Playing Church, Playing Christianity

A brother in our church brought a message recently dealing with prayer, focusing somewhat on our position for prayer. He brought several New Testament illustrations of where the disciples kneeled, perhaps got on their knees, in prayer. His point was that we might ought to learn something from that.

While I don’t see kneeling as a requirement for prayer, my brother’s point that we need more reverence, more commitment to what we do is well taken. But that leads me a bit further: how much are we playing church, playing Christianity?

The illustrations of disciples kneeling in prayer are not necessarily given for us to follow verbatim, though the kneeling might have been the habit of several back then. Fact is, Jesus talked in a complimentary way in Mark about people who stood praying. Then, there is the teaching of Jesus that we not pray standing on a corner but in a closet. Well, there was more to that one. It was to not pray to be seen of men. Still, in line with my brother’s thoughts, there is a thought that we might ought to be more reverent, more spiritual, than we typically present ourselves, whether it is in our praying or otherwise.

Perhaps we take Jesus’s command to not do to be seen of men too far – too literally! Maybe we make it our lifestyle to not let people know we are Christians, or that we are church people. That puts a little different light on it, doesn’t it? My view is that Jesus was not saying not to pray in public; he was saying don’t do it to be seen of men. If we do what we do as Christians or as church people (should that be “churched people? Where did I get that, anyway?)to do what God wants us to do in spreading the message, it seems right to me.

I say we might ought to consider being more reverent and more spiritual not only in our prayers, in whatever stance we take, but in our everyday living also. That is part of what Jesus meant when he told us to do good deeds because therein people would see our good deeds and glorify the Father who is in heaven.

Maybe, we ought to try getting on our knees the next time we pray. It might do more good than we think.

Chuck Owen
Northside Church of Christ
Laredo, Texas

Prayer Requests

Lou Kelley has just heard from her doctor that she has cancer. She had an initial C.T. Scan this week, and is waiting for results on Monday – please keep Lou in your prayers as she faces this new struggle.

Linda Kaiser did not have foot surgery as scheduled, because doctors found that she has a heart condition that needs to be taken care of first. Please keep Linda in your prayers for healing.

Pam Dorrell’s grandmother was given two weeks to live last week. Pray that she will have the strength she will need to go through this trial.

Bill Gordon had triple-bypass surgery on Wednesday morning. He is in Lutheran hospital, and is doing very well, but is having some difficulty swallowing, but he has had these problems for some time. He has been able to be up and walking about, and has been much stronger. Keep praying, though!

Josh Mongan reports that his cousin Cristie Williams, who has been paralysed from the armpits down, received some very encouraging news from her doctors. In her last checkup, she was beginning to have some nerve response farther down her spine. Doctors now say that she may not be fully bed-ridden, but may be able to regain enough mobility to use a wheel chair! Praise God for this news, and pray that he will grow this improvement still further!

John Dulaney fell about 2 weeks ago on the parking lot at his garage. He fell, broke his ankle and twisted his knee. He is currently in Arkansas with his mom. He will be back to work on Tuesday. He may have an MRI on his leg when he returns. He is in a foam & velcro walking cast and knee brace.

Ronnie Harrison had gall bladder surgery on Wednesday, and is recovering now. Please keep Ronnie in your prayers.

Marge Nearhoof has been fighting a respiratory infection this week—Pray for a quick recovery for Marge.

Lyndsay Gordon’s cousin’s daughter, Morgan, who lives in Wisconsin has been in the hospital in Green Bay with repeated infections. Doctors are trying to discover the cause of caused by an immune system that is not working properly. Her blood and protein counts that are very low as well. Please keep Morgan in your prayers.

