Sunday Nov. 27, 2011 - God's Love

Audio - God's Love

Paul prayed that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. We can never learn too much about God’s love.

Station Change Information in Knoxville, TN

Beginning December 4, 2011, In Search of the Lord's Way will no longer be seen on WBXX in Knoxville. We are moving the broadcast to WATE channel 6 at 7:30am CST. This in an ABC affiliated station and has much wider coverage than our previous station. Be sure and get the word out about this station change in Knoxville and surrounding areas.

New Stations: Denver and Honolulu!!

Beginning December 4, 2011 In Search of the Lord's Way will be presented on:

KCDO in Denver, CO channel 3 at 7:30am MST. This is our return to Denver after a long absence in that area and we are excited to be back on the air.

KWHE in Honolulu, HI channel 14 at 8:30am HT. A long-time viewer, who vacations each year in Hawaii lamented that he could not watch the program while he was there and decided to do something about it. We are very thankful for our supporters, and for this wonderful opportunity to spread the Gospel to the Hawaiian Islands.

Help us get the word out about these new stations. Tell your friends and neighbors, put an ad in your local paper, or an announcement in your church bulletin, and, as always, thank you for your support.

Craig

Sunday Nov. 20, 2011 - Take Up Your Cross

Audio - Take Up Your Cross

When Jesus came to earth, He chose to bear the cross. He also has a cross for you. This program explores what it means to take up a cross and follow Jesus. We want to please the Lord, and we can only do this by taking up our cross.

Sunday Nov. 13, 2011 - Deny Self

Audio - Deny Self

Sometimes we must remind ourselves, “God is God; and we are not.” This program explores the need to deny ourselves so we can acknowledge God for who He is. We can never come to God until we learn to deny ourselves.

Sunday Nov. 6, 2011 - Preaching Jesus Christ

Audio - Preaching Jesus Christ

God had only one Son, and he was a preacher. The greatest need in the world is to learn about Jesus Christ, and studying about Him is our passion. Preaching the gospel of Jesus leads to salvation, and nothing could be more important.

Sunday Oct. 30, 2011 How Jesus Changes Lives

Audio - How Jesus Changes Lives

5th in a 5 part series, "Jesus Is Lord" - a close look at the Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Oct. 23, 2011 The Resurrection

Audio - The Resurrection

4th in a 5 part series, "Jesus Is Lord" - a close look at the Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Oct. 16, 2011 The Cross

Audio - The Cross

3rd in a 5 part series, "Jesus Is Lord" - a close look at the Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Oct. 9, 2011 Messianic Prophecies

Audio - Messianic Prophecies

2nd in a 5 part series, "Jesus Is Lord" - a close look at the Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Oct. 2, 2011 - The Word was God

Audio - The Word was God

1st in a 5 part series, "Jesus Is Lord" - a close look at the Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Let the Podcasting Begin.......

Beginning now, I will post a link for each week's audio from the program. Additionally, I will soon begin to post links from the program's singing. Now you may follow the link here, listen to the audio (or watch the video) on our website www.searchtv.org or, if you have an Itunes account, you can search podcasts for "In Search of the Lord's Way" and subscribe there.

Enjoy!

Craig

Podcasting? Perhaps.......

http://searchtv.org/StreamingFile/Audio/2011/A-S-41-11-MessianicProphecies.mp3

This link will take you to the most recent audio from our program: "In Search of the Lord's Way" It is a test link in which, if all goes according to plan, will be searchable on ITunes shortly. Once we get the kinks worked out the plan will be to post each week's audio and/or video of the program along with some older favorites. Until then, remember that all of our audio and video is available on our website www.searchtv.org and you can access it there.

More information soon......

Craig

Great Month for Requests

The response we've had this month to the special series, "Raising Faithful Children," which originally aired in October 2009, has been phenomenal. We have received many hundreds of requests for multiple copies of the transcript booklet. Some have ordered as many as 50 copies. We have far exceeded a normal month.

We are so deeply grateful for the interest people have shown in this series, and we hope that we'll have as much interest in October 2011 for the new series, "Jesus Is Lord."

We are always grateful for what the Lord is doing through SEARCH.

Mack will be speaking Sunday, September 4, on the anniversary program. We hope and pray you'll tune in and hear his lesson as we begin the 32nd year of broadcasting In Search of the Lord's Way.

Phil

People Can Change

View this inspiring lesson:

People Can Change

From Iceland!!

I just want to thank you and send you blessings for all the wonderful programs I have wached from you on OMEGA TV. María

The SEARCH program airs daily in Iceland, and here is a response!

Last Day of the Campaign

Tonight is the last night of the Campaign at the Field House. Last night more than 1,200 attended and a young lady was baptized. I preached on the topic of "Why You Should Be a Christian!" Joe Wells has been presenting his Christ and Culture lectures at the Campaign, and Chris Walker has done an outstanding job leading the singing. Both of these men are fellow soldiers in the Lord's work and a blessing to the church. We thank God for them.

