Author Archives: Bryan Hodge

About Bryan Hodge

I am a minister and missionary to numerous countries around the world.

Some Questions For Us

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Bryan Hodge

Many members say that they desire the growth of the local church. Many say that they desire many visitors at the annual Gospel Meeting. However, are we doing what it takes for these things to happen? Desire without action will … Continue reading →

Posted in christian growth, Christian Influence, Dedication, evangelism, Fellowship, Hospitality, questions, Soul Winning | Tagged Bible reading, church attendance, church growth, desire without actions, edification, evangelism, friendliness, Gospel meeting, Hospitality, involvment, Mark 4, Parable of the sower, participation, prayer, questions, spiritual growth, visitors | Leave a comment

Christmas Tree?

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles… for the customs of the people are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax. They decorate it with silver … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, History, holiday | Tagged 1840s, 1846, 1890s, 1931, america, balder, britain, christmas, christmas tree, christmas tree in america, christmas tree in germany, cultural meaning, culture, druids, egypt, england, evergreen trees, evil spirits, france, germans use dot for digits place, germany, ghosts, history channel, history.com, how french make decimal place, how india divides digits place, idolatry, india, intent matters, intented meaning, intentions matter, Isaiah 40, Isaiah 46, Jeremiah 10, june weddings, juno, martin luther, pagan holiday christianized, pagan origin, pennsylvania, prince albert, queen victoria, question mark in greek, rockefeller center, scandinavia, solstice, unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, vikings, winter solstice, witches | 1 Comment

Some Questions About the Church of Christ

Posted on November 15, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

What is the church of Christ? I believe that some well-meaning brethren have wrongly approached this question. They have approached this from the idea of perfection. For example: (1) The church of Christ teaches the correct plan of salvation. (2) … Continue reading →

Posted in church, Doctrine, salvation | Tagged 1 Corinthians 12:13, Acts 18:8, Acts 2:41, article: Do I have to be a member of the church of Christ, authority of Christ, baptism, book the church everybody is asking about, called out, church at Corinth, church of christ, creed, free will offering, giving, how become a member, identifying marks, ignorant worship, instrumental music, is membership necessary, local church, Lord's Supper, no creed but Bible, placing membership, plan of salvation, poper organization, proper baptism, questions about the church of Christ, scriptual name, self imposed worship, t. pierce brown, the bride of Christ, universal church, vain worship, wendell winkler, what does the church of Christ believe, what does the church of Christ teach, what is the church of Christ, why not capitalized, will worship | 2 Comments

The Christmas Truce

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

It sounds like fiction. However, it is history. History is sometimes stranger than fiction. The date was December 24 – 25, 1914 during World War I. The location was in Belgium and France, along the Western Front. German soldiers began … Continue reading →

Posted in History, holiday, Peace | Tagged 1914, 1930, a.j. baime, adolf hitler, allied soldiers, belgium, british soldiers, Christ should bring us together, christmas, Christmas 1914, christmas truce, Ephesians 2:14-22, france, german soldiers, gift exchange, gifts, history.com, jew and gentile, John 13:14-15, Matthew 10:42-45, matthew the tax collector, matthew the tax collector and simon the zealot, michael ruane, mike dash, murdoch wood, naina bajekal, silent night, simon the zealot, simon whistler, sithsonianmag.com, smithsonian, soccar, song silent night, stille nacht, the christmas truce, time magazine, time.com, volker janssen, warographics Youtube, washington post, washingtonpost.com, western front, ww1 | 2 Comments

Honoring Veterans

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

Veterans Day is observed on November 11th. It does not matter on what day of the week in falls. The date stays the same; the day of the week changes. It was originally known as Armistice Day. In 1918, on … Continue reading →

Posted in holiday, Thanksgiving | Tagged 1 Peter 2:17, 11th hour 11 day 11th month, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1938, 1954, 2014, 2022, armistice day, dont confuse vererans day and memorial day, history.com, holiday, honor the living, honor to whom honor is due, many people confuse veterans day and memorial day, matthew hall, memorial day, military.com, November 11, remembering our veterans, Romans 13:7, sandiegotribune.com, thanks for service, the great war, the san diego union tribune, treaty of versailles, true greatness found in service, u.s. department of veteran affairs, veterans day, woodrow wilson, ww1 | Leave a comment

“Where Two or Three Are Gathered Together…”

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

I love to travel. I love to view God’s creation. The Canadian Rockies, the autumn leaves of New England, the Great Smoky Mountains, Monument Valley, Big Bend, the Amazon Rainforest – it is all so amazing. “When we behold the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chruch, Fellowship, Priorities, Textual study | Tagged 1 Peter 2:17, a. w. dicus, Acts 20:6-7, Acts 21:3-5, amazon rainforest, assembling with the saints, autumn leaves, big bend, canadian rockies, church attendance, church discipline, facebook, george strait, hebrews 10:24, here two or three are gathered together, king charles iii, love the brotherhood, Matthew 18:15-20, Matthew 18:20, Matthew 6:33, michael jordan, monument valley, new england, nolan ryan, Paul takes time to meet with church, priorities, song Lord I believe, stats, the great smoky mountains, tiger woods, travel, travel and attendance, tv, walmart | 1 Comment

Church of Christ: What is Said About Us?

