End of 2020 Congregational Update

 

As we turn the calendar from 2020 to 2021, the leadership of the Chestnut Mound church of Christ would like to update you on what you can expect from us in 2021.

The leadership here at Chestnut Mound was informed yesterday (12/21) afternoon that Justin Douglass will be stepping down as fourth Sunday minister effective immediately. We would like to thank Justin and his wife Lexi for their two years of service to this congregation and wish them well in their new work with the Servants of Christ Campus Ministry at Tennessee Tech University. Last night we spoke with Shawn Hensley, one of the elders of the Liberty church of Christ in Granville, and he has agreed to preach this Sunday as the search for a replacement has begun as of yesterday. 

I'm sure most everyone has heard about the governor's announcement on Sunday night (12/20). These new restrictions do not apply to church assemblies. We will NOT be modifying our assemblies. We feel as though everyone is able to distance in a satisfactory manner. If you feel uncomfortable attending worship or feel sick, then we ask you to please stay home. Please refer to the post pinned at the top of this page for our COVID related policies.

As we head into the new year, we will continue to operate our YouTube channel. We have had nothing but positive feedback from it and will continue with our weekly sermons and our midweek Meditations from the Mound. We will also be continuing to send out House to House, Heart to Heart mailings in 2021. Perhaps the biggest new evangelism effort to expect from us in 2021 is our involvement with The Gospel of Christ television program with speaker Ben Bailey. Beginning January 3rd, we will sponsor a broadcast of this program at 12:30 pm every Sunday on DTC-TV in Smith County. We are currently working on getting all the necessary contracts signed with TGOC and DTC-TV.

Since her inception in 1966, the Chestnut Mound church of Christ has been a beacon of light in Smith County. It is our hope and prayer that as we head into 2021 we will continue to be that light. As always if anyone has a question or concern about any of this information please reach out to either Ricky Lambert or Carver Moore. Thank you and may God bless you!!

In Him,

Ricky Lambert

Carver Moore

COVID-19 Update (May Edition)

The Chestnut Mound church of Christ is happy to announce that we will resume physical worship services this Sunday, May 17th at 10 am for Bible study and 11 am for worship. While we are anticipating the return to physical worship, we are taking the following precautions for the safety of our members and visitors:

- Masks are not required, we ask that you use your own discretion. If you feel more comfortable wearing one to services, then feel free to do so.

- Upon entering the church building, we will have individual pre-filled Lord's Supper packets in a box on the table in the foyer. Please pick these up as you come in. Likewise there will be a basket on the same table for you to place your contribution in. You can do this as you enter or as you leave.

- When choosing a place to sit, please try and sit at least six feet away from one another. Families are encouraged to sit together.

- In lieu of handshakes and hugs, we will be doing "fist bumps," and/or "elbow bumps."

- Our building has been cleaned and disinfected throughly to prepare for our return. Hand sanitizer will be readily available for you and you are welcome to bring your own.

- There will be no children's Bible class. Everyone will assemble together in the auditorium for our ongoing study on the book of Matthew at 10 am.

- If you are in a compromised age bracket or have a compromised immune system, and don't feel comfortable attending worship services, our sermon will be posted on our YouTube channel. We will also be continuing our weekly midweek devotionals. Just go to YouTube and search "chestnut mound church of christ."

We are looking forward to assembling together physically with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and anyone that might want to visit with us, once again. We are trying to follow the CDC's guidelines as closely as we can, and we can assure you that you and your family will be able to worship in a safe manner.

In Him,

Rickey Lambert

Carver Moore

COVID-19 Update

Per the CDC's guidelines against gatherings of 10 or more persons and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee's stay at home order for the entire state, the decision was made, effective April 1st, to cancel all services at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ indefinitely. In the meantime, we will be posting sermons, Bible classes, and devotionals on our YouTube channel. We want everyone to know that we are praying for you, we love you, and most importantly God loves you!! We will get through this. If we can help you in any way please don't hesitate to reach out to us at: chestnutmoundcoctn@gmail.com.

Link to Chestnut Mound church of Christ on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC22A_lCFPAJxWN6Xj5dNftA

God's Call

For the past few weeks at Chestnut Mound, I have been preaching a series of sermons on God's Call. Whether we realize it or not, God is calling each one of us. Each of us have a purpose given to us by God. However, it is our decision whether or not we will answer His call. In this week's blog article, I want to offer you some practical advice on carrying out and answering your calling.

In Matthew 25, we are told of the Parable of the Talents. A "talent" as it relates to the parable is a unit of weight that totals around eighty pounds. As a unit of currency, it was worth 6,000 denarii. In verses 14-30, Jesus uses talents to represent our personal abilities. What do we do with our talents? Let's look at what happened here in this parable. We have a man (God) who calls and gives His servants (Christians) talents according to their own unique abilities. Each servant handles their talents in a unique way. One trades the five he was given for five new completely different ones, one was able to acquire two additional ones to add to the two he already had, and then the third servant who had received one, took his and buried it. We see that two of the three servants took their talents and used them for good and made them profitable for the man (God). The third servant hoarded his talent up, and simply did not use it at all.

When we are given talents from God today, we shouldn't "hoard" them. What if a preacher decided to hoard his talent for teaching the Gospel? Consider Paul, what would have happened if God hadn't called him to become perhaps the greatest gospel preacher that has ever lived, who would have written all the letters that we see throughout the New Testament? What if Paul had not answered the call?

