Podcasts about Church of Christ

In this episode of Dear Church, Chris McCurley is joined by Matt James, preacher at the Church of Christ in Crosbyton, Texas, for a conversation about small town ministry. Together, they discuss the unique challenges and blessings that come with serving Christ in close-knit communities, where relationships are personal and ministry is deeply connected to everyday life. The discussion highlights the importance of faithfulness, long-term investment, and gospel-centered work in smaller congregations, reminding listeners that meaningful ministry is not measured by size, but by devotion to Christ and service to His people.     Connect with Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearchurch_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564673680147 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DearChurch   Have a question? Email Chris at chris.mccurley@rippleoflight.com.   #DearChurchPodcast #SmallTownMinistry #ChurchOfChrist #RuralMinistry #PreachingTheGospel #ChristianLeadership #PastoralMinistry #ChurchCommunity #FaithfulService #ChristianPodcast #MinistryChallenges #ServingTheChurch #GospelWork #LocalChurch #BiblicalMinistry

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From apps, to blogs, to live and recorded sermons, etc., there are thousands of resources available to Christians who want to supplement their Christian growth. But none of these can replace our active service and regular participation inside the Church of Christ. In this episode, we'll discuss the barriers people erect to this foundational truth; and filter them through scripture, providing biblical and practical ways to overcome them.

To fulfill its assigned mission, the Church of Christ must demonstrate Biblical characteristics.

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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 13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?  14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.  18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.  20 Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.[18] "Thou art Peter": As St. Peter, by divine revelation, here made a solemn profession of his faith of the divinity of Christ; so in recompense of this faith and profession, our Lord here declares to him the dignity to which he is pleased to raise him: viz., that he to whom he had already given the name of Peter, signifying a rock, St. John 1. 42, should be a rock indeed, of invincible strength, for the support of the building of the church; in which building he should be, next to Christ himself, the chief foundation stone, in quality of chief pastor, ruler, and governor; and should have accordingly all fulness of ecclesiastical power, signified by the keys of the kingdom of heaven.[18] "Upon this rock": The words of Christ to Peter, spoken in the vulgar language of the Jews which our Lord made use of, were the same as if he had said in English, Thou art a Rock, and upon this rock I will build my church. So that, by the plain course of the words, Peter is here declared to be the rock, upon which the church was to be built: Christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same. Where also note, that Christ, by building his house, that is, his church, upon a rock, has thereby secured it against all storms and floods, like the wise builder, [Matt 7:24-25].[18] "The gates of hell": That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself, or his agents. For as the church is here likened to a house, or fortress, built on a rock; so the adverse powers are likened to a contrary house or fortress, the gates of which, that is, the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or church of Christ. By this promise we are fully assured, that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the church of Christ.[19] "Loose upon earth": The loosing the bands of temporal punishments due to sins, is called an indulgence; the power of which is here granted.St Marcellus I defended the rights of the church with heroic resistance. On this account he was exlied by the heretic Maxenius. He died A.D. 310.

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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Maraming nagtatanong tuwing Traslacion: “Hindi ba ito pagsamba sa rebulto ng mga Katoliko?”

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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In its services, the Church calls St Basil a "bee of the Church of Christ": bringing the honey of divinely-inspired wisdom to the faithful, stinging the uprisings of heresy. He was born in Cappadocia to a wealthy and prominent family. Their worldly wealth, however, is as nothing compared to the wealth of Saints that they have given to the Church: his parents St Basil the Elder and St Emmelia; his sister St Macrina (July 19), the spiritual head of the family; and his brothers St Gregory of Nyssa (January 10), and St Peter, future bishop of Sebaste (January 9).   Inspired and tutored by his father, a renowned professor of rhetoric, the brilliant Basil set out to master the secular learning and arts of his day, traveling to Athens, where he studied alongside his life-long friend St Gregory of Nazianzus. When he returned from his studies in 356, he found that his mother and his sister Macrina had turned the family home into a convent, and that his brothers had also taken up the monastic life nearby. Puffed up by his secular accomplishments, he at first resisted his sister's pleas to take up a life devoted to God, but at last, through her prayers and admonition, entered upon the ascetical life.   After traveling among the monks of Egypt, Palestine and Syria, he settled in Cappadocia as a hermit, living in utter poverty and writing his ascetical homilies. A monastic community steadily gathered around him, and for its good order St Basil wrote his Rule, which is regarded as the charter of monasticism. (St Benedict in the West was familiar with this Rule, and his own is modeled on it.)   In about 370 he was consecrated Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Even as bishop, he continued to live without any possessions save a worn garment to cover himself. At this time the Arian heresy was rending the Church, and it became St Basil's lot to defend Orthodoxy in Sermons and writings, a task which he fulfilled with such erudition and wisdom that he is called "Basil the Great." He reposed in peace in 379, at the age of forty-nine.

