Tune and Prepare!

Ken Ham About teachers Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1 My father was a schoolteacher, and he also loved to teach God’s Word. But he explained that he never wanted to lead anyone astray, which is why his favorite verses of Scripture began with, “Have you not read?” or “It is written.” He loved to emphasize the authority of God’s Word because it is the ultimate source of truth and the basis for our Christian worldview. Another thing my father taught me was related to the various study Bibles. He would say, “Remember, the study notes are not inspired like the text, so always use the text as the commentary on the notes.” In other words, we need to judge what someone is teaching against the absolute authority of the Word of God. If we don’t do this, we can easily be led astray. About shepherds God’s Word has many warnings about shepherds who lead the sh...

{there's a necessity of...} .. a renewal of the life of the church as the result of the direct action of the Spirit of God upon an individual or a group of people, a church or even a group of churches, or perhaps even more or less a nation. It is a visitation of the Spirit, an outpouring of the Spirit, a phenomenon, nothing that man organizes or arranges or produces. It is a sovereign action of God. I ended on that note last Thursday evening, and this is a most important point, this clear definition as to what we mean by revival, and I considered some of the objections which so many people seem to have to this whole notion and tried to show how they were unscriptural. I still would repeat that I believe the greatest factor in causing the whole notion of revival to recede in the thinking of the church has been due to the prevalence of an Arminian type of teaching which is activist and believes that men can do things, both the preacher in the pulpit and the one who ...

Simon Elliot — Everyday Church Wimbledon Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians Paul here refers to specific people who represent a specific ministry with a specific purpose. Paul is not talking about titles or professional positions; he is speaking about people with purpose, and that purpose is to equip and enable the believing community in intentional discipleship. Why can I say this? Because, as we shall see, the fruit of intentional discipleship is mature and fruitful believers. These ministries equip the saints, all the believers, for works of service – for activity which will bring maturity through intentionality. John Stott puts it like this: Paul sets out two purposes – one immediate and the other ultimate – for which Christ gave gifts to his church. His immediate purpose was to equip his people for w...

(acidic text) Intro Proper self-assessment is a delicate matter. It requires an orderly system of personal relationships and a great deal of grace. When we calmly and lovingly endure our conflicts and learn from them, when the unknown and invisible areas become smaller and smaller and our weaknesses, which are understandable to others from the outside, become more and more obvious, then our self-esteem problems also decrease significantly. They do not disappear—we live in a sinful world—but they are not the main problem and, above all, they do not provide a basis for false identity and compensatory behavior. {At the same time, I admit and confess that I am familiar with the following from personal failures or temptations.} Restless souls However, there are restless souls. Those who always have a ready explanation and justification for the correctness of their actions. These are mostly extroverted individuals whose satisfaction factor only reaches around 98% whe...

(The Roaming Spirit-Trader - acidic text) Intro A helyes önértékelés kényes jószág. Rendezett személyes kapcsolat rendszer és sok sok kegyelem szükségeltetik hozzá. Amikor nyugodtan és szeretetben elviseljuk konfliktusainkat és tanulunk azokból, amikor a számunkra ismeretlen láthatatlan terület egyre kisebb lesz és a mások számára kívülről érthető gyengeségünk egyre nyilvánvalóbbá válik, akkor önértékelési problémáink is jelentősen csökkennek. Nem szűnnek ugyan meg - bűnös világban élünk - de nem a fő problémát képezik és főleg nem adnak alapot hamis identitásnak és pótcselekvésnek. {Ugyanakkor itt azt is beismerem és megvallom, hogy a következőket személyes bukásokból vagy kísértésekből is ismerem.} Nyughatatlan lelkek Vannak azonban nyughatatlan lelkek. Olyanok akiknek mindig van kész magyarázatuk és igazolásuk tettek helyességére. Ezek többnyire extrovertált személyek akiknek elégedettségi faktora csak akkor jut el 98% körüli értékre, ha az általuk képviselt {vag...

This is probably the most difficult dilemma for pastors and church leaders: how to balance nurturing church members with the desire to save people around us. To this day, there is no consensus on this issue, as communities are made up of people from many different backgrounds, countless characters work together, and average age is also an important factor in activity levels. Below, I summarize some of the opinions from fruitful servants, along with references to detailed articles. The Church and Evangelism Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors Commending Christ - Message by Mark Dever This article emphasizes developing a culture of evangelism within the church while building up believers, noting that the church calendar should be kept simple so members aren't clogged with church responsibilities and can instead live the Christian life with their families and non-Christian friends Two things we pastors must teach on evangeli...

Jonny Kabiswa Kyazze Holistic development necessitates a comprehensive approach that addresses the multifaceted needs of communities, families and individuals. To achieve this, it is imperative that organisations, agencies, and institutions move away from competition and embrace partnerships and collaboration as a foundational principle. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Proverbs 27:17). The Current Landscape In my experience working at national, country, and international levels, I have observed a persistent issue: competition between organisations, agencies, and institutions. This rivalry manifests in various forms, from duplicating efforts in the same community to a lack of communication and resource sharing. Such an approach not only hampers holistic development but also leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for positive impact. The Pitfalls of Competition Organisations often operate in silos, each ind...

study in the Chapterhouse The Constant Need Ephesians 4:1-16 Holman Christian Standard Bible 1 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness , with patience {tolerating}, accepting {bearing} one another in love, 3 diligently keeping the unity * of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to {called in} one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. *Keeping the unity means: acceptance and active love ( agape: inviting love / or 'Hesed' ), creating an environment with mutual trust and support. See: David Guzik's article about unity (see: the apostolic heart in Rm.1:12 and 14:19 ) 7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift. 8 For it says: When He...

