Wineskins Podcast

We always want to do what God wants and that means we turn to the Bible to tell us what He said. When we go there we find all kinds of instructions, stories, encouragements, and so much more! Often people turn the Bible into a rule book with no appreciation for context, authorial intent, etc. The weekly offering exposes a fatal flaw in legalism - that people found a command to give on a weekly basis with no appreciation for what those verses actually say - that they were for a particular situation that upon completion the weekly collection was supposed to stop (even commanded to stop). And yet people use 1 Cor 16:1-2a as the basis for God commanding the weekly offering when in the same sentence we are also told not to do it after the need in Jerusalem in 47 AD was met! If you are strictly going by the commands of the Bible, the weekly offering is wrong and yet people who said they only do what the Bible commands still do it. They, in practice, demonstrate what they condemn in others - that we can do things not commanded in the Bible and do so all the time. This is called tradition. My hope for this video is that it stands as an example of where people read they Bible claiming one thing while doing quite another while they condemn others for doing the same. At the end of the day the weekly offering is right because there are ministry needs to be met and this is the traditional way, established by local church leaders, to meet those needs. So don't stop giving! In fact, this exposes a deeper issue that I deal with near the end of the video!

For many years, people in Churches of Christ have used Colossians 3:16 to justify the condemnation of instruments in corporate worship. But is that conclusion actually justified by the text? More specifically, when Paul wrote Colossians 3, did he even have this conversation in mind? Does the context warrant us coming to this conclusion?   Walking through this passage and issue will give us deeper insight into what Paul was actually talking about...and it is something much greater than instruments in worship! If you haven't listened to the previous episode on Ephesians 5:19 you will want to do that. Listen here.

So many of us have heard the reason we aren't supposed to use instruments in worship (even saying it is sinful) is because Ephesians 5:19 only says to sing. Is that what Paul had in mind when he wrote Ephesians 5:19? The only way to know is to check the context. Paul was exceptionally good at making well thought out arguments. His letters aren't bullet list of individual/isolated theological points. He is taking his audience somewhere. Next is authorial intent - that the authors of the Bible had an original intent when they wrote what they wrote and we cannot understand it for us today until we understand it for them in their day.   Once we understand those two things we go back to what Paul wrote to understand the point he was actually making and it had nothing to do with condemning the instrument in worship.   I believe it is wrong to twist the Bible to make it say things it doesn't actually say and even more wrong to divide over these issues. This calls for repentance.

This month is the 30th anniversary of Wineskins! Wineskins started as a print publication in May of 1992 when Rubel Shelly, Mike Cope and several others came together to gather some of the best voices in the Restoration movement (and beyond) to ask tough questions and explore hard answers. I want to say thank you to Rubel and Mike for their vision that launched what we have today at www.wineskins.org and ultimately here on the YouTube channel! Connect with Wineskins: Like us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/wineskins Channel membership - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4oeVvZX5aeORFaNMKb__w/join Donate - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/newwineskins Subscribe to all content (blog, podcast, YouTube) in a 1/week email - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 Blessings, Matt

Leonard Allen wrote a book in 2021 about how Churches of Christ need to have a healthier view of traditions and how a biblically balanced view and use of creeds could really help us in the long run. This interview will give you some background info on denominational, philosophical and cultural influences of Churches of Christ, Alexander Campbell, etc that I doubt you have heard before. Here are the resources mentioned: "In the Great Stream" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1684265029/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1684265029&linkId=a586485814fdfa7008596f402ba43699   Discovering Our Roots: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B5CK0XS/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01B5CK0XS&linkId=de5e54f4ab5a9ba0937fa97df8709dea "To Live Ancient Lives" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XNEENFS/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00XNEENFS&linkId=1c4ae40e53ae4bd2a84ceb91dc97cb00 Blessings, Matt FTC Legal Disclaimer - Some links in the description of the video may be affiliate links, meaning Wineskins will make commission on sales you make through product/book links. This is at no extra cost to you while allowing you to support the channel!

