Most of the modern church happily exists in the same situation, condition & strength displayed by believers in Acts chapter 1, unaware of the differences they could experience in each of those categories if they were to live through the experiences in Acts chapter 2. We cannot believe and be saved from our sin if the Holy Spirit is not […]
Believers that Paul led gathered around tables with food on them, not pulpits. If you feel led to gather around a pulpit, please don’t do it instead of gathering with believers around tables. Fellowship and real relationships produce real opportunities for ministries for every believer.
Ekklesia was the perfect word for Jesus to use as a title for what He intended to build in the earth. For over six hundred years, Greeks and then Romans had used the word in various times and places to describe a group of people summoned from a larger group to represent the larger group in some decision or function […]
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) runs churches. There are many CCP controlled congregations in major cities in China. The CCP is not pretending to have any control over the Kingdom of Heaven, though. James 1 of England ran all the churches in Britain when he became king of England. He pulled them out from under the control of the Pope […]
Note verse 11: “The secret of the kingdom of God has been granted to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables…” Note verse 13: “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?” 10 When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables. 11 […]
If you are shopping for a new church to join, the first test is to find your favorite denomination, usually. Further tests are preaching style, music style, dress code and level of friendliness/welcome. Some theologians have managed to discern that looking for a position in ekklesia is very different. Not really grasping how different the socio-governmental word ekklesia is from […]
Ishmael was a son. He was not, however, the promised son. Saul was a king. He was not, however, the promised king. The church is a gathering of the people of Jesus. It is not, however, the promised gathering. The house of Saul was at war with the house of David for a long time, with the house of Saul […]
Usually, if I am overhearing half a conversation by being present with one of the participants while they talk on a phone with the other participant, I have questions when the conversation ends. You have the same limitations when you read a letter that was written as part of a discussion. The letter is just longer, and the conversation is […]
Prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists normally disagree with each other about how to invest the resources of time, information, money and practical human labor. The groups of people each gifting sees as the target beneficiaries of their leadership differs based on how each views human needs and human resources. Teachers generally consider themselves to be stewards of information. Pastors generally […]
For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in.(James 2:2 HCSB ©®) James wrote, “…suppose a man comes into your synagogue…” The various translations vary regarding what they think should be in our minds as we read it in English: meeting and […]