I would like to know where the custom of praying in church came from. As I try and find it in the Bible, it says that we are not to pray publicly, but we are to go to our closets and pray in private.

What are some of the problems faced by a newly started church?

I was just looking over an angry response to my article on men wearing ties and people dressing up a bit for church. I have not reread my article, but this person seemed to think me a Pharisee and one not concerned for souls because of my take on this. I do not recall making ties a requirement, but this responder acted as if that were my position. Anyway, I still think we should clean up and dress up for meeting at church. The dressing down tendency of today is one of the signs of worldliness in our churches. A hundred years ago, everyone dressed up a bit for church. Are we more spiritual and godly today because we do not? Ties and suits are not obligatory and other cultures will use them less or none at all. That is fine. But they can still dress up a bit. Neither are we talking about the ostentatious show that was a trend at one point in the spiritual decline of the churches. Our clothing is to be moderate in every case. How we dress for something indicates how important that occasion is to us. Though we should work to make everyone welcome, we should dress as if meeting with God in the presence of God's people is also important to us. That may be different for different people, but it is still an expression of our love to the Lord and the importance we place on the occasion.

Are instruments allowed in the worship service? What should be the purpose of the music in a worship service? All of this and more is covered in this article.

Who should have the control of money that is given to the Church?

The following is an excerpt from Soldiers in Training by Brother Daryl Coats.

Should we participate in the man made holiday of Lent?

Both polls and anecdotal evidence point to the same result: Bible-believing churches are losing their teenagers to the world. Teenagers who grow up in churches are leaving church and going to the world as soon as they get a chance. One statistic states that only 4% of the teens in evangelical churches stay in church. If that is anywhere close, that is an astounding figure. Churches have drawn the teens with entertainment and fun, but this will not keep them. Probably, the greatest contributing factor is the home. If the home is not solidly Christian--to the point of serious separation from the world--then the teens will learn their values from the world. We must work harder to exhort parents to be godly parents and then teach them how to do it.

Today's "Knoxville News-Sentinel" has an article on how skulls have become a big fashion statement. What used to be reserved for the underground and Goth kids has become mainstream. Skulls are everywhere. The fashion designers use them because of their connection with poison, danger, pirates, and death. Although most popular with the young, they can give an edge to older fashionistas who want to look tough. Isaiah 65:4 tells us of those "Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels." The Maniac of Gadara who was delivered by Jesus Christ also had "his dwelling among the tombs" (Mark 5:3). We have a generation that is given to death. They dwell among the tombs and need to be delivered from the evil one.

In Bridgeport, West Virginia, the High School recently settled a case that had been brought against it by the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU. The school agreed to take down a portrait called the "Head of Christ" that had been on the wall outside the principal's office for 37 years. In the same school, one classroom had a portrait of Buddha and another had a two-foot statue of Buddha. These were not opposed and will be allowed to remain. One reason the school officials decided to surrender their rights out of court was the fact that, if they had lost, they would have had to pay the legal costs of both sides. This is established by federal law and it is one of the reasons so many schools quickly give in when they are sued. A bill to change this law passed the House in September. However, it seems unlikely that the Senate will be passing the bill anytime in the near future.