The Value Of Lectureships
Warren F. Kenney
It will be the privilege of the Central Church of Christ in Martinsburg, once again, to host the West Virginia Christian Lectureship on October 5-9, 2008. It is hard to believe that the time is so near already. We hope that brethren from a wide area will attend this year’s series on Complete in Him, a Study of the Book of Colossians. We have a fine array of speakers who will discuss topics of vital importance to our day. Brother Clarence DeLoach of Cookeville, Tennessee, will be the keynote speaker each day. As a companion to our main theme, Bro. DeLoach will be doing a study of the book of Ephesians each morning.
There are many, or so it seems, that see little value in attending, supporting, and promoting such lectureships. Some members of the congregation hosting the event will be conspicuously absent for the entire week. Others are willing to drive for hundreds of miles to be present. They are willing to invest time, money, and energy (sometimes almost every drop of energy they have) to be present. I would like to suggest a few reasons why attending a lectureship such as this is a worthwhile investment.
First, it provides a reminder that we are not in this alone. Sometimes we get so busy in our local works we forget the bigness of our brotherhood. It is healthy for us to be reminded that we have faithful brethren who are serving Christ in a number of areas. We are to love the brotherhood, 1 Peter 2:17 (all scripture references are from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted). It is always good to be reminded of how loveable brethren are. We have such a reminder when we come together for an event such as this.
Second, it provides us the opportunity to focus our attention on a particular theme or portion of scripture over several days. We do not get such an opportunity often. This lectureship will focus, almost entirely, on the book of Colossians. This book is as relevant now as it was when written. It reminds us powerfully of the supremacy of our savior. It also, as per our theme, assures us that we find our completeness in him (Colossians 2:10). This statement is the very heart of Paul’s letter. The brethren at Colossae were troubled by those who were enticing them to find something more than Christ had to offer. Paul wanted them to know they had everything they needed in Christ. In our day, brethren are still being encouraged to find something more special than what they found in Christ. The truth is, nothing can be tacked on to what we already have in Christ. Paul uses language indicative of the fact that we have been made complete in Christ and continue to be complete in him.
Third, it provides us the opportunity to listen to speakers who have studied hours upon hours in preparation for their speeches. Any preacher will tell you that it requires a lot of preparation to present lessons from God’s word. This is only magnified when the speaking is to be done in a lectureship setting. That is because they will be speaking to people who really study their Bibles. It is a privilege to sit at the feet of these teachers and drink deeply from the fountain of knowledge they have prepared to share with us.
Fourth, there will be subjects other than those focusing on the main theme. This includes a special ladies class on Women Professing Godliness, taught by Cheryl Cozort; one on the Scheme of Redemption, by Jody Apple; and Great Preachers of the Past, by David Kenney. At seven o’clock each evening (Monday-Wednesday), we will reaffirm some subject pertinent to the restoration of New Testament Christianity.
Many more reasons could be presented to motivate you to attend this year’s lectureship. We encourage you to make the effort to attend. We are confident you will profit greatly. –90 Waverly Court, Martinsburg, WV 25403.