God calls everyone into service in His Kingdom for a specific purpose. However, it is our responsibility whether or not to utilize our God given talents. If we choose to hoard up our talents, then we run the risk of someone possibly losing their soul or even losing our own soul. The Parable of the Talents teaches us that when God calls us to do something, then we better do it, and we also ought to be good stewards of what He has called us to do. Being a good steward means using the talents, or other blessings we've been given to glorify God and also never forgetting that they indeed come from Him.

What would you do if your phone rang and God was calling? Of course this would never happen, but what would your response be? If He told you to drop whatever you were doing and do what He says, would you do it? God calls everyone through His Word, which just so happens to be the Bible. He is not a "respecter of persons" (Romans 2:11). It's your answer to the call that will be the difference between Heaven or Hell. You may only have one chance, make the most of it!!

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Fear: How Do You Deal With It?

In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, March 3rd, a tornado ripped through north Nashville, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, and western Putnam County. I, like so many, was asleep as the tornado went through its path of destruction. Around 1:30, my mom and sister came into my room and woke me up. I was shocked to hear the tornado sirens going off in downtown Cookeville, as the weather report said the storm wouldn't reach Cookeville and Putnam County until the hours of 5 and 7 am. The radar, to say the least, was scary, and the wind, rain, and hail, as well as lack of daylight just made the entire event even scarier. After about thirty minutes the wind died down and the hail subsided and the rain slacked up. We looked outside the windows of our house and there was no damage to speak of. After another thirty minutes or so to "get our wits about us," we all went back to bed. It wasn't until we awoke a few hours later that we realized how serious the storm had been.

I'm not going to go into detail about the storm, the specific path it took, nor the scientific aspects of it. We need to spend this time in prayer for the victims and those that were lost. However, these last few days have gotten me to thinking about fear. Fear is inevitable, but how do we respond and deal with it? Do we let it control our lives or do we use it for good? What kinds of fear are there? In this week's blog, I want us to look at how to deal with fear and use it for good.

1. We are commanded to have a "healthy dose" of fear when it comes to our relationship with God. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we are told "God has not given us a spirit of fear." God doesn't want us to fear Him, instead He wants us to respect Him. If we were afraid of God, would we ever pray to Him or worship Him? No, we would be terrified to think of doing such things. God wants to be our source of refuge in both good and bad times, not someone we run from. Think about if we lived during Old Testament times. God hasn't always been as lenient with His people as He is now. If you made God mad, He would strike you dead on the spot. In Lamentations 2, we read of God's anger with the city of Jerusalem. In these twenty-two verses, the word "anger" is used four times. God is upset with the Children of Israel for the way they had been acting. The book of Lamentations was written after the fact, and is a record for us of God's anger. The word "lamentation" means "an expression of sorrow, mourning, or regret." The anger of God got through to the Israelites and they expressed their sorrow here in the book of Lamentations. Likewise, when we mess up today, we should have enough "fear" or "respect" for God to "lament" when we are wrong. We should thank God that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for us so that we can have forgiveness of any sins we might commit.

2. Do our fear(s) keep us from following God? Do you fear going out and talking to others about the Gospel? Do you fear teaching Bible class, leading public prayer, or visiting with fellow members of the church? Do natural disasters like Tuesday's make you so scared that you can't bring yourself to do anything to help those affected by them? Do natural disasters make you so scared that you allow your faith to waver? Friends we have to learn to overcome our fears. If we dwell on them, then we will go throughout life and be miserable. In Isaiah 41:10, we are told to "fear not." Why? Because God will strengthen us. Friends, we can overcome any fear, no matter how big or how small, with our faith in God.

Friends, I challenge you this week, and every week, to strive to overcome your fears. Will there be nights like Tuesday where it will be hard to? Of course, but we must rely on God to help get us through those times. No matter the struggle, God will get you through it. Paul said to the church at Philippi, in Philippians 4:13, that he "could do all things through Christ who strengthened him." Isn't that true for us today? No matter what we face, no matter what fears come along, we can do anything through God who strengthens us!!

In Him,

Carver Moore

We were blessed at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ, that none of our members nor our broader community were affected by the storm Tuesday morning. We ask that you keep the Double Springs, Echo Valley, and surrounding Putnam County communities in your prayers as they recover and put their lives back together. We also ask that you pray for the families of the eighteen individuals that lost their lives in the storm. 

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Rewinding Your Life

Do you ever go throughout your life and wish you could have a do over on something that happened as recently as yesterday, or something as distant as ten years ago? You just wish there was a giant "rewind" button that you could push that would take you back in time and give you another chance to correct whatever it was that you did. Unfortunately we don't have a button like this. Once we make a decision to do something, that decision is final and there is no going back. In this week's blog article I want to offer you some advice on things that you can do that will help you make the right decisions that will hopefully lead to you not regretting them down the road.

1. Think before you speak. Before you speak, think about the lasting consequences it could have. Before you blurt something out just because you want to, think about it first and ask yourself "does what I am about to say contribute to the discussion in a positive way?" "Will what I am about to say hurt the person(s) that I am engaged in conversation with?" Our words are very powerful and sometimes hurtful things. What we say, that might be a joke to us, could be perceived the exact opposite way to another person. In Ephesians 4:29, Paul tells the members of the church at Ephesus, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good and necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." What should we use our mouths for? We should use them to encourage and build people up, not tear them down. Think about all the celebrities that have had their careers ruined because of something they said. The same goes for us today. What we say to others, can have lasting consequences, some of which can not be undone.

