Citizen of Heaven

When it comes to adoption, my guests are experts. Wilson and Julie Adams serve with the Veterans Parkway church of Christ in Murfreesboro, TN. They are licensed counselors and adoptive parents of three. Scott Beyer preaches for the Eastland church of Christ in Louisville, KY. He is also the host of the Love Better podcast and has adopted seven of his eight children. We begin with a discussion of the process of bringing outsiders in, whether it’s to our own personal family or the family of God.Go to https://open.spotify.com/show/2g3wiZDVim7iW4fG9Fqza2 to find out more about the Love Better podcast.Go to https://www.biblegrad.com/?fbclid=IwAR19laEvxTTt9ZY3JPKDzxxkM5PYs1Nb-4P-6ksYrtg51eFGHPvZYyiR8ik to study the Bible with Scott Beyer. Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

I am Hal Hammons, citizen of heaven, your embedded correspondent in Satan’s world. Thanks for listening, rating and subscribing.I am an optimist by nature. When I talk about the future, sometimes I forget that. This episode helped remind me, for which I am grateful.This week we will cover the glorious future of the persecuted church, and when and how it might arrive; the future of church growth and why we are running from it; a guarantee of a brighter future from a voice that Elvis Presley envied; and an opportunity to boldly go where no one has gone before, and to glorify God in the process.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

I have good news, and I have bad news. Please come back next week for the good news, which I am very excited about. But the bad comes first.This week we will cover the church so sick it thinks it’s healthy; one man’s effort to blame religion for everything; the trendsetters of our culture and how they are setting us all up for disaster; and my 48-hour experiment with the ultimate in isolationism.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

The unknown can be terrifying – and nothing says “unknown” like the future. This week we will cover how the mighty can fall hard and in a remarkably short span of time; what genetic manipulation could do with regard to divine authority and human ego; whether a machine can write an essay better than I can; and the games people play in the parking lot while we’re in the church house.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

This is the first of four episodes focusing on the future – good, bad, scary, and exciting. I’m excited about it, so I guess “The Exciting Future” is the place to start.This week we will discuss the church that excited Jesus and why it might not excite you or me; the book that got me started on this line of thought in the first place; the power of the universe and our failed efforts to find a plug that fits; and the sense of stability I get from seeing old forms in new packages.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Travail is a synonym for work, especially painful, extended work. In the bible, it is often used specifically for childbirth. Perhaps “going into labor” is a more common figure of speech today. An extended period of suffering can seem unbearable, but it is forgotten in the bliss of the birth of a child. Describe some ways God works good things in us through extended hardship, and how we can find peace while waiting for the end of the journey.Check out Kylie's podcast, Called & Worthy, at https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125620Check out BJ's podcast, Set Your Mind Above, at https://setyourmindabove.buzzsprout.com/Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Tolerance is in short supply these days – especially with the people who are always preaching tolerance. I hope I didn’t just condemn myself there.This week we will discuss the problems tolerance brought to the church in Thyatira back in the day, and that might pop up in our churches today; the crazy beliefs we will accept in our heroes, and whether that’s a good thing; the secret to dealing with selfish people, both on the road and in the pew; and the game I was glad to play once with my daughter, who loves me too much to ask me to play again.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Sequels are a mixed bag. Sometimes they celebrate or even improve upon the original. Sometimes they make us wish someone had just left well enough alone.This week we will discuss the purpose of sequels in the Bible and how we can make the most of them; the war we fought because we didn’t fight the previous one well enough; the upcoming Indiana Jones film and why I’m nervous about it; and the board game sequel that improved our gaming experience by robbing me of victories.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

This week we will discuss how standing in front of an oncoming train is an absolutely idiotic thing to do, but also could actually be necessary; we’ll talk about the most famous train in the world and one of the most famous murders; a song about a train that goes a lot further than you may have realized; and a game that brings out the best in some and the quit in others. All aboard, we’re leaving the station.Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

We begin Season 5 with one of the most special episodes I’ve done to date. Matt Bassford is a preacher, a writer, and a dear friend. In my judgment, he has had as much or more of an impact for the cause of Christ as anyone I know. In part 1,  I talk to Tim Jennings, preacher at the Castleberry church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, about Matt’s contributions to the hymns we sing and how we sing them.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.   

