It Was Only A Joke
Jim E. Waldron

When I was a young man I heard someone tell a preacher's story that had been around for many years. The joke came about because up until the mid-fifties in this country virtually every time a preacher was invited home for dinner he was served fried chicken.

The story, as I heard it, went like this, one Sunday two preachers were invited to a home for Sunday dinner. The wife chose three young frying size roosters from her flock and prepared a platter full of southern fried chicken which she served with hot biscuits and all the trimmings.

At the close of the meal after the two preachers had put away most of the chicken, the family and guests had their attention drawn to a big dominicker (dominique) rooster as he stood on a fence rail and crowed. One of the preachers said, "wonder what that rooster is crowing about?" The head of the house replied, "well you'd crow too if you just had three sons enter the ministry."

It was just a joke then, but now it takes on serious implications. The reason I say that is because we are now being informed that all of life is worship. Just reflect on that. When those two preachers were eating that "gospel bird" they were "worshiping." This would mean, of course, that when we joked about preachers eating chicken we were committing sacrilege.

Now who would have thought such a thing in the 50s. But we are now immersed in the new millennium so we are supposed to believe that everything we do (except sin) is worship. Does that mean eating and drinking? No! Listen to the spirit: "But food does not commend us to God, neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse" (1Cor. 8:8 ).

From the time I was a young preacher I heard sectarians say everything we do is worship. And why? Because they were arguing that the playing of an instrument in worship is authorized. Beloved, let us not be drawn after foolish arguments our brothers have refuted for generations. Some things we do are worship to God, some things are service to Him (Matt. 4: 10) and some things like eating and drinking are neutral.

Vacation Bible School
This Monday through Thursday
JUNE 17-20 – 6:30-8:00pm
“Taking The Gospel To The World”
Classes For Children 3-12 years

Also Adult Classes

Speakers will talk about the mission field in these countries and how customs and life styles impact the work of the missionary.

(Mon 17, Tue 18) - Ted Wheeler - Ghana
(Wed 19) - Bob Bauer - Ghana
(Thur 20) - Howard Johnson - Turkey

Walk A Little Plainer, Daddy
Author Unknown

"Walk a little plainer, Daddy,"
     Said a little boy so frail;
"I'm following in your footsteps
     And I don't want to fail.
Sometimes your steps are very plain
     Sometimes they are hard to see;
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
     For you are leading me.
"I know that once you walked this way
     Many years ago,
And what you did along the way
     I'd really like to know;
For sometimes, when I am tempted,
     I don't know what to do.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
     For I must follow you.
"Someday when I'm grown up,
     You are like I want to be;
Then I will have a little boy
     Who will want to follow me.
And I would want to lead him right
     And help him to be true;
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
     For we must follow you.

Happy Father’s Day

Discipline does not break a child's spirit half as often as the lack of it breaks a parent's heart. "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. (Prov. 13:24)

UPCOMING AREA EVENTS:

• June 17 - 20 - STARTS TOMORROW
Orange St. Vacation Bible School
“Taking The Gospel To The World”

• Sept 29 - Oct 2 - Gospel Meeting
Orange Street church of Christ
Guest Speaker - Jimmy Clark
Start Making Plans Now