God's Gifts to Us and Our Churches

Ephesians 4:11-14  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,  (12)  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,  (13)  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  (14)  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

God gave us apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers. Therefore they are gifts to us from God.

What do apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers all have in common?  A vital aspect of all their ministries involves speaking. Sometimes it is to preach the good news that God uses to bring people to repentance. Other times it to explain to believers how to grow in in their spiritually maturity. And other times it is how to avoid or get out of false teachings..

Preaching, proclaiming and teaching are all essential ministries within the church. Service to those in need is also crucial and of course should not be neglected. But without evangelizing there would be no church because God has decreed that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). And after we come to saving faith in Jesus God wants us to grow in the knowledge of Him, His holiness, and His will. Without godly preaching we remain spiritual babies and are susceptible to all manner of deceptions.

Prior to the coming of Jesus in the flesh, God used prophets to exhort the people of their day and give us much of the Bible. Jesus chose certain men, including Paul, as His apostles, or ambassadors, and gave them the power to proclaim the gospel and help raise up His Church. Later the church also sent out some who they referred to as apostles, who apparently served in ways like those we call missionaries today. Evangelists then and now are gifted by God to share the gospel of repentance from sin and the salvation that only Christ provides by He death on the Cross.

Pastors (shepherds) and teachers are particularly essential in ministering to the local church. Pastors usually are gifted to both preach and teach to their flocks, but also to counsel, comfort, and at times confront individuals within their congregation. Teachers are gifted to help people understand God's Word, but may not be gifted to care for others in the same way that pastors are apt to be.

Not everybody who calls themselves apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are actually gifted and called to be such. Some people portray themselves as such because they have good intentions but God does not grant them them what is needed to serve in those ways. Other people are actually false prophets and false teachers, and their motives are self serving.

Churches who have shepherds and teachers who are truly called and gifted by God should be exceedingly thankful that God has so blessed them. Leaders like that will help them learn more about how holy God is and how we can have lives that are pleasing to Him.

I am so thankful to be in a church where those who serve as elders are men who seek to meet the Biblical standards of elders including that an elder "...must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." Titus 1:9 ESV

The church now also has a pastor to serve as a senior elder for all in the church. From his preaching it is evident to us that he is called, gifted, and has been and intends to continue to diligent to study, prepare, and present what God wants us to know so we can grow in spiritual maturity. I gladly respect him and will support him in whatever ways I can, as I am sure many others in our church will. One passage of Scripture that comes to mind as I ponder how blessed we are to have this man as our senior pastor is the following.

1 Timothy 5:17-18  Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.  (18)  For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages."

What Kind of Preaching Do You Want to Hear?

       2 Timothy 4:1-6   I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.    ESV

Paul's second letter to Timothy was his final epistle that was included in Scripture. He was once again a prisoner and the time of his departure from this life had come. It would now be up to Timothy and others to continue the work of preaching and teaching that he had been doing for years.

His charge to Timothy needs to be understood by all who are called to preach the Word of God, whether they are pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries or others. Even those who aren't called or gifted to teach need to know this charge so they can avoid teachers who don't adhere to it, and encourage those who do.

The charge Paul made is not to be taken lightly. Paul makes it clear that he is doing so in presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.

The Word of God is to be preached. It is to be done so when it is convenient to so and also when it is out of season, not convenient, not popular, or even hazardous to those proclaiming it. The preaching is not in order to entertain, draw crowds, or make money. The purpose of the preaching is to reprove, rebuke, and exhort and it is done with patience and teaching.

The preaching needs to be with patience because many people won't like what God has for us in the Bible. And the preaching needs to me more than just telling people, even believers, to stop doing and believing things that are contrary to Scripture, they need to be taught what the Bible actually says and not what they might think that it says. They also need to be taught why what God says in His Word is what they need to believe and do. (Even if the reason is simply because the God who made heaven and earth says so.)