A famous Church of Christ argument has been that God told Noah to build an ark of gopher wood so that is the only wood he could use...not oak or pine...just gopher. Is that really true? Did the whole of human history revolve around Noah finding enough gopher trees? Once you find out more about gopher wood you will see that the the whole argument falls apart. The argument that we can only use what is specifically and precisely biblical authorized falls on its face. It was already a pointless argument because no one only does the specific things mentioned in the Bible...no one. If you want to read more on this, check out Al Maxey's fantastic article - http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx457.htm

If you have ever been a legalistic Christian or part of a legalistic church this video is for you. The road out of that to a healthier, more biblical faith is a very difficult one. Many people can't find their way our or they give up altogether.   If you are wrestling with this and trying to find your way to freedom, I hope this video will serve as a guide to point you to some things to consider, study in the Bible and pray about.   My hope is that in watching this you will know that you are not alone and that many have gone ahead of you on this path!   Please let me know how I can help!   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:05 - Israel's Journey 02:09 - Orientation-Disorientation-New Orientation 02:56 - Step 1 Legalism 06:36 - Step 2 - Descend the mountain 10:28 - Step3 - The Wilderness 16:17 - Crossing the Jordan 18:06 - Freedom Resources mentioned: Walter Brueggemann "Message of the Psalms" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0806621206/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0806621206&linkId=c1c335dfd49909b53cf100f67ab5f712   Wolfgang Simson "The House Church Book" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MZARBI/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B002MZARBI&linkId=56030beeb7b6c1dbd084cd65ff2e2838   If you would like to support the channel and see more videos like this one you can donate here - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/newwineskins   If you want a weekly email of all of our content (video, articles, and podcast) signup here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9   Blessings,   Matt   FTC Legal Disclaimer - Some links in the description of the video may be affiliate links, meaning Wineskins will make commission on sales you make through product/book links. This is at no extra cost to you while allowing you to support the channel!

Clay Mason is a minister in Colorado. He lives among the poor and homeless, serving them and showing them the love of Jesus. Jesus said "Go" and he and his wife have gone on this mission. They don't take a paycheck from it. It is a labor of love...a wild adventure that is full of challenge and joy one day at a time. The interview chronicles how they got into this grassroots ministry, happenings at the river, moving away from traditional church and ministry and how they see God working. The interview will bring you joy and make you cry. Be blessed by watching it and hearing all God is doing! I am confident you will be blessed by this conversation and I hope you will consider two things: 1 - Is God calling you to something non-traditional in ministry 2 - Is God calling you to support Clay's ministry If you would like to donate to Clay's ministry you can do so through the Goldthwaite Church of Christ. Checks made payable to "The Way" and mailed to: "The Way" C/O Goldthwaite Church of Christ PO Box 443 Goldthwaite, TX 76844

Dr. Richard Oster of Harding School of Theology gives some insightful history of head coverings in the Greco-Roman world and how that affected the situation in the churches in Corinth. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 11 and it has been a very misunderstood passage resulting in all sorts of applications that don't fit what Paul said at all. The problem has also been mislabeled as a problem with women in Corinth when the context is clearly that it is a problem with some of the men and some of the women. They were bringing in their religious practices of paganism (what they knew) into the Christian assembly in a way that undermined their message. This is what Paul was addressing and it has nothing to do with wearing a hat to church.

Jimmy Hinton is an expert in child sexual abuse. Several years ago he discovered his father had been molesting children in their church. His father was the preacher in that church. Jimmy did an amazing and courageous thing. He turned his father into the police and his father has been in prison every since. Jimmy did another remarkable thing - he took on the preaching role in the church where his father preached to bring healing to that congregation. It is an amazing story that will touch your heart. There is still more, though, Jimmy has made it his mission to protect children by understanding the mind of the predators so we can know what to look for and take precaution. Much of what he shares in this interview will surprise you. Pedophiles often molest kids in plain sight...they test and quickly identify their victims. I know that sounds hard to believe but it is true. You need to hear Jimmy explain how this happens and how they get away with it. Pedophiles train and practice and refine their approaches to get away with this for years and, on average, molest over 100 kids. Please be informed so we can do our best to protect our children from these sick and dangerous individuals who often occupy positions of great trust. We must be vigilant because the predators already are and they are going to keep trying to do what they do until they are stopped. For more information check out Jimmy's book, "The Devil Inside" - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1950948617/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kinglivi-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1950948617&linkId=ec1a6b44d37b72656b5792fe3fec26d7 Apollo Robbins Ted Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZGY0wPAnus Jimmy's website - https://jimmyhinton.org/ Jimmy's email - jimmyhintonspeaker@gmail.com