2. Think before you act. How do you act around people that you just met, or those that might be strangers to you? If you're anything like me, you attempt to strike up conversation with them. Do you start joking with them right away? Of course not. When looking for someone to evangelize, do you start off right away telling them about the Gospel? No, you have to allow them time to warm up to you. When you are around someone that you don't know well, do you carry yourself in a humble manner, or do you walk around like a big shot, "like you own the place?" In Proverbs 13:16, we are told that "Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly." Before you act on something, involving another person(s), make sure that you take into account all of the concerns, requests, and needs of that other individual(s). If not, you run the risk of coming across as a "Bible beater," and you will regret your actions down the road when you lose the chance to evangelize that individual(s).

3. Think before you make a big (potentially life altering) decision. Think about some of the biggest decisions that you will ever make. Buying a house, a car, getting married, having children, and most importantly obeying the Gospel. How long do we think about making these decisions before we actually follow through with them? Do we wake up one morning and say "I'm going to buy a house today." I suppose some people do that, but an investment that big, deserves at least a little bit of thought. Think about getting married. Do a man and woman meet, date, get engaged, and get married all in a day? I guess if you dig hard enough you might find a case like that, but it's very rare. Before we make a major decision, it's wise to take the time to think things through so that we won't have regrets later on. Remember, we don't have a magical "rewind" button that we can push and go back and correct a mistake we might have made. Once the decision is made, it's made. Once you marry, you have to live with that other person "until death do us part." When we make a decision (big or small), we must follow Paul's instruction to the church at Colossae in Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord, Jesus." Every decision we make must be done in the name of Jesus. We must pray to Him for strength, comfort, and understanding when we make these potentially life altering decisions.

Friends, it is very easy to live in the past. We do things and then we catch ourselves thinking "why did I do, say, or act like that? All we can do in those moments is to learn from them and vow to do better. We can't go back and change anything, I don't care if it happened yesterday or ten years ago. Just use those instances as learning experiences and move on. For months I struggled with getting the church bus stuck in the mud. I desperately wanted to go back in time and change what happened, but guess what, it's a learning experience for me. The old saying goes, "Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Learn from past mistakes, grow from them, and become a better person and Christian.

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Are You "Coachable?"

Have you ever heard someone say, when talking about another person, "you can't tell them anything, they just think they know it all." Believe it or not, we live in a world where no one likes being told they are wrong. People today can't stand the least bit of correction. The person is not correcting you because you're incompetent, but because they want to teach you something and they want you to improve. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays I was reminded of this (even though being reminded I am wrong has and continues to be a daily reminder).

My grandfather and I are extremely close. We have been running around together since I was born. During the holiday season, we mutually decided that it was time that I learn how to drive his Jeep, which just so happens to have a manual transmission. The Jeep is as old as I am and has been a staple in my life for years, so I jumped at this opportunity. While dinner was being prepared my grandfather and I took off in the Jeep down to the Granville Cemetery. This is a perfect place to learn since the cemetery has several driveways where we can start and stop and practice changing the gears. For about an hour I was constantly stalling the engine out. I kept this up until finally he said, "that's it, turn it off, get out, and let me have it." We swapped seats and he said, "now I'm going to show you a way to be smooth with this thing." He proceeded to show me how to effortlessly shift the gears using just the right amount of coordination between his right hand and left foot. He said, "this is not like those automatic cars that you don't have to put any effort into, this thing requires finesse." Well he stopped the Jeep again and we swapped places once again. Guess what happened? I took his advice to heart and I didn't stall the engine out near as much.

On Christmas Day, we once again got out in the Jeep before dinner. We went back to Granville, but this time we were going to practice taking off on hills. I drove up to about the center of the hill there in the cemetery and my grandpa said, "put it in neutral wait a few seconds like you're at a traffic light, and then take off." Well I did what he said, but I stalled the motor (first time all day) and we rolled backwards down the hill. I tried again, you guessed it same result. After a few minutes of trying and failing, he finally said "get out." So we swapped seats and he once again coached me up on what I should do. He said, "remember what I said about finesse? All you have to do is ease off the brake, keep your foot on the clutch, gently hit the gas, and then ease your foot off the clutch." After a few times of watching him do this, it was my turn. I drove up the hill about halfway, put the Jeep in neutral, waited a few seconds, and then took off. We didn't roll back down the hill, but I absolutely floored it and we "peeled out" (I didn't stall it out though). This time, my grandfather didn't say anything. I said, "how was that?" He said, "what do you think?" I said, "not good huh." He said, "you are to used to driving an automatic transmission all the time, and don't realize the finesse this thing requires." So after a few more hours, I finally got the hang of it. My grandpa said that I had improved so much from Thanksgiving to Christmas that he let me drive the Jeep back to the farm. Guess what, I didn't stall the motor or have any troubles on inclines the entire drive back. It's all about being open minded. Checking your ego at the door, and realizing there's people out there that know more about things than you do. There's a few spiritual applications that I want to make here.

