• Measuring Ourselves As We Measure Others
• The Coming of the Lord #3
• Hook's Points
• What I Hear From You

It was not until I took a group of teenagers to ACU to attend KADESH that I realized there were people who thought the only real worship was emotional. While I was slow to judge these people and their motives, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the idea that my worship might be looked at as less than true "spirit and truth" worship. This made me want to experience something wild and exciting so I would know that my worship was real. At the same time I was seeing the kids in my youth group "turned on" to the "experience" that was not only the worship times, but also the opportunities they were having to confess in groups and do things that made their faith come alive. I certainly didn't want to put out their flame by saying, "You know this is all great and wonderful, but I'm just not feelin' it!" But the more I considered worship and what God wants, I see that it is a faithfulness and devotion to Him that endures. Emotion might be something that happens anytime for any reason. Some people just seem to be inclined to be more emotional. I also realized that some of the most reverent and worshipful believers seem to have a "dead" worship style. How tragic it seems to me when I hear a young person in a KADESH group express frustration that she must return to her home congregation where the singing is "dead."

I believe we must teach that unity is based upon Jesus and a faith in him. Worship will be worship only if it is done in "spirit and in truth." If feelings and emotions are a by-product, fine. If they are not, fine. As long as the worshiper is worshipping in "spirit and in truth" we must not judge others and their worship based on their non-emotional style.

May we all continue, also, to "see that we are one" as Jesus prayed for all believers. -David Bryant, Jasper, TX david@jas.net

Your books and information have been very useful, good, challenging, refreshing, etc. I appreciate your ministry. I recently received the seven copies of The Stone-Campbell Movement. I’ve already given away three of them. I hope to have the opportunity to order more! -Louisiana

Thanks for a much needed and refreshing book (Free In Christ). It’s truly been an eye opener. I pray that all the denominations and non-denominations the world over come to recognize the freedom we have in Christ. Signed, Mesquite, TX.

Thank you, Mr Hook, for your emails. I have especially appreciated this one. I am currently reading about the Reformation period in history and the same point keeps hitting me in the face: What changed peoples hearts, what gave them courage, what they were willing to die for, was not their emotional experiences but, rather, the Word of God. When reading the scriptures and hearing God's Word, they were aware of the Spirit of God in their life. But what they defended, what they preached, what they were willing to be imprisoned and tortured and burned or drowned for, was the WORDS, not the Spiritual experiences, of God. The Spirit of God was ever present with them as they sought the scriptures and courageously shared what God revealed through His living Word. His Spirit, in us, is what gives us insight and the words meaning. The Holy Spirit was there when the words were written and He is there when we, as believers, read the words. The Spirit was their much needed Comforter in their trials and in ours. But what does the Spirit always guide us toward, but God and His Holy Word?

I desire for more freedom, yes, even emotion, in congregational worship. I realize the dangers that could arise, but if we are a church TRULY devoted to study, I believe we can work through those dangers. Am I an idealist?

I appreciate your view on the Lord's Supper. I, too, would like this time to be more special. I don't see THAT one changing in the CofC for a long time, if ever! So, do I change fellowship? I don't think God has led OUR family to leave the CofC but, instead, to receive what encouragement we can from the messages preached, from the Words of God spoken, from the praises sung, from the believers who love us, to be His servants there, and then receive our most sustaining nourishment from our own prayer and study. After all, OUR faith in Christ is what brings us to His gift of salvation, not the faith of the church.

I pray that your study and ours will encourage a Reformation in people's hearts. That they will see the value and utter necessity in His Word. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in TRUTH." (III John 1:4). -Kim Williams, Singapore, tamgo56@mbox3.singnet.com.sg

I am reading your book, Free In Christ, for the second time. I read it first when I was worshipping with the Brookline Church of Christ in Boston some fifteen years ago. It has been even more refreshing this second reading. -Dwayne Simmons dsimmons@cid.wustl.edu

I am enjoying reading your article, "My Conversion Experience." It is very sensible -- yes, emotions cannot indicate our spiritual condition.