Please continue to pray for:

• Preacher search, that God will send the right man
• Pam Dorrell’s grandfather recovering from injuries sustained in a fall
• Pam Dorrell’s grandmother, who is gravely ill
• Glenn Stevens, having difficulty walking
• Sherri Lange’s brother, Terry Bonnet, in Kuwait
• Millie Buxton, continued problems seeing clearly due to spots
• Cristie Williams, Josh Mongan’s cousin, paralyzed below the arms
• Kate Wurtz, Bob & Gene McClaran’s neighbor has terminal cancer
• Donna Butcher, Karen Belk’s sister, who has multiple health concerns
• Brenda Johnson’s mother, Rose Nichols has pancreatic cancer
• Steve South, Darin Thompson, searching for jobs
• Bob McClaran, recovering from a stroke
• Karen Carico, Karen Hardy, Bob Kunce, Kim Greer’s father, who have cancer
• Walter Meyer and Kimball Matkins, who have ALS
• Willetta Stafford, Betty Demi, Bertha Jones, Lou Kelley who are shut in
• John Singer and his health concerns

News & Notes

Today at 2:00 pm will be the first worship service of the Jasper County Church of Christ. They will meet at the Newton YMCA, and you are invited! Maps are available, to show you how to get there. This new church planting is the first mission effort of the Iowa Valley Evangelism Effort, or “IVEE”, headquartered at the Boone Street Church of Christ. Let’s all show our support for this exciting new work.

Friends and Family Day update: Invitations are now available for you to invite the people on your 10 most wanted list. Friends and family day is coming in 4 weeks – please be praying for the success of this special event.

Please join us for a Potluck meal after evening worship today!

The Sonbeams will be going for breakfast Tuesday April 10, at the Village Inn in Altoona. We will meet there at 8:30. If you would like to carpool, please let Lyle know.

Joe Breton is organizing a monthly Men’s Golf game starting Sunday, April 29. They will play at various locations around Des Moines. See Joe for more details.

Davis City is planning to have a Youth Rally this coming Friday evening April 5 and Saturday April 6. The details are still coming in, but David Shearer from Marshalltown—Boone Street, has offered to drive their van with a couple of their teens to Grandview to pick up any teens from Grandview who are interested in going. Again, please see Todd Johnson soon to let him know your interest in attending this event.

Robert Gordon is setting up the new mowing schedule, and would like to know who will be available to mow this year. Please see Robert if you are willing to help.

Benita Hodge recently moved to Des Moines from Phoenix, Arizona, and has been visiting Grandview. She works for the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service in the Federal building. Please welcome Benita when you see her. She lives at 6145 Cedar Crest Drive, Apt 201 in Johnston. Her phone number is 979-777-6238, and her email address is benita23ebony@yahoo.com.

Central Iowa Missions: This week, Mike Melvin will speak at Grandview in the morning, Robert Gordon will speak in the evening, and Ron Melvin will speak at Ogden in the morning. Next week, Art Wallis will speak in the morning, and Alan Augspurger will speak here in the evening.

TV · Radio · Web

In SEARCH of the Lord’s Way
TV: 8:00 AM Sundays on KDSM
Web: www.searchtv.org

Gospel Broadcasting Network
Web: www.gbntv.org

International Gospel Hour
Radio: 8:30 pm Sundays, 1520 AM
Web: www.gospelhour.net

Grandview Church of Christ
Web: grandviewchurchofchrist.org

AM Sermon

Orrin Nearhoof : “Pressing On… ”
Reading: Phil 3:12-14, Heb 6:1-3

PM Sermon

Darin Thompson : “V“ Is For Victory
Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Apr 3	Glenn & Marge Stevens
Apr 4	Alan & Debra Augspurger
Apr 5	Nancy Anderson
Apr 6	Brandon Gordon
Apr 7	Andrea Behanish

For the Record

	Giving	AM	PM	Wed
Last Week	3228	120	113	91
5 Week Avg	3461	112	77	90
2007 YTD Avg	3170	114	78	84
2006 YTD Avg	3967	150	106	95

Calendar of Events (See also the Iowa Churches of Christ Calendar of Events)