Such a high view of the Church in the New Testament, carried over from the place of the Temple in the Old Testament as "God's house", where God lives, is at Home with his family & requires a certain lifestyle. We need to know "how to conduct ourselves" there.. 1Tim3:15. I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. It's no ordinary place. Not the world. It's meant to be very different! Terry Virgo

{A Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon} In this powerful sermon on the nature of the church, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines what truly constitutes the church according to New Testament teaching. He argues that the church is not merely a confession of faith on paper, but a living gathering of people who have been separated from the world and united together in Christ. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the church is made up of those who have undergone a radical spiritual transformation - experiencing conviction of sin, repentance, and new birth in Christ. This shared spiritual life creates an organic unity among believers that transcends all other earthly distinctions. ... He warns against dead orthodoxy and urges his listeners to examine whether they truly possess the life of God within. He highlights how the early church was characterized by a love for sound doctrine, genuine fellowship, joyful worship, and Spirit-empowered witness. ... This sermon challenges listene...

Sándor Háló – igemorzsa.hu "We also have this commandment from him, that he who loves God should love his brother." 1 John 4:21 We are sorely lacking in brotherly love in the church. Many who profess to love the Saviour make no effort to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship. Our faith is one. We are all members of the same family, children of the same heavenly Father, with the same hope of immortality. How intimate and tender, then, should be the bond that binds us together! The world is watching, wanting to see if our faith sanctifies us. The secular will immediately notice every shortcoming in our lives, every inconsistency in our actions. Let us not give them an opportunity to attack our faith... There is no surer way to weaken our spirituality than to envy one another, to distrust, to be full of fault-finding and suspicion... This is not wisdom from above... The wisdom that comes from above is... peace-lovin...

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need — how can God’s love reside in him? 1Jn 3:16 Recommended articles: · Brotherly love · Is "Hesed" equal to "agape"? · label: Our Living Word · Luther about incessant faith

Andreas Köstenberger In our day and age, few parts of Scripture are more controversial that the household codes of the New Testament. Indeed, as family structures continue to unravel and hierarchical relations, in the home, the church, or the workplace, are often abusive, the biblical teaching that men and woman have distinct, God-given roles and that women submit to their husbands has fallen on hard times. Yet, for those who are committed to Scripture, we must take a closer look to see what God says about male-female relationships, and women’s roles in particular, throughout Scripture. And one important place to do that is Titus 2. ... Paul’s instructions to Titus in chapter 2 are given as part of a household code that conceives of the church as God’s household. In keeping with this format, Paul gives ministry directives regarding older men (v. 2), older and young women (vv. 3–5), and younger men (v. 6), as well as bondservants (vv. 9–10). Like all the members in God’s ho...

Andreas Köstenberger God’s Word calls qualified men to teach and pastor God’s flock. In discussions of this topic, 1 Timothy 2–3 are central to explaining why Paul did not permit a woman to teach or have authority in the church and why the pastoral office is grounded in creation and not culture... .. In this post, I will provide a brief introduction to 1 Timothy 2–3, a passage that clearly affirms male eldership in the household of God. Paul’s first letter to Timothy contains vital and abiding instructions for the church and its leadership. Paul writes to his apostolic delegate, Timothy, toward the end of Paul’s life and ministry in order to leave a legacy and pass on the pattern of church leadership to his foremost disciple. These instructions are not limited to first-century Ephesus (where Timothy was at the time) but abiding principles grounded in God’s creation order (Paul writes similar instructions to Titus, who is on the island of Crete). The Church as God’...

Chopo Mwanza Every local church is comprised of a diverse group of people who have been radically transformed by the power of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. These diverse people have no reason to live and work together, let alone care for each other—and yet, they choose to live in love and unity together, to the praise and glory of the Lord’s name. Healthy local churches make a powerful and attractive testimony to a watching world. This means that every church member has to be devoted to building others up. Church members who build up the church are those who: 1. Attend Attending is the most basic way church members build each other up. It’s the most obvious way to show commitment to the body. There’s something encouraging about knowing a brother or sister is simply going to be present at a church service, and you are going to worship God together. The writer to the Hebrews tells the believers to “stir one another up to love and good deeds” and to “en...

Jézus egyik jól ismert példázata a Máté evangélium 13. részében található. Ez a tiszta búza között talált konkoly története. De vajon értjük-e az eredeti üzenetet? Jézus egy másik példázatot is hozott: "A mennyek országa ahhoz hasonlítható, mint aki jó magot vetett a mezején; amíg azonban mindenki aludt, jött az ellenség és gyomot vetett a búza közé,... Amikor tehát a búza felnőtt és kalászt hozott, megjelentek a gyomok is... ekkor eljöttek a földesúr szolgái és azt mondták neki: - Mester, nem-e jó magot vetettél a meződre? Akkor honnan jöttek ezek a gyomok? - Egy ellenség tette ezt. - Azt akarod tehát, hogy menjünk és szedjük össze őket? - Nem. Mert ha összeszednétek a gyomokat, azzal együtt a búzát is kitépnétek. Hagyjátok mindkettőt együtt nőni az aratásig; és az aratás idején megmondom az aratóknak: "A gyomot gyűjtsétek össze először, és kössétek kötegekbe, hogy elégessétek, a búzát pedig gyűjtsétek be a pajtámba." Mt 13:24-30 Jézus példázat...