To date, thirteen congregations have contributed workers and money to this campaign. We are grateful to them all! These include:

Barlow-Vincent, OH
Camden Ave., Parkersburg
Grand Central, Vienna, WV
Hopewell, Washington, WV
Lubeck, WV
North End, Parkersburg
Rockport, WV
Rosemar, Parkersburg
36th St., Vienna, WV
Belpre, OH
New Matamoras, OH
Waverly, WV
Concord Rd., Brentwood, TN
Mt. Juliet, TN

During the campaign, 198 workers from several states knocked 24,147 doors. We have had 14 baptisms so far. There are scores of bible studies yet to be held, and workers will make numerous callbacks on those who are interested. The SEARCH program has played an integral part in this campaign, since churches of Christ in the area support it and a majority of the people throughout the area have watched it! (Bob Reed estimated as many as 85% of the people in the Parkersburg area knew about the SEARCH program and the campaign.

Our greatest concern throughout the campaign has been the long-term growth of the local churches, and we pray we have lit a fire to spread throughout the nation.

We have learned to love the people of Parkersburg, who showed us such hospitality, respect and kindness. I have never worked in a campaign where the people were so kind and open. May the Lord bless this community and especially all who have labored in the heat to do the Lord's will.

With great appreciation,
phil

An Amazing Beginning

This is the end of my first full day at the Parkersburg and there have already been seven baptisms! I am including some pictures of a couple of baptisms at North End in Parkersburg, where about 50 workers went out to sow the seed. It is about 90 degrees here and quite humid. Everyone is thankful for the water provided for us. The meals have been delicious, and some businesses have donated the food. God has been blessing us.

Incredibly, everyone here has seen the commercials for the Campaign. They have been shown many, many times and will continue to the end of the Campaign on July 30. I am almost embarrassed to tell this, but the group has been opening doors by asking people if they know Mack Lyon and/or me. The people of Parkersburg know In Search of the Lord's Way quite well. Many have viewed us for years. WTAP interviewed me this morning at 6 am and showed the interview on their news broadcasts.

We visited a lady who is 103 years old today. She was a delightful Christian, a member of the Lord's church, whose daughter requested we visit her. She was baptized twelve years ago at age 91. When I walked near her, she pointed her finger at me and said, "I know you!" She had viewed Mack and me for years and longed to meet one of us. I was so blessed to visit with her.

We were knocking doors offering an eternity of blessing through the blood of Christ. Some were glad we came. One man did not want to talk to anyone. Another said he was an agnostic but showed some interest. Still another said he was not religious. One man who had had some bad experiences at church was not interested at first but later said he would come to the Campaign next week.

Opportunity.... how it comes and how people accept or reject it is interesting! Seven have accepted the opportunity, and we pray many more will. Tomorrow I will go to 36th St in Vienna to continue the campaign with brethren there. On Saturday I'll be at Camden Ave. On Saturday night the entire group will come together for a dinner on the Ohio Valley University campus. Hundreds of workers! They come from these states: West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky! I have probably missed some from other states. There are four churches working as rallying points with this campaign: North End, 36th St., Camden Ave., and Belpre (across the Ohio River).

Each day we are getting more and more excited about the Campaign. We hope to see thousands attending next week. Jackie will join me Saturday. Joe Wells comes in Friday with his family. Chris Walker will also come in Saturday.

God is already blessing us, and I will keep you informed with the details each day of this campaign. We thank God for all He does for us to make this campaign a reality.

because of a cross,
phil

Christ is the Answer Campaign July 26-29

The churches of Mid-Ohio Valley are preparing for a huge campaign in their high school field house. Partnering with SEARCH, which appears each Sunday morning on WTAP, the broadcast station of Parkersburg. SEARCH has much loyalty among the churches of this area, and we are grateful to go there.

Only July 22 hundreds of Christian workers will begin knocking 47,000 doors in the Mid-Ohio area around Parkersburg WV and Belpre OH. We are expecting crowds exceeding 2,000 people. This is the biggest event in WV in many years.

We ask that you pray fervently for this effort. Workers knocking doors are already beginning to see a positive response, recognizing pictures of Mack and me. One has already responded to the gospel invitation.

Alan Stephens of Brentwood, TN, has worked ceaselessly for many months promoting this effort. Church leaders in WV and OH have met monthly for a year! Robert Reed, a deacon in Parkersburg has worked hard coordinating this effort. The campaign has had signs in the city and 200 commercials on television. Workers will be coming in from Tennessee and Texas as well as other states. More than twenty churches are involved. We thank God for all of them!!