There are multitudes of false teachings that become quite popular because they suit the passions, pride and desires of people. Listening to those kind of teachings catches people's attention and they want more of it. They'll gladly wander off to the churches, conferences, and rallies where such things are being proclaimed. They read the books and watch TV shows that promote them. They let themselves become convinced that the stuff that is tickling their ears is from God.

But even though people will turn away from the truth, we need to heed what Paul wrote to Timothy. We are to be sober minded, endure suffering, and do the work of an evangelist. The word evangelist means "messenger of good." The work of bringing the message of good it to to covey was is truly good, which is the actual truth of the Word of God. Good is not what merely sounds good as told by clever talkers and writers. Good is that God says is good.

Are you called by God to preach or teach? Then take your calling very seriously. Carefully study Scripture so you convey it to others as clearly and effectively as the Spirit of God enables you. Are you called to learn godly Biblical teaching? Then see to it that you study Scripture as best you can and be sure you listen to those who preach and teach it just as God inspired it to be written.

I'm now going to a church where the new pastor's sermons do not entertain me. They don't make me feel comfortable. They are not fun. But they are wonderfully Bible based, explaining Scripture passages with other Scripture passages. They make me want to take more notes and also to hear the recording of them again. And they encourage me to spend more time reading and studying God's Word. They help me to want to understand and live out the Word of God. That's the kind of preaching I want to hear. How about you?

 

Church Growth the Biblical Way

Is there a Biblical way to promote Church Growth? There certainly should  be. After all, the early church grew rather well based on the preaching and teaching of the apostles. The miracles were good for getting people's attention but it was what they said that the Holy Spirit used to bring people to both faith and spiritual growth in Christ.

Today I watched the following video about Church Growth and if that's something that interests you I urge you to give it look. It also has some good insights in how men can be the spiritual leaders in their homes, even if they came to Lord much later than their wives did.  Take a look and listen.

What Should be Taught? Who Should Teach?

2Tinothy 2:1-2:   You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (ESV)

This second letter to Timothy was written not long before Paul's death. These instructions were of crucial importance. Paul had taught Timothy for years and knew it was essential that Timothy not only teach what he'd learned from Paul to others, but to teach them to men who would then teach others.

Who taught Paul? Jesus. (Galatians 1:11-22) Paul then taught others who became believers in and followers of Jesus. But not everybody who was taught by Paul remained content with what he and the other writers of Scripture had to say. Some neglected certain aspects of the teachings, and others added other non-Biblical teachings to what they believed. Much of what Paul wrote in his letters to the churches was necessary to correct false teachings.

Since Paul knew it was unlikely that he would be around much longer to teach sound doctrine, he urged Timothy to pass on these teachings to men who would be faithful to teach others also.

The teaching of Scripture, including what God had Paul write, is what God wants us to know and live by. Jesus is our Savior and Lord. Salvation comes from hearing and believing that we're sinners and cannot save ourselves, but thankfully Jesus is the Son of God who came in the flesh to suffer and die for our sins, and that sacrifice was acceptable as was demonstrated by His resurrection never to die again.

Jesus is also our Lord. And we're to be His disciples and taught to observe all His commands. (Matt. 28:19-20)

Jesus taught His chosen apostles including Paul. Timothy learned from Paul. Then Timothy was to teach men who could be trusted to teach others. That example needs to be followed today. There has to be men who will take the time to study Scripture diligently to seek to understand what our Lord meant when He taught it and inspired it to be written.

Paul's instruction to Timothy is not to be taken lightly. Then and now God wants what is in Scripture to be taught clearly, effectively, and extensively. Take a look at the content of Paul's letters. There is so much in them that God wants us to know. But take care that Scripture is understood and taught as it was intended when God inspired it to be written.

(2 Peter 3:15-17)  ...Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. ESV

What should be taught? All of Scripture, especially the writings of the New Testament because they help us understand even what is in the Old Testament. Who should teach? Men who will be faithful to teach what God  had Paul and the other writers of  Scripture teach in their inspired writings.

What Have We Learned?

