WHAT IS A LOCAL CHURCH?

To the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven..." (HEBREWS 12:22). That would be quite an assembly! It is made up of all the saved, past present and future, from every nation! But this group is not appointed to come physically together in this world. Though we are spiritually assembled with one another in our common relationship, it would be impossible to gather together in one big group. I am sure such a sight would be impressive, but we live all around the world, and perhaps some of us are yet to be born, others of us have already left this world and await the resurrection.

As far as this life is concerned, there is a gathering that has been ordained by God for His people to partake in. While most of what we do as His people from day to day is purely individual in nature (prayer, helping neighbors, being godly husbands and wives and parents and children, teaching, etc.) there are definite responsibilities that can be met only as a part of this body which God has ordained. This body, or group, or collectivity of Christians is the local church. While the universal assembly, or church, is without human organization, the local church is the organization authorized by the Lord for collective efforts which He has authorized for His people to undertake. Individuals join themselves to a local body voluntarily. The New Testament shows that each of these local groups had its own common work, treasury and leadership (I CORINTHIANS 1:2; ROMANS 16:16).

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THERE IS A PATTERN

"...and thus I direct in all the churches" (I CORINTHIANS 7:17). The various local churches which sprang up across the Roman Empire in the first century were bound by the Law of Christ, as given through the teachings of the inspired apostles. This was true from the very beginning of the church (ACTS 2:42). As long as they remained true the apostolic doctrine, they taught the same thing and held in common the same creed; the word of Christ.

Man has always sought to improve upon what God has given him. The Israelites had been given a specific pattern for worship under the Old Law. They were told to be very careful not to go beyond the pattern. The book of Hebrews makes the point that we have a better covenant in Jesus than they had; that we have better promises and a superior high priest; Jesus. So, it follows that if anything, we should be more careful to keep within the pattern which God has given to His church; "...See,' He says, 'That you make all things according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.' But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises." (HEBREWS 8:1-6).

Local churches across the world may be quite different from one another in some respects; their customs, manner of dress; language; traditions and so forth. But concerning matters included within the pattern; matters which the Lord specifically spoke about, there should be no variation. There is a pattern (ROMANS 6:17; II TIMOTHY 2:2). It does matter to the Lord whether a local church remains faithful to His pattern; it ought to also make a difference to us.

THE WORSHIP OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

"...and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as we see the day drawing near.." (HEBREWS 10:24,25). The purpose of worship is at least two-fold. Jehovah is glorified by the acts of the faithful worshiper. The other purpose of worship is for the benefit of the worshiper. Both of these purposes are mentioned in the instructions the New Testament gives concerning worshipping God in song; "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts unto God." (COLOSSIANS 3:16).

When the local churches of the New Testament worshiped, they would sing praises to encourage one another and to jointly express their gratitude unto God. They would also pray together voicing unto God their joint concerns. They would involve themselves together in a study of the word, with a teacher or preacher expounding on the doctrine of Christ. Also, on the first day of the week, or Sunday, they would take up a collection by which the members of the local church could pool their resources into a common treasury for the purpose of carrying out works which God appointed the local church to do. Also, on this day, Christians would remember the Lord's death for them by observing the Lord's supper as He had directed (ACTS 2:42; ACTS 20:7; I CORINTHIANS 16:1,2).

THE WORK OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

"...I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the support of the truth." (I TIMOTHY 3:15). The purpose of the church is to bring God glory by declaring His wisdom to the universe (EPHESIANS 3:10,11). This is in accordance with God's eternal purpose! God's plan for the church has been around for a long time; in fact, His plan predates the creation of the earth; it is eternal.

God has made the church responsible for holding forth the truth of the gospel to the world. The church at Thessalonica was commended for the diligent way in which they undertook this mission; "...so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything." (I THESSALONIANS 1:7,8).

Some in the local church at Corinth were having a difficult time cooperating with one another. They were still too carnal; envious and jealous of one another. Paul told them that their relationship to Jesus and to one another, and the heavy responsibility of the work God had given them to do, made it important for them to put away such worldly attitudes. He described the local church as a body which needs the efforts of every one of its members: "...Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." (I CORINTHIANS 12:14-27).

The local church today needs each of its members to join in the godly efforts of the congregation. "The body is not one member, but many." If each member does not do His part, then the most important work we could possibly be involved with suffers. The church is the body of Christ; and He is the head of the body. We must listen to the head. Because of the human part, no local church is perfect. But because of Christ, let each member push on toward perfection, always growing, and never quitting

6 REASONS TO BE A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF A LOCAL CHURCH

It is our conviction that every Christian should be an active member of a Bible-teaching local church. As believers in Christ, we are members of His body and must discipline ourselves to be actively involved in ministry as a way of life. Here are some specific reasons why you should be a committed member of a solid, Bible-teaching local church.

