The Organization of the Church

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/OrganizationOfTheChurch.mp3 Text: Hebrews 8:1-5   I.         We give God glory when we teach His doctrine and execute it accordingly – I Peter 4:11             A.        Thus we are to follow the pattern set for us – Philippians 3:17             B.        Warnings abound not to change the message – Galatians 1:6-10             C.        Any change would give glory to man and no longer…

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What Is a Pastor?

by Jefferson David Tant The term “pastor” is a familiar term to people in most denominations. It is usually applied to the men or women who stand before the congregation and deliver a message from the Word of God as the preacher. And in many situations, the pastor is the one who has the position…

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Elders and Church Decline

by Matthew W. Bassford   Recently, there’s been a lot of chatter on my Facebook feed about a survey of churches of Christ conducted by an organization called 21st Century Christian.  According to this survey, attendance in such churches has declined by about 10 percent since 1990. I have no idea how valid their data…

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Passing the Torch

by Ethan R. Longhenry Almost two thousand years ago the Gospel of Jesus Christ began to be proclaimed: God became Incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth, went about doing good, was crucified and buried, but God raised Him from the dead; He ascended to the Father, received all authority and everlasting dominion, and will return one…

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Should we only teach people who will join the local congregation?

Question: Hello, I am writing for some advice.  I live in a city and worship just outside the city in a small town.  I have a passion for sharing the Gospel with the lost.  While at a congregation in the city, I was blessed to share with people who often ended up being members of…

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Vacant Chairs

Vacant Chairs – Part 1Vacant Chairs – Part 2Vacant Chairs – Part 3Vacant Chairs – Part 4 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.         There is a office that is vacant; chairs that need filling             A.        Perhaps there are some here today that can fill the need                         1.         Not everyone can fill it. No everyone will want to.                         2.         I Corinthians…

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Elders in the Old Testament

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/EldersInTheOldTestament.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Job 29   I.         While we don’t live under the laws of the Old Testament, there are things to be learned from its pages – Romans 15:4             A.        Sometimes we forget that elders have been used long before the church             B.        It would be useful to learn some of the history of…

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Elders Who Rule Well

Elders Who Rule Well – Part 1Elders Who Rule Well – Part 2 Text: I Timothy 5:17-21   I.         Consider an imaginary congregation             A.        At the beginning, there was much work to be done. The challenges of the demands required many sacrifices.             B.        The members joined in planning and the work. As each was aware of what went…

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The Rule of Elders

The Rule of Elders – Part 1The Rule of Elders – Part 2 Reading: Matthew 20:20-28   I.         Consider an imaginary congregation             A.        It is a fair-sized group with an abundance of men, but few are actively involved in the work of the church.             B.        There are two active and very visible elders.                         1.         They exclusively teach the adult…

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The Work of Elders Is the “Critical” Matter

by Randy Blackaby Virtually any study or discussion of church “elders” immediately focuses on the qualifications for this office. Does the person have “believing children,” what does that entail, and must all his children be faithful? Is the person “apt or able to teach” and is he a good leader in the home? But when…

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Is it wrong to bow to elders or at the graves of those who had died?

Question: Hello, I have a few questions, I hope you don’t mind. In East Asian countries, it is customary to bow to elders and those older than you. Is this not allowed? Also, it is customary to bow to ancestors who’ve passed away at their graves. Is this not allowed as well? Thanks! Answer: In…

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Is an elder an elder for life?

Question: A brother in our area is claiming to be “an elder for life” even though he has moved from one congregation to another and has not been a serving elder in either. He was an elder for a congregation, but that eldership was dissolved because of his domineering attitude and holding this and other false…

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Ruling with Love

by Irven Lee via Truth Magazine, January 1, 1981 An elder is to be “one that ruleth well his own family, having his children in subjection with all gravity; for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (I Timothy 3:4-5). The elder…

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What do you do when the elders are not listening to the congregation?

Question: Hello, I’m a member of the church of Christ. I just read the article “Majority vs Elder Rule”. Our congregation is currently going through something that. I, myself, personally have never experienced it. We have elders who are not really being the leaders they should be, and in this case, with the majority of…

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Is a church without elders not following the Scriptures?

