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Characteristics of a biblical church
Authority of scripture
We believe that the scripture is the ultimate and sole authority for defining Christian belief and the sole God-given pattern for Christian living. While God is sovereign and is able to give new revelations, the existing scriptures show that he will not do so; (Deut 4:2; Deut 12:32; Mt 5:17; 1 Cor 4:6; Rev 22:18-19) therefore, anything that contradicts scripture must be judged not to be of God.
All other presumed authorities must submit to and be judged by the scripture. An authority that will not so submit itself is ipso facto in rebellion against God and must not be followed.
In particular, human traditions have no authority if they contradict the scripture. We must continually remember that we have in the Bible God's very words and must not try to improve on them in any way, for this cannot be done. Instead, we should seek to understand them and then trust them and obey them with all our hearts.
Anyone who does not accept the above statements will presumably not accept the rest of this document.
The biblical pattern for church life and practice
We believe that the Bible gives a single pattern for how a church is to be organized and how its life is to be manifested by believers in Jesus. There are, we know, many who claim that the scripture cannot be expected to give a pattern suitable for the modern age and that the church has the right to develop new forms for itself. We do not agree with this. Since God knows all things from the beginning, it is no problem for Him to have put all we need in the scriptures. The nature of man does not change, whatever the circumstances. It is worldly arrogance to claim, in effect, that God was incompetent and that we know better.
There are a number of characteristics that the bible would lead us to expect to find in a church organized on the biblical pattern; equally, there are a number of characteristics of existing churches that we do not find in the bible. (We pass over the specific abuses of the Roman Catholic church, which were sufficiently exposed by Luther and the other Reformers.)
This table gives a summary of many of these differences. Not every institutional church shares all the faults in the right-hand column, but they all share in a majority of them:
Biblical church References Non-biblical church.
Keep to apostolic tradition The tradition of the Early Church Fathers, or even later.
Ex 31:11; Mt 15:1-9; 16:6-12; Mk 8:15; Lk 6:46-49; 11:37-52; 12:1; 1 Cor 11:2; 14:36; Col 2:8; 2 Th 2:15; 3:6
It is evident that there was a pattern of church life that was handed down by the apostles and that Paul felt it was necessary for every church to keep to that pattern. In the case of the law, the tabernacle, and the temple, under the old covenant, God gave very specific directions. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy in ignoring those commands in order to keep their own tradition. It is unreasonable to suppose that the directions given under the new covenant may be freely ignored.
The Pharisees actually made their own tradition of greater importance than the written law. Similarly, today's institutional churches give greater priority to their own traditions than to the scriptures. No matter how many errors and deviations are pointed out, they would rather keep them than give them up in order to obey God. In this, the institutional churches are just like the Pharisees, and Jesus commands us to beware of their leaven -- that is, their hypocrisy -- because "a little leaven leavens the whole lump." Therefore there must be no compromise on this matter because any compromise is like a little bit of leaven. Those who disregard this warning put themselves in danger of deception.
No hierarchy Hierarchical leadership
Matt 20:25-28; Mk 10:42-45; Lk 22:24-27; Jn 13:3-5; 1 Cor 1:10; 7:25;16:15-16; 2 Cor 1:24; 2:8; 2 Th 3:6; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 5:2
Jesus commanded us not to have any hierarchy, such as the rulers of the nations always have. Christians are not to have leaders who lord it over others; leaders are to be in the position of slaves to the rest. Therefore there can be no question of leaders telling others what to do; they can only seek to persuade. The word often translated as "obey" in Hebrews actually means "let yourself be persuaded." Even the apostles do not command, except when passing on the commands of God.
The best leadership is invisible until it is needed. The literal translation of "episkopos" (overseer) is better rendered "guardian" or "watchman" because those words lack "overseer's" connotations of slavery and accurately describe what the leaders should be doing. The leaders are there to watch over the church, teach and pray; in a meeting, they should normally restrain themselves from intervening as leaders unless the church departs from the scriptures or otherwise in need of correction. Nevertheless, they do have a strong role in leading the church as a whole and discerning its course.
Small meetings that fit in a home Large gatherings that need large buildings
Ac 2:46; 5:42; Rom 16:5; 16:23; 1 Cor 1:11; 16:19; 14:26 (by implication)
We know that there were no Christian buildings until Constantine made Christianity the state religion. In 300 years, no church felt any need to have a special building; this was because the pattern taught by the apostles was of meeting in homes. Small meetings encourage intimacy and mutual support; no one can get lost in a small meeting. In a large meeting, people can easily be ignored, and contributions from everybody are impossible; however, 1 Cor 14 shows that everyone is expected to contribute.
