Author's Preface
1. The Issues Before Us
   
2. Law And Principle
   
3. What Is The Law Of Christ?
   
4. Why Is Love The Great Command-
   ment?
   
5. Something Greater Than Law
   
6. Lawyers
   
7. The Exercise Of Christian Liberty
   
8. Gospel and Doctrine
   
9. Our Creed
   
10. False Teachers
    
11. Why Should We Denominate Ourselves?
    
12. Free From Sectarianism
    
13. Sectarian Baptism
    
14. Pie-Shaped Religion
    
15. Worship By Demand
    
16. Free Expression: Our Response To Grace
    
17. Lowering The Mortality Rate
    
18. Salvation In Different Ages
    
19. Identity Of The Church
    
20. This Lesson Scares Me!
    
21. Servants That Became Rulers
    
22. Flexibility In Organization
    
23. Autonomous Or Episcopal
    
24. The Free-Flowing Stream
    
25. What God Requires
    

Author's Preface

This is a message of reappraisal, correction, and reform. Those both in and out of the Church of Christ may be pleased to learn that there is some recognition of our misdirection and that sincere effort is being made to correct it. If, however, you are frightened, shaken, or agitated by the suggestion that we in the Churches of Christ may not have all the neat answers as we have supposed, this book is not for you. It is for you who are still asking questions, searching, and trying to be disciples in the fuller sense of life-long learners.

It requires a great deal of audacity to assume the role of teacher and corrector of others, especially when the would-be instructor has no more academic qualifications than I. Please do not let my foolhardiness turn you off. I am willing to make myself vulnerable in this effort to spare other sincere searchers some of the agony that I have experienced in my long effort to reconcile our simplistic orthodox interpretations with the Scriptures. I depended upon learning "here a little, there a little" in fitting the puzzling picture together, but I have the high ambition of making this a sort of course of indoctrination to lead one from our divisive, legalistic and exclusive doctrine-centered religion into the exciting acceptance and freedom in Christ. Maybe I am not out of the woods altogether yet, but I have gained enough of the freedom in Christ to know that it is worth sharing.

My message is intended for the pew people rather than the scholars. I respect scholarship but claim none for myself. And I am intimidated and sensitive concerning originality. I have had very poor study habits. Throughout my ministry, none of my lessons were written out before delivery. So I have not kept footnotes and proper credits for points learned from others. Thoughts of others have become a part of my thinking. That is a part of learning, whether it be ideas received from Early Arceneaux, Charles H. Roberson, or Homer Hailey in my youth, or from Wes Reagan, Carl Ketcherside, or Leroy Garrett in more recent years. Since the last three have been on the cutting edge of the reform, I give them much credit for influencing my thinking. So, if any point made in this material seems to be taken from them or anyone else, I plead guilty with no contest. I offer this as an explanation, not an excuse.

God has worked in numerous ways recently to convince me that He wants this to be my ministry in my time of retirement from congregational ministry. Private study groups have discussed these essays and numerous preachers have read them. These have given me strong encouragement to publish them and have convinced me that the time is ripe for this book.

The publication and free distribution of the first printing of 3,000 copies of this book were made possible by others endowed with the beautiful gift of giving. The cost was paid by Charley Elrod, a disciple in New Braunfels, Texas. Jim and Ruth Ash, of Dallas, Texas, provided the postage for mailing them. You and I and thousands of others have been blessed by their concern and generosity.

Upon my full retirement after ten years of ministry with the church here, the congregation gave my wife, Lea, and me a life estate of the residence here. How blessed we are! So this will be our address until the Lord sees fit to make us change. We have little retirement other than Social Security, so we contracted the janitorial work of the church as a supplement. Yes, this book is the work of a janitor! (I also give you good straight lines!) Lea shares as an equal partner in all of our life's work together and in what good or ill may come from this writing. We invite you to share in our ministry by helping to put it into the hands of persons who long for unity, acceptance, and freedom in Christ.

May we share the glorious freedom that is in Christ both now and forever.

Through seven printings in eleven years, this book has undergone no revisions or corrections. Now we are setting it in larger type, correcting numerous technical errors, revising some of the text, and changing all quotations to the Revised Standard Version. Our added aim is to clarify some sentences and to amend a few points of teaching.

This work of revision has been shared by volunteer partners. Gerry Castle and her son, Tim Castle, of San Leandro, California, whom we have not met, served graciously by putting the text on diskette, saving us much labor. Mira and Paul Prince (our kids here) have done the rest of the computerized work of revision and printing out camera-ready copy. Brian and Mariann Casey, of Wilmington, Delaware have continued to serve as skilled proofreaders. These are endeared partners.

We could not have anticipated how God would use this little volume. Its spread, mostly by personal reference and individual distribution, continues to bring thrilling response.

Many thousands of the books have been distributed free as a ministry. That work continues, enabled by unsolicited donations from many readers. You who give money and you who pass the books along are our partners in ministry. God has sent many wonderful people from across the nation into our lives as fellow-workers. You cheer us on! We thank God for you.

A number of these essays were first published in Firm Foundation, Reuel Lemmons, editor, and in Restoration Review, Dr. Leroy Garrett, editor. Since this book was first published, we have added Free To Speak, Free As Sons, Free To Change, and Free To Accept, plus selected writings of W. Carl Ketcherside and Leroy Garrett in Our Heritage of Unity and Fellowship.

Profits from sales of books along with Lea's Social Security enabled us to give up our janitorial work several years ago. Paul and Mira insisted that we move here, and they have worked unselfishly to make it possible. We are pleased with our new situation.

Our prayers go with each book we send out. Keep them going!