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MINISTRY #9 YOUTH MINISTER...2B OR NOT 2B |
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MINISTRY #8 WHAT ABOUT NUMBERS |
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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS MENU |
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SERMON NETS ON MINISTRY |
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MINISTRY #1 |
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MINISTRY #2 MINISTRY OR INDUSTRY? |
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MINISTRY #3 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #4 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #5 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #6 personal and corporarte |
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MINISTRY #7 WEB MINISTRY |
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MINISTRY #5 personal and corporate
#1 Making It Clear
#2 Bible Faith, Not Calvinism
#3 We Must Contend for the Truth
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It is important that we as Christians know two things about Christian and Biblical nomenclature and terminology.
1) We need to both know and understand the meaning of God's Word in It's most accurate meaning. Our growth and success will be greater as we are able to properly use God's choice of words and
2) We should not be so tied to terminology that we are unable to communicate God's word to others.
In the translation of the Bible there are two primary approaches used, 1) Formal Equivalence and 2) Functional Equivalence.
1) Formal Equivalence is the translating of a passage in the strictest sense of the word. This is important if we want to know exactly what God was saying in a particular passage. The problem with this approach is, different languages have different rules of grammar and therefore, what makes perfectly good sense in one language does not make sense in anther language (plus the fact that you cannot always translate the meaning of a word in one language with one word in another language).
However, the proper use of the right word is essential to a proper understanding of God's Word. God chose His words carefully and said things precisely, therefore we must take the time and make the effort to learn what God actually said.
2) Functional Equivalence is the translating of a passage in a broader sense of the word. In other words, the meaning of the passage is conveyed in the translation, but the exact wording is lost. This is good for conveying the overall picture of Scripture to the uninitiated, but it leaves out the actual meaning God had in mind when He used certain words. As the old saying goes, "If words mean anything, they mean what they say." To lose the words that God used will cause us to lose the message that God wanted us to receive.
This is also true for Christians when they are sharing the message of Christ with those who do not know the "Language of Canaan", or the "Evangelicalese" that we speak. There are occasions when we Christians think in a "Biblical" vocabulary, but we must speak in a more "general" vocabulary in order to be understood by those to whom we are witnessing. The goal would be to bring them along in their Bible understanding until they too would know the meaning of and be able to use Biblical terms.
I sometimes use the term "rescue" and it's derivatives in the place of "save", "salvation" and "Savior", not because they are better or even adequate words, but in order to communicate the meaning of "soteriology" to the modern-western world-view. satan has placed a mental block in most people when it comes to the use of the word SALVATION. When a Christian speaks of "being saved", it is not unusual to hear someone spout off, "what do you mean by "saved.'"
It is strange how easy it is for people to understand BEING SAVED from a burning building, or from drowning in the sea or from being assaulted by a ruffian, but their minds just "shut down" when the term is used in a spiritual sense. But for the most part, people are open to the idea of a spiritual "rescue." I have not turned from my Biblical terminology, but I sometimes substitute an easier-to-understand vocabulary.
Actually, the term "rescue" is not that far afield. Sometimes the Bible translations use the term "deliver" as a translation for "saved" or "deliverer" for "savior." Sometimes the use of a simple illustration makes the Bible words take on meaning for those we are trying to reach. But again, this means that we need to have a sufficient understanding of the Word of God so that we are able to give a proper illustration.
Well, study His Word and go share the Gospel.
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There is a position held by some "Sociologists" which says something to this effect, "A religion is whatever the present practitioners say it is." That may be acceptable to those who change their beliefs as often as they change their socks, but for those who believe the New Testament is God's unchanging and infallible revelation of Himself and His truth, this is not an acceptable definition of "religion" when it applies to the belief system and practice of those who have a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
There have been many attempts through the years to change the message of Jesus Christ. Many times there has been success in misleading people. During the time of the rise and supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church (not to be confused with the true Church of Jesus Christ), the Bible was kept under the authority of the Roman clergy and interpreted according to the bias of the pope. This kept the Bible and It's truths from the people at large, as a result the world entered into what has since been called, "The Dark Ages." The darkness was the result of hiding the Light of God's truth.