1. People have always felt like they know everything, even in Bible times. Do you remember what King Jeroboam did in I Kings 12? Starting in verse 25, Jeroboam concocts a scheme to shift the balance of power in Israel away from the tribe of Levi, instead to the tribes of Bethel and Dan. No one was going to tell Jeroboam that what he was doing was wrong, and if they had, he would have blown them off. In the first few verses of chapter 13, we see that a "man of God" comes to Jeroboam and tells him that Josiah is going to be born of the house of David and will eventually become king. In verse 4, we see that Jeroboam commands the man to be removed from his presence. Jeroboam does not want to hear that he is wrong. Now look at the Children of Israel as they are being led out of Egypt. In Exodus 16:3; 17:3; and 32:1. In each of these verses, the Israelites are constantly complaining against Moses and the fact that he led them out of Egypt into the middle of nowhere. They failed in each of these three verses to trust, listen, and obey God, Moses, and the bigger picture. Finally, I am sure all of you reading this remember the Pharisees. In our Sunday morning Bible study, we have been studying through the book of Matthew. In your personal study, I encourage you to read through this book and take note of each of the Pharisees interactions with Jesus. In each interaction, the Pharisees attempt to disprove the things Jesus is teaching and preaching. When Jesus tries to correct them, it goes in one ear and out the other. How do we avoid being like Jeroboam, the Israelites, and the Pharisees?

2. We should be "coachable." What does a coach do? They teach their players how to play a particular sport. What do parents do? They teach their children right from wrong and how to live their  lives. What does the Bible do? It teaches us how to get to Heaven. It teaches us how to live our lives. It teaches us how to treat others. The things written in its pages are the truth and were inspired by God. Do we allow the words of the Bible to "coach us?" When we sit down and read it, or listen to a man preach and/or teach from it, do we take the words to heart? Do we speed read through it, or immerse ourselves in it? Do we read it and find it interesting, yet allow it to enter our short term memory? Do we think we are "to good" for the Bible? Do we fail to realize the power of the Scriptures? In I Peter 1:23 and 25, we are told that the word of God is "incorruptible" and "endures forever." Friends the Bible is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Allow it to coach us, mold us, and make us better people and most importantly Christians.

Friends, we are so lucky to be surrounded by people that love us and want to teach us and make us better people and Christians. We are so lucky that we have the Bible readily available to us. Allow it to teach us, mold us, and make us better. Just like learning to drive a manual transmission vehicle, the Bible requires a lot of study. Make sure you commit yourself fully to Bible study and put what you learn into practice daily. Friends, I love you, the Chestnut Mound church of Christ loves you, and most importantly God loves you.

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

You Never Mentioned Him to Me

Last night I was tasked with teaching the college class at Willow Avenue church of Christ. The main theme of my lesson was evangelism, however one of my points was that evangelism requires a certain degree of courage. Think about it, to go up to someone that you might have never met, and talk to them about the gospel, it can be intimidating. I used the following example to illustrate my point last night.

Every month, myself and Willow Avenue's deacon over transportation take turns going over to the building and checking on the busses. We make sure that their exterior and interior's are clean, that they have gas, and are running properly. Willow Avenue has a charge account for gas at the Shell station across the interstate from the building. Every time I go in there to pay for the gas, there's a young man working in there that always talks about Spiritual matters. I don't know if this is something that he does to everyone, or if he looks out and sees the mobile billboard I'm driving and decides to discuss the Bible with me. The past few times I've gone in there, I've tried to do my best to end the conversation and get back out to the bus so I can take it back to the church building and go home. But as I was preparing my lesson for class Wednesday night, I really got to thinking about if I was doing the right thing. It has nagged at my concise enough, that I have vowed that next time I go in there and that guy is working, I am going to ask about his Spiritual background.

I told the college kids last night that they have the greatest platform that a Christian can have. They encounter hundreds of people everyday in their classes or walking across campus that don't know God. They have so many opportunities to reach out to someone and invite them to church or to a college event. All it takes is a little courage and willingness to get outside our comfort zone.

The title of this article is taken from the song entitled "You Never Mentioned Him to Me." I didn't really think about the meaning of this song until Brother Ben Smith was talking about it in a class on evangelism. He said that song should tear us up inside every time we sing it. Think about it, the lyrics speak for themselves. "You never mentioned Him to me, you helped me not the light to see, you met me day by day and knew I was astray, yet never mentioned Him to me." How many people do we let fall through the cracks because we don't have the courage to go talk to them? If that person winds up being lost, do you want that on your conscience?

In Psalms 27:14, the Psalmist tells us to "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait I say on the Lord." If we are going to have a great degree of courage, who does it come through? You guessed it, it comes through God. As we wait for judgement day, we have to have the courage to believe that it's going to happen. When we lay our heads down at night, it takes courage to know that we will wake up in a new day. Likewise when we approach someone to study the Bible with them, it takes a degree of courage.

Think about how many people you encounter every day. I told the college kids last night that I'm envious of them, because of how many people they interact with every day. If one in every 10, 20, 30, people you interact with in a day agreed to come to church with you, think about how the church would grow. You could potentially save that person's soul. You could be the reason they get to Heaven. But on the other hand if you don't say anything to them, you could be the reason they burn in the eternal lake of fire. In Mark 16:15, we are commanded to "Go into all the world and make disciples of every creature." It takes courage, but are you willing to step out of your comfort zone to save souls?

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Tired in the Work, but Not of the Work

Throughout my life, I have heard people talk about how time flies as you get older. The main reason for this? You become busier. I always took this with a grain of salt. Throughout my years of high school and college I "flew by the seat of my pants," and was always waiting for the next great thing to happen. I didn't stop and appreciate life and really live in the moment. I wanted high school and college to be over as quickly as possible so that I could go on to the next thing. The only thing that made high school bearable was playing football, and the only thing that made college bearable was the Servants of Christ Campus Ministry. I have never really realized how much I miss those days until recently.