The meetings in the temple were the continuation, for a while, of the Jews' normal practice, and they gave the opportunity for preaching to unconverted people, but the real fellowship happened in homes. When the temple and the synagogue became unavailable, the apostles felt no urge to replace them. This is not to say that buildings may not be used for other purposes, as Paul did when he hired the hall of Tyrannos to hold teaching and evangelistic meetings.
Plural leadership Single leadership
Eccl 4:9-12; Ac 14:23; 15:2, 22-23; 20:17; 1 Tim 4:14; Tit 1:5; James 5:14; 3 John 9
Everywhere Paul went, he appointed elders for the churches. There is no doubt that there was more than one of them. Having plural leadership is a safeguard against the corruption of power. One man alone can easily go off track, as Diotrephes clearly did, snatching at worldly power, but two or more together can protect each other.
Qualified leaders Various disqualifications ignored.
Ac 6:3; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:6-9
The scripture sets out the requirements for a leader in the church, both for elders and servants (that is, deacons). Nowadays, more and more of these qualifications are ignored by the denominations; we have already seen a "bishop" who has been appointed in spite of having abandoned his family and turned instead to a physical homosexual relationship.
Home-grown leadership Imported leadership.
God's principle is that elders (bishops and pastors are the same people as elders) should come from the communities they serve. In this way, they are known by everyone, and their good reputation and the respect in which they are held give them authority to deal with any problems. By contrast, the institutional churches import clergy from elsewhere, men who are not known to the local church. Having not earned respect among the people, they have to depend on their position to give them authority, so they automatically turn to a worldly way of working, though some may later earn the respect they should have had before they were appointed. In addition to importing (and sometimes imposing) leaders from outside the local church, some denominations actively seek to move leaders on after a few years, which ensures that any respect they have managed to earn is thrown away.
Male leadership only Women in leadership.
Gen 2:18; Jdg 4:4-9; Is 3:12; 1 Ti 2:11-15; 3:2; 3:11
The Bible is quite clear that leadership is male in both the Old and New Covenants. Deborah rebukes Barak for demanding that she come with him; God's commission should have been sufficient for him to lead Israel without her backup. (It is interesting that Deborah, nevertheless, is the only positive biblical example of a woman in leadership independently of men.)
The Old Testament teaches that woman is complementary to man and necessary to him, and the New Testament shows that men and women are of equal value and status, but the New Testament also teaches that women are more likely to be deceived and are therefore unsuitable as leaders (whose job is to expose and fight against deception in the church). The institutional churches prefer to worship the Spirit of the age, which insists that women are as capable as men in all respects and equal in the role as well as in value.
Exercises godly discipline Does not exercise discipline.
Mt 18:17-18; 1 Cor 5:1-13; 2 Cor 2:5-8
It is the responsibility of the church to judge sin in its midst. The initiative for discipline comes from any person who perceives sin and has been unable to persuade the other person to repent. (This is not a license for people to nose into others' private lives.) The priority should always be to restore the sinner, not condemn him as the world would.
Many institutional churches avoid responsibility and tolerate all kinds of sin in the name of "love" and "not judging others."
Discipline by the whole church Discipline by a small group
Mt 18:17-18; 1 Cor 5:12-13; 2 Cor 2:5-8
It is necessary for the church to judge sin in its midst, but Jesus commands the matter to be brought before the church, not the elders, and Paul addresses the whole Corinthian church about the man among them who was committing incest; he does not address himself to the elders. But in almost every institutional church, discipline is reserved for some small group of people.
The priesthood of all believers Clergy/laity split
Ex 19:5-6; Jer 31:33; Heb 4:14; 8:10-13; 2 Ti 4:14-15; 1 Pet 2:5, 9-10; James 5:16; Rev 2:6, 15
All believers have the same status before God and the same responsibilities. Though each is given a different gift, those gifts are not a basis for dividing us. There is not the slightest hint in the New Testament that there should be anything like the Levitical priesthood. A priest's role is to be an intermediary between men and God. Through the cross and the Holy Spirit, all believers have direct access to God and have no need of any other priest than Jesus.
The name "Nicolaitan", in Revelation means "one who dominates the people"; the Nicolaitans then, by the context, are those who claim that some particular group of Christians should rule over the rest, as the clergy does in all institutional churches. This mention in Revelation, and the mention of Alexander by Paul, and Diotrephes in 3 John, show that, even before the end of the first century, men were attempting to use the church to enhance their own power and position.
Every member contributes A few perform for an audience.
