Articles by Randall E Howard

After 32 years of ministry and teaching on almost every subject imaginable from the Scriptures, I am still amazed at some of the mindsets and practices of Christians in the church. The retention level in the 21st century church seems to be lower than ever and when you add the ‘hit and miss’ habit of church attendance to it, it is no wonder that people do not know, learn and grow. I have finally come to the conclusion that you can never assume that people are connecting with what you are communicating. While I could deal with any number of issues that would make a good example, I want to address the sacraments. Recently, I delivered a very detailed teaching on the importance of Baptism and Communion as sacred acts commanded in Scripture. I shared that baptism is when our faith goes public and while it is not something that saves us, it is an expression of our salvation and an entry way into the body of Christ. I also dealt with the fact that it is something that precedes one’s part...

NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN OF GIVING By Wayne Jackson It is a strange phenomenon in today’s church. It is recognized widely that there are rules regulating worship. This is acknowledged in virtually every area of church activity—except in one’s “giving.” Many know how the music portion of the worship is to be conducted (with a cappella singing). Not a few understand the proper communion elements (bread and fruit of the vine), along with the day and frequency for the observance of the supper (each Sunday). They would vigorously, and correctly, protest any presumptuous alteration of these ordinances. But some appear to think there are no regulations for giving. With many, there is almost a “design-your-own-system” procedure, along with a flippant “it’s-nobody’s-business-what-I-do” disposition. If the Lord has prescribed a pattern for what we do in other acts of worship, is it reasonable to presume that he left the matter of “giving” as an entirely optional feature—or at best ve...