Do you all ever have those weeks or days where it seems like the entire world is depending on you? Just last week, I began to think about this. My last week and a half, involved sermon and Bible Class prep, a trip to Nashville for a board meeting, and a trip to the county clerk's office to get the license renewed on a church bus. While these things caused me to become tired, I wouldn't have traded them for anything else in the world. When I did catch myself telling myself how tired I was, I thought about how blessed I am to be able to set a schedule and carry out said schedule throughout the week. I have never really thought about my response to people when they ask how I am. I usually say "I'm busy, but I guess that's a good thing. Better to have something to do than nothing at all." How many people do you know that suffer from a physical ailment that causes them to not be able to go about a daily routine? Friends we take working and running errands for granted. We go through life and do nothing but complain. Why not thank God for the ability to live and breath and wake up each new day? Do we sometimes wish that we could go back to our childhood and not have a care in the world? Yes of course!! But "adulting" involves embracing greater responsibility. It's amazing how much my priorities have changed from high school and college to now. In high school my number one priority was how fast I was going to run the forty yard dash or what I needed to do on a particular play. In college my number one priority was how much I should study for a particular test. At the time those things were tiring, but now they seem so simple (maybe everything but the tests haha!!).

The title of this article is taken from one of the very first sermons I ever preached. It is what I like to call "A Clarence Deloach original." The sermon text is from Malachi 1:6-14, and in the introduction, Brother Deloach states that one of the major themes of the text is that we often grow tired in the work, or while engaged in it, but we can't allow ourselves to grow tired of the work, or become "burned out." The prophet Malachi is telling of the corruptness of the people he is surrounded by. He says in v. 13, "oh what a weariness." The weariness of these people has caused them to cut corners and offer defiled or unclean things to God. Does our weariness today cause us to cut corners? It would be easy for me to prepare a sermon and fill it full of my opinion instead of Scripture. Is that ok? What about a doctor? He or she could decide that they are at whit's end and instead of preforming a life saving operation, they give you some pills and send you on your way. Is this the correct way we should be as Christians? Of course not. Things are going to take a toll on us physically, but instead of complaining (social media makes this ten times easier), be thankful that you can do these things. Young people, never take your high school and college days for granted. Those are some of the most carefree times that you will have. Live in the moment and don't wish your life away. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus tells us "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things."

The #1 thing that will kill the church is burnout. Members, ministers, elders, and deacons labor so much and for so long and sometimes rarely get a thank you. They have families and secular jobs that also take up much of their time. Friends, we are blessed. When we are tempted to complain about our families, jobs, lack of material blessings, I challenge you to stop and count your blessings. You might just be surprised to realize that you are blessed WAY beyond what you deserve.

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Idol Worship

I'm sure everyone reading this has heard about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his thirteen year old daughter Gianna, and seven others. This morning while eating breakfast, I was reading the sports news website The Athletic. One of the stories I was reading was a recap of Super Bowl media day. The story was talking about how San Fransisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman and Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Frank Clark are mourning the death of Kobe Bryant.  The two players referred to Bryant as their "idol." As I read this, I thought, are they worshipping Kobe? It sure sounds like it based on this article. I later thought, do we worship celebrities today? Yes we do. Think about how much money we spend on tickets to go see our favorite sports team(s) play, or our favorite singer(s) perform. I hope we don't refer to these things as "idols" but when we devote more time to them than God, they have already become idols.

So what is an idol? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "idol" is a noun that refers to "an object of extreme devotion." Does this sound like the way you define your sports team, singer, or other hobby? The Bible gives us numerous examples of idols. Perhaps the most well known one was the Children of Israel's worship of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. In Exodus 32, we see that the Israelites begin to lose patience with Moses. Verse 1 tells us, "we (Israelites) do not know what has become of him." They told Aaron to construct an object in which they could worship, which would take the place of Moses. Aaron, being greatly outnumbered, gave in to their request and commanded them in verse 2, to "break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."  In verse 4 we read that Aaron had all the earrings melted down and using an engraving tool, he made a calf. Verse 5 tells us that Aaron went on to build an altar and he and the Israelites commenced offering burnt sacrifices to the golden calf.

Friends, God is all seeing, hearing, and knowing. We see this in verse 7. God commands Moses to leave the mountain and get back to the Israelites, because they have "corrupted themselves." Moses indeed leaves the mountain and we are told in verse 19, that as soon as Moses came in sight of the camp, he saw the calf and the Israelites dancing around it and he became "hot and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain." When I read this, I can't help but think about a child being left at home alone. His/her parents come back and say "I left you home for (fill in the blank) minutes/hours, and this is what you do?" I imagine that's how Moses must have felt. The rest of Exodus 32, sees Moses destroying the calf (v. 20) and Aaron trying to defend himself. This real life event has been the subject of sermons, Bible classes, debates, and I'm sure books, however in this article, I want us to consider the following.

1. Don't allow people to cause you to waver in your faith. What did Aaron fall victim to here in this passage? Peer pressure. He was pressured by the people to build an idol. In verse 22, he tells Moses that the people "are set on evil." When I was teaching a Bible class through the book of Exodus about a year ago, we discussed how much pressure Aaron must have felt. He was one man out of thousands that he and Moses were trying to lead. Oftentimes it is human nature that we follow what is popular, just like Aaron did. We've all done it, but it is wrong. Sometimes people treat celebrities as "idols" to the point that they eat, drink, talk, dress, and even believe the way they do. Friends this will always lead you away from God. I have yet to hear of a celebrity that holds all the same values that I do. It is impossible to mimic a celebrity 100% and still maintain a proper relationship with God. Sure there are some good ones out there to look up to, but they all have their faults, and are likely to disappoint you at least once. You know who will never disappoint you? Jesus. He should be our ultimate role model, or "idol" as the football players said.