Nu 11:29; Joel 2:28; Ac 2:4, 2:17-18; 1 Cor 14:26
From the beginning, God's desire has been that he should be able to work in and through all of his people. The Holy Spirit is poured out on us to equip us for works of service, chief among which is building up the church. This comes about by Jesus' moving each individual to make some particular contribution in a meeting, through which all can be encouraged and edified. If someone fails to make the contributions God gives him, everyone suffers from his failure.
All liturgical churches and most others suppress this ministry of Jesus by disallowing or pre-filtering the contributions of the people. Even where this is not intentional, the very existence of the clergy disables the rest from the full exercise of their gifts.
Encourages the gifts of each Suppresses gifts
1 Cor 7:7; 12:7-31; 1 Th 5:19-20; 1 Ti 4:14
Since a biblical fellowship is guided by the Lord working through every member, it must seek out the gifts that God has given each member and encourage him to use them; otherwise, the whole body suffers because one of its members is not working properly.
The institutional churches do not allow most of their members to use gifts such as teaching or prophecy since these threaten the exclusive position of the clergy. Only "non-threatening" gifts may be used in such a church. Even where the validity of such gifts is acknowledged, their use is subtly discouraged or marginalized. This is what the scripture calls quenching the Spirit. Since such a church is not operating as a body of Christ but as a human organization, it does not notice its loss.
Everyone loves and encourages one another Little encouragement.
Jn 13:34; 15:17; Rom 1:12; 12:9; 1 Cor 14:31; 16:14; 1 Thes 4:9; 5:11,14; 1 Pet 1:22; 2:17; 1 Jn 3:11; 4:7; 2 Jn 1:5
There are some 50 exhortations in the New Testament for believers to encourage one another, love one another, and so on to one another. The standard Sunday service gives no scope for this. Some churches have fellowship or cell groups in which it can happen, but for the most part, it receives little emphasis in comparison with exhortations to keep the organization going in various ways. The demands of the organization drain people, whereas a fellowship operating by God's pattern will restore them.
Interestingly, most institutional churches acknowledge that every member should have a ministry, but they seem powerless to bring it about.
Includes children Segregates children.
Lk 18:16; Eph 1:1, 6:1; 1 Jn 2:12-13
Children are part of the family of God and should be included in his family's activities just as they are in their natural families. Paul writes to them in a letter intended to be read out in the meeting, so he clearly expects them to be present. To segregate them insulates them from the experience of the whole church and gives the message that they have no contribution to make to it.
Jesus is able and willing to use children to speak to the church if the church is humble enough to listen. The teaching of children is the responsibility of their parents. Taking that responsibility from them not only interferes wrongly with God's order for family life but also removes their teachers from the meeting of the whole church.
If people think that children will be bored in the meeting, it suggests that they are doing things that ought not to be done in the meeting. Children will certainly not be bored if God's Spirit is moving in the meeting. They probably cannot handle long sermons, which demonstrates that such things do not belong in the fellowship meetings.
Jesus controls Men control.
Jdg; 1 Sam 8:7; 1 Cor 11:3; 12:27; 14:31
There can only be one head of a body. The head communicates directly with every part of the body; nerve messages are not mediated to subsidiary controllers. Jesus wishes to direct his people without interference from men. Wherever a man sets himself up as head of his church, he is usurping the place of Jesus. If the people accept this, they are guilty of idolatry, in that they have given to a man honor that belongs to God.
The book of Judges, though depicting a society in which men tend to ignore the law of God and where "every man did what was right in his own eyes," also shows us a theocratic state where there is no organization apart from the family and (at time of need) the tribal army. (This operated correctly during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua, though the people later became unfaithful.) When the people want to change this state and have a king, like the other nations, God says that they are rejecting him. When we put leaders over us (instead of among us), we, like Israel, choose to reject God's king, Jesus, and have our own, like the other nations.
Freedom Bondage
Jn 8:36 Gal 2:4; 5:13; Col 3:16-23
Christianity is a relationship with Jesus and one another; it is not a set of rules. If we submit to rules and to the commands of men, we give up the freedom Christ has bought for us and put ourselves back in bondage. Many churches, however, turn Christianity into rules and laws; or they insist on having everyone obey the pastor as if he were entitled to give commands. Even where the pastor is not eager to command others, they will frequently sit back and defer to him, leaving all action to his initiative. Instead of this, the church, as the family of God, should have the same freedom and informality as an ordinary family.
Working of the Holy Spirit Spirit is quenched, or deceiving spirits
are allowed to operate.
Ac 2:4; 6:3; 10:44; Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 2:10; 12:4; 14:26,39; Gal 5:25; 1 Th 5:19
The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer to teach him all things and to manifest in him particular gifts to benefit the whole church. The church needs all those gifts so that they can be built up as God wants. Of particular importance is prophecy, for it is by that (subject, of course, to its not contradicting the scripture) that God speaks to the church to guide, encourage, and correct.