1. You follow the pattern set forth in the New Testament. Although the word “membership” itself is not used the principle is present in the New Testament. For example, most of our NT books are letters that were written to specific groups of people who had chosen to identify themselves with Christ and each other. The word “church” is almost always used to refer to a specific group of people who in some way had committed themselves to serving the Lord and one another in the same ministry location. Numbers were known (Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4), rolls were kept (1 Tim. 5:9), servants were selected (Acts 6:2-5), discipline was practiced (1 Cor. 5:12-13), worship was corporate (1 Cor 14:23), and shepherds knew for whom they were responsible (Heb. 13:17). If you are a part of the body of Christ by virtue of repentant faith in Jesus Christ then you should want to make that association visibly known through church membership.

2. You have a greater opportunity to use your spiritual gifts. At the moment of your conversion the Holy Spirit came to live inside of your body (1 Cor 6:19). When He did this, He brought along the spiritual gift(s) that He sovereignly chose for you to possess for the blessing of the church (1 Cor 12:7, 11). As we use our gifts, we are being good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). Can you use your spiritual gift without joining a church? Yes, but in most churches many ministry opportunities are limited to church members only. This is as it should be. Unity in doctrine, purity of life, and submissive accountability to one another and leaders are necessary for a healthy Christian life. The process of becoming a member also gives the existing leadership the opportunity to discern one’s agreement in doctrine, ministry purpose, and goals; thus enabling them to know where best you may serve.

3. You become a more committed part of a spiritual family. Joining a local church demonstrates a certain level of commitment. It shows that you want to be more than a bystander, that you want to be involved in ministry in a more significant way. Joining a local church is like entering into a covenant relationship with other believers in order to love them as an active part of a spiritual family (1 Jn 4:7). We also need the spiritual oversight and soul care of faithful shepherds (Heb 13:17).

4. You ensure a balanced Christian life. By nature we all have the tendency to gravitate toward extremes. God’s design for the church—as a multi-faceted body whose members are interrelated and interdependent—provides the ideal atmosphere for balanced Christian growth. As we sharpen each other, our continual contact with other believers promotes balance. “No one develops the proper spiritual symmetry just by listening to Christian radio, watching Christian television, or reading Christian books. You can’t get this kind of maturity merely by participating in a group Bible study. Unless you’re an active part of a local church, your Christian life and ministry will be imbalanced.”

5. You avail yourself of the wisdom of a multitude of counselors. God never intended for us to live our lives independent of others, or “above” them. He desires for us to develop relationships of accountability with other Christians. According to Proverbs 11:14, in the abundance of counselors there is victory. The local church is a great place to find wise counsel and direction from spiritual leadership and older, more mature believers (Titus 2:1-8). These relationships will help guide you in the many decisions that you face in life so that you may discern God’s good and perfect will.

6. You experience the joy of serving others. God has re-created us in Christ Jesus for the purpose of bringing glory to Him by bearing fruit (Eph 2:10; John 15:2). The fruit of the Spirit is primarily manifested in our relationships with others (Gal 5:22-23). Believers are to follow the example of Christ the Master Servant (Jn 13:15). By joining a local church, you are agreeing with God that one of the ways to bear fruit in the Christian life is by serving others.

MORE REASONS CHRISTIANS NEED THE LOCAL CHURCH

If you’re dissatisfied with the local church, don’t leave it. Pray for it. Bless it. Serve it. Love it to life. There is a trend, especially among younger generations, of saying goodbye to the local church. We’ve heard statistics of those who leave because they no longer believe. But surprisingly, others leave because they say they want more of God in their lives, and the church just isn’t doing it for them.

Why are so many believers dissatisfied with the church? Often, their disenchantment with the church is legitimate. Instead of going to church, they are eager to be the church. Instead of being a face in the crowd, they are eager to be a known and needed member of a community. Instead of being passive observers of an event, they are eager to be active contributors to a shared mission. Instead of listening to a preacher pontificate and tell stories, they are eager to be welcomed into a Story that is bigger than the preacher. Instead of being around people who “accept” Jesus but who seem bored with him, they want to be around people who come alive at the mention of his name.

Would Jesus, the Head of the church, favor a churchless Christianity? Many who are disillusioned with the church today romanticize the early church, not realizing how broken things were then as well. Take Corinth, for example. The church there was a dysfunctional mess. Factions, harshness, divisions, adultery, lawsuits, divorce, elitism, classism, and neglect of the poor were just some of their issues.

Paul wrote the famous “love chapter” in 1 Corinthians less as an inspiration and more as a rebuke, because each attribute of love was something that the Corinthians were missing. They had trampled on the ideal of what Jesus’ church should be — an infectious community of prayer, truth, love, justice, and mission (Acts 2:42-47).

