Even the NI church I attended had a library, and it was probably more used than the library at most of the churches I've attended. I ended up running it, actually, and it became after-service kid hangout -- I upgraded the small building toy set to some Duplos, and the kids would pick a VeggieTales or other similar DVD to watch while their parents chatted. The preacher and the elders sometimes added books / CDs / DVDs, but I had a pretty free hand, and snuck in some more...shall we say, subversive...materials, too; mostly on Christian view of science, reconciling the Bible with the ample evidence of an old earth, etc.
At one point, we were studying the roles of deacons, and it was clear that, in all but name, I was acting as a deaconess, but could we use that title, even though it is in the Bible? Of course not!
Bible Studies All The Time
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
Some of the churches I attended had a library; others did not. One of them encouraged donations, but the policy was to give the money to the church and the library committee would select books. I didn't go along with that. I'd go buy the book and give it to them. Tried to select a book that was appropriate for the individual being honored. Most of the church libraries I saw were also used for smaller classes.
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
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Re: Bible Studies All The Time
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Re: Bible Studies All The Time
Sadly, a lot of the early CoCers were so ignorant they thought the KJV was the bible Paul used. Some of the elderly folks at my childhood CoC still believed this.
Think of the hours of bible study an 85 year old lifetime CoCer was involved in. Think of all the preachers and teachers they had and not ONE taught them a thing about the origins of the bible. I think that says all you need to know about the CoC and their worship of a paper and ink idol based on the attributes they give it in their imagination.
Even going through 4 years of Harding- 95% of what I know about the origins of the bible come from my independent study/reading. But damn, I could take a closed book bible and open it to within a couple pages of any chapter and verse you named on my first try.
Think of the hours of bible study an 85 year old lifetime CoCer was involved in. Think of all the preachers and teachers they had and not ONE taught them a thing about the origins of the bible. I think that says all you need to know about the CoC and their worship of a paper and ink idol based on the attributes they give it in their imagination.
Even going through 4 years of Harding- 95% of what I know about the origins of the bible come from my independent study/reading. But damn, I could take a closed book bible and open it to within a couple pages of any chapter and verse you named on my first try.
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
RSV was the One True Translation of my youth, later replaced by the ESV, although I did know of a KJV-only church in our area, and NIV was popular at Harding -- especially a particular study Bible, which I could go upstairs and check the name of, but that would be work. 
I do recall learning some of how we got the Bible, partly from a book written by an Abilene professor my parents had, and again later in a class under the good preacher at my old NI church. I kinda think we studied it in one of my Bible classes at Harding, but I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly there.
I do recall learning some of how we got the Bible, partly from a book written by an Abilene professor my parents had, and again later in a class under the good preacher at my old NI church. I kinda think we studied it in one of my Bible classes at Harding, but I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly there.
Last edited by cathym on Wed Oct 21, 2015 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
KJV was the standard, although a few people sometimes brought a different translation. All I remember in the book shelves at church were Vine's and 'Harmony of the Gospels' (because they DON'T harmonize, so you have to write books to explain why) and numerous rather old books with dark covers.
Also extra Bibles and songbooks I think. Nobody ever bothered to use them to teach anything that I know of, but I scooted out of there before I was of an age to go to adult classes. Besides, most of those classes were men only by plan or inertia. Women 'manned' the nursery, the children's classes, and classes for teen girls.
Also extra Bibles and songbooks I think. Nobody ever bothered to use them to teach anything that I know of, but I scooted out of there before I was of an age to go to adult classes. Besides, most of those classes were men only by plan or inertia. Women 'manned' the nursery, the children's classes, and classes for teen girls.
History is the fiction we invent to persuade ourselves that events are knowable and that life has order and direction. That's why events are always reinterpreted when values change. We need new versions of history to allow for our current prejudices.
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illuminator
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Re: Bible Studies All The Time
The little church I grew up in had no library. It was just a place to meet Sundays and Wednesday. The preacher probably had a few books at home. And though most used KJV, ASV was encouraged.