The institutional churches reacted to the excesses of Montanism and similar errors by going to the opposite extreme and banning prophecy altogether; the Charismatic movement brought back some knowledge of these things to the church, but some have denied it, and some have carried it to dreadful excess.
Minimal structure Worldly organization
Gen 11:1-9; 1 Sam 8:8; Mt 20:18; Ac 6:1-6
A biblical church works in small autonomous congregations and therefore needs almost no organization. Where the organization is required, servants (traditionally called "deacons") are appointed to undertake purely practical matters, apparently restricted to managing distributions to the needy.
In the world, it has been a pattern from very early times for some men to try to seize power over others and for others to wish them to do so. The people demanded that Samuel give them a king, like the other nations, and God told him that in doing so, they were rejecting God himself. The pattern has always been for men to reject God's provision and seek their own ways of doing things instead. Men's ways always involve hierarchy and central control; the ways of God, who rejects human wisdom, do not. Men need organization because they cannot handle large projects without it; God is infinite and can speak to and direct every one of his people separately and individually, so he needs no organization to do his work for him. Genesis tells us how God frustrated the early, premature attempt to achieve human unity by the organization and central command. By confusing men's languages, he made it impossible for them to maintain their organization and control.
No expensive resources Very expensive resources
The only requirement for money in the New Testament church is to relieve poverty among other believers. Nowhere is there to be found any appeal for money to pay for buildings or equipment. It is acknowledged that some workers are entitled to receive some support, though there is no record of their asking for it.
The institutional churches' obsession with buildings and salaries means that the people have little to spare for the relief of poverty and are greatly burdened by unnecessary demands for their money. In some churches, we now see the blatant marrying of money-seeking with the church as pastors strive to increase their salaries and build larger and richer churches so that the world will respect them. The world may do so, but God will not!
No salaried leaders Salaried leaders
Those who are taught ought to share with their teachers. But this is a personal relationship, not an official salary.
Some leaders, such as apostles and full-time teachers, have a right to support from the church. However, it does not seem that this applied to many. Paul himself took care not to make any demands of the church where he was working but worked with his own hands to support himself or received support from other churches.
For elders to be paid a salary immediately sets them apart as different from the rest. Any support for them should certainly be a voluntary freewill offering rather than tithing. The idea of tithing (as a law) belongs to the old covenant and to the system for support of the temple, which God has swept away. The Bible does not indicate that we should resurrect this system to maintain a hierarchy of worldly leaders.
Baptize believers immediately on conversion Baptize infants or non-believers; delay baptism.
Ac 2:41; 8:38; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor 7:14
Baptize infants or non-believers; delay baptism.
It is clear from the scripture that baptism is for believers only and is to be given by full immersion. A child may and should be baptized as soon as he repents and commits his life to Jesus, but no sooner. Infant baptism apparently developed because of a wrong belief that an unbaptized person could not be saved. There is no authority for delaying baptism pending instruction. If someone has repented and believed, he should be baptized immediately, though teaching should obviously be given as soon as possible.
Bible teaching Humanistic teaching
A biblical church will take care to train new believers in understanding the scripture and applying it to their own lives. Many churches today do not respect scripture as the true word of God and their ultimate guide; their teaching is frequently woolly moralizing or worldly speculation, and frequently adds to or takes away from scripture.
Dialogue teaching Sermon monologues
Lk 2:46-47; Ac 2:14-40; 3:11-26; 20:7
Teaching in Jewish tradition and in the New Testament was by discussion, not by lecturing. We see Jesus as a boy questioning the teachers in the temple. When Paul spoke till midnight at Troas, the word used is dialogeuo, from which we get the English word dialogue. Sermons were only introduced when pagan orators were converted and brought their rhetorical shows into the church. However good a speaker may be, the fact that he is giving a sermon makes him almost immune to challenge or question and therefore makes it possible for him to spread erroneous teaching unchecked. Peter's addresses recorded in Acts are evangelistic messages to unbelievers; they are not addressed to the church.
Fellowship meal Ritual communion
Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24 ; Lk 22:17-20; Ac 2:42,46; 20:7; 1 Cor 11:18-34;2 Pet 2:13; Jude 12; Rev 19:9
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
It is plain that the communion was in origin a full meal, at which the bread and wine were blessed and distributed, just as happens at every Sabbath evening meal among the Jews even now. Jesus invested this normal ritual with new meaning: now it teaches that the whole body of Christ shares together in him. Although 1 Cor 12 says that people should eat at home if they are hungry, this is not ideal; ideally, they should wait for each other and eat their fill together, just as every good family does.
