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Are we confident that our light is bright
Vol. 47 August 9, 2022 Number 31
The Permissive Society
By Andrew Connally
The permissive society has entered the church. There was a time when men who
taught instrumental music was a matter of opinion, that sincerity in worship was
enough...had at least the common courtesy to get out of the church. They at least had
the courtesy and conviction to know that they did not stand with us, and they got out.
But no longer is that true. Under the guise of the brotherhood and orthodoxy and under
the coattails of their elders, they are harping and carping and sniping at the doctrine
that men have defended for hundreds of years, not because it is traditionalism, but
because it is true and, brethren, I say that permissive psychology is responsible for it. It
is time our brethren felt that they could pick up the Bible and they could begin to look
at it and see that what they have been doing is true. And if you do not think it is, you
need to restudy your Bible. If it is true, you need to rise up against preachers, elders,
and anyone in the brotherhood that teaches otherwise (2 John 9-11).
Again, the very lifeblood of the church, its purity and simplicity are decried and
denied, and the tragedy is that some brethren love to have it so (Jer. 5:31). They like it
that way. They want a form of godliness (2 Tim. 3:5), but they do not want it to
confine them. They want to enjoy orthodoxy; “I’m a Christian, my membership is
there; oh, I don’t stand for anything; I don’t go except when I want to, and I don’t
really sacrifice, but I get all the blessings of a good clear conscience,” when in reality
their life is a shame and a disgrace. And, in many instances, gross immorality prevails,
and we sit around and allow it to continue.
Now I ask the question: Why has permissiveness become the standard? Because of
the pursuit of worldly pleasure. “That in the latter days grievous times shall come and
men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1-4).
Brethren, that is the state we are in. Men love their pleasure more than they love
God. First, whether it is Hell’s Angels, the devotees of James Bond, or Hugh Hefner,
founder of Playboy magazine, the uses of LSD (or methamphetamine), or the weak
church member who sits at home on Sunday night watching a TV program instead of
going to worship God, all exemplify our pursuit for pleasure! Oh, it may be a certain
different degree, or you might say that watching TV on Sunday night is not like that,
but it is still sin! It’s still sin! And on Wednesday night, our buildings look like most of
our brethren feel that some of us have caught smallpox and they do not want to be
associated with us. They are out because they are devotees of pleasure. They are in a
hundred thousand places, doing anything their hearts desire; and woe betide the
eldership or the Gospel preacher that stands up and preaches against it!
The pursuit of sexual pleasure is just another avenue of the same old sins: self-
gratification; selfishness; serving the god of pleasure. That’s why we have to teach our
young people that their bodies are vessels unto honor and, therefore, they must sanctify
themselves and keep themselves for the Master’s use (Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Thess. 4:3-5).
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ELDERS
Mike Childers ............. 397-6453
Dennis Hallmark......... 255-5557
Mark Hitt .................... 322-0917
Bobby Lindley ............ 260-9193
DEACONS
Wade Bryan ................ 419-5552
Ricky Lindsey............. 255-8136
Jeff Mansel.................. 871-0357
Jimmy Spearman ........ 840-8957
Michael Wilson........... 891-0891
MINISTERS
Barry Kennedy....(931)787-7108
Alex Blackwelder 706-1888
SECRETARY
Renee Childers
Office.......................... 842-6116
Fax .............................. 842-7091
E-MAIL
eastmaincoc38804@gmail.com
WEB PAGE
eastmaincoc.com
SUNDAY SERVICES
Worship........................9:00 a.m.
Bible class..................10:15 a.m.
Worship......................11:15 a.m.
Singing or Devotional
Last Sunday of the Month
MID-WEEK
SERVICES
Wednesday Classes......7:00 p.m.
1606 East Main Street
P. O. Box 1761
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
“Thou shalt observe to do all that they inform thee”
(Deut. 17:10)

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Our preoccupation with sports is another example
of our permissive society. How long do you think it
would take to rally a hundred thousand Christians for
a Gospel meeting? We can get a hundred thousand out
to watch the Dallas Cowboys play, can’t we? It is
because of our preoccupation with sports because
pleasure is our god and the god of so many others. It
reached an all-time high in 1967, when the Green Bay
Packers and the Dallas Cowboys played the NFL
championship, and people by the thousands sat in
minus 17-degree weather to watch that football game.
You could not get children of God to go out and sit in
zero-degree weather to hear a Gospel sermon, at least
in the majority of instances. It is because we have a
preoccupation with pleasure. Our attitude is that our
only real sin is just being bored. Therefore, anything
that keeps me from being bored is worthy of my
greatest ambition. Whole cities are dedicated to its
pursuit. Las Vegas, long the domain of illicit sex,
immorality, gamblers, quick marriages, and quicker
divorces has now become the “whole family’s” city.
Now you can take the entire family there, baby-sitter
for the children, ski lodges for the young people,
while Mama and Daddy can gamble and watch the
nudie shows, all included with the whole family plan.
Brethren, if this is the “family plan” in America and if
this represents American society, then we are gone
already. It is time that we recognize that our people
must stand up and cry out against it. Because our
jaded appetites must constantly be tugged, pushed,
and beaten into a new frenzy of pleasure, we feel that
anything is worthwhile, if it satisfies what I want to do.
What is the church’s obligation to the permissive
society? Mid McKnight can get himself into some real
situations where young preachers come and ask him,
“Well, what will I do if I find an elder unqualified?” Mid
says, “Preach the Word!” “What will I do when I find a
man and woman living in adultery in the congregation?”
“Preach the Word!” “What do you do when you find
liberalism galloping in?” “Preach the Word!” “What do
you do in the face of a permissive society?” “Preach the
Word!” And, brethren, we all ought to do it. It is not just
a preacher’s obligation, or an elder’s or a deacon’s. It is
the obligation of every child of God. All of us are
Christians and, therefore, every one of us has spheres of
influence that no one else has. The Bible says to the
young man Timothy, in 2 Timothy 4:2-5: “Preach the
word, be urgent in season, and out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. For
the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but having itching ears will heap to themselves
teachers after their own lusts and turn aside from the
truth unto fables. Be sober, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill thy ministry.”
Sympathy
Our sympathy is extended to Larry Presley in the
loss of his sister, Eva White, on July 27 in
Pelahatchie, MS. Funeral services were held July 31.
Tuesday Mornings with
the Master
Don’t forget Tuesday Mornings with the
Master every Tuesday in the multipurpose
room from 10-11 am. Anyone who can
come, and help is welcomed.
Ladies’ Fellowship
The ladies’ monthly
fellowship will be held this
Thursday, Aug. 11 at 6:00 pm
in the multipurpose room.
Berta Kennedy will teach the
devotional. Afterwards, plans are to go out to a
restaurant for supper.
40s & 50s Fellowship
The next 40s and 50s
fellowship will be held this
Friday, Aug. 12 at 6:30 pm in
the multipurpose room. Please
bring finger foods and games.
Our Family Retreat
East Main’s family retreat has been
planned for September 2-3 at Maywood
Christian Camp. Michael Bates will be
speaking on the theme “Unplugged.
Plug into the Power of Prayer.” We
hope everyone will be able to attend!
Our Fall Gospel Meeting
Our fall Gospel Meeting will be held
October 2-5 with Allen Webster
speaking. Mark your calendars and plan
to attend every service!