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As part of our year-end tradition, Pastor Frances shares what God has put on her heart for the Church of Christ in 2026. She also offers some guidance on how to correctly receive prophetic words. On behalf of everyone at Global Grace Ministries, we wish you a blessed 2026.For more information visit: globalgraceministries.com/

A quiet shift begins when a lifelong member of the Churches of Christ realizes that his faith life, rich in study and careful exegesis, struggles to move from mind to heart. Brandon Marlow's story traces the Restoration Movement's ideals—erase denominational lines, do Bible things in Bible ways, and speak where Scripture speaks. Those guiding slogans shaped a culture suspicious of creeds, titles, instruments, and anything not “authorized.” The result formed disciplined habits, robust Bible study, and close-knit congregations. Yet the same strengths could narrow imagination and flatten mystery. A low view of the Holy Spirit's personal activity and an intellectual approach to faith left little language for awe, beauty, or sacrament. Brandon describes how good intentions produced a protective fence, but often fenced out wonder.His turning came when he stepped into preaching during a pastoral vacancy. Wanting holiness to match responsibility, he searched for time-tested disciplines: daily prayers, fasting rhythms, and a pattern of worship that stretches the soul. He found them in Orthodoxy. Prayer books spoke soberly about judgment and mercy, teaching him to remember ultimate things every day. Memorizing whole psalms, not just proof texts, reoriented his inner life. Icons startled him. Venerating the Ascension icon, his heart rose in praise, not just his mind in assent. He realized devotion is learned by doing—beauty tutors love, and ritual teaches reverence. Where logic said “believe,” the Church taught him to behold, adore, and belong.Scripture did not shrink; it deepened. Listening to Orthodox homilies, he felt less “interpretation” and more unveiling. Texts clicked into place as part of a living Tradition, the same bloodstream that nourished the Fathers he had once mined for citations. C.S. Lewis had cracked the door years earlier, proving that Christian wisdom could move the affections without verse labels in every line. Meeting the Fathers as pastors—Ignatius, Polycarp, and more—showed him a church that loved, bled, and prayed as one body. Their worlds made sense of bones cherished as gold, not as superstition, but as love made tangible in the saints who fed, blessed, and shepherded their flock.The Eucharist became the center of gravity. In his upbringing, communion was precious yet rushed, migrating from homemade bread to sealed cups as the table drifted to the side. Reverence thinned as routine took hold. In Orthodoxy, he discovered preparation before, prayer during, and gratitude after. The chalice, spoon, and altar were holy because the Lord gives himself there—Body and Blood, Presence not symbol. Approaching the chalice for the first time felt like approaching fire. He stepped forward in obedience and love, realizing this is why Christ died: communion. From there, everything else reframed—ascetic practices, feasts and fasts, the calendar that walks believers through the life of Christ, and the solidarity of Holy Week that exhausts, burns, and resurrects a community together.From “people of the book” to people of the Book and the Table, he discovered that truth is not only argued; it is adored, sung, tasted, and shared. The heart learns by worship as much as the mind learns by words, and both find their home when Scripture meets Sacrament in the life of the Church.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok.Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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What is a Church of Christ?

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On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/18/25), Hank explains that the word Epiphany means to reveal, and is one of the oldest Christmas traditions; highlighting the fact that God in Christ revealed Himself to us.Hank also answers the following questions:What doctrines should we divide over? How do we determine what the essential Christian doctrines are? Nick - Fort Wayne, IN (3:04)My family has been attending a local Church of Christ that is very legalistic. Should we leave, or stay and try to bring change? Donny - St. Louis, MO (7:23)Is the incarnation like Muhammad Ali boxing with one hand behind his back? Chuck - Springville, CA (15:10)I was talking with a Seventh-Day Adventist. Which day should we celebrate the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? David - OK (17:38)I have a friend who preaches and really loves Jesus, but he's a Oneness Pentecostal. Is he born again? Gary - St. Louis, MO (20:04)Can you explain 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Gary - St. Louis, MO (24:32)

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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We believe that the church of Christ is set up the way Christ established it, including with the proper priesthood authority/