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

From time to time, I have tried to provide some basic information on a religious group, denomination, or independent church. I have tried to be fair and accurate. The aim has been to provide information to you which may be … Continue reading →

Posted in church, Doctrine, Restoration History, Stats | Tagged 10 things to know anout history and beliefs, 1985, 1990, 2015, a capella singing, africa, alexander campbell, authority, baptism, barton w. stone, bob waldron, book voices crying in the wilderness, brannon deibert, caribbean, central and south america, christian standard, christianity.com, church autonomy, church of christ, david roper, distinctive plea, elders, global status of churches of christ, immersion, india, instrumental music in worship, kent fillinger, membership decline, missiodeijournal, new study reveals drastic decline, number of congregations, number of members, number of preachers, plan of salvation, process of salvation, ready to harvest YouTube, restoration movement, sola scriptura, stan granberg, stats, tennessee, texas, thomas campbell, tim woodroof, what is said about us | 2 Comments

Denominations: Disciples of Christ and Independent Christian Church

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

The Christians Church (Disciples of Christ) saw its membership fall below 400,000 in 2018. It is in rapid decline. Jeff Walton writes, “At the current rate, the denomination will shrink by another 50 percent within a decade” (Disciples of Christ … Continue reading →

Posted in Church Organization, denominations, Doctrine, Restoration History, Stats, Women's roles | Tagged 1883, 1885, 1906, 1910 census, 1926, 1927, 1952, 1955, 1968, 1971, 1995, 2018, 4 beliefs that sets independent christian church apart, accepting denominational baptism, accepting the unimmersed, alabama, american restoration movement, arkansas, atlanta christian church, atlanta georgia, australia, baptism, beliefs and pratices, bells gardens california, bells gardens christian church, bill humble, book denominationalism versus the bible, book handbook of denominations, book the search for ancient order, book the status of women in the disciples of christ 1865-1900, book the stone-campbell movement, book the story of restoration, bristol tennessee, california, central christian church bristol tennessee, chiors, chorales, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), christian post, christianstandard, church autonomy, church decline, church history, church split, civil war, communion, confirmation, conservative Christian Church, dan goddard, david lipscomb, denominational baptism, denominations, designations of church, Disciples of Christ, disciples.org, DOC, earl west, edwin v. hayden, en-academic, fellowship denominations, first christian church (disciples of christ) rogers arkansas, frank mead, fred arthur bailey, gillette christian church, gillette wyoming, gospel advocate, history, ICC, illinois, Independent Christian Church, indiana, indianapolis indiana, infant baptism, instrumental music, instrumental music in worship, j.w. mcgarvey, j.w. shepherd, jeff walton, Jesus is Lord test, joycelyn mackie, kent fillinger, kentucky, leroy garrett, Lord's Supper, lori tapia, los gatos california, los gatos california christian church, mechanical instruments of music, membership decline, memphis tennessee, michael gryboski, michigan, missionary society, missouri, nacc, national council of churches of christ usa, new testament pattern, newsmax, north american christian convention, ohio, oklahoma, open membership, organ in worship, organization, Restoration History, restoration movement, rock bands in worship, roger arkansas, s.n.d. north, salvation, sam hill, seek the old paths, stats at split, structure, tennessee, teresa hord owen, terri hord owen, terry hightower, test of fellowship, texas, top states, united church of canada, united church of christ, us census, w.e. garrison, why i left the independent christian church, Women preachers, Women's roles, world council of churches, yearbook of american churches, yvonne gilmore | 1 Comment

The Weeping Prophet

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

“Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people!” (Jeremiah 9:1). Jeremiah has been dubbed “the weeping prophet.” Here he … Continue reading →

Posted in Dedication, Preachers, Preaching, Priorities, prophets, Textual study, worship | Tagged chicken little, church house religion, concern for soul, den of theives, devotion, evangelism, fearmonger, jeremiah, jeremiah 13:15-17, Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 6:15, Jeremiah 6:17, Jeremiah 7:14, Jeremiah 7:3-4, Jeremiah 7:8-11, jeremiah 9:1, Jeremiah 9:11, listen to false prophets, negative preaching, no longer ashamed of sin, no longer blush, oblivious to true condition, peace peace when there is no peace, priorities, refuse to listen, school and sports, seeing true condition, steps to destruction, the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these, the weeping prophet, trust in church building, trust in temple, trust in worship, we will not listen | Leave a comment

Fire in My Bones

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Bryan Hodge

“Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name” (Jeremiah 20:9a). Jeremiah was tired of the fight. He was mocked by what seemed like everyone (Jeremiah 20:7, 10). He was in derision daily … Continue reading →

Posted in evangelism, God`s word, Love, Preachers, Preaching, prophets, Textual study | Tagged 1 Thessalonians 2:13, alone, b.j. clark, book studies in Jeremiah and Lamentations, burn out, critics, fear on every side, fire in bones, garland elkins, jeremiah, Jeremiah 15:17, Jeremiah 20:10, Jeremiah 20:7-8, Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah 6:16-17, Jeremiah 8:21, jeremiah 9:1, Jeremiah wants to go in hotel business, johnny ramsey, love, meditation, mock, negative preaching, power lectures, preaching, Psalm 1, Psalm 119, robert taylor jr., unpatriotic, weary of preaching, weeping prophet | 1 Comment