Omitting the context of spiritual gifts and the gifted men chosen by the Spirit to perfect the saints and equip them for service, we must not seek to push such men on saints today who do not have the gifts of the Spirit as they did in that age. Ironically, all churches apply only those…
(4) Encourages an employee/employer relationship. We know what the Bible teaches about the work and role of an evangelist. But typically, a preacher, looking for a place to preach, goes to a congregation, preaches one or two sermons, and sits behind closed doors with an eldership who decides whether or not they will hire him. …
(3) Ignorance of the Hireling and Membership In addition, the preachers of the organizations do not know the members and problems of the past or present. They are immediately placed in a position of leadership without any knowledge of their needs. In some cases, the customary practice and advice given by the local leaders are…
(2) Master of the Pulpits Among many Protestant churches, more time is allotted to the sermon than any other element of the “worship service”. The importance given to it in word and deed sounds like the sermon is the most important source of spiritual teaching. While preaching the Word is unquestionably the work of God’s…
Today, some may call people evangelists and shepherds, but they have to modify their roles to fit their local church structure but still justify their existence by appealing to their presence in the first century. Consider the results of this mistake. (1) Role Confusion One resulting problem among at least one tradition of which I’m…
Edification is shared by all saints for all saints. Even among the saints of the first century, the teaching and edification of the saints were shared among those who were specially endowed with a teaching gift. First-century Seeing that all had some spiritual gift, they shared the gifts that they had been given. The teaching…
2 Peter 3:18 reads, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. The Israel of God today is destroyed by the same thing and for the same reason that destroyed ancient Israel — lack of knowledge and poor accountability. Some church leaders have the policy that the fewer people know, the…
Today, we have numerous people who assume that everything written in the Bible has direct relevance for us or it would not have been written at all. In relation to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that were a common part of that time, a majority of churches are searching…
God’s people (the ekklesia) are a body of individual saints whose personal work and labor of love confirm their identity as disciples of Christ. It is not determined by which church they are members of, or where they went to school. If today’s so-called saints are identified by their membership instead of their personal life,…
Notice an example from Paul that gives some reason for God’s choice to remove or allow a physical infirmity. We gain this insight from Paul’s request to remove his thorn in the flesh that is recorded in second Corinthians twelve. Consider the following observations: There was given me a thorn in the flesh to keep…