This is the last episode of season 4. Thank you so much for supporting this effort. I did a “favorites” show for episode 100; for this milestone, I thought I would go in the other direction. This week we will discuss the worst part of my preaching; the worst book-reading experience I’ve had recently; yet another rant against the so-called music of the current generation; and the biggest waste of time you can have with a deck of cards.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Magic is a term we use to describe things that make no sense, things that defy description. Whether it’s “real” or not depends on the sort of magic you’re talking about. And there are several.This week we will discuss the magic we see in every starry sky, and the true power behind it; the two different kinds of magic in Narnia, and which is stronger; the magic being worked on us by the powers that be and who knows who else; and the magic show you can put on in your very own living room.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

“It’s his fault!” “She started it!” “They are a lot worse than us!” Am I describing the squabbling of children? Or am I describing a typical Tuesday afternoon at Walmart? I say, can’t both be true? This week we will discuss Paul’s keys to arguing properly; how starting with love and respect makes the arguments go much better; the queen of arguing and how to avoid becoming her next opponent; and the best way to avoid arguing in the first place.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Ministry is service, pure and simple. And I have two “ministers” joining me this week to describe how it works. Ryan Joy, co-host of the Bible Geeks podcast, ministers to the church of Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Scott Taylor is preacher and shepherd for the West Mason church of Christ in the Cincinnati area. He cohosts the You Are From God podcast. In part 1 we discuss what ministry looks like in the local church.https://www.facebook.com/youarefromgodhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2777943452238844 Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Our life in Jesus is about changing from one thing into another – from sinner to saint, from rebellious to obedient. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t always work. But when it does, it’s a wonder to behold. This week we will discuss the blessings of God’s fiery ordeals; the ancients’ efforts to cheat death, and whether that would be a good thing; the diet that will save your soul, as opposed to the diet that will just delay the inevitable; and why we get bad results when we tweak God’s recipes.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Poverty is the rule, not the exception. We have become prosperous enough in modern-day America that “poor” people write Yelp reviews on their smart phones about how expensive their sushi was. Actual poor people do exist, though. They always have and always will.This week we will discuss Jesus’ apparent indifference to poverty; a young man’s trip from hopelessness to Congress; the origin story of Hal Hammons, Famous Tightwad; and how my wife stopped the Federal Reserve from invading our board game table.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

Walking is how we get from here to there. From a baby’s first steps to a bride’s walk down the aisle to the day our six best friends carry us away, walking symbolizes the way we progress through this life and on into the next.This week we will discuss the two paths we have to choose from; how Nik Wallenda conquers fear in a life with no safety net; my own mediocre efforts at exercise and whether I should be concerned; and the Irish pedestrian who threatens to ruin one of our favorite board games.

We should be going to school every day. Life is full of lessons waiting to be learned. And that’s especially the case with spiritual instruction. Believe me, you don’t want to be a dropout. This week we will discuss a couple of schools in the Bible and how God’s people handled the influences they found there; the one school where attendance is absolutely mandatory; the school you run in your own home, whether you realize it or not; and the schools that are provided by churches and sabotaged by teachers.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

For a very special episode 200, I invited three friends of the podcast — Dr. Kenny Embry is the host of the :Balancing the Christian Life podcast; Adam Shanks preaches for the Edwards Lake church of Christ in Birmingham, and the host of the Preach Impediments podcast; Jacob Hudgins preaches for the Twin City church of Christ in my adopted hometown of College Station, Texas.In part 1 we discuss exactly what sort of friend we have in Jesus. Check out Kenny's podcast at www.balancingtheChristianlife.com.Check out Adam's podcast at https://preach-impediments.captivate.fm/.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.  

A challenge is at the same time a barrier and a gateway. The burden is on us to make the most of our circumstances and find a way to use them for our own good and the good of the gospel.This week we will discuss challenges that can destroy the brotherhood, that will save the next generation (if we get out of the way), that may or may not be extending and improving my life, and that have kept a great game off my table for more than two years.Hal Hammons is the preacher for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods Drive church through Facebook and other social media. Lakewoods Drive is an autonomous group of Christians dedicated to praising God, teaching the gospel to all who will hear, training Christians in righteousness, and serving our God and one another faithfully. We believe the Bible is God's word, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that heaven is our home, and that we have work to do here while we wait. Regular topics of discussion and conversation include: Christians, Jesus, obedience, faith, grace, baptism, New Testament, Old Testament, authority, gospel, fellowship, justice, mercy, faithfulness, forgiveness, Twenty Pages a Week, Bible reading, heaven, hell, virtues, character, denominations, submission, service, character, COVID-19, assembly, Lord's Supper, online, social media, YouTube, Facebook.