We have been posting much about the alternative to “church-life.” By “church-life”, we mean the activities that revolve around the membership of an organization, the required activities to be in good standing with that organization, and the amount and type of fellowship inherent in that arrangement. The alternative has been the focus of this chapter….
If, as we have shown, the church institution is a product of human wisdom passed down through the religious traditions of our fathers, what is the alternative way of life among God’s people, today? The Devil has, certainly, been the leading cause of so much disruption and innovation. With every advancement of human wisdom, our…
Regarding the divine intention to have elders today, we must be fair with our treatment of Ephesians 4:11-16. The list of gifted men stands or falls together, for they were given for the same purpose and during the same period of time. If we have one, we have them all. If we do not have…
I’d like to continue to reason with you concerning 1 Peter 5:2. That which is described as being “among him” were souls that were God’s heritage and his responsibility to shepherd. I use to make a big point of using 1 Peter 5:2 where Peter tells the overseers to “feed the flock of God which…
Given the description of the individual responsibility of Shepherds and the saints, there is no violation of local autonomy because there were no local churches in these towns (Remember the ekklesia is always in the singular in each town). But, even though brethren met in a variety of homes and not necessarily all together in…
Consider the following passages. 1. 1 Peter 5:5 reads, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. In the same vein, Paul tells wives to submit to their husbands in…
These men, like the rest that are mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-ff were appointed by God to be teachers. They were no more a less a part of the church organizations than apostles, prophets, and evangelists. Because they had a household with children who were subject to them, they were living in a city that knew…
The pastors, who were also given by God during these early years, were chosen and elected by apostles and/or evangelists for the purpose of teaching. The information for their selection was given to Timothy and Titus and the responsibility for their appointment was laid on them. There is no support in the Scriptures for some…
Today, we have preachers filling the pulpit of local churches for hire. It is their profession. The alternative to this arrangement is the on-going studies of saints from house to house. I suppose no harm would be done if someone wanted to prepare a presentation, but it is altogether unnecessary. Even if living in the…
Preachers and evangelists of today do not compare to the examples of preachers in the New Testament. Paul leaves a clear example of work to provide for himself and others while still preaching the gospel. There is no example of the church support of Timothy or Titus, especially a salary from a local church. If…