3.
Daily Bible Reading
August 10..........................................Jeremiah 34-36
August 11..........................................Jeremiah 37-39
August 12..........................................Jeremiah 40-45
August 13..........................................Jeremiah 46-49
August 14..........................................Jeremiah 50-52
August 15.............................................Lamentations
August 16................................................ Ezekiel 1-6
Birthdays &
Anniversaries
Birthdays: Norma Deaton (Aug. 10), Pat Putt
(Aug. 11), Sky Ray (Aug. 13). Anniversaries:
Mike & Renee Childers (Aug. 10).
Our Sick
Debbie Duke is undergoing chemo. Greg Hughes
& Bob Smith are from the hospital. Betty Long
hopes to complete her therapy at Cedars Thursday.
Russell Deaton’s great-niece, Jacy Rayburn, is at St.
Jude with a rare bone cancer. It’s localized in her
leg, and they feel confident they can remove it all.
Brian Carver will undergo surgery Tuesday to
remove some cancer. Annie Martin is in room 6606
at NMMC. She is over Covid but the meds they
gave her messed up her blood. Bettye Davis, Bill
Martin, John Mounce, and Andy & Susan Killian
are recovering from Covid.
On-Going Illnesses
Mary Lou Walden, Evelyn Thompson, Steve
Kelly, Barbara Bishop, Doug Wallace, Frankie
Estes, Shirley Lyons, Stella Pittman, Caroline
Willis, Carol Hood, Bill Goff, Sheba Tuggers,
Michelle Maclean, Ricky Britt, Nathan Hale, Dawn
Brown, Terry Blackmarr, Freida Gardner, Willie
Bob Gates
Nursing Homes
Randy Attaway, Shirley McCarthy, Bob McClure
Don’t forge to check your
mailbox in the foyer!
EMYG News
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song
As the burdens press and the cares
distress
And the way grows weary and long
Oh, yes
He cares
I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights
dreary
I know my Savior cares
Does Jesus care when I've tried and
failed
To resist some temptation strong
When for my deep grief I find no relief
Though my tears flow all the night long
Oh, yes
He cares
I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights
dreary
I know my Savior cares
I know my Savior cares
As you begin your semester and begin to
feel the anxieties that school and
relationships bring, remember that you
have a God above who cares and wants
the very best for you. 1 Peter 5:7 says,
“Cast all your anxieties on him, because
he cares for you.” Remember that God is
a prayer away and I am a text away. He
loves you and so do I! Alex
Don’t forget about our Back-to-School
bash this Saturday from 4:00-8:00pm.
Bring desserts and chips. Thanks.
Area Youth Meeting is this Sunday, Aug.
14 at Zion’s Rest at 5 pm. The bus will
leave the building at 4 pm.

4.
Men to Serve Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022 a.m.
Announcements..........................................Mark Hitt
Bible Reading....................................... Paul Blansett
Opening Prayer .......................................Jeff Mansel
Lord’s Supper
Jalon Mansel
Lead Singing......................................Donny McKay
Closing Prayer..................................... Dale Dulaney
Ushers ........................Larry Long & Andy Baldwyn
Please meet in the library by 8:45 a.m.
Sunday 11:15 a.m. service
Opening Prayer .................................... Greg Hughes
Closing Prayer........................................ Chad Willis
Lead Singing....................................Michael Wilson
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Opening Prayer .....................................Wesley Bass
Lead Singing.................................Alex Blackwelder
The elders kindly request that men leading in public
worship wear the best dress clothes they have.
Contact Jimmy Spearman (840-8957) if unable to serve.
Attendance & Contribution
Mid-Week, 8-3-22 ...................................................... 116
Sunday 1st
Worship, 8-7-22 ........................................ 182
Sunday Bible Class..................................................... 171
Sunday 2nd
Worship.................................................... 119
Contribution (budget $9,334) ................................ $8,318
*This does not include the livestreamed views.
Pantry item........................................... Peanut butter