Scott T. Brown, an advocate of church reformation and the strengthening of families, claims that modern youth ministry is “indisputably unbiblical.”
Continue reading “Modern Youth Ministry ‘Unbiblical,’ Ministry Leader Claims”
Dec 13 2009
Modern Youth Ministry ‘Unbiblical,’ Ministry Leader Claims
Oct 31 2009
Pastors and Suicide – Depression in the Ministry (Free Download)
Ministers are not perfect, nor free from the pit falls of society. You might want to take the time to read this piece in the USA Today,
What kind of personal pain would cause a 42-year-old pastor to abandon his family, his calling and even life itself? Members of a Baptist church here are asking that question after their pastor committed suicide in his parked car in September.
Continue reading “Pastors and Suicide – Depression in the Ministry (Free Download)”
Sep 13 2009
The Ministry Internet & Technology Summit
Drew Goodmanson will be putting on a summit in April of next year:
Continue reading “The Ministry Internet & Technology Summit”
Aug 14 2009
Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (2)
This week, briefly, we have been examining the minsistry in the Church. As I have stated several times, growing up in a monarchical ministry has caused me to see things differently. Now, I believe that instead of one alone, the ministry of the local congregation should be plural. Not only does it allow one to be in submission to another, but spirits are tried and burdens shared.
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (2)”
Aug 13 2009
Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (1)
Growing up in a fundamentalist church, I easily excepted the idea that one man alone made the decisions for the congregation. I found it odd the first time that I set through a Baptist business meeting, and odder evens till when the Pastor asked permission to spend the money. How in the world could the congregation do this!!! It was so unbiblical – or was it?
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Towards a Plurality in the Ministry (1)”
Aug 12 2009
Examining the Ministry – The Example of Paul
We are given very little evidence of the role of a minister in the Apostolic Church (the Church governed by the Apostles, as found in the New Testament) so we must turn to the single person who gave us our pastoral examples – the Apostle Paul.
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry – The Example of Paul”
Aug 11 2009
Examining the Ministry: Goals and Qualifications
The Goals of the Ministry are Simple:
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (Eph 4:12-15 NLT)
Continue reading “Examining the Ministry: Goals and Qualifications”
Aug 10 2009
Examining the Roles of Clergy – Introduction; Purpose
“All too often those ‘in charge,’ be they clergy, boards, vestry, sessions, or what have you, tend to think of the church as ‘theirs.’ They pay lip-service to it being ‘Christ’s church, after all,’ then proceed to operate on the basis of very pagan, secular structures, and regularly speak of ‘my’ or ‘our’ church. …. The church belongs to Christ, and all other things–structures, attitudes, decisions, nature of ministry, everything–should flow out of that singular realization.” – 1 Corinthians, NICNT, 135 (HT - Εις Δοξαν.)
Jul 13 2009
Time to Grow: Female Deacons
There comes a time to grow as a person and as a Body. I believe that this is one of those times for me. It’s been building, over the past few weeks, and although gestation may not be complete, I believe that I know what it is -
It concerns women deacons:
Γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλέους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν. (1Ti 3:11)
Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. (1Ti 3:11 NKJ)
Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. (1Ti 3:11 NRS)
There is no question that the Paul sees a dichotic ministry – Elders/Overseers and Deacons. We note that in primitive Church (Acts 6), the Apostles were given to preaching and public service, but when the local community had grown, God set out deacons to handle the daily labor of the Church. This allowed the preachers to preacher and the servants to serve.
After discussing the qualifications of an Elder/Overseer, Paul moves on the Deacons. Many translations have translated γυνή as wife, but the word can be translated as woman. In other words, after giving a qualification of the male Deacons, it is possible that Paul gives the qualifications of the female Deacons.
Otherwise, you have several questions to answer -
- Why didn’t Paul given qualifications for the wives of the Elders/Overseers? It was this position that was the ‘highest,’ rather, the ones with spiritual authority.
- If this word was applied to the women of both offices, why would they be given qualifications but no office? Further, where is the biblical example of this?
Calvin believes that this refers to the wives of both offices – yet, we cannot find the example of that in Scripture. In Philippians 1.1, Paul addresses his letter to the leadership of the Church there, not their wives. Remember, Paul was a member of the Presbytery (Elders/Overseers), and yet he was unmarried. Considering that Paul makes allowances for the unbelieving spouses of believers, I find it difficult to accept that this use of the word applies to the wives of these office holders.
The issue that we have then, is can we find an example in Scripture of a woman with the title of deacon (διάκονον) applied to her.
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. (Rom 16:1 NLT)
Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν [καὶ] διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς, (Rom 16:1 BGT)
For a discussion on this verse as applied to Phoebe, please see Suzanne’s excellent article.
For those of you who are interested in the current debate within the Presbyterian Church in America, see this article (which was what got me thinking about this ) Between Two Worlds: Female Deacons.
Finally, because I like to text things by others, let me present a quote from John Chrysostom (Homily XI, on the Pastorals)
Some have thought that this is said of women generally, but it is not so, for why should he introduce anything about women to interfere with his subject? He is speaking of those who hold the rank of Deaconesses.
I am ready for discussion.
Next Page »