The Old Testament teaches that in the resurrection, we will sit down to feast at the Lord's table. In the New Testament, the communion meal is a foretaste of that banquet. To make it anything less than a full meal is to denude the promise of its meaning and destroy the reality of our fellowship. A wafer or a small morsel of bread and a sip of wine are a poor symbol of the feast to which God invites us!
The love feast was actually forbidden by a church council at Laodicea in the fourth century, so far had they departed from the scripture.
Unity Denominations
The New Testament knows of three modes of the church: the church in the home; the church in the town (or district); and the universal church, the bride of Christ. Where Christians are in reach of one another, they are commanded to be of one mind. To maintain denominations is plain disobedience.
Modern attempts at "Christian Unity" are mostly directed at papering over the cracks of disunity. In John, at the Last Supper, Jesus prays that we should be one, as he and the Father are one. That is not what the modern churches call "Christian Unity"! True unity can only come from everyone's obeying Jesus together and becoming of one mind under his direction.
Autonomy Organizational hierarchy
The New Testament model for the church is of autonomous churches in each town; these churches cover those in easy reach of a particular center. No such church has authority over any other church, just as no believer has authority over another believer.
An apparent exception to this is where the church in Antioch sent people to Jerusalem to consult about the question of making Gentile converts keep the law. If we read this carefully, we see that the church in Antioch are sending to complain to the Jerusalem church about the teachings of some of their people; this is a successful attempt to bring both churches to understand the mind of the Lord so that they can agree together about this important doctrine.
In Revelation, Jesus addresses the seven churches individually. Although they are all in the same region (Western Asia Minor), he does not regard them as in any way dependent on one another. Nowhere in the New Testament is there any idea of one church governing another.
The principle of autonomy is important for keeping error from spreading. If one fellowship does fall into error, autonomy means that it cannot impose its error on any other fellowship. Under the hierarchical system, on the other hand, an error at the top is commanded to be followed by all the rest of the denomination.
Idolatry
Idolatry is not just bowing down to images. The scripture says that covetousness is idolatry. God says, "My glory I will not give to another." When we take any part of the honor, glory, obedience, and devotion due to God and give it instead to something of man's creation, that is idolatry. So, loyalty to a denomination or a human tradition is idolatry. Spending excessive effort on a church building or a church program is idolatry. Tolerating evil in the church, where God demands purity, is idolatry.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 Jn 5:21)
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How can I stop being nervous about praying publicly?
Many people find praying publicly or in a group to be a daunting prospect. Public speaking of any kind is one of the greatest fears experienced by people. Public prayer adds extra pressure to the spiritual aspect and makes people even more nervous because of the potential impact public prayer may have on others. It should be remembered, however, that although prayer is commanded by God, public prayer is not. In fact, Jesus said when we pray, we should go into a room, close the door and pray in secret (Matthew 6:6). So the first thing to understand about public prayer is that it is not a necessity of the Christian life.
For those who want to join in praying publicly, there are several ways to reduce the nervousness that often accompanies the experience. First, it’s important to pray with a group of people with whom we are comfortable, those we are sure won’t judge us for our less-than-eloquent prayers. Praying with others can be a great comfort when we hear our needs being lifted to the throne of grace by those who care enough about us to do so. Others who hear us pray for them are similarly encouraged. A group of people who love one another and accept one another in love and humility will usually ease the fears of those who are nervous about praying in public.
Another way to ease the burden of nervousness is to pray silently in advance of the public session, asking God to direct our minds and hearts to Him and away from ourselves. When we direct our thoughts toward the Creator of the universe and allow ourselves to become immersed in His immense nature, we will find our thoughts and feelings about ourselves diminishing. Our concerns will be more centered on what God thinks of us, not what others think. God loves us with an uncompromising love, and if we belong to Him through Christ, He has put our sin as far from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), and He invites us to come boldly before His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Being mindful that He does not judge us for our lack of eloquence will go a long way toward easing nervousness. People look at the external, which includes the speech, but God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
Finally, many people find that the sheer repetition of praying in public will ease their nervousness. Praying with others can be a very edifying experience, but ultimately prayer is the privilege of communicating with our heavenly Father, who sees our hearts and knows what we need before we even ask. He doesn’t need to hear eloquence in our prayers in order to bless us and draw near to us. What He asks for is a contrite heart and a lowly spirit, things He will never refuse (Psalm 51:17), no matter how eloquent our prayers.
Please pray.
For protection and traveling Grace on my upcoming trip out of the country.- Congratulations Reverend/Cousin Michael Johnson and First Lady Kitty Johnson! GOD makes no mistakes! Continue to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart lean not to thine own understanding in all ways acknowledge Him and He will continue to direct your path!" Proverbs 3 verse 5. Thank you for the invite! I will be praying for this community! Psalms 91 I love you! ❤️ Jacqueline Whitfield
- Thanks for following us. And thanks for your prayers.