Eph 4:11-16  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.  ESV


The ministries that are specifically mentioned in this passage of Scripture all involve proclaiming, preaching and teaching the Word of God.  The purpose for doing so is the building up of the body of Christ. We desperately need godly preaching and teaching because without it we'll remain immature, children who are easily deceived by all manner of teachings that come along.

With good teaching of truth, members of the body of Christ can grow up and become equipped to do what God wants us to do. They are no longer limited to doing what they feel like doing and guess might be OK things to do.

All children need to learn. What they learn can make all the difference in what sort of lives they lead as they grow up. If all they learn is to do is whatever they feel like doing, or what is "acceptable" to the current standards off society, they will remain childishly immature in regards to godly living.

Even Christians can be severely stunted in their ability to be a follower of Christ. Those who fail to learn and apply what is in Scripture can be drawn away by things that sound right but are actually at best only imitations of the truth of God.

There was a time in America that the Bible was a standard textbook in schools. Even before then, the pilgrims who settled in Plymouth taught their children to read so they would be able to read the Bible and learn from it. But now children grow into adulthood without ever reading or being taught what is in the Bible. Therefore there are many adults who are still infants or even babies in regard to their understanding of what God wants us to know in Scripture.

Today there  are countless Bibles available to people, yet all too few people seek to gain a clear knowledge of what is in them. Many who do want to hear more about the Bible include in their learning efforts the teachings of popular TV preachers and book writers who say clever things which sound great but actually twist the meanings of Scripture passages. Those Christians can think they are becoming mature, when in fact they may just be dressing up to look (at  least to themselves) like they have become grown up disciples of Jesus.

Just because preachers, writers, or teachers are popular does not mean that what they say is true to the Word of God even if they quote Scripture repeatedly to "prove" what they teach. We need to be diligent to both examine what they teach ourselves, and also find out what other respected Bible teachers have to say in regards to their teachings.

The quantity of what we learn is not the key to maturity. Both in the first centuries of the Church and now there has been an abundance of false teachings to get Christians going in wrong directions in there lives. We need to be sure that what we learn is what is true to the Word of God as intended by those inspired by the Holy Spirit to write it down for us learn. Only then will be able to fulfill the verse of Scripture that I'll use to conclude this blog post.:

1 Thes 4:1  Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. ESV

Do We Really Need Bible Teaching?

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. ESV

Would you look at that Bible verse? Wow. It says right there in the Bible that "you have no need that anyone should teach you."  It goes on to say "But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie -- just as it has taught you, abide in Him."

Amazing. I guess I could take that to mean I don't need preachers and teachers to help me understand Scripture. Or even about anything else, since it says that His anointing teaches about everything. I could take that to mean I can let the "anointing" teach me everything I need to know.

Well, I could take that verse to mean what I just suggested, or I could take a closer look at the context of that verse to see whether I'm jumping to conclusions just to satisfy my self-centered ambitions. To start with I guess I could read the verse immediately preceding the one I quoted above.

1Jn 2:26  I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. ESV

Ah! Apparently there is "teaching" that we don't need. Teaching from those who are trying to deceive us. We don't need deceivers to come along and teach us things that are contrary to the truth that is found in Scripture. This portion of Scripture known as 1 John, and all the rest of Scripture, is sound teaching that is vital to grow in our understanding of God and His will. But when somebody comes along and tries to add something new to it an alarm should go off inside us to warn us "Wait a Minute -- That's not in accordance with the God breathed Word of God!"

But do we need others to teach us about what is in  the Bible? Can we or should we go it alone in learning Scripture? Do we need the help of anybody other than ourselves to grow in our understanding of the Word of God?

Well, what does the Word of say about that? In Paul's first letter to Timothy we can read:

  1 Tim 4:13  Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ESV

 1 Tim 5:17  Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.  ESV

 These verses along with other Scripture passages make it clear that God wants us to have good preaching and teaching. God has a lot to say to us in His written Word, and God provides teachers to help us learn.those truths. The body of Christ has many different members, some of whom are gifted helpers or leaders, and some of whom are gifted teachers.