Phil

Not Insane At All

Recently a blogger called me to task for the article giving GREAT NEWS in a recent issue of SEARCHLight. He suggested I was insane and questioned my knowledge of church growth data about the church.

He pointed out some of the recent decline (2006-2009) among churches of Christ as if I was unaware of the facts and figures. Of course, I am aware of these matters. I am not insane.

I am well aware that some churches are graying and dying, but many are not. Many are doing quite well, growing and full of children. I have attended them over the last year traveling throughout the country.

I am also aware of how the progressives among us are losing over sixty percent of their children to community churches. However, I also realize the mainstream congregations among us are keeping most of their children (according to Flavil Yeakley, with whom I had a lengthy conversation last year). For the research see "Where Are the Children?" in Life's Greatest Questions, 2009 ETSOP Lectureship in Karns, TN.

I have frequently given a list of "progressive" congregations that have shrunk by the hundreds of members in recent years because they adapted a compromise theology. Insane? No.

Phil Sanders

November Speaking Schedule for Phil

November 1-4 Gospel Meeting at Church of Christ at Little, north of Seminole, OK
November 5 preacher's meeting and evening lecture on Women in Worship
November 8-11 Gospel Meeting Wynnewood, OK
November 13-15 Gospel Meeting at Highland, Texarkana, Arkansas
November 29 Emerging Church Movement lessons at East Ridge, Chattanooga

New Babe In Christ

Dear Brother Mack,

My name is James Solomon I am a member of the Church of Christ in St.Lucia.
The L'Anse Road Church of Christ. My family and I have been watching your program for as long as I can remember. Thank you for all the wonderful lessons over the years. My father is the preacher for my congregation. He got a call last week from an elderly lady. She wanted to be baptized. So a study was set for Wednesday last week. Turns out that she has been listening to your program for several years and through your ministry has obeyed the gospel. She was introduced to the Church today and welcomed with open arms.
We also had another baptism this week so 2 persons were introduced today.
Please keep up the work even if you are behind the scenes these days.
Thanks once again

Your Brother in Christ
James Solomon

Thanksgiving Program on November 22

Dear brethren,

Thank you for such a wonderful response to the October programs on SEARCH. We have had requests for thousands of copies of “Raising Faithful Children.”

I wanted especially to encourage you to watch the November 22 program, “Be Thankful,” and to encourage everyone you know to watch the program. I believe there are many things there which are important to our nation and to its relationship with God. You may want to include the time and station for your area (which you can find on our website).

It is vital our nation, and especially our children, know what the Congress and the early presidents understood about the relationship between God and our prosperity. We cannot separate one from the other. We need to humble ourselves before God and seek His face, if we hope to remain in His favor (2 Chron. 7:14).

Please pass this message on to everyone you know.

Kindly,
Philip D. Sanders,

Speaking Schedule

I'm going to be quite busy in the next several weeks. Please keep me in your prayers.

Sept 14-17 Pennsboro, WV. West Virginia Lectures
Sept 20 West Palm Beach Church of Christ, Palm Beach FL
Sept 21-22 Pettyjohn Preacher's Retreat, Madill OK
Sept 25-27 Evansville, Indiana
Sept 28-29 Amridge University Lectures, Montgomery ALA
Oct 4-7 Gospel Meeting Radnor in Nashville
Oct 13 Lubbock Lectures
Oct 16-18 Corsicana, Texas
Oct 21 Spiritual Sword Lectures, Memphis
Oct 25 Hinton, OK

If you can come to any of these events, I would love to see you there!!

Phil Sanders

Is this a religious nation?

While flying through Atlanta on the way to West Virginia in June, I picked up a copy of Rodney Stark's research: What Americans Really Believe.

I have cherished our Christian heritage in America and have appreciated the founding fathers and others who gave voice to that. I was disappointed the President suggested recently we were not a Christian nation. Here are the facts about the US today according to the Baylor study.

He pointed out that America is actually increasing in its commitment to church membership: From page 12, here are the facts:

Percent of Americans Who Belong to a Local Congregation

1776 17%
1850 34%
1870 35%
1890 45%
1906 51%
1952 59%
1980 62%
1990 64%
2005 69%

While there are many issues and problems with religion today, no one can say that church membership is declining over all. The shift in church membership is from old mainline (especially liberal) churches to the non-denominational, designer churches in many cases.

phil

Great News!

I hear many people talking about the graying of the churches, but did you know that churches of Christ have a larger percentage of young adults than the national average. In fact, we rank #3 among major religious group in having the most adults aged 18-29.

According to the Pew Forum's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, the total population percentage of adults aged 18-29 numbers 20, yet churches of Christ have 22 percent in that category! In fact, only two religious groups had more adults that age (Pentecostal with black tradition and Church of God in Christ). The Baptist in the Historically Black tradition had 22 percent, and the non-denominational in the mainline tradition also had 22 percent. (see pages 82-83 of this report)

Well, we are not dying as some think!

