I had a turnaround experience as a senior in college, finally becoming serious about being a disciple of Jesus.  I returned home without a job, and it took several months to land one. During that time, I read the Bible every day while working three part-time jobs, and I prayed.  I prayed that God would allow me to end up where I could take Bible college classes and become more effective working in...  Read More

This week and next I’ll write my two last articles, thanking you for our 25 years as members at SHCC, ending this weekly installment of Cross Points.  First, let me talk about the mission involvement we’ve had.  Our first mission trip came in 2002 with Scott Springer ministries, heading south to Juarez, Mexico with 11 total from SHCC.  The group consisted of: Bill & Frances Adams, Ken & Judy Vest,...  Read More

I attend an independent Christian Church, part of what is called The Restoration Movement. If you are at Southern Heights Christian Church, so do you.   A “back to the Bible” movement dating to the early 1800’s.  We are only “independent” in terms of not relying on a denominational headquarters, with each congregation overseen by a group of local elders, no governing authority beyond the local chu...  Read More

Simon Weil (French Philosopher) has said, “All sins are attempts to fill voids.”  Yes, it may involve doing things God has forbidden, but it can also be doing good things that take the place of God.  It is more than bad behavior, it is allowing lifestyle to become our idol, violating the first of the ten commandments (you shall have no other gods before me).  And this can take place as we form our...  Read More

She was born in 1883 (Chester Arthur was President).  At 92 years of age in 1975 she had seen a lot in her lifetime.   At 5’ 8” I was able to tower over her petite 4’ 11” frame.  She lived in one of the older, stately two-story houses on S. Williams Street in Moberly, MO.  My acquaintance with Josie began as I looked for a place to live, preparing for my first job out of college, which took me to ...  Read More

You are attending the Wednesday night small group meeting, and it is time for prayer.  As the group offers their prayer requests, what do they consist of?  If you have real life experience to rely on you know that the list will be dominated by people who are sick or facing medical care of some sort.  I get it.  When I am sick or facing medical care that concerns me, I want people to pray.  I’m tha...  Read More

I was about 20 years old, a junior in college at MO State University (then SW MO State).  I was taking a sociology class and one assignment was to attend a showing of a documentary about Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.  It was in a large theater, and I sat toward the back in the dark auditorium.  As they played the black and white film, which showed scenes of the rallies Hitler held in Nurember...  Read More

You can see some interesting things on the internet.  Not all of it is good, in fact much of it is borderline at best.  Yet occasionally there are things worthwhile.  Recently I saw a post that listed “questions that atheists ask.”   As all of us who are Christian seek to, “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, always ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is i...  Read More

“Behold, water was coming from below the threshold of the temple toward the east.  The water was flowing down from the south end of the temple, trickling out on the south side. Going eastward at a thousand cubits, I was led through water that was ankle-deep. Another thousand and it was knee-deep.  Again, a thousand and it was waist deep.  Measured at another thousand and it was a river that I coul...  Read More

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  Falling on the ground, he heard a voice...  Read More

I’ll admit, it has always kind of confused me.  I’m talking about the imagery used in the Passover Meal and for Christians today in the Lord’s Supper (communion), of leaven representing evil.  They used unleavened bread for both to say something significant and bad has been removed.  For Israel it was being physically removed from Egypt, and for Christians it is having our sins removed through Chr...  Read More

What is the appropriate venue for worship?  What is taking place that creates worship?  For the Christian, how do we define true worship?  We use the word a lot, but really, what is worship?The word “worship” gets used most often to describe the musical portion of a Sunday service.  It’s not hard to understand why.  That’s when, for many, they “feel” the most, during the song service.  It’s the at...  Read More