It took many years and many people searching the Scriptures to re-discover the truths which were contained in the Bible. Much of this started to come about during the 1500's when men stated to study the Scriptures for themselves rather than depend on the corrupt priesthood of Roman Catholicism and the falacies of the pope. This returning to God's Word was seen as a PROTEST against the Roman religion and therefore those who rejected the Roman religion became known as "PROTESTANTS."
There were several leaders in this Protestant movement. Some of the leaders were more people oriented and some were more "belief" oriented. As they worked together, they formulated doctrinal positions and formed groups of people which later became known by the names of the principle characters involved. Named for one of these leaders, Martin Luther, the Lutherans have survived as a religious body until today. Some of the leaders had a wider impact than just those who were in their own circle of personal influence. John Calvin wrote extensively on the basic doctrines of the Bible and his teachings have influenced people's beliefs until this very day. Jacob Arminius was another scholar who studied the Bible and articulated It's teachings in a way that still provides a stepping stone for those who are searching out the truth of God. The two main doctrinal views of the Bible in the Christian realm today are seen either from Calvin's point of view or Arminius' point of view.
There are 5 main points of belief about which Arminius disagreed with Calvin. We commonly call these the 5 points of Calvinism, known by the acrostic, TULIP.
1. Total Depravity...The position that man is not only depraved in all of his parts, but he is so thoroughly depraved that he is not even able to respond to God.
2. Unconditional Election...The position that there is no human response required for a person to be saved. God "Elects" a person to salvation and there is nothing a person can do to effect his salvation. Since man is "totally depraved" he cannot repent, believe, confess or obey God anyway, therefore he is "Unconditionally" chosen.
3. Limited Atonement...The position that Jesus did not die
for everyone. He only died for those He unconditionally elects to salvation
4. Irresistible Grace...The position that those who are irresistibly elected to salvation are unable to refuse God's grace, in other words, God will save people in opposition to their own choice.
5. Perseverance of the Saints...The position that those who are Unconditionally Elect, will make it to heaven, regardless of what they personally choose to do in this life, also mistakengly called Eternal Security and Once Saved, Always Saved.
The faith of the Bible and the faith of a Calvinist are not the same.
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In the New Testament times (a good name for a Christian newsletter, yes?) we are given the truth of God and then we are shown the lie and lies of satan. The best way to refute the lie is to be thoroughly saturated with the truth. That is one reason a study of God's Word is so important. If we know the truth, the truth will set us free*.
In 2 Cor.11 Paul tells the Church, "2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. 3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted..."
From this passage we see that false and destructive beliefs were preached even in those early days of the Church. satan is still trying to deceive people today through the false cults by preaching another Jesus, a different spirit and a different gospel. False cults can usually be detected by their teachings about, God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), salvation and the Bible.
Though Christians may differ with each other about some issues, no one can change the essentials of the Word of God. A teaching that is not in alignment with truth is called a heresy and a teaching that contradicts essentials of the Christian faith is called a "damnable heresy." I have a little saying that sums it up, "Believe a lie and live a lie; live a lie and die a lie; die a lie and go to hell." That is not true about every lie, but it is when it comes to Bible essentials.
2 Pe.2:21 says, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves." We need to know the destructive heresies and then reach out to those who hold to them. These people need someone to show them the truth and lead them into the light of salvation.
In 2 Tim. 3:13 Paul said, "But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." As bad as things have been in the past, they will get worse. The deceived becomes the deceiver. And we are told in Jude 3, "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Our faith will be attacked and we are called upon to contend for it.
There is no question that false teachers, prophets, and false doctrines exist. There is no question that these can be destructive. There is no question that Christians are to hold the line and not surrender to false teachers. We have a heavy responsibility, but it must be done. We must study, pray and obey.
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