Before we look at what God teaches us regarding women in church leadership/preaching positions, we must understand that the Bible never implies that women are in any way inferior to men. If anything, women prove to be the most spiritual (who stood by Jesus on the cross?). There are so many amazing and faith-filled women in the Bible (e.g. Sarah, Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Phebe). To understand why God directs us toward different leadership roles in the Bible, we must go back to God’s original design for men and women. These Scriptural truths are......
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What Is Church Membership? Church membership is when a group of Christians gathers together and forms a local church, bonded together by a common set of beliefs and goals. In the Bible, every local church was autonomous (i.e. self-governing, not under the control of an earthly organization or headquarters). Each believer “joins” the church, becoming a vital part of the local body, serving and helping make church decisions. Each church typically writes a document, sometimes referred to as a “constitution”, defining the church’s core beliefs from the Bible, how the church accepts and......
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Most conservative Christians believe that the Bible is Inspired (written by God, see 2Timothy 3:16), Powerful (see Hebrews 4:12), and Authoritative (see John 12:48 and Titus 2:15). However, there is much disagreement among conservative Christians about whether or not the Bible is Preserved. Before we look at what the majority of Christians believe regarding preservation, let’s establish a few Biblical points.1)God has promised to preserve His Word. Psalms 12:6-7 reads, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them,......
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There is much confusion in the churches today about the subject of “worship”. Because mankind is inherently prideful, the temptation is for worship to become man-centered instead of God-centered. In many circles, worship has become entertainment rather than the exultation of a holy God. Statements like “I enjoyed the worship today” are meaningless. Whether or not we enjoy worship is not the point. The question to ask is, “Was God glorified?” True Biblical worship can be offered in many forms. Examples include singing (Hebrews 2:12), giving (Matthew 2:11), and honouring the Word of......
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Music in church has become a controversial issue among many Christians. One of the reasons is because what one “enjoys” or what makes one “feel good” has become the measure of right and wrong, rather than what is stated in God’s Word, the Bible. In all areas of the Christian life, including church music, all Christians must decide that the Bible is the authority. This article will present some Bible principles which govern Christian music. There is no question that God intended for us to utilize music to worship Him. In 2Chronicles 5:12-14,......
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I often talk with people who say that they don’t believe the Bible. I tell them that is their choice, and I ask them if they have read the Bible. They usually say that they have not. Doesn’t it seem a bit unwise to reject the Bible without investigating it for one’s self? It seems especially unwise when the Bible is still the best-selling book in the world, and the book translated into the most languages. Millions of people for centuries have claimed that the Bible has changed their lives, yet there are......
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Before there were governments, before there were churches, there was family! The very foundation of society is where it all began – the family. In the second chapter of the Bible, God talked about marriage: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). Jesus Christ expounded upon this great truth in Matthew 19:5-6 and Mark 10:7-8 by saying, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” God started it all with family. He still......
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It almost seems silly to write an article like this, but in today’s “entertainment” church climate, a reminder never hurts. God designed the local church as a place for His people to grow in their faith. Assembling regularly was God’s idea, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”, Hebrews 10:25. God knew that gathering together was an important part of the Christian life. According to the Scriptures, we assemble for many reasons: To corporately give to and worship the Lord; Acts 2:47; I Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 2:12; To corporately pray; Acts 12:12; For......
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A church is to assemble for many reasons – worship, fellowship and care, ministry, etc. One of the main reasons we are to attend church is to be “fed” the Word of God. Pastors are commanded to “feed the flock of God”, I Peter 5:2. The Bible says that pastors are given to the church for the “perfecting of the saints” in Ephesians 4:11-12. Pastors are instructed to “labour in Word and doctrine” in I Timothy 5:17, and are told to “preach the Word” in II Timothy 4:2. When the Apostle Paul was......
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