by Warren Baldwin

Wes and I were involved in the baseball program in Cody, Wyo., with a boy whose goal is was to make it to major league baseball. He is playing college ball right now. In fact, you might have seen him on TV recently as the catcher for SMS in the college playoffs. He was an outstanding player as a kid, involved at all levels of our community program. Later, while still in high school, a coach told him, "Kid, you are good. But, if you want to go big time, you will have to go to some place with more of a population. You need to test your skills against better players." This young man had family in the Denver area, so with the blessings of his parents, he packed his bags and went to live in Colorado. Oh, one more thing ... he was recently chosen by the NY Mets.

Goals. One definition the dictionary provides for goals is "the terminal point of a race." If you’ve ever run track you know that "terminal point" is the ribbon stretching across the track. We call that "the goal line." The terminal point.

Do you have any terminal points in life? I state this in the plural because I actually have several goals. I have educational goals, financial goals, family goals.

For example, one goal I want to achieve with my family is to tour the New England states before my children grow up and leave home. These are all, in a sense, terminal points for me, ribbons stretched out there somewhere in my future. I have my eyes on them. I’m racing toward them. And someday I’ll achieve them.

But one thing is most definite: I will never achieve any of them unless they are indeed terminal points set for me to reach.

We rarely stumble into success.

We don’t stumble into retirement financially set -- we have to prepare for it.

We never stumble into educational accomplishment. If you want that degree, you have to make it a goal and work toward it.

And, I will never stumble into Maine with my family. As far as that is away from here, we will have to plan for it.

Terminal points.

But, I have one terminal point, one goal, that overrides all the others. Every other goal must play second fiddle to this one. Every other goal must in someway further me along the track toward this ribbon. You know what I am speaking of: Heaven.

Jesus set heaven as a goal for his disciples. Before he left them he said, "In my Fathers house are many rooms ... I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:2. A goal. A terminal point.

I don’t believe I will stumble into heaven anymore than I will stumble into the state of Maine. I have to set my sights on it, plan for it, and live for it. I hope you will do that, too. It gives us something to live for. A terminal point.

[Editor's note: The following compilation, which serves as an introduction to a first-time visitor, comes from the page, "Our Services," of the Somers Avenue congregation in North Little Rock, Ark. This good church has supported our efforts in Brazil for several years.]

When you enter what we refer to as the auditorium, there are no reserved seats, so feel free to sit anywhere you choose.

In a bookrack near you, there will be a hymnbook for your use. When the song leader announces a number, you can turn to that number in the hymnbook to find the words and music. One of the unique things about churches of Christ is that the singing is a cappella. That is, we sing without the accompaniment of musical instruments. This is a conviction with us, not just a preference. We are seeking worship according to the New Testament pattern (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12). We think you will find the singing very meaningful, with everyone invited to participate.

There will be several prayers offered throughout the worship. There may be prayers offered for specific needs or requests.

During the Sunday morning worship, the Lord's Supper will be included. We observe this memorial every Sunday. Again, the reason for this is our desire to follow New Testament teaching. The church of the New Testament celebrated this observance on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

During this memorial, plates will be passed throughout the auditorium containing pieces of unleavened bread. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus Christ which he gave on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Each Christian will break off a piece of bread and eat it.

Next, trays of small cups filled with the "fruit of the vine" (grape juice) will be passed. This symbolizes the blood of Jesus shed on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Jesus commands Christians to do this "in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:24).

Following the Lord's Supper, plates will be passed to collect the weekly financial offering. This too is according to New Testament teaching (1 Corinthians 16 :1-2). As our guest, you are not expected to make a contribution. You are welcome to, if you choose, but feel perfectly comfortable just passing the collection plate to the next person.

As you would expect, there will be a sermon delivered by the preacher. This sermon will likely be about 30 minutes long. We think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered.

You will notice that the preacher does not have a title. He won't be referred to as Pastor or Reverend. If anything, he will be referred to as brother or simply referred to by his first name. The reason for this is our belief in the priesthood of all believers. All Christians are on equal footing with God (Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Peter 2:5, 9).

At the close of the sermon the preacher will extend the invitation. This is simply an opportune time to invite those who want to make a commitment to the Lord or request prayers for help and support to respond. He will encourage those who wish to respond to come to the front of the auditorium while the congregation sings the invitation hymn. Do not feel ill-at-ease during this invitation. You will not be singled out in any way.

Some of the responses at this time may be for prayers for specific needs, to place membership and be identified with this congregation, to confess sin, or to become a New Testament Christian through the act of baptism. The baptism will be by immersion (Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-4) and will be for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).

by Ron Harper

Shipwrecks are destructive things. Paul was being taken by ship to Rome. While at sea a strong northeast wind created a violent storm that destroyed the vessel. Thankfully, Paul and all on board were saved from death.