Tod Vogt of Mission Alive joins the Wineskins podcast this week talking about why they, as a church planting organization are focused on equipping people to make disciples who make disciples. We talk about our hope for the future of our churches post-COVID and creative ways to engage and equip ourselves to impact the world looking ahead. If you want to be encourage, informed, and equipped for the next leg of your Christian journey, stick around and watch a few more videos! If you like what you see...subscribe and follow along! Signup for all Wineskins articles, videos and podcasts in one email per week - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9   Links/resources mentioned www.missionalive.org https://missionalive.org/discipleship-cohorts/ https://missionalive.org/new-churches/ tod@missionalive.org steve@missionalive.org

Rick Krug joins the Wineskins podcast talking about a forthcoming book he has co-authored with Jessica Kapp titled, "Tombstones to Cornerstones: Why congregations are failing and what to do about it". The interview reframes what faithfulness is all about and how churches can finish well. This is needed perspective in a time when success can be measured with worldly metrics rather than biblical metrics. The book hasn't yet been published but when it is, we will make sure to let you know in the Wineskins Community Tab!

It is a question that can be difficult to tackle. Ministers can't touch it...they might get in hot water. Elders often are hesitant to tackle it. The church often just goes along with the leaders...but are our leaders biblical?   The Bible has far more to say about this than qualification checklists...just like marrying someone has qualifications like they be single, you know you are looking for a lot more than a single person. The Bible also gives us character traits and responsibilities of those in the role of elder in 1 Peter 5 and 1 Tim 5.

As things come back from pandemic many churches will be tempted to do this one huge mistake...this video addresses what that mistake it, talks about new ways of looking ahead, and ends with a message to church leaders. You can make a big mistake or you can see a big opportunity! Let's do the second. Signup for all Wineskins articles, videos and podcasts in one email per week - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9

There are a number of things parents do that can later undermine the faith of their kids. It isn't about messing up on this a few times...but on these things being a pattern that forms a culture where faith doesn't grow well. The three things are: Don't allow questions or experience discovery How you talk about God's people and church Act like you are perfect We would be honored if you would subscribe to the channel and join the Wineskins community here on Podbean! Thanks for listening. I am grateful for you. Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 Find more from us here: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/wineskinsArticles - https://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattdabbs Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

We all know we are in decline but there is more to the numbers than meets the eye. How does our change in attendance in Churches of Christ compare with other groups: Baptists, Methodists, etc.? Are they growing or declining faster than we are? What about the people out there who see themselves as Church of Christ but don't attend? How many people are out there like that and what does that tell us? Find out more from Pew - https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2015/05/Religious-Composition-of-U.S.-Adults.pdf Find out more from IMP - https://interimministrypartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Losing-our-Hope-Finding-Our-future.pdf Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 If you just want the audio, please subscribe to our podcast and join the community! Find more from us here: Podcast - https://wineskins.podbean.com Editor of http://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com https://twitter.com/mattdabbs https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

The Pharisees developed rules and traditions to keep Israel pure. The problem was they eventually confused violating their rules with violating the scriptures. We can do the same thing today. Let's take care to understand which parts of our belief are directly from the Bible and which things are tradition and made up rules. And let us be gracious to one another.