2. Anything that you put before God is considered an idol. We are told in Exodus 34:14 that God is jealous. In Exodus 20:3, we are told that "you shall have no other gods before me." I've never personally seen anyone out worshipping a golden calf. However, we worship idols everyday and don't even know it. Think about that ball game or concert that you attend or watch on TV on a Sunday morning, night, or Wednesday night instead of going to church. Super Bowl Sunday is this week, are you going to make the choice to watch the game or go to church for worship? In Hebrews 10:25, we are told not to "forsake the assembly." Meaning we are not to miss church just because we can. Friends, a ballgame, concert, or whatever you enjoy doing in your leisure time is not worth losing your soul over. If you allow yourselves to prioritize these activities over your relationship with God, then you are no better than the Israelites and their golden calf.

Is it wrong to have hobbies and material blessings? No. Is it wrong to look up to celebrities? No. What's wrong is when these things take the place of God and become idols. I've never been a huge NBA fan, but I always enjoyed watching Kobe Bryant. The accounts that I have read about him and the other eight victims of Sunday's crash are heartbreaking. But you want to know what's infinitely more heartbreaking? The death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Do we ever grieve over Him like we do when someone on this physical Earth passes away? I think we can all do a better job of remembering what he went through on that day. Never let any "idol" come between you and your relationship with Him. He is the only one we should idolize.

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Providence of God?

Last night Brother Don Blackwell concluded our gospel meeting at Willow Avenue church of Christ, by speaking on the Providence of God. He talked about how God does things providentially, or allows things to happen to us, or us to be put in situations that open our eyes to the bigger picture. The word "providentially" derives from the root word "providence" which means "view." Sometimes God allows things to happen to us in order to "wake us up" and maybe put us in positions to spread the Gospel. Even before Brother Blackwell preached this sermon last night, I had today specifically picked out to tell my story.

Two years ago this week, on this very Thursday, January 25, 2018, my life changed forever. Before I get to the events of that day, allow me to back up five months earlier to August 2017. One night in early August I began having discomfort in my legs and feet that were eerily similar to seizure activity that I once had when I was in middle school. All the doctors that I went to had no answers. Meanwhile, I didn't sleep for two months or more due to the pain. Each night I would sit on the edge of my bed with my feet in a bedpan and my mom and I would watch Gunsmoke or Perry Mason reruns on TV. The lack of sleep made me irritable throughout the day, and my nightly issues with pain also caused me to miss my best friend's bachelor party. I eventually was able to get some sleep thanks to the assistance of prescription ibuprofen.

One nurse practitioner I saw prescribed me 800mg tablets of ibuprofen that I was to take one half tablet every night before bed. The pills worked, and instead of being up with pain all night, I might be up for a few hours, with a few full nights of sleep mixed in. Pretty soon I began to start having pain in my stomach and abdominal area. I didn't think anything of it, I thought that maybe I had eaten something that didn't agree with me. I probably went two or three months without telling anyone about my new pain issues and as a typical red blooded American male, "I just sucked it up and dealt with the pain."

Fast forward to January 25, 2018. I was driving home when suddenly I felt this excruciating pain in my stomach. I thought "well I guess I ate something." I was only a mile or so away from home so I didn't think it was a big deal. When I got home the pain wouldn't go away like it had for the past few months. It was the worst pain that I have ever experienced. My mom knew something was wrong because she said my body was gray. I also voluntarily agreed to go to the emergency room, something that I have never done. We got over there and it felt like forever until my name was called. By this time I was sitting in the waiting room in the fetal position. I got called back for x-rays and I couldn't even stand straight up to walk. I felt and probably looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame. After a series of tests, the ER doctor came in and said "Mr. Moore, you have a stomach ulcer that has broken open and is bleeding internally, and we are going to have to do emergency surgery tonight." I told him "do whatever you have to do, just get me out of this pain."

I was 25 at the time and up to that point I had only had one prior surgery, and that was the removal of my tonsils when I was in middle school. I had forgotten all that surgery entails. I remember the operating room and how sanitary everything was. I also remember the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and a nurse. I remember asking one or all of them if the surgery was going to hurt. They said no you won't feel a thing, and the pain that you have now will change to soreness when you come out of here. My life was now in their hands, I didn't know if I would wake up back in Cookeville, Tennessee or if I might wake up in Paradise. Either way I made sure to say a private prayer in the midst of the pain, asking for forgiveness of anything I might have done, just in case.

By this time you know everything went great. The surgeon said I was going to make a full recovery, but I would have to spend the next few days in the hospital. I don't know which was worse, the surgery or the hospital stay. From Friday to the following Tuesday I was confined to a hospital bed with one TV and nothing to eat or drink. The operating room staff was right when they said that my pain would go away. I was really sore, but I didn't mind. They attached a morphine pump to my bed and everybody that came in was shocked I had never once used it. The soreness was nothing compared to the pain that I had. My days consisted of watching TV and counting the hours. I remember saying to myself and anyone else who would listen, "I'd do anything to get out of here." That following Tuesday I was finally discharged and was sent home. I had a strict diet of soft foods and water. I also couldn't lift anything over ten pounds, and worst of all (to me at least) I couldn't preach or drive the church bus. As much as I fought my mom, our church clerk at Chestnut Mound, and the folks at Willow Avenue, I knew I was going to have to "ride the pine" for awhile. In my time away from doing these things, I realized how much I cherish them. Getting up and preaching and getting behind the wheel of the bus are a privilege. One in which I could have easily lost.

