Not only has the claim in today’s miraculous healings produced unbelief in many who hear the claims and see the lack of evidence, but it has also caused many supporters to redefine a miracle. In Hume’s famous treatise on miracles, he defined a miracle as “a violation of the laws of nature.” While we would…
Concerning modern healing services today, we might ask why that is such a bad thing. This is the ancient problem of the end justifying the means. When stressing how wonderful it makes us feel to believe that one is witnessing a miracle, we will not quibble about whether a real miracle was performed because it…
The Israel of God today are destroyed by the same thing and for the same reason that destroyed ancient Israel — lack of knowledge and indigent leadership. Some elders have the policy that the less people know, the less the possibility of departing from the truth. Therefore, they will purposely keep the information or different…
No man has the right to tell another what to read or with whom they may talk. That was performed many years ago in the name of Roman Catholicism as they sought to maintain control and uniformity. Is this the leadership we desire? God says to “be ready always to give an answer to every…
Elders of “institutional” church organizations listen to the complaints and read the pulse of the group in order for that organization to continue. The work is dependent on the contribution of its members and the contribution of the members is dependent on their satisfaction with the decisions of the eldership. The eldership is placed in…
Since the membership is to obey and submit to the rule of these men, they are not conditioned to submit, obey, and follow the leadership of spiritual shepherds who oversee their souls. They are only expected to accept the decisions of administrators as it affects them in the assemblies. Again, we ask three connected questions:…
A result of this change in roles is that shepherds are not “skilled” in teaching as their qualifications require (1 Tim. 3:2). In fact, if they are to be skilled in teaching, what purpose would be served in hiring a preacher? Consequently, they are not teaching because it is painfully boring when they do attempt…
Another resulting problem is the ever-present confusion in the roles of preachers and elders. Local preachers in the organization often supplant the elders and their role! This is not an indictment of intent as only God can measure personal motivation. The point is that we can predict problems where God has not authored an arrangement….
The concept of the body of Christ and the role of each part of that spiritual body of Christ is descriptive of a living organism with each member functioning for the spiritual health of the body daily. The Bible does not describe an organization that meets twice a week so each member can contribute some…
Hebrews 13:17 instructs Christians to “obey” (Gr. peitho) them that have the rule over you, and “submit” (Gr. Hupeiko) to them. While the Greek word hupeiko appears only in Hebrews 13:7, the Greek word peitho, translated to obey, has been used 55 times in the New Testament. This word has been translated “persuaded” (Acts 26:28),…