Raising your Children in Christ
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22 : 6 __KJV)
1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
4. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6 : 1-4 __KJV)
1. Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right.
2. Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise
attached to it,
3. Namely, so you will live well and have a long life.
4. Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take
them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. (The Message Bible)
For parents to be concerned about their children’s developing into productive adults should be on every Father and Mother’s mind. For those parents desiring to raise their sons and daughters up as christians, as believers in the Lord, Jesus. We place the horse before the carriage. The parent must first identify and understand the dynamics of a family. A nuclear family is Husband (male), Wife (female), boys, girls, or both (children).
With divorce rates, unwed parents, in some cases death, we have many single parent families. Although the dynamics may shift, the rules and principles remain steadfast and intact.
Let us look at a single Christian Mother, and you are raising boys. That man child does not replace the absent man in your life. That male child is not your eternal “baby.” Parents, your children are not your buddy. There has to be a division in authority. A distribution of power between Parents, whether they are on site or absentee. I am addressing the male child first. Not because he is more important, but because there is a greater attack on him. As a black male he has to learn survival skills, because in this country he is most likely to be incarcerated, branded and denied equal justice and even murdered without anyone being held accountable.
This is where Men need to take their rightful place as head of the family, and led, minister to your wives and children (your family). You do whatever it takes, legally, to Insure the wellbeing of your family. Black men, with all that we endure, still does not give you a pass to misuse women and drop babies all over the place. And Measure your manhood by the number of “Ho’s” you got. Women, you need to quit selling yourselves cheap, just because some fool is driving a BMW, but he still living in his Mama’s house, and she thinking her “baby” is too good for you. Ever man you meet or date does not have to be packing a degree or working in corporate America. What is his work History? If he has children, does he support them? Does he respect you and your life? What is his relationship with God?
For the Men and Women, “what is your filter, and measuring stick?” Are your priorities in line with Jesus?
You do not plant apples and get oranges.
What a seemingly simple, but overwhelmingly complicated verse! It’s one of the most quoted and often misquoted verses in the Bible (Proverbs 22:6).
People often use this verse as a guarantee that if you raise your children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4), they’ll always stay on the right path. That interpretation can be problematic, particularly for the “good parents” who have seen their older children stray from the faith. We all know that we can try our best, and sometimes the results are different than we would have hoped. God has given us free will to make our own choices
I share the view that it is not as much a guarantee for parents, but rather a warning.
“This is not a promise to parents who raise their children properly but a warning to those who allow their adolescents to grow up without guidance, who raise them to go their own way.” Children left to their own way are not likely to change; they’ll become adults who go their own way, the wrong way. Interestingly, Solomon wrote later in (Proverbs 22:15__ MSG) Young people are prone to foolishness and fads; the cure comes through tough-minded discipline.
Solomon obviously recognized that children don’t tend to make the wise choice on their own.
There’s yet another view regarding Proverbs 22:6. It’s the view that Proverbs 22:6 isn’t as much about the moral or spiritual direction of the child, but rather his or her gifts and talents. It’s about parents helping their children discover their purpose and path in life. Parents are in the unique role of helping children discover how God has equipped them and how they can use their gifts in a positive way as adults.
As a parent, and Christian, I do know that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Regardless of the camp, you may fall in on the interpretation of this complicated verse, I believe there are several important implications we should all be able to agree on.
You have a responsibility as a parent.
Throughout Scripture, God is pretty clear about the responsibility He places in the hands of parents. None is more clear than Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
We have a responsibility as parents to teach our children what matters to God. It doesn't mean forcing them into a certain set of beliefs or rituals; rather, it means demonstrating a real faith – one that puts the focus on loving God and loving others. There's not a greater purpose we can have in life than “Walking the Talk” for our children to see.
Our children are going to learn about the world around them and their role in it. If they don’t learn from us, they will learn from someone else. It’s our responsibility to use our time with our kids wisely.
I am under the belief we have thrown the baby out with the bath water. “Don't discard something valuable along with something undesirable”
We are responsible for the unappreciative children, the attitude of privilege just because I exist. We wonder how to lead our Kids to christ when we are failing at parenting. Many of us grew up with a boys room and a girls room, and you may have shared a bed with one of more siblings. Now days Kids have their own room and don’t know how to make up the bed, pickup and hang up their designer or name brand cloths. That’s mama’s job.
Everybody eating what they want for dinner. A family should sat at the table, say grace, and eat what is put before you. If Daddy, worked a Day Job, then we waited on daddy to eat. Kids now are allowed to sat at the table and text and cruise social media.
