Many have experienced a variety of approaches to Church government at the human level. A widely accepted government in the Churches was a more autocratic, authoritarian style. It was government from the top-down, investing a large amount of authority in the one at the top. Eventually this led to a more “lordship” style of leadership within the Church. It was not an altogether illogical deduction from a human point of view. God’s governance is from the top down. It flows from the Father to His … [Read more...] about Godly Church Governance
Be of One Mind
Politics During Jesus’ Time
How should we respond to the politics that invade our daily lives in the news, workplace, school and from so many social media platforms? According to Wikipedia which often conveys modern thought regarding a subject: “Politics (from the Greek word, politiká, meaning 'affairs of the cities') is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations between individuals, such as the distribution of resources." This is a well-thought-out … [Read more...] about Politics During Jesus’ Time
Our Old Man
In assessing the many aspects of the body of Christ, the thing that stands out to me is that we have a personal responsibility to the body. We cannot sidestep that. We could summarize that responsibility as: “But the manifestation of the Spirit (or the fruit or the expression of the Spirit) is given to each one for the profit of all:” (1 Corinthians 12:7). To be able to express the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), obviously one must first have it. This is where our individual … [Read more...] about Our Old Man
Unity in the Church
What is Church unity and where does it come from? Having been drawn out of the world, as followers of Christ our position regarding unity is decidedly different than the common ideas about unity which surround us. There are two important aspects of unity of which we need to be mindful: our calling and our baptism. The Apostle Paul emphasized these factors when he wrote a letter to the Church in Ephesus. Paul’s message conveys, among other important teachings, the fact that God provides both … [Read more...] about Unity in the Church
Relationships within the Body of Christ
How important are relationships within the Body of Christ? This question is prompted by the state of affairs in what we broadly refer to as “the world.” The world is a generic term for planet earth and all life on it, including human civilization. We use it generally to address our environment. Currently, much press is devoted to the subject of the rise of nationalism. Remember how globalization once held out the carrot of the world coming together in one big homogenization of nations and … [Read more...] about Relationships within the Body of Christ
Instilling Trust in God’s Church
What percentage of Americans would you guess trust the government in Washington to do what is right at least most of the time? According to the Pew Research Center, it has been at about 17% during the previous administration and during this present one. That puts public trust of government at near historic lows. We don’t have to guess at what effect this cynicism has had on national unity because the distrust and animosity among the citizenry is almost palpable. The important thing to realize is … [Read more...] about Instilling Trust in God’s Church
Adjusting Our Focus
All around us the world is coming unraveled. Many elements of our society believe right is wrong and wrong is right. Morality of any form is out the door as a basis for all our institutions. Our economies have been pushed into the worst recession in a generation, with our government convinced that they can spend their way out of debt. Food supply disruptions causing shortages could result in millions of deaths this year alone in the poorest of countries. It is easy for … [Read more...] about Adjusting Our Focus