My nightly pain in my legs and feet continued on until that following Summer when I was referred to a wonderful rheumatologist at Vanderbilt. He said my pain stems from my fours years of playing high school football. He has prescribed me some safe medication that I still take. My neurologist, also at Vanderbilt, has ruled out seizure activity and both of these doctors have given me a clean bill of health. So what has all this taught me?

1. Life is a vapor. In James 4:14, we are told "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." Friends, we are not guaranteed any time here on this Earth. We live on borrowed time. Prior to January 25, 2018, I didn't fully grasp this. I lived day to day "flying by the seat of my pants." My day was determined based on how Vanderbilt football, men's basketball, baseball, and Atlanta Braves baseball did on a particular day. I didn't value my preaching at Chestnut Mound, and it embarrasses me to say this, but I treated it as just another source of income. Likewise, I considered driving the bus at Willow Avenue   just an opportunity to have my name printed in the bulletin next to the cute clipart picture of a bus. But when these things were taken away from me, I realized how much they mean and still do to me. I knew they were a gift from God and it was (and still is) my job to do everything I can to protect these gifts.

2. Tell those closest to you how much you love them. I have always told my family and friends how much I love them either by my words or my actions, but before my health issues I wasn't intentional about it, meaning I never went out of my way to tell them or show them how much I loved them. I didn't really grasp how serious my surgery was until the surgeon came in my room one afternoon and basically told me that if I hadn't begun to feel that excruciating pain, than I would have bled out and died. Are we intentional about telling our family and friends how much we love them? At the end of my sermons I always try to tell the congregation at Chestnut Mound how much I love them. In John 15:12, Jesus commands that we "love one another as I have loved you." Likewise we should never fail to tell God who much we love Him and appreciate how much He does for us. Our relationship with Him is the closest relationship that we can have with anyone. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus commands us "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Friends just like I said earlier, we are on borrowed time. Make the most of your life here on this Earth.

3. When bad things happen to you, determine to use them for good. Before my health issues, I didn't realize how much of an impact my preaching can have on people. In May, I will have been at Chestnut Mound for three years. In those three years I have seen so much growth in those people. They are so interested in the Gospel, Evangelism, and being an example in the community. What if I had never had those health issues. Would I still just be going through the motions like before? Could it be by the providence of God that he saw that I have a talent to preach and was not utilizing my talent, so he decided he'd wake me up? What about the Willow Avenue bus ministry? Could He have seen that I needed to connect with our riders on a more personal and Spiritual level, offering them encouragement? What about spending more time with my family and friends? I find since my surgery that we go to more Vanderbilt games, and try to make it an annual Summer trip to go to an Atlanta Braves game. With my friends, I try to go to lunch with them or go and visit them. I go fishing as much as I can with one of my good buddies. I'm a lucky guy, and by the Providence of God I can love my family and friends, preach, and drive the church bus better and with more appreciation and purpose than I ever could before!!

It is by happenstance that the last time Brother Blackwell held a gospel meeting at Willow Avenue, I was laid up in the hospital. About a year later he had his accident. Most people would have sulked around and wanted pity, but not him. He uses his accident for good. Likewise my journey with my health has influenced me for good and drives me everyday to get up and save souls. I truly believe in the Providence of God. Sometimes we all need something to happen that wakes us up. I wouldn't wish my situation on anyone, but I do know that I'm a better (no not perfect) person because of it. Friends I love you, the Chestnut Mound church of Christ loves you, and most importantly God loves you.

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Patience is a Virtue

Have you ever heard the saying "patience is a virtue?" Having a degree of patience is something that is learned over time. We are not born with it. I have recently taken up fishing as a hobby and as a way to spend more time with one of my best friends. I have quickly learned that fishing requires a lot of patience. Generally we will put his boat in the water and stay on the river for anywhere from three to four hours, maybe more depending on the weather and the time of day. We will then take off in the boat up river, stop and then set up the trolling motor, and simply troll all the way back to certain spots, or to the boat ramp. Casting and reeling, casting and reeling, and casting and reeling are the main things we do. Sometimes we might get a nibble, and even catch a fish. But most of the time we are practicing patience. Asking ourselves, why aren't they biting? and you think we need to change bait? If you're like me, sometimes you cast into trees and get your hook hung and have to go get it out. But when we finally get a fish, it's all worth it. What about in our Christian lives. I've learned a few things about patience in my career as a minister.

1. As a minister and as Christians, all we can do is put the word out there for those who are lost. Me and my buddy spend hours on the river trying to figure out what will get the fish to bite. As a minister I spend hours, days, weeks, and sometimes months trying to figure out sermons and Bible class lessons that will get those who are lost to "bite." When I first began my ministry, I was concerned that if there were souls listening to my sermons or classes and never decided to be Baptized and they ended up passing away then I would have to answer to God for that. Every person I asked about this said the same thing. "As a minister, all you can do is put the word out there for people, they are free moral agents, they have the ability to choose whether to accept it or not." Sounds like fishing doesn't it? When I'm out fishing with my buddy all we can do is bait our hooks, cast and reel, and troll along. Will we always have a nibble or catch a fish? No, the fish are going to do what they want to do, that's just the way God made them, just like He created us with the ability to choose. All we can do when fishing is to stay patient and keep casting and reeling, and all we can do when talking to someone about the Gospel is to keep doing it. Never become discouraged because you feel like no one is listening. As the apostle Paul told the young preacher Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." No matter how short your patience becomes, never give up!!

