One of those new fears of the day is identity theft. Keeping a close check on your credit report and your credit card charges are certainly prudent. Those who are trying to steal from us are becoming more and more devious. For a while, I was receiving almost daily emails from Ebay saying that unless I updated my account immediately, it would be closed. These emails, were “phishing” emails—I have never had an Ebay account. Someone was just trying to get my credit card information. (Obviously they didn’t know that a preacher’s credit cards are not worth much!)

The Federal Trade Commission estimated that about 10 million people are victimized annually by the identity thieves. In April of 2006 the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that at least one member of 3 percent of all U.S. households was an identity theft victim in the last half of 2004. If you haven’t been hit, you probably know someone who has been hit (although they may not even know it yet).

As Christians, are we in danger of having our identity stolen? Churches of Christ have long been known for our distinctiveness in worship and practice, as we well should be. As “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), we dare not stray from a “thus saith the Lord.”

It seems to me that if we are not careful, though, some will steal the most distinctive sign the Lord has given us. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). What is the first thought that comes to mind when people speak of the Oxford church of Christ? Is it, “Those are the people who love each other so much”? Let us work to be sure that no one steals our identity away from us!