Question: There are three churches of Christ in my town. I have attended all three. There is one, smaller than the other churches, that has had no elders or deacons for about 15 years. My wife likes to go there. However, when I ask about the need for elders and deacons, I hear from some…

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Is your definition of tekna consistent?

Question: In light of the position you take with regard to Elders and the number of children they should have, I would like to know your thoughts with regard to the following scriptures. We are in the process of studying deacons and elders at the congregation I attend, and I am trying to further prepare for…

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If a congregation retains an elder who is a widower, should we leave?

Question: We’re conducting a class in which we’re going over the basics of Christianity and just last night, we started discussing the qualifications of elders and deacons. I almost fell out of my seat when our minister stated it’s OK for an elder to keep on serving after his wife dies or passes on. Both…

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All the Members Do Not Have the Same Function

by Bryan Matthew Dockens King David was told by the Almighty, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for…

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Should a woman be on the committee to select elders?

Question: Hi, I attend the church of Christ in a small town. We are looking at appointing elders in our congregation.  There is what I feel a potential problem, since we are so small, most of the men who have been elected as potential elders leave very little left to be on a selection committee. …

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Could you explain Hebrews 13:17?

Question: Hebrews 13:17 states “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” There are two schools of thought that I’ve heard regarding this verse. …

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The Elder-Businessman Model

by Jefferson David Tant via Biblical Insights, Vol. 11, No. 6, June 2011 We know the Bible is clear about appointing elders to shepherd the flock (Acts 14:23). We know Paul left Titus in Crete with the charge to “appoint elders in every city” (Titus 1:7). This is a clear indication of God’s plan for the…

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Were Elders Limited to the Age of Miracles?

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WereEldersLimitedToTheAgeOfMiracles.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 20:17-35   I.         Some times I wonder where ideas about the Scriptures come from.             A.        The passages are clear, but it seems that some want a certain outcome, so they seek whatever means they can find to arrive at that result.             B.        I was asked if elders were only for the…

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Were elders limited to the age of miracles?

Question: Were elders limited to the age of miracles? Was the church only supposed to have elders while the miraculous gifts were present? I have someone here who is claiming this and he bases it on Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11, and I Timothy 4:14. Answer: Stated to End? In order to make this claim, one…

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Do you have to submit to an unqualified elder?

Question: Should members of the church be submissive to the elders even though the elders do not meet the qualifications? There are five elders and four of them are not qualified due to the following: widower, children not faithful, etc. Answer: When someone says they don’t want to be submissive, the implication is that they…

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Do the elders keep secrets from the church?

Question: Do the elders keep secrets from the church? Matthew 18:15-17 seems to be full disclosure. My thoughts are to disclose the sin, but the absolute details are not necessary. Answer: “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have…

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Are elders responsible for the employment of preachers?

Question: I enjoyed and appreciated your article on the work of the evangelist.  I find it quite different from many by what you might consider institutional churches of Christ. I am concerned about the final paragraph on the selection of the minister.  As I understand first-century history,  many preachers were involved in the establishing, building up,…

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How do I deal with an arrogant leader?

Question: I have a “leader” in our church who always explains that he is not arrogant because he does not hold himself in a higher value than others; however, his actions say otherwise. He will take any chance he gets to show off his biblical knowledge, he will constantly tell people they are wrong, he…

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The Elder and His Children

by Brett Hogland God Almighty, in His infinite wisdom, “gave some to be…pastors…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). Thus the Holy Spirit, in His revelation of the mind or will of God through the apostles (I Corinthians 2:10-13; John 16:13-15), sets forth…

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Husband of One Wife

by Carl A. Allen Sometime in 1974 or 1975, while living in Colorado, I was invited to attend a gathering of brethren who believe in the “no Bible Class” arrangement. We met at a prominent restaurant for a noon meal. When I arrived, I noticed the table was filled with two seats empty, one in…

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Where Do Elders Come From?

by Paul Earnhart The scarcity of functioning elders (bishops, pastors) in local churches has led some Christians to conclude that they are a rare breed with rare qualities. Otherwise, they reason, why would they be so difficult to come by? Contrary to this rather discouraging view, elders do not have to be imported from outer…

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