One of the most famous shipwrecks in American history is the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. This cargo ship had carried iron ore and coal on Lake Superior for seventeen years. Of course, sailing on Lake Superior is risky business. The skeletons of at least 350 ships are strewn across her bottom. On November 9, 1975, The Edmund Fitzgerald encountered a fierce northeast wind. Storms are so common in November that they are called "the gales of November." Before she could reach her destination, the Edmund Fitzgerald was sunk. All 29 crewmen as well as the cargo were lost. Nature is a destructive force.

It is possible for you to be hit with "spiritual shipwreck." The Bible gives this warning.

"Keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith" (1 Timothy 1:19).

If we continually violate our conscience, we will shipwreck our faith. A man sought help with a spiritual problem. He had continually violated his conscience with a sinful lifestyle. In the course of our conversation he said, "I just don't have much faith anymore."

Why did he not have much faith? It's obvious. He had shipwrecked his faith. He had destroyed it with a sinful lifestyle.

What the gales of November do to ships on Lake Superior is symbolic of what violating your conscience will do to your faith. Think about it.

by Warren Baldwin

Most of us travel with a road atlas. It instills confidence in one's journey. Life as a journey requires a road map, too, and for many of us Jesus is our road map.

In John 14:6 Jesus makes a very bold statement about his role in our journey of life, especially in our journey to the Father. In response to one of his disciples asking where he was going Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." Jesus' statement actually comprises three statements about his nature or his role.

One, "I am the way." Jesus is claiming that of all of the approaches people use to get to God only one has any substance. Buddhism, Islam, modern-day Judaism, and various new age, postmodern-type approaches all fail to get us into a relationship with God. Only Jesus is capable of ushering us into the presence of the Father. That's bold.

Secondly, "I am the truth." I like this statement because it personalizes truth. We often think of truth as a proposition or as a concept, something that we can give mental assent to. But Jesus says truth is more than that. Truth is a person. Earlier in John Jesus said, "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free." We typically look for truth in statements or ideas. "Yes, that sounds true to me." And if it sounds true, we acknowledge it as truth.

But truth as a statement can be rather cold and sterile, don't you think? "Baseball is a sport played on a field." Well, that is a truthful statement, but it certainly doesn't capture the emotion of being in the stadium watching the Colorado Rockies whip up on the NY Mets, does it? "My wife is the person I married." Well, nobody would argue the truthfulness of that statement either, would they? But does that statement capture the emotion and love of twenty years of being married? Having kids, buying your first house, the love and comfort you share and receive from one another ... statements of truth can't capture all of that emotion or passion, can they?

And when Jesus says, "You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free," I don't believe he is saying to memorize a few facts, nod your head in agreement to a few truthful statements, and you'll be a free man ... free from sin, free from guilt, free from oppressive religious systems. No, what I think Jesus was saying is, "Enter into a relationship with me and I will set you free. And I can do that, because I am the truth send from God. I am his son. Know me, and let me know you. That will set you free."

Thirdly, Jesus says, "I am the life." Life here, and life after here. Abundant life here, forever life after here.

We live in an era today when people are searching. Searching for meaning, for relationships, for truth. And people are looking all over, at all different kinds of ideas, experiences and relationships. And they need to look no further than to Jesus and the life he offers.

by Francisco Bezerra

In the last several weeks, few people have been in evidence as much as soccer forward Marcelinho Carioca of the Corinthians team. Not only in the media, because of numerous games in which he has participated, but people everywhere talk about him, not because of his ability, talent, or the goals he has made.

This young man has been at the forefront for two other reasons: his undisciplined, violent, and extremely irreverent behavior. The second reason is that this behavior goes against the faith he has professed before millions of people in interviews.

Through the gospels and the Pauline letters, the Lord Jesus exhorts us numerous times about holiness in our attitudes: "... so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God" (1 Thess. 3.13a, NASU).

We can never forget that all of us who accept Jesus Christ as our Savior were chosen by him "that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love he predestined us to adoption as sons" (Eph. 1.4-5a). So whether we be "Athletes of Christ" or "Executives of Christ" or Christian Police" or whatever be our professional activity, our testimony must be irreprehensible.

"But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness" (1 Tim. 6.11).

Another fairly common example can be seen in the streets and avenues: someone whose car has the sticker "In the King's service" or "Exclusive property of Jesus" ou some other that identifies its owner as a servant of the Lord, but who drives as if they did not care for the people in the other cars or for the pedestrians. "Look there! A 'disciple of Christ' running the red light." Or, "I was cut off by a 'servant of God.'"

To belong to Christ, to be of him, is to give oneself up to his will. What does it matter to SAY we are "of Christ" when our day-to-day testifies against the new life? Let's be imitators of Christ.

"I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who tesified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Tim. 6.13-14).

Francisco edits Edification Magazine, aside from teaching, preaching, and evangelism in two Sao Paulo, Brazil, congregations. He is Assistant to the Commercial Diretor of Varig Airlines.