I think that probably the reason you did not change after you were baptized was because you had already been following Christ. You could not "begin" a journey whose beginning probably – and let’s be honest here – resides in time before you could even talk. You were following Christ because your parents were teaching you to, and because they had been teaching you to from the time you were born. In such a case where it is very clear that parents are bringing their children up to be Christians, it would actually make perfect sense to baptize the children at birth. And there is no reason why small children so baptized should not participate in Holy Communion, for the simple reason that they are following Christ no less faithfully than their more rational counterparts.

As regards Holy Communion, the Orthodox Church (which claims to carry the unaltered traditions of the Disciples themselves, right down to the very Greek they spoke and the very words they used) celebrates Holy Communion only on Easter Sunday. In preparation for this, they fast and pray for forty days prior to this. Holy Communion for them is no mere rip’n’dip and then out for coffee and fellowship; for it is the holiest thing in their lives. The service itself lasts three hours, and throughout it the participants stand or kneel, but never sit, since they feel themselves to be in the bodily presence of the living and risen Christ. This is an example that the rest of Christ’s Church would benefit by following (except, of course, for the ancient Greek – I don’t think the Disciples ever intended that the Gospel should be incomprehensible.) -Judith McRae, Calgary, AB Canada jmcrae@acs.ucalgary.ca

Your comments made me think of a quote I read in Michael Phillip’s biography of George MacDonald, Scotland’s beloved story teller. MacDonald was surely not afraid to doubt, and it produced in his life a really deep and abiding love and trust in our savior. He said, "He that feareth, Lord, to doubt, in the doubt feareth Thee." May we never fear to doubt, resting always and surely in the grace of our Father through His mercy to us in our Lord and Savior Jesus the Anointed! -Eric Cohoon ecohoon@nerfield.com

Shame, shame, shame on you!!! You did the one thing a gospel preacher should never do. You weakened the faith of no telling how many believers by your lesson. Now I do not object to this type of study and always am willing to look into the deeper matters of the word, BUT it is wrong to do what you have done and not offer a conclusion to the study. My Bible teaches that all things are to be edifying and your study is certainly not that. You cast doubt on the faith of millions and leave them hanging in doubt. If what you teach is true then you must go forward and show what is left for us that are living today. -Signed

Years ago I "stumbled" onto your Free In Christ and couldn’t believe that someone else in the church had some of the same questions that I dared not speak. It was so refreshing and since then, I have come to learn more and more of God’s wonderful grace. I now teach a ladies Bible class and always my big stress is truth and not tradition. So far, the noose has not tightened and I will continue to speak out as long as the opportunity allows. Thank you for the first sign of hope that I ever saw. -Signed

I just had to tell you: That tribute to your sweet wife is one beautiful piece of prose! What a blessing it was for me to be able to read it. Thanks for writing it. I will hug my wife of 20 years tonight and appreciate her all the more because of what you wrote about Lea. -Mark Flippin mflippin@ghg.net.

What a beautiful love story. Thanks for sending it. It has brought tears to my eyes but not sadness. In many ways it is the story of mine and Cleo’s life. We were together for forty-seven years and now she has gone on to wait for me. I hope you two will still be blessed with a little more time together. Every day is a wonderful gift. God bless you both. -V. W. Hayhurst Papaw12@aol.com

Cecil, I can’t tell you how touched I was by your tribute to your "Girl In The Front Seat." "Less emotional nature", my eye! It was beautiful and came from the heart, which made it so special. Linton and I have a very special, close relationship also and can relate to much of what you said. Thank you so very much for sharing your life with us. We love and appreciate you both. Linton and I want to wish you both Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthdays. -Denise Lipscomb, New Braunfels, TX.

That was such a beautiful tribute to Lea. She’s a lucky woman! -Brooke Davis barefoot@accutek.com

Talk about an article that can truly make someone’s day! Congratulations to both of you. May the Lord give you a long and prosperous life! I too am not afraid of the transition from this life to eternity. Rest assured, as soon as I meet my Lord and track down the Apostle Paul, I will be looking for you and that girl in the front seat!

Do not take this the wrong way, but in addition to being a C of C minister, I also own a funeral home and do cremations. If time should arise, I have funeral homes and crematories across the nation I work with. I feel indebted to you both for writing Free In Christ. It changed my life, my preaching, etc. In an effort to show my appreciation, I would gladly handle any cremation arrangements for you or Lea on the house. It would be an honor and a small way of being able to do something for the both of you. I have distributed many copies of Free In Christ, and it has changed many folks’ lives! Thank you! Even when you are gone from us, Free In Christ must continue to set people free! -Leon Roberts, Fort Lauderdale, FL LRobe22475@aol.com.

