberry

Song Leader:

John Shelton

Scripture Reading:

AM – Dustin Dillow

PM – Bob McAlister

Sun. Bible Study Prayer:

Jamie Driskill

Opening Prayer:

Sun. AM – Wardell Barnhart

Sun. PM – Ron Schultz

Wed. – Bob McAlister

Closing Prayer:

Sun. AM – Tony Ward

Sun. PM – RW McAlister

Wed. – Ryan Thornsberry