{"id":66081,"date":"2024-01-22T17:14:55","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T23:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=66081"},"modified":"2024-01-22T17:14:55","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T23:14:55","slug":"is-there-scriptural-support-for-youth-womens-or-preachers-forums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-there-scriptural-support-for-youth-womens-or-preachers-forums\/","title":{"rendered":"Is there scriptural support for youth, women’s, or preachers’ forums?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Greetings Brother Jeffrey,<\/p>\n

Thank you for your consistent effort in the service of God.<\/p>\n

I have a concern for which I need biblical insight. Is there any biblical support for a youth forum, sisters or women forum, or even a preachers’ forum? I happened to be a leader in a youth forum in my region. But over time, my search of the Scriptures makes me doubt these institutions. Such forum has established leadership that sometimes sits and agrees on certain things and then demands that congregations within the states comply, though not with the intention of usurping the congregations’ authority. However, no one can tell the extent to which it may go in the future. I find that very disturbing.<\/p>\n

I am intent on teaching about church autonomy in my congregation, in which I think it is worthy to talk about the forums because I think it is a digression from the truth and a disregard for congregational autonomy.<\/p>\n

Please me guide through the scriptures. Thank you!<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

There is a common impulse among men to decide that God’s design for saving mankind is inadequate. Things need to be added to make the church more appealing or to function more efficiently. Ultimately, it comes down to a distrust in God’s method. “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God<\/em>” (I Corinthians 1:26-29).<\/p>\n

There is nothing wrong with brethren gathering to learn from each other, but it must be understood that such gatherings are the efforts of individuals. They not sponsored or supported by the church. Nor do such gatherings have any authority over individuals or the church. They cannot make demands. See\u00a0The Autonomy of the Local Church<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: Greetings Brother Jeffrey, Thank you for your consistent effort in the service of God. I have a concern for which I need biblical insight. Is there any biblical support for a youth forum, sisters or women forum, or even a preachers’ forum? I happened to be a leader in a youth forum in my…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[1508,667],"class_list":["post-66081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-institutionalism","tag-organization-of-the-church"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21010,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-our-college-bible-study-group-operating-in-a-scriptural-manner\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":0},"title":"Is our college Bible study group operating in a scriptural manner?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I recently was baptized into the church of Christ. I have been attending services at a local church of Christ for over three years, but being raised in a Catholic environment I wanted to learn more before being baptized. Within the past year I joined the Christian Student Center\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25118,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-elders-responsible-for-the-employment-of-preachers\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":1},"title":"Are elders responsible for the employment of preachers?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 30, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I enjoyed and appreciated your article on\u00a0the work of the evangelist.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 As I understand first-century history,\u00a0 many preachers were involved\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9737,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-this-business-about-anti-liberal-and-sound\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":2},"title":"What is this business about “anti,” “liberal,” and “sound?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Mr. Hamilton, in the last day or so, you received\u00a0a question concerning congregations. The writer spoke about 'anti' and 'liberal' congregations. What does this mean? What is meant by a sound church? I find all this to be very confusing. Jesus didn't want us to be divided, so what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6706,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-a-preacher-move\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":3},"title":"Must a Preacher Move?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 22, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Over the years, I have heard various individuals argue against preachers being located in a particular area and working with one congregation. Typically, they will point out that Paul, and those with him, worked with many congregations, moving from city to city. In their view, elders\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/07\/WagonTrain-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":51459,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-churches-should-rethink-their-preachers-salary\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":4},"title":"Why Churches Should Rethink Their Preacher’s Salary","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Wes McAdams via\u00a0Radically Christian The job a preacher does, and the money he takes home seems pretty cut-and-dry to most church members, \"Our preacher 'ministers' to this congregation - he visits the sick, he counsels, he evangelizes, he preaches, he teaches, he writes bulletin articles, and does whatever else\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30948,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-preacher-be-supported-by-multiple-congregations-that-he-is-working-with\/","url_meta":{"origin":66081,"position":5},"title":"Can a preacher be supported by multiple congregations that he is working with?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 13, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it scriptural for a preacher to accept support from two churches at the same time? e.g. from the church where he is located and the other from the church which he helped established (currently preaching in both churches). 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