I appreciate modern technology. But we have given not only ourselves, but our children to “familiar spirits”. The airways are laden with predators. Satan has targeted your children. I am not saying take away computers and cell phones. You paid for it therefore you own it and regardless of how it got in your child’s hand, you still should monitor and determine its use. When we are young, our parents represent the authority of God to us. In a way, they stand in for God for a time. We first learn to obey and submit to God by obeying and submitting to our parents.”
You have influence as a parent.
Children are sponges. kids seem to soak up everything – good and bad. They often mimic the mannerisms of their parents. They’ll do and say the same things we do from time to time. Observe your children, in what music they listen to. What phrases are they using when they, and you can figure out who they’re hanging with.
When writing to the Ephesians, Paul encourages the church to be “imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2). That should encourage you and reminds all of us how we are supposed to live and love. But, it also reminds you that your children are in your care and looking for my example. Our children often imitate us. They learn how to act by seeing how we act. They’ll only know how to love by seeing how we love. If they are imitating us, and we are imitating God, our child will grow up knowing what it means to follow Christ.
Let me share an analogy: The moon reflects light from the sun. It’s not a big mirror in the sky reflecting the sun exactly, or else the light from the moon and sun would be the same. When the moon is full, it looks quite bright. But, even at its brightest, it reflects less than 20 percent of the sun’s light. That was the intention… for the moon to be the “lesser light.”
Just as the moon reflects the sun, as a Christian, I should reflect the Son. We were made in God’s image, but we are not perfect like Him. We are works in progress. As we grow closer to Him, there should be some family resemblance between us and our Father. The things we say and do should be characteristic of Him. And, here’s why that’s important. If I truly reflect Him and shine His glory, others will, including my children. “Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
It’s not likely that Proverbs 22:6 is a guarantee of success for committed, Christ-following parents. But, it is important to recognize the truth the verse contains. God has given us an incredible responsibility by placing children in our care. The family is a primary mechanism God uses to grows His kingdom and grow His people. As a result, it’s our duty to teach our children about God. We are in an influential position, and what we do today will matter in our kids’ lives tomorrow.
God has given us the keys to the vehicle, we just need to drive
By Reverend Charles Robinson
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The Three Scripture Project
Principles of Biblical Interpretation
Determine the teaching intention of the author
John 10:28 – no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Some say – we can jump out (lose our salvation)
BUT – clearly, in the context, John did not intend that at all
This point really is the starting place for all the other points
Whenever the main passage of Scripture is read that will be taught or preached, you should quickly study it and figure out what the basic points should be (thought outline).
Remember the Basic Unit of Scripture
Book
When you study, study in books
Note the structure of the book (outline)
Understand the (thought) Outline
Many outlines are poor.
Outlines should not just tell you what is in that section, but should relate to the sections around:
Use Many Translations: NIV & NAS are most common and best overall
KJV – hmmm, Modern Translations
Paraphrase vs. Translation
Assume the Clarity of Scripture
Always go with the simple, straight-forward, ordinary, obvious, plain, direct, normal, natural meaning unless there is a very good reason not to do so.
“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, use no other sense or you will have nonsense.” – Dr. Dave Reid
Nine Questions for Application
Be very careful here. First, find out what the author’s intent is. Let that drive your application. But, as you are waiting on God to speak to you, think about the following.
Is there a __________________________ to _____________________________
Example Follow
Sin Avoid
Promise Claim
Prayer Repeat (learn from)
Command Obey
Condition Meet
Verse Memorize
Error Mark
Challenge Face
Meditate, Statio, Pray, Obey, Be Open
Meditate
Psalm 46:10 – Be still and know that I am God Ps119:99
Joshua 1:8 – notice the relationship between meditation and action
Psalm 1:1-2 – One of the fastest ways to transforming your life is through meditation
Psalm 119:97
Use “wasted time”
When driving
When standing in line
Snatch up 5 minutes of time
Buy the Bible on Tape or CD
Memory provides the mind with the fuel to meditate – Memory is Key!!!
Maybe use TMS (Topical Memory System - from Navigators)
Statio
Monastics have a practice they call statio that means, simply, stopping one thing before beginning another. Rather than rushing from one task to the next, pause for a moment and recognize the time between times. Before dialing the phone, pause and think about the conversation and the person on the other end. After reading from a book, pause and think back through what you learned and how you were moved. After watching a television show, pause and ask what it contributed to your life. Before reading the Bible, pause and ask for a spirit of attention. Do this often enough and even mechanical acts become conscious, mindful. I find that if I take time to pray for the recipient before beginning to compose a letter or before making a phone call, it makes the task less of a chore and more of an opportunity in which to receive or express God’s grace…
Pray – John 1:15
Obey – Jn 17:17
Chesterton – the reason we open our mind is the same as we open our mouth – to close it on something solid.
