September 2004
This issue of Abundant Life is also available in Adobe's PDF format.Baptizing Sara
by Mark Roberts
“I want to go to heaven. I need to be baptized because I want to go to heaven.” The words instantly arrested my attention. They expressed in short and succinct fashion much of the essence of Christianity. But more than anything, those words grabbed me because they were spoken to me by my daughter, Sara.
Instrumental Music... Again
by Mark Roberts
I remember growing up and listening to sermons on why we don’t have a piano, and how the silence of the Bible doesn’t authorize anything, and why “sing” in Ephesians 5:19 means exactly what it says and no more. During those lessons I wondered “Everyone knows this! We all know better than to roll a piano into church!” Yet our lack of instrumental music in worship persists in being one of the most visible issues separating us from the denominational world and as such it is continually under attack. Don’t believe me? Witness the “Ministry Impact ‘04 Together” Conference.
A Letter to a Son Going to College
by Rusty Miller
My son, as you prepare to go away to college, I thought I should warn you about some things the devil will use to attack you. Please do not think this is all he will do (remember 1 Pet. 5:8), but I believe there are three areas in which he will attack with the most effort, and I wanted to offer advice on how to deal with each one.