What is legalism? This is an important followup video to the previous video on why I left legalism. It isn't just trying to be obedient. It isn't about trying to believe the right thing. Legalism is about what you believe the effect of your obedience is all about. But that is really the symptom of something far deeper - how you see yourself in relation to God. Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9

This is part of my story - a story from legalism to grace. It is a story of how God brought me through maturity to see the Bible, God and others through the lens of grace rather than through the pseudo-security of legalism. You may have a similar story. I would love to hear that in the comments! Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9

There is a lot of hurt out there. As a Christian we have hope but it can be difficult to continue to trust a God who allows you to suffer? I don't have a magical answer to this problem but there are a few things we can consider that can help us cope and deal with our pain. This video shares a few of those and I hope and pray it is beneficial to you. Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 If you just want the videos, please subscribe to our YouTube channel and join the community! www.youtube.com/wineskinsArticles are available at https://wineskins.org & https://mattdabbs.com https://twitter.com/mattdabbs https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

There are two different conversations happening that need to come together. On one side of the wall is a conversation among established churches. They know they have issues and don't always know solutions. On the other side of the wall is the church planting/discipling conversation. If we are going to experience renewal we need each side to listen through the wall and hear each other. Then we need to realize we are better together so that we can break down the wall and help each other. Many people in our churches sense something is amiss but don't know how to fix it. People in the church planting/discipling movements and cultures know solutions - BUT - the two rarely talk. Let's make this conversation happen. Let's break down the wall, peak our heads through and sing a song that takes collaboration to bring about something beautiful. New Day - https://northboulevard.com/events/new-day-conference Renew - www.renew.org Renew Gathering - www.renewgathering2019.com Exponential - www.exponential.org Stan Granberg's article "A Case Study of Growth and Decline: The Churches of Christ, 2006-2016" in The Great Commission Research Journal, Vol 10, No 1 Fall 2018, 90-113 Please subscribe. It helps this ministry and is completely free. If you click the subscribe button, please also click the little bell so you get notification of all new videos in your inbox! We also have an email list you can sign up for to get all our articles, videos and podcasts each week (1 email/week) - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 By Matt Dabbs Editor of http://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com Twitter https://twitter.com/mattdabbs Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

There are some things we can learn and do that will help us reverse our decline but I am not so sure that we are open to the options that can help the most. We have been taught against them, ensuring a difficult future. We could look to other groups of Christians for answers - but many don't believe they are even Christians. We could read books by godly people who have had success in growing churches - but we don't consider them brothers or experts. We could cooperate with other congregations to pool resources to start new churches - but we don't do that well. Many of the things that can help us reverse our decline are things we have been taught against or our culture is highly resistant to. The future is going to be quite challenging. Here are some resources that can help: Mission Alive - https://missionalive.org/ Kairos Church Planting - https://www.kairoschurchplanting.org/ Onward Church Planting - https://onwardchurchplanting.org/ Renew - www.renew.org Discipleship.org - www.discipleship.org Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 If you just want the videos, please subscribe to our channel and join the community! Find more from us here: Podcast - https://wineskins.podbean.com Editor of http://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattdabbs Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

Tim Woodroof and Stan Granberg collected and analyzed data on nearly 10000 members of the Church of Christ. What they found is that we are in a decline since the early 1990s that is accelerating. They collected and ran the numbers pre-COIVD so I am concerned things are accelerating faster than they projected. What can we do about this? They have four main concerns. I walk through their findings and concerns in this week's podcast.

How might Jesus and the Bible put the 2020 election in perspective for those of us who are Christians? As we look to Jesus for answers we will find that no matter what happens tonight, what is most important won't change a bit.

So many people ask this question and get answered with misinformation, made up answers that have no basis in the Bible itself. Or people only look at the small corner of the Bible, out of context, that agrees with their position. This is a big look at the Bible on this issue and what we find takes maturity and nuance to understand. What you will find when you dive into the scriptures is that what is more condemned than alcohol is how people judge others over moderate alcohol consumption. Short answer - drinking alcohol itself is not sinful. Getting drunk is. Signup for all Wineskins content: Each Saturday we send one email with links to all our content from that week. You may not be aware but Wineskins produces articles, podcasts, and videos each week. We promise to not send you more than one email per week. Sign up here - http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9 If you just want the videos, please subscribe to our channel and join the community! Editor of http://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com https://twitter.com/mattdabbs https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

Thank you for watching this video. Please join us in prayer that God would allow this new church plant to grow and multiply. There are a few ways you can help out: Join the prayer team by emailing me (matthewdabbs@hotmail.com) or commenting that you would like to be added. You can give financially to support this work. We don't have all of our donations in and are still in need of support. You can do that securely at this link - https://www.fellowshiponegiving.com/A... You can also mail checks made out to “Backyard Church” to: PO Box 1089 Auburn, AL 36831 I love the fact that you watched the video! Thank you so much for your love and support! I look forward to telling more of the story soon!