But Paul never gave up on the church in Corinth. Instead of walking away, he pressed in. As he sharply corrected them, he also encouraged, prayed for, and thanked God for them. Like Jesus, he saw a broken church and envisioned beauty. He saw a sinful church and envisioned sainthood. He saw a band of misfits and envisioned a radiant, perfected bride. And he knew that God wanted him to participate in loving this church to life.

Jesus loves his church at her best and at her worst. He laid down his life for her (John 10:11). He will never leave or forsake her (Hebrews 13:5). He will complete the work he started in her (Philippians 1:6). In other words, Jesus never looked for more of God by having less of the church. Instead, he married her.

The church is the chosen, beloved bride of Christ. What does it say about us if the church is good enough for the Father to adopt, for the Spirit to inhabit, and for Jesus to marry . . . but not good enough for us to join? The wisdom of God says that we need the local church. Here are more reasons why.

7. The Church is Jesus’ bride. “You dare not decide that you don’t need the church. Christ’s church is his bride . . . and his love for her makes him faithful to her even when she is not faithful to him.”
The church was God’s idea. “One cannot have God as his Father who does not have the church as his Mother,” and “The church may be a whore, but she is still my mother.”

8. The Church is a family. Family is the chief metaphor the Bible uses when it talks about the church. The church isn’t an exclusive, monolithic club. It’s a gathering of wonderfully and sometimes irritatingly diverse, divinely selected brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, grandmas, and grandpas. A dysfunctional family at times indeed, but a family nonetheless.
Family stays together. When one member is weak, the others lift her up. Where another is difficult, the others confront him. Where another is leading on mission, the others join, support, pray, and cheer him on.

9. The Church teaches us to love. Part of the Christian experience is learning to love people who are not like us. In the church, we are given a community of complicated, beloved-by-God, always in process, fearfully and wonderfully made, sometimes faltering and inefficient people we are called to love. Including ourselves. Reconciliation, peacemaking, relational perseverance, and loving the unlovely are difficult but necessary steps of discipleship. Without these things, we remain stunted in our spiritual growth. Our goal in Christian community is not just tolerance of others, but authentic love and relationship. In order to learn to truly love, we must stay in the Christian community and do the hard work of resolving conflict and building unity.

10. The Church needs you. As it is a family, the church is also a body. Without you, the church is missing an eye or an ear or a hand. Without you, the church is not whole. Each of us is made in the image of God. As we live in community with one another, we grow in knowledge and experience of God by being with others who bear his image. As we learn from and rub off on one another we become better, more whole, more Christ like, and ultimately better-for-the-world versions of ourselves. If you are dissatisfied or disillusioned with the local church, don’t leave it. If the church stinks to you, then make it better. Pray for it. Bless it. Serve it. Love it to life. In the process, you will discover that it’s not only that the church needs you. You need the church as well.

Why should Christians go to church? How important is it?

Can a Christian survive apart from a church? Some Christians have no choice. They are trapped in a hospital bed, or working in an isolated area where no church exists. And God is certainly sufficient to care for their needs. You can still get to heaven if you can’t go to church. But even though it’s technically possible to live the Christian life in isolation, it’s certainly not the norm. When you become a Christian, you are called into a relationship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). But I John 1:3 makes it clear that we enter a fellowship that goes two ways: with God and with other Christians. The New Testament never divides Christians into the church members and the non-church members. All the way through, it assumes that everybody participates in their local assembly. It gives no samples of Christians who belong to the “universal church” but have no link with a local church.

Wherever Christians are within range of each other in the New Testament, they meet. Every time the apostle Paul comes to a town in the book of Acts where there are no Christians, he wins a few converts and immediately organizes them into a small group—a little church. Acts 20:7 reveals the practice of the early church: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them.” For Christians in every location, regular gathering was a part of life. It’s illogical to say that you are merely part of the worldwide, universal church, yet refuse to gather with the segment of that universal church that exists in your geographical area. The church must be together to carry out many of its purposes. Here are some irreplaceable pieces of the Christian that cannot happen when you live in isolation from the church:

USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS— I Corinthians 12 makes it clear that God has given spiritual gifts to every Christian. And verse 7 states unmistakably that these abilities are not provided to make you feel good; they are abilities to minister that should be used for the common good! I Peter 4:10 commands us to use spiritual gifts to help each other. The same passage makes it clear that we meet with other Christians so they can use their gifts to strengthen us. God’s gift of a preacher or teacher is wasted if no one comes to hear them speak.

MUTUAL MINISTRY— The church is pictured as a body in I Corinthians 12, and Paul explains that each part of the body exists to meet the needs of other body parts. In the same way, God intends each of us to meet the needs of other believers, using our strengths to help in their areas of weakness. I Corinthians 12:21 expresses it this way: “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you.” Neither can a Christian claim to be self-sufficient today. The New Testament is full of “one another” commands. We are to comfort one another (I Thessalonians 4:18), build up one another (I Thessalonians 5:11), confess our sins to one another (James 5:16), pray for one another (James 5:16), and many more. How can we obey these directives if we stay away from the gathering of believers?

