Citizen of Heaven

I am Hal Hammons, a citizen of heaven. I broadcast regular reports of what it is for a child of God to live in Satan's world. My reports typically break down into four segments:"What I've been preaching" -- a point I have made in a recent sermon."What I've been reading" -- A brief breakdown of a book of the Bible or other reading material that has helped me in my understanding or application of the Bible."What I've been hearing" -- news from the internet or other sources about what is going on, either among brothers and sisters in Christ or out in the world at large."What I've been playing" -- how I've been entertaining myself in my spare time, and some spiritual points I have been able to extract.

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Citizen of Heaven

VARIETY: Fellowship. Versions. Ticket to Ride. Guests: Phillip Martin and Tony Mauck.

August 18, 2020 • Hal Hammons • Season 2 • Episode 72

I am joined by two of my brethren in the work, Phillip Martin and Tony Mauck. Phillip is the cohost of the Do the Work podcast. He preaches and serves as one of the shepherds for the Eastside church of Christ in Sharpsburg, Georgia.

Tony is one of my oldest friends in preaching, currently laboring with the Decker Prairie church of Christ in suburban northwest Houston.

I’ve been preaching about the variety we find in our fellowship. It strikes me that many of our brethren over the years have deliberately limited the degree to which we differ in local churches — skin color, native language, clothing styles, you name it. We would all agree that drawing lines of distinction over doctrinal matters is a good thing and occasionally even a necessary thing. But can variety — even in spiritual matters — be a good thing? And if so, is there a way to embrace our differences without compromising Biblical truth?

I’ve been reading a variety of Bible versions in recent years, a hard left turn from my “NASB only” past. Three times the Proverbs writer extols the value of a multitude of counselors. But clearly some counselors are wiser than others. How many versions do you read from, do you have a single go-to version, and how important is it for the congregation and the preacher to be (pardon the expression) on the same page?

I’ve been playing Ticket to Ride a lot more in recent days. We’ve had the original North America map for years and played it to death. But over time we have collected various expansions with different maps and slightly tweaked rules. And we’ve not only found our interest in the general concept renewed, we have even found ourselves finding joy in the original worn-out version. In short, variety can bring life to old, worn-out forms and rejuvenate our interest. What are some ways we can diversify the service we offer to God and still offer Him what He wants without letting it grow stale in our own minds?

Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705

Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.