I enjoyed your letter about your life with Lea. Such a sweet tribute to your lovely wife. My husband and I have only been married for 41 years, but we have experienced much of the closeness that you and Lea have in our walk together. Thank you for sharing with your readers. I appreciate you stand on legalism – it has made all the difference. -Jane Ford jaford@fortwayne.infi.net

It’s midnight but I just had to let you know how wonderful #31 was. My wife and I will be married 48 years soon and we feel and experience the things you wrote of. Thank you again for sharing this with me. P.S.: I also believe immortality will be immediate. -Charles Bowers Cbowers32@aol.com.

I was deeply touched by your tribute to Lea. I think you put yourself down too much when you bad-mouth yourself for not being romantic. Of course you are a romantic. Forget all that left-brained balderdash. You just express your romantic side with the pen. I’m of a similar bent. Once I gave my wife a book of Kahil Gibran’s poems. She told me, "That’s not you." She is absolutely right. If I can’t do it with a little twist of outlandish humor, I can’t do it. -Norman Bales nlbales@allaboutfamilies.org

Your loving tribute to Lea blessed me. I am still wiping tears from my face. God has been so good to us, hasn’t He!!! God bless you and Lea even more! -Bob West Theophilus@CITCOM.NET

Thank you for the beautiful tribute to your wife, Lea. It was so beautifully written, and certainly indicates a deep love and attachment for these 53 years. May God continue to bless you both. My wife, Carolyn, and I are coming up to 46 years of marriage soon. I appreciate you, and others like you, who are giving our young people a good example of long-term marriage. It is so sad to see the way people walk in and out of marriages today. -Jim Hawkins jim@helinet.com

Ah! To be so loved! It is every soul’s dream! Your latest Freedom’s Ring on Lea is so special – so darling – so rare! -- so moving! Cecil, your very capacity to love Lea as you do is rare in the world of men! Most men never have/make time or are able to so love! Thank you both my dears, for lifting us "higher than we deserve", but your kind of love does that. -Kathy Wyler, Kerrville, TX.

Thank you for all the wonderful things in Freedom’s Ring. They are all really good but your writing about Lea is the best you will ever do. Sixty-three years ago Wynona was a blind date my girl set up for my best friend. Wynona still teases me that I couldn’t drive for looking over into the back seat at her. -Hub Blankenship, Eufaula, OK.

About a year ago, our Father placed me in a COC here in (Northwest) to grow in my understanding. Apparently, there are many wonderful brethren whom He is shaking. Sometimes (mostly) my "assignment" is not easy. Often all I can share is that we are not to become too comfortable here, not a popular message. Your resources have been invaluably encouraging to me and I would like you to know that your ministry is a blessing to many. Thank you. I love you, brother. Now get back to work!! cccooncepts@earthlink.net

Brother Hook, it’s been a while since I’ve visited the site, but I’ve been enjoying the studies you’ve done on the A.D. 70 possibilities. I appreciate more than anything you encour-agement to people to study and pray without fear of a tyrannical God ready to mete out eternal torture to any sincere seeker who, due to human limitations, does not immediately and fully possess perfect knowledge. What the body of Jesus needs more than ever is more devoted disciples who pledge them-selves to the "Jesus life" and to unity among believers, who will never have perfect knowledge or agree on every issue. May God give us more humility, wisdom, love, and singleness of heart in attaining pure discipleship. BeLikeJesus@juno.com

Thank you, Cecil, for all you have done. It is a continuing struggle to help those who are still mired in the muck of legalism to find the freedom and love in Christ that you so eloquently tell us about. -Fred Green, Las Vegas, NV PoolVacMan@lvcm.com

I praise God for what He is doing on this site. It is awesome for me now that I am beginning to experience the freedom of Christ. For all my life, I have believed what I have been taught. But now that I have gone away to college I am developing my own beliefs. Your sites and books have helped me out in this quest. Never lose heart or faith. You are doing a great thing for the kingdom. Keep it up. I hope to meet you one day. God bless you/. -Travis Stanley, Montgomery, AL travis814@hotmail.com.

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