After nearly 7 years of full time preaching ministry it is time to wear a new hat. God has been calling us and leading us into something new...Watch the video to find out more and please, please pray for the success of this new effort! It is a little scary but I keep being reminded of God's faithfulness!   The next podcast will give more details.

September's theme at Wineskins.org is the book of James. We are going to walk through each chapter of James before the end of September. James is one of the most practical books in the New Testament. He talks about suffering, sin, righteousness, living out our faith, favoritism and so much more. Let's soak up the book of James together by first talking about James, Jesus' half-brother, and where he appears in the New Testament. We Will follows that up in this video with a walk through of James chapter 1.

What does the Bible say about baptism? Where does baptism come from and what does it mean? What is the difference between baptism and the sinner's prayer? This video explores the Old Testament roots of baptism, what the New Testament teaches on baptism and contrasts it with the ever popular but unbiblical practice of the sinner's prayer. Signup for all Wineskins content in one email per week: http://eepurl.com/g9I2k9

We had the privilege of talking with the director of Passion for Planting, Dale Spaulding, about church planting, why it needs to be done and how to get existing churches invested and involved in the process.   Why is this important? Because in Churches of Christ we have planted fewer churches every decade since the 1960s. We are currently planting less than 20 churches per year. Many, many more than that are closing their doors. This must be addressed. The resources exist. Let's point people to them.   If Christianity is going to thrive it will require planting new churches. Several resources were mentioned that you might want to follow up on:   Passion for Planting Exponential Onward Church Planting Mission Alive Kairos Stadia Association of Related Church (ARC) Ed Stetzer's book "Planting Missional Churches"   To contact Dale, you can email him at dales@church-planting.net

Let's assess how we got to where we are - the good, bad and ugly and then talk about how to put the pieces back together. This video discusses our issues in Churches of Christ, how they developed, and what we can do to move into a more vibrant future. This isn't intended to be harsh, bitter, or angry but more of a description of the state of things with an eye to help make things better, if we want to get better.

In their new book, "Discipleship in Community: A Theological Vision for the Future" authors Mark Powell, John Mark Hicks, and Greg McKinzie explore the discipleship dna in Churches of Christ and how discipleship offers us a framework to understand our lives as followers of Jesus. In this conversation we explore the Trinity, Creeds, and much, much more. Thanks for listening. If you prefer to watch it, you can find it on our Wineskins YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/wineskins If you would like more information on the the theological commitments of Churches of Christ you can find that on the Harding School of Theology website's Theological Commitments page. If you would like to purchase a copy of this book you can do that on amazon.

We explore the definition of denomination and whether or not the Churches in their current form are denominational. How can the Bible guide us to our answer? We have to be consistent in the application of our principles. We cannot label others by one standard and not then also apply that same standard to ourselves. I mentioned donating to Wineskins in the podcast. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. We are an LLC, so it isn't tax deductible but it will keep us up and running! https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=BBcgyOU0PfQ3TgGQvS2PG15MecN6vMF9L2sTJWAqC4EgeAdhO3f05GygcEBRme2FVfcymG&country.x=US&locale.x=US

Is baptism necessary for salvation? What does the New Testament actually teach on baptism? And what about re-baptism...are there valid reasons for being re-baptized? We address this and more in this episode of the Wineskins podcast!

Dr. Michael Brown serves at the Westview Church of Christ in Huntsville, AL and is an electrical engineer at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. He is the author of several books through 21st Century Christian. Dr. John Mark Hicks teaches history and theology at Lipscomb University. They have known each other for nearly forty years and have come together for a series of discussions on how we view race and reconciliation as Christians.