The church I attented in the "big city" had a library but it was mostly books and works by old timers in the Gospel Advocate catalog. This congregation was more liberal and used that NKJV though the preacher used NASB.
I can't remember if we discussed translations here or the old page but its a favorite topic of mine. This thread reminded me of a funny story. I was sent to get some supplies from the old downstairs part of the building (these uppities wouldn't be caught dead calling it a church house) and I discovered a secret room. I'm serious! It was locked too. Well, I had the keys and curiosity had gotten the best of me! What skeletons were locked behind that door. I went back n and it was cold, damp, and the light didn't work. I got my phone out and discovered the room was empty except for a few sealed boxes someone had labeled "do not open". I'm serious. I know how this sounds. I opened a box and discovered this was the resting place for .... Those blampheous NIV Bibles!
The church I attented in the "big city" had a library but it was mostly books and works by old timers in the Gospel Advocate catalog. This congregation was more liberal and used that NKJV though the preacher used NASB.
I can't remember if we discussed translations here or the old page but its a favorite topic of mine. This thread reminded me of a funny story. I was sent to get some supplies from the old downstairs part of the building (these uppities wouldn't be caught dead calling it a church house) and I discovered a secret room. I'm serious! It was locked too. Well, I had the keys and curiosity had gotten the best of me! What skeletons were locked behind that door. I went back n and it was cold, damp, and the light didn't work. I got my phone out and discovered the room was empty except for a few sealed boxes someone had labeled "do not open". I'm serious. I know how this sounds. I opened a box and discovered this was the resting place for .... Those blampheous NIV Bibles!
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
That's hilarious!!illuminator wrote:The little church I grew up in had no library. It was just a place to meet Sundays and Wednesday. The preacher probably had a few books at home. And though most used KJV, ASV was encouraged.
The church I attented in the "big city" had a library but it was mostly books and works by old timers in the Gospel Advocate catalog. This congregation was more liberal and used that NKJV though the preacher used NASB.
I can't remember if we discussed translations here or the old page but its a favorite topic of mine. This thread reminded me of a funny story. I was sent to get some supplies from the old downstairs part of the building (these uppities wouldn't be caught dead calling it a church house) and I discovered a secret room. I'm serious! It was locked too. Well, I had the keys and curiosity had gotten the best of me! What skeletons were locked behind that door. I went back n and it was cold, damp, and the light didn't work. I got my phone out and discovered the room was empty except for a few sealed boxes someone had labeled "do not open". I'm serious. I know how this sounds. I opened a box and discovered this was the resting place for .... Those blampheous NIV Bibles!
History is the fiction we invent to persuade ourselves that events are knowable and that life has order and direction. That's why events are always reinterpreted when values change. We need new versions of history to allow for our current prejudices.
Re: Bible Studies All The Time
The church that kicked my parents out [1] had a whole bunch of songs marked "do not use" in every songbook in the building. Mostly, it was the ones that don't actually mention Jesus / God, like Precious Memories, plus one other; I don't remember which.
[1] My parents are pretty conservative, especially my dad. The CoC in their town is more so, more even than the NI church I was attending when they moved there, though that might have changed since I left. Anyway, Dad expressed the belief that if someone was divorced and remarried before becoming a Christian, they did not have to end that second marriage to become a Christian. The preacher believed otherwise -- the the second marriage was by definition adulterous, and must be ended. Dad refused to recant, and so now they go to the CoC in the next larger city, which is 20 or 30 minutes away.
[1] My parents are pretty conservative, especially my dad. The CoC in their town is more so, more even than the NI church I was attending when they moved there, though that might have changed since I left. Anyway, Dad expressed the belief that if someone was divorced and remarried before becoming a Christian, they did not have to end that second marriage to become a Christian. The preacher believed otherwise -- the the second marriage was by definition adulterous, and must be ended. Dad refused to recant, and so now they go to the CoC in the next larger city, which is 20 or 30 minutes away.