Be Open – Acts 17:11
Stress the Priority of the original languages
Reason – the Bible was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic
Examples:
Matthew 10:28 – “destroy” – signifies loss, not annihilation
Romans 1:16 – “power” – from Greek – dunamos – which is NOT where we get the word “dynamite” - don’t read words back into the Bible
Look at the Literary Context
Genesis 31:39 – not a benediction; context tells us it is two brothers up against each other – it’s to keep them from ripping each other off
Isaiah 14:12-15 – not about the devil; context tells us clearly – about the Kind of Babylon History of why some say it’s the devil – Latin – morning star - luciferas
Let Scripture Interpret Scripture
Luke 4:9 – Satan takes Scripture out of context Jesus responds with Scripture
Principles
The Obscure is subject to the clear (1 Cor 15:29 – Baptizing the dead is not clear)
The narrative is subject to the didactic (stories must be interpreted in light of teaching)
Partial is subject to the complete
Romans – focus on salvation (so issues of faith and works are subject to salvation)
Never Determine the doctrine from the illustration
Example: Building a building – used two different ways (1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20)
Is the beast in Daniel the same as the beast in Revelation (I say NO)
Check out the historical and cultural background
Mark 2:5 – Jews at the time had detachable roofs – doesn’t mean we should destroy property to get friends saved
Matt 5:13 – Salt used to preserve food (no fridges) – so in that context, Christians are to prevent the spread of moral decay
Aim for one interpretation with many applications
One interpretation may be multi-faceted, but has one interpretation
Romans 1:16
Should not be ashamed of the Gospel
Are you willing to share your world view in the secular school world
Praying in a restaurant
BEST INTERPRETATION - #2 – purpose of Romans is the gospel being taught in universal Scope
Always proceed from then to now
Don’t read now back into the text
Numbers 1:20-46 – A census is being taken for war
Don’t go looking for hidden meaning to apply to us right now
God is a God of Details (no hidden meaning here)
Be careful about spiritualization
David & Goliath (5 Rocks = 5 key things to hold onto to slay the giants in your life)
Allow for The the fuller meaning of Scripture
Typology
Type – an example of further revelation to be shown as a picture today (it must clearly be stated as such in the New Testament, not assumed)
In allowing for the fuller meaning, do not do away with what the original audience understood.
Elaborated by New Testament Authors
Avoid confusion between authoritative truth and inspired record
The Bible never lies, but it records lies; Just because it did happen, doesn’t mean it should happen
1 Samuel 31:4
Distinguish between the cultural and the transcultural
Lord’s supper vs. foot washing (Jn 13 – did Jesus intend to make an ordinance out of foot washing?)
When the appeal is made to creation (rather than culture) – 1 Timothy 2:11-14
Discern what is more critical and what is less critical
Doctrine of Christ is more important than eschatology
In Revelation, we often focus on signs and times when the focus should be on who Christ is.
Recognize the fact of progressive revelation
Abraham knew less about life after death, end times, and the Holy Spirit than we do – so we can’t read back into it our understanding.
2 Samuel 12:23 - But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." – not a statement about babies going to heaven
Comprehend the Biblical Covenants
How they fit together; How they are different; Everything hangs on them
What is their purpose?
Are they everlasting?
Are they conditional or unconditional?
Biggest Question – Are the Church and Israel the same or different
The Biblical Basis for Capital Punishment is the Noahic Covenant – and it was never withdrawn
Submit to the hierarchy of scripture???? (NO)
We must interpret the Gospels in light of the Epistles – yes but that is simply understanding progressive revelation and letting scripture interpret scripture.
Know the different types of literature
Historical Narrative –
Apocalyptic Literature – Vision of the future – highly symbolic
Prophecy – message from God (not necessarily about the future)
Poetry – Different kinds of parallelism are important to understand
Letters –
Wisdom Literature –
Parables -
Understand the use of language
Literal vs. Figurative (simile, metaphor, personification, euphemism, idiom)
Appreciate that all truth has not been revealed
God conceals certain things (Deut 29:29; Prov 25:2)
Acknowledge that the finite cannot completely fathom the infinite
Like trying to totally grasp the Trinity;
Be in Awe!
Beware of pride and prejudice
Watch out for hobby horses and pet peeves
Importance of teaching expositionally, rather than topically
Consider the historical interpretations of the text.
How has the Church interpreted this through the years?
If you disagree with the classic positions, be very, very careful. You are probably wrong.