This podcast walks through race in the New Testament: explaining how first century people saw race and how God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, brought unity to such diverse groups of people. It was always the Holy Spirit who took the lead and then the Apostles followed. We need to do the same today.   "Unclean" By Richard Beck

With so many churches moving to hosting church services online there is a great need to figure out how to integrate singing into those services. The Acappella Company started a new streaming service called Praise and Harmony TV to help churches navigate this without having to learn a lot about copyright and through streamlining the fee structures so that this is manageable and inexpensive for churches who are trying to meet the needs of the congregation while away from the building on Sunday. Church Streaming/ Video Hosting information - A How To Guide https://vimeo.com/409234107   ReGen Harmony Website  https://www.regenharmony.com   Praise and Harmony TV https://praiseandharmony.tv   Hero of Israel https://www.facebook.com/PraiseAndHarmony/videos/557789068467425/

We have an identity crisis that bleeds over into a purpose/mission crises and a vision crises. How did we get here and how do we get on the other side? The answer isn't to keep doing more of the same - using our own wisdom to figure out the answer. We must lean into Jesus' example in Matthew 4 of the way to and through the wilderness.

An open conversation about acappella and instrumental worship in Churches of Christ with minister, songwriter, composer, and conductor DJ Bulls. What does the New Testament say about singing and what does that mean for us today? Has our view on this, in Churches of Christ, been accurate and biblical? Or is it a matter of preference? The three previous videos referenced can be watched here: What Ephesians 5:19 is Really About What Colossians 3:16 is Really About Five Reasons in Favor of Acappella Congregational Singing Find more from DJ here: www.djbulls.com https://timelesspsalter.com/  

How do we come out of this pandemic spiritually formed? We sat down, cleared our minds, and tackled this and several related topics that you may find beneficial during this difficult and challenging time. Shane wrote a book in 2019 that I hope you will pick up a copy of and read...after hearing Shane, I believe you will be motivated to read more of his thoughts. You can buy it at amazon - "Between Two Trees". You can also get more content from Shane at his website - www.shanejwood.com If you prefer to watch these interviews, they are available on the Wineskins YouTube channel the same day the post on the podcast! Wineskins on YouTube.

I was deeply moved by a video I watched on Facebook of hundreds of Christians singing praise outside a hospital near St. Louis. Nurses came to the windows to wave. Christians gathered (while physical distancing, of course!) to praise God and encourage the community. Knowing the people involved, I wasn't surprised that they were doing this. Kerry Cox and the churches he ministers with are serious about mission. They are serious about mission because they love people...so much so that they find themselves in an unusual position of being mostly a church of the unchurched. They are making disciples who make disciples. It is a beautiful thing and I want you to hear his heart to be inspired and, hopefully, get more of our established churches figuring out how they can support efforts like these domestically. If you would like to reach Kerry with questions or if you would like to support his ministry, his email is kerrymcox@gmail.com and his cell is 636-497-5225.

There are many who believe the gifts of the Spirit stopped when the New Testament was completed. Does this view hold up in light of scripture and history? The short answer is "no". The longer answer and the evidence for it is presented in this week's podcast. Thanks for tuning in. Let me hear from you!   Matt

What does the Bible teach in regard to the involvement and public participation of women in the worship assembly? Churches of Christ as some of the most strict on this issue and, given the fact that women comprise over half our membership, it is understandable that we re-evaluate what the Bible actually teaches about women in the assembly to make sure our views match the scriptures rather than trying to match the scriptures to our view. What is the biblically consistent view? Is our current practice consistent? Is there a path that better accounts for the scriptures we have? This video explores Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 13, and 1 Timothy 2 to see what is really going on in those passages to help us be biblically informed today. Book recommendations: Keener, "Paul, Women and Wives" - https://tinyurl.com/vd6bxgh "Two Views on Women in Ministry" - https://tinyurl.com/rudfnrn Witherington, "Women and the Genesis of Christianity" - https://tinyurl.com/waffbzp Witherington, "Women in the Earliest Churches" - https://tinyurl.com/uhrsgpf Cohick, "Women in the World of the Earliest Christians" - https://tinyurl.com/uvcr2f9 Koestenberger, "Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15" - https://tinyurl.com/yx8akxz5 Kroeger & Kroeger - "I Suffer Not a Woman" - https://tinyurl.com/t58drvd Find more from us here: Editor of http://wineskins.org Writer at http://mattdabbs.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattdabbs Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dabbs.matt/