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Friends of the Rosary,Today, November 10, the Church of Christ celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, a title that refers to the Holy House of Loreto.This is the house, in the Holy Land, in which Mary was born, and where the Annunciation took place.Tradition says that angels miraculously transported it first to Tersato, Dalmatia, in 1291, then to Recanati, Italy, in 1294, and finally to Loreto, in Italy, a small town located three hours from Rome, where it has been for over six centuries.Today, the 14th-century Shrine of Loreto is one of the most famous Marian shrines in Europe and a pilgrimage center. Many miracles are attributed to this sanctuary of the Holy House.Popes have always held the in special esteem, and it is under their direct authority and protection.Ave MariaCome, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠December 10, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Tomorrow I will be in Roanoke, Virginiaparticipating and speaking at a celebration of life service for a dear, dearsaint of God, Nancy Young. I'll tell you more about Nancy's and her life thatwas, “A Life Well Lived”, later in this blog. Matterof fact her life “measured up to the stature of the fullness of Christ”, thatPaul desired for every believer here in Ephesians 4. Today we begin looking atthis next section of the chapter where we learn about the “growth of unity” inthe local church. From verse 11 we are told this growth takes after, “HeHimself gives some apostles, and some prophets, some evangelists, and somepastors and teachers.” He does this for the purpose which we find in verses12-16. Thisis a very special passage of scripture that gives us exactly what the pastorsand leaders of the church should be doing. That is equipping the saints for thework of the ministry and for the spiritual growth and maturity of theindividual members.  Overmy 50 plus years as a pastor, if I ever knew someone that was a part of comingto the fullness of unity in Christ, coming to a place of full maturity in thebody of Christ and building up the body of Christ, and doing their part to makesure the church of Christ, the body of Christ, was the kind of church it shouldbe, it was Nancy Young. I've had the privilege of being her pastor for the pastthirty-some years now. As I think about the ministry we had together in thelocal church there at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church, of which she was a faithfulmember for the last 40 years, I watched as the Lord used Nancy in a wonderfulway to touch the lives of so many people. Manyof you probably didn't know that Nancy grew up in Africa with her parents, whowent there in 1945 when she was 3 years old. They were first missionaries inthe Congo, and then in Burundi, where during their ministry, there was aterrible genocide taking place. In her personal eight-page typed testimony thatshe recently wrote for her RFBC Sunday School class, she said from birth shewas taught the Word of God by her parents and had memorized Psalm 23 by thetime she was one year old. How amazing is that!!!!  Nancygrew up in Africa up to the time, when as a teenager she went to WheatonCollege back in the states. It was at Wheaton College that she developed apassion to teach children God's word. Not long after college, that she gotinvolved in WRE, (Weekly Religious Education). Now for over 55 plus years,every week you could find her teaching children the Bible in the public schoolsystem, usually meeting in a small trailer across the street from the school,like she did at Colonial Elementary School near where I lived. Ijust am so thankful for her faithful dedication to this ministry because manyof my grandchildren sat under her Bible teaching. Nancy actually taught mydaughters-in-law, Crystal Floyd Grooms when she was a girl. Remember Crystal,(and she won't mind that I say this), today is in her 40s. Yet when she was alittle girl at Colonial Elementary, she sat under Nancy's teaching. Nancyis a wonderful example of someone who loved the Lord, loved her husband, lovedher family, loved ministry, loved teaching God's Word, and had a grasp of the Wordof God in its entirety. She truly was an example of a mature believer who livedin the fullness of Jesus Christ. Oh, what a blessing it has been to be herpastor. We're celebrating her homegoing tomorrow (Tuesday) with her family.We're excited about how God's going to speak to the lives of many even in theservice.  Itrust you have been encouraged by her testimony that I have shared in today'schat. I trust that you are being equipped for the work of the ministry likeNancy Young was. May the Lord also use you to affect and influence the lives ofhundreds of others as He blesses and leads you.  Godbless!

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

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The Unstoppable Move Of God IIWe as Christians are sent to shine in dark places, take territories for Christ, turn toxic spaces into worship, and carry His fragrance wherever He sends us.Revival does not happen by playing it safe. If God sends you, GO!History shows God superimposing His Image on culture by reclaiming what were once names for pagan gods.The church of Christ is a locomotive church, and we are called to boldly take what the enemy uses, elevate it for Christ, and advance without fear of consequences.Build, create, influence, and use every platform for the kingdom of God, bringing all things into obedience to Christ.The consecrations that will preserve us to be able to shine as light1. Have a church.Find a good church to belong to (Galatians 6:1-2)2. Learn to protect your priority.As believers, we believe that success must not be at all costs (Matthew 6:33)3. Embrace your supernatural edge.Don't be ashamed to identify as a Christian; it will save you a lot of trouble (Luke 2:49)4. Contend.Seek for God's influence to grow on your account (Jude 1:3)