ACCOUNTABILITY— God designed the church as a place where spiritual leaders could watch out for our welfare, as a shepherd guards the sheep (I Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:17). A Christian who answers only to himself can easily rationalize sinful attitudes or actions; regular contact with other Christians can keep us sharp. A single verse should actually be sufficient answer for this question: Hebrews 10:25 warns its readers against “forsaking the assembly of yourselves together, as the manner of some is.”

According to Scripture, why should every Christian join a church?

Every Christian should join a church because Scripture requires it. Granted, there is no direct command in Scripture that says, “Every Christian must join a local church,” but two factors in Scripture indicate that every Christian should be a member of a local church.

1. Jesus established the church to be a public, earthly institution that would mark out, affirm, and oversee those who profess to believe in him (Matt. 16:18-19, 18:15-20). Jesus established the church to publicly declare those who belong to him in order to give the world a display of the good news about himself (John 17:21, 23; see also Eph. 3:10). Jesus wants the world to know who belongs to him and who doesn’t? They are to see which people publicly identify themselves with his people in the visible, public institution he established for this very purpose. They’re to look at the members of his church. And if some people claim to be part of the universal church even though they belong to no local church, they reject Jesus’ plan for them and his church. Jesus intends for his people to be marked out as a visible, public group, which means joining together in local churches.

2. Scripture repeatedly commands Christians to submit to their leaders (Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12-13). The only way to do that is by publicly committing to be members of their flock, and saying in effect, “I commit to listening to your teaching, following your direction, and to submitting to your leadership.” There’s no way to obey the scriptural commands to submit to your leaders if you never actually submit to them by joining a local church.

RIGHTEOUSNESS:

Righteousness is the state of moral perfection required by God to enter heaven.
However, the Bible clearly states that human beings cannot achieve righteousness through their own efforts: "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." (Romans 3:20)

The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.

The Bible describes the righteous person as just or right, holding to God and trusting in Him (Psalm 33:18–22).
The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is an amazing truth. On the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day stand before God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

This means that we are made righteous in the sight of God; that is, that we are accepted as righteous and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done. He was made sin; we are made righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He were a sinner, though He was perfectly holy and pure, and we are treated as if we were righteous, though we are defiled and depraved. On account of what the Lord Jesus has endured on our behalf, we are treated as if we had entirely fulfilled the Law of God and had never become exposed to its penalty. We have received this precious gift of righteousness from the God of all mercy and grace. To Him be the glory!

What Does Righteousness Mean In The Bible?

When the Bible mentions righteousness, what does it mean exactly? Do Christians have righteousness and if not, how can we be righteous before a holy God?

We know that God is righteous but what does this word mean? It certainly means that there is a right-ness in God. All that He is and all that he does is right and unlike humans, He is righteous in all He says as that is one of His attributes. The Old Testament says that God is righteous. In Psalm 7:11a we read “God is a righteous judge.” The word righteous in the Hebrew, which means just, lawful, and correct. The word righteous in the New Testament comes from the Greek word “dikaios” which means observing divine laws or upright, faultless, innocent, and guiltless. These are all descriptive of God Himself and no human has any of these attributes inherent in themselves even though we can do things that are upright and observe the divine laws like the Ten Commandments while not being able to obey them all, but how can fallen creatures like us be righteous?

You Must Be Perfect and Holy

We have to be perfect to enter in the Kingdom of Heaven so that presents a huge problem. We also must be holy. That we are to be holy and perfect seems humanly impossible. Jesus tells us that “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48) so “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:15-16) and “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven “ (Matt 5:20). Remember the Pharisees fasted weekly, they tithed to the tiniest amount, they were strict students of the Scriptures, they studied them and lived by a stricter standard than Christians do today, so the main issue is how can we ever be perfect, holy, and have exceeding righteousness before God?

How to Become Holy and Perfect

In the first place, a person cannot make themselves holy. A person needs to repent of their sins, confess all sins to God, and then put their trust in Christ. You can never become acceptable to God until you are born again. When someone repents and trusts in Christ, they then have the power of the Holy Spirit within them and this enables them to live a more righteous life. Not a perfect life, no, but we can have the power of God to overcome sin. We will never, ever do this in this life (Rom. 7) but we do know that God does the saving. In Romans chapter 8 we see how this happens: “those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” Rom 8:30). Who predestine us, who called us, who justified us, and who will glorify us? God is the One Who predestines, who calls, who justifies, and then who will someday glorify us. It is nothing that we do in ourselves but this is fully a work of God. We do have a part in the sense that we must repent and see the sinfulness of our hearts, and acknowledge that we need the Savior.
1John 1:7b says that “the blood