With the Coronavirus shutting so many parts of our lives down it brings the gospel back into focus. What is the gospel? Is it getting our sins forgiven so we can die and go to heaven? Is it something more than that? We will let the Bible define the gospel for us rather than the other way around.   This video walks through uses of the word "Gospel" in the New Testament to see how the biblical writers themselves used this word and what it meant to them. What we find is that it has as much to do with here and now as it does eternity. The Gospel has so much to do with here and now. How we live. How we love. How the good news is lived out in our lives and through our teaching and reaching the lost. The Coronavirus gives us opportunity to not just say it will all get better in heaven some day but to live as Jesus would live now and address the hurting people around us - that is gospel as well.

How does a church go about planting 60,000 new churches, ahead of schedule? Lord willing, that will be the case for David Young and the North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, TN! In this podcast we review the state of our church planting efforts and talk about how God is working to birth new churches that birth new churches. The hope and prayer for this podcast is that hundreds, even thousands of other churches, can begin taking steps in this direction and watch God give the increase. There were a number of resources mentioned in this podcast including: Books Leading Change by John Kotter A Grand Illusion: How Progressive Christianity Undermines Biblical Faith By David Young New Day: Restoring the Revolutionary Mission of Christ's Church By David Young Kingdom Unleashed by Jerry Trousdale Ministries New Generations Ministries - Disciple Making Movements Final Command Ministries New Day Conference Passion for Planting Kairos Stadia Church Planting North Boulevard Church of Christ School of Discipleship Heritage 21

New Creation! It is where the whole story is headed. The bookends of the Bible - Creation to New Creation. We can have hope because we know where and what God is pressing the cosmos toward! Act 5 closes out the Theodrama. We appreciate you listening and hope and pray it blesses many to embrace a richer and fuller biblical theology.

The church is the full on renewal of Israel. We cannot fully understand the life and role of the church in the world without the first 3 acts of the story. The church is the fulfillment of Israel. The church fills Israel's role and intention in the world. We have to know who we are!

The Theodrama is a 5 Act series on the story of scripture. It is rich theology that helps us grasp the broader narrative of the Bible. You can watch each video individually or you can watch them by Act. Here is Act 3 - The story of Jesus from his birth to his resurrection! There is continuity between each Act - from Creation (Act 1) to New Creation (Act 5) with Jesus right in the middle (Act 3). We pray this is a blessing to your understanding, not just of the Bible, but also of God! Thank you for listening!

When God choose Abraham and made a covenant with him, God set into motion a family who he would work with to ultimately fulfill all His promises through Jesus. The story of Abraham and his descendants teach us many things about ourselves and God and the way God deals with people. If you prefer to watch the Theodrama on YouTube you can do that on the Theodrama playlist. If you haven't checked out the Wineskins YouTube channel, please do! It is growing every single day with new subscribers. John Mark Hicks is an author and scholar who has taught Bible and theology for several decades. His insight and humility are appreciated by Christians far and wide.

The Theodrama is 5 Act story of the Bible. It starts with the creation of the universe (Act 1). Then the drama unfolds as God chooses Abraham and the story of Israel. Third comes the Messiah, Jesus the Christ (Act 3). Fourth in the story is the birth of the church (Act 4). Finally the Bible hints all the way along about new creation - that God will redeem all things and bring together a new heaven and a new earth (Act 5). This is the Theodrama! We will post all 5 acts on the podcast. If you prefer to watch them on YouTube you can do that on the Theodrama playlist. If you haven't checked out the Wineskins YouTube channel, please do! It is growing every single day with new subscribers. John Mark Hicks is an author and scholar who has taught Bible and theology for several decades. His insight and humility are appreciated by Christians far and wide.

With things in decline, on average in our churches (which, by the way is not unique to Churches of Christ) where do we go from here? How do we find the path? Is it finding the right program? Adopting a new leadership style? Is it equipping? What is the path to a better future? This podcast will explore how we move ahead and what it is going to take. It won't be easy but with God's help, all things are possible.