2. Be patient with those who doubt you. Are there times when you feel like the whole world is against you? One of the most common phrases I hear from outside the brotherhood is "you all think you're the only ones going to Heaven." How do you respond to this? Personally I say "no this is not true, you can get there, why don't you let me show you how?" This baffles people to no end, what was once an insult has now been turned around on them, with the potential to open a door for a Bible study. On Wednesday nights at Willow Avenue, Brother Ben Smith has been teaching the young professionals class. This past week we studied John's account of Jesus healing a blind man in John 9. I won't recount the entire story, but I encourage you to read it for yourself. However, from verse 13 to verse 34, the man has to constantly defend himself against the Pharisees. This took a level of patience. Some people would probably read this and say "why didn't he walk away?" Yes he could have and most people would have, but he was so moved by what had just happened to him. He wanted to tell the Pharisees and hope that they would be moved by it. Well they weren't, but the fact that he remained so patient and persistent with them is what I want you to take away from this. Do we turn tail and run when someone doubts us for what we believe? If so, you need to learn from this man. Be patient and let them doubt you, but make sure you use those interactions to "defend the faith" 1 Peter 3:15.

Friends, patience is required anytime you are dealing with people. We all have free will, meaning we are all going to do what we want to do, when we want to do it. As a minister I must have patience with my fellow man. As Christians we all must have patience with our fellow men. All we can do is keep casting and reeling. Casting the good news of the gospel out there for those who are lost, and hopefully reeling in souls. Does it take patience? Yes, but in the end it's worth it. Friends God loves you, I love you, and the Chestnut Mound church of Christ loves you, why not study God's word with us sometime!!

In Him,

Carver Moore

We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm

Dealing with Jealousy

Do you ever find yourself being jealous of someone's material blessings? What about their spiritual blessings? I fall into the latter category. Every time I listen to a preacher, I wish I could be more like him. I wish I had half the knowledge of Clarence Deloach, I wish I could enter the pulpit with my entire sermon memorized like Larry Acuff. I see the plethora of resources that we have at Willow Avenue and I wish we could have all of them at Chestnut Mound. I will admit that on some occasions I've allowed the devil to try to creep in and make me think privately "why do all these other men, and these larger congregations have all these talents and resources and here I am and here are all these smaller congregations that are not as blessed." Friends, the devil is real and he wants you to question your entire purpose on this earth. He wants you to get into competitions with others in the brotherhood. Why? Because he wants to divide us. This instance of the devil trying to take me in has opened my eyes and reinforced a few things that I have always known, but are good to remind ourselves.

1. We are all trying to get to the same place. Friends, what is the ultimate goal in our lives? For all of you reading this, I hope that it is to spend eternity with God in Heaven. The biggest thing that will derail this goal is division in the brotherhood. We can become divided over doctrine, finances, membership, leadership, and even the temperature of the building. Friends, these things are important, but we cannot allow them to cause divisions. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, the apostle Paul tells us "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement." Paul commands the church at Corinth, just like he tells the churches today to be united over everything that the Bible says. As leaders and members in the church, we should also be united and on the same page when it comes to church business. When we get to Heaven, there is not going to be separate rooms for Chestnut Mound, Willow Avenue, or any other congregation. Instead we will all be there together and "what a day that will be!!"

2. Being jealous has never ended well for anyone. Think about all the murders that have occurred because husband was jealous of wife, or vice versa, one person ends up dead and one ends up in prison. Sounds like every western movie you've ever watched right? Or every story that's on the evening news? Perhaps the greatest case of jealousy in the Bible occurs between brothers Cain and Abel. In Genesis chapter 4, we are told of the relationship between Cain and Abel. They were the first children. Cain was a "tiller of the ground" and Abel was a "keeper of the sheep." The two brothers brought offerings to the Lord. Cain brought the "fruit of the ground" and Abel brought the "firstborn of his flock and of their fat." The Lord blessed Abel and accepted his offering, whereas He rejected Cain's offering. This caused Cain to grow angry against his brother, and this anger and jealousy led Cain to murder Abel. Cain was punished by becoming a fugitive and vagabond. I don't know how or why someone could be jealous of another person after reading that account. Jealousy leads to anger, anger leads to us going out of our mind, which leads to us doing something that will have everlasting consequences. Next time you are tempted to be jealous of someone's spiritual or physical blessings, remember what happened between Cain and Abel. Jealousy is not the recipe to get to Heaven.

We all want to be blessed both spiritually and physically. However, when we allow ourselves to covet what others have then we will get into trouble. Instead of saying "I really want the knowledge that the preacher, elder, Bible class teacher, or older member has," instead say "I really want to learn more about the Bible so that one day I can have as much knowledge as the preacher, elder, Bible class teacher, or older member has." When it comes to physical blessings, instead of saying "I really want Mr. or Mrs. so and so's car or house," instead say "You really have a nice car or house, maybe I'll be blessed enough to have something like that one day." As a preacher, I have to remember that I am not competing with other congregations in the brotherhood for souls, and when the devil creeps in and tries to tell me otherwise I have to remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:10. We are all trying to get to the same place. If we allow divisions to creep in to our congregations, then we won't get there. I challenge everyone reading this to encourage and pray for one another. Enjoy fellowship with members of other congregations and remember that we are not in a competition. Each congregation has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it's our job as members to build and improve upon both.

In Him,

Carver Moore

 We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.

Our service times are as follows:

Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am

Sunday morning worship: 11 am

Sunday evening worship: 5 pm