What we don't need are teachers who either distort Scripture or add to it. They are deceivers and we all need to take care to be on the watch for them. What they say can sound wonderful which is why so many people get deceived by such false teachings.

How can we be protected from deceptive teachers? Well, spending time reading and studying the Bible is important. When we have Biblical Spirit inspired truth in us we become more sensitive to recognizing when the Holy Spirit is alerting us to false teaching.

We also should avail ourselves of the preachers and teachers who are true to the sound doctrines of the Bible. God says they are worthy of double honor, and one way we honor them is by taking the time to listen and learn from them.

Do we really need Bible Teaching? Yes, indeed, we really do.

Do We Neglect the Gifts God Gives Us?

1Ti 4:12-16  Let no one despise you for your youth,  but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.  Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. ESV

The above passage of Scripture was the starting point for a presentation that was given at our church today. As a church and as individuals we can become very busy doing a variety of good things, yet still be neglecting the use of the gifts God has given us to accomplish His purposes.

Paul exhorted Timothy to not let anyone despise him for his youth. He wasn't to let others to keep him from doing all that God had called him to do. Hopefully we can all determine to be an example is how we talk and behave regardless of what others expect or don't expect of us.

In particular perhaps I ought to relate to some of the specifics Paul wrote here. Public reading of Scripture. Exhortation. Teaching.

I truly believe that Scripture is the Word of God. That is why when I have taught in adult Sunday school, I have most often taught from a particular book of the Bible and extensively used context and other Scripture passages to explain words, phrases, and verses while going through each chapter.

Next Sunday I'll be giving the monthly "Missions Moment" for about 7 minutes of the service. When I do that I intend to use a couple of Scripture passages to remind members of our church of the importance of keeping our commitments to the missionaries we support.

Due to health problems last year I wasn't able to teach Sunday school classes. Lord willing, if my health continues to improve, I'll be able to once again serve the Lord and our church in that way again.

Meanwhile, at the very least, I ought to maintain a regular posting to this blog, regardless of whether many people read it or not.

I know in the past I've intended to write posts more often, and then got discouraged or distracted, and slacked off.

Today I (and hopefully our church) have been reminded to not neglect the gifts God has given us. May we keep a close watch on ourselves and our teaching, and will persist in all that God has called us to do.

May I Only Teach Sound Doctrine

Titus 2:1  But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ESV

 I love the Word of God. Reading it changed my life, for I came to believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord when I finally read a New Testament that had been lying around my house for I don't know how many years.

I also love hearing good sound Bible teaching and preaching that helps me understand the Word of God better, or be reminded of things in it that I ought to ponder.

 I also like teaching from Scripture. For several years it was my privilege to teach an adult Sunday School school class during the months of June and September. Almost always I would teach on a book of the Bible, such as the epistle to the Ephesians or the gospel of John.

Then last year health problems kept me from teaching Sunday School. So I took to writing blog posts based on Scripture. I wasn't always steadfast in keeping up with the writing of posts. There weren't very many people who were reading the posts. My health had its ups and downs, including more stays in the hospital.

But lately I've been feeling better, and I've been trying to write worthwhile blog posts from Scripture on a more regular basis.

After I wrote the recent blog post about how the name of our church was changed to include the word "Bible", I offered the link to that post to be shared with those on the email prayer chain that our church sends out.

More people read that blog post than had generally been in one of the adult Sunday School classes that I taught. People also commented on it on Facebook, which I appreciated because I do like to learn from others as well as to share what I learn.

If God wants me to continue to teach, perhaps this blog is the way He would have me do it at the present time. I've shared this thought with others, and one of the elders and our pastor agree that this may well be how God would have me use the gift of teaching while I'm not able to lead a class.

I ask that you pray for me. If I'm to teach either in Sunday School or via this blog, I want what I teach to be sound Biblical doctrine. I want to take great care to heed the words Paul wrote to Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15) ESV