Phil

Some Encouraging Statistics

According to Flavil Yeakley, who presented this material at FHU a few years ago, one can say these things about churches of Christ:

* 12th largest religious group in America
* 6th fastest growing church in America
* 4th in the nation in the total number of congregations
* 5th in the nation in number of counties in which there is a congregation
* 1st in the nation in distribution of congregations
* 1st in the nation in weekly attendance

According to a survey by Barna about five years ago, churches of Christ were first in donations among religious groups (for our size).

Each year there are about 1250 new church plantings and about 3750 church closings in the United States. This is a loss of 2500 religious congregations per year.

When you consider that we lost only 69 churches of Christ (2000-2006) out of a total of 15,000 and yet have the fourth most congregations throughout the US, this is rather remarkable! Even the loss of 350 in the last three years (2006-2009) out of 7,500 is rather small.

Let's not be discouraged. We are not pitiful and not dying. Many of our losses were actually mergers.

Phil

The call for changing doctrine or die is premature...

The Misplaced Morals of America

Gallup released a survey poll concerning America's morals in May 2008. People were asked whether they felt certain activities were morally acceptable or morally wrong. Here are some of the results:

Morally Acceptable Behaviors according to the majority of Americans:
70% divorce
61% sex between an unmarried man and woman
63% gambling
55% having a baby outside marriage
51% doctor assisted suicide

Morally Wrong Behaviors according to the majority of Americans:
91% married men and women having an affair
90% polygamy
85% cloning humans
78% suicide
61% cloning animals

More people thought cloning humans or animals was wrong than believed fornication (36%), homosexuality (48%), having a baby outside marriage (41%), or doctor-assisted suicide (44%) was wrong. Incredibly, more people thought buying and wearing clothing made from animal fur (39%) was wrong than sex between an unmarried man and woman (36%). More people thought cloning an animal was morally wrong (61%) than thought homosexuality (48%), abortion (48%) or having a baby outside marriage was wrong(41%)!

It is amazing how people will speak more clearly against cloning (in which they will probably never participate) than against common sins like abortion, homosexuality, or fornication! They can judge the sins of others more clearly than they can admit their own.

God doesn't consult opinion polls to determine right from wrong.

phil

The Free Exercise of Religion

My forefather, Patrick Henry, wrote the 15th and 16th articles of the Virginia Bill Rights, which served as a precursor to US Bill of Rights, the first Ten Amendments. The 16th article read:

16. That religion, or the duty which we owe to our CREATOR and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.


The free exercise of religion ought to guarantee us the right to preach the gospel of truth as long as we live. It is shameful our country has lost sight of the freedom of conscience and religion in order to give special rights to those who object to its moral truths.

Phil

All the Way to Afghanistan!

Brother Phil,

Good lesson today on being a servant. I need to practice this more as I quickly forget what my attitude should be.

Phil, my son [Captain Adam Cresswell] gets the DVD'S of your lessons mailed to him in Afghanistan. Thank you very much for doing this, and I always send money monthly to you, as I have for many years. He recently was promoted to captain and moved to another location in Afghanistan. Unfortunately he's still in an especially dangerous area on the border of Pakistan. Can you pray for him, especially that he won't lose his faith in such trying circumstances? (Lew Cresswell)

Please remember Adam and all our troops in harms way in your prayers. They are fighting for our freedom.

Phil

Please subcribe!

You can get regular postings from the blog just by hitting the RSS feed up in the page address box. We'd love for you to keep up with all that is going on!

phil

Just Another Day........

For some maybe, but for others any day can be the opportunity to make a difference.

The work at Search would not prosper if not for the help of our many volunteers. On Tuesday, July 15th, we called in our volunteers, most of them from the Edmond Church of Christ, for our regular monthly mail out. 22 volunteers came to help us on this day and together they sent out 10,100 pieces of material to be shipped as bulk mail. And, they did it in only about 2 and 1/2 hours. Now that's fast work.

When it is all broken down it comes to 6,100 financial letters, 1600 cassette tapes and 2,400 transcripts, which translates into about 459 pieces of mail per person. The volunteers fold letters, insert tapes and transcripts, and seal envelopes. Our ministry could not prosper and grow without our volunteer days. For so many, this may have been just another day, but for Christians everywhere, we know different. This was a day to make a difference.

A mountain of monthly transcripts.

Financial letters and Cassette Tapes ready for packaging.A lonely start, but he'll soon have friends to help.

The volunteers hard at work. Kerry (in the upper left, standing) organizes and oversees all of the regular mail from Search every month. A large task.

The Lord's Work

“This is the day the Lord has made: We will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24)

Kerry Campbell