In the second episode of this Advent series, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary. This four-part series for Advent is exploring Luke chapters 1 and 2, which are the focus of Christopher's book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (The Good Book Company, 2019). Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Christopher Ash is a preacher, teacher, and writer. After working in telecommunications and as a teacher of maths, Christopher studied theology at Oxford, where he was awarded the Denyer and Johnson prize. He was ordained and served as an Assistant Minister in St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge, before leading a church plant to All Saints, Little Shelford, in 1997. In 2004 he and Carolyn moved to London where Christopher served as Director of the Proclamation Trust's Cornhill Training Course until July 2015.Christopher and his wife Carolyn have been entrusted with three sons and a daughter (all now grown up) and ten grandchildren. They belong to Cambridge Presbyterian church.As Writer-in-Residence, Christopher hopes to encourage younger scholars to grow in faithful loving loyalty to Jesus, and to use their gifts to serve the church of Christ. Christopher's writing mostly focuses on the Psalms. Carolyn serves as Chaplain to the women members of Tyndale House staff.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

Send us a text. If you would like a response, please send us an email to bcoc@suddenlinkmail.com.Jim Laws

In this four-part series for Advent, Tony Watkins talks to Christopher Ash, Writer in Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge, about Luke chapters 1 and 2. These chapters are the focus of Christopher's book of Advent devotions, Repeat the Sounding Joy (pub. Good Book Company). In this first episode, Christopher and Tony discuss the birth of John the Baptist.Repeat the Sounding Joy, by Christopher Ash is available from The Good Book Company and other booksellers.Christopher Ash is a preacher, teacher, and writer. After working in telecommunications and as a teacher of maths, Christopher studied theology at Oxford, where he was awarded the Denyer and Johnson prize. He was ordained and served as an Assistant Minister in St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge, before leading a church plant to All Saints, Little Shelford, in 1997. In 2004 he moved to London where Christopher served as Director of the Proclamation Trust's Cornhill Training Course until July 2015.Christopher and his wife Carolyn have been entrusted with three sons and a daughter (all now grown up) and ten grandchildren. They belong to Cambridge Presbyterian church.As Writer-in-Residence, Christopher hopes to encourage younger scholars to grow in faithful loving loyalty to Jesus, and to use their gifts to serve the church of Christ. Christopher's writing mostly focuses on the Psalms.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Dru brings on his friend Wayne Welsh, a Church of Christ minister, to give an articulate overview of the movement and discuss some of the strengths & weaknesses of this attempt to restore "primitivism" to the body of Christ.Wayne's church: https://hawkridge.church

John discusses talk about the outrage after Congressional Democrats released a video urging members of the administration and the armed forces to refuse any illegal orders from the White House, and of course, Trump called their actions “seditious” and worthy of arrest and death. Then, he interviews Carl O. Sherman who represented the 109th district in the Texas Statehouse, serving Cedar Hill, De Soto, Lancaster and other communities in greater Dallas. A man of strong religious faith, Sherman presently serves in the role of Senior Pastor in the Church of Christ. He was elected in November 2018 to serve as a Member of the Texas House of Representatives. He joins John to talk about his year of recovery from heart surgery, his new book and the state of Texas politics. Then, John welcomes back Richard Chew who has been a part of the WCPT family since 2017, becoming WCPT's morning host in early 2024. Born and raised in Chicago and southwest Michigan, Richard is a 25-plus-year wealth management and insurance veteran, Richard is well-versed in all areas of financial planning, wealth management and insurance plans designed to help clients with their financial future. Richard's primary goal is to help consumers assess what their needs are and find the right plans and programs to protect their wealth.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, November 21, the Church of Christ celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of Mary.On September 8, we celebrated the Birthday of Our Lady, and on September 12, the Holy Name.With the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, we complete this Marian cycle, which is parallel with the first three feasts of our Lord in the liturgical calendar: the birth of Christ or Christmas (December 25), the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3), and His Presentation in the Temple (February 2).The historical background of the Presentation of Mary is found in the Protoevangel of St. James (ch. 4:1ff).After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna vowed her future child, Mary, to the Lord. At the age of three, Mary was transferred to the temple, and here, she received her nourishment from the hand of an angel.On this feast day, we meditate on the mystery of Mary's temporary dwelling in the sanctuary of the Old Covenant as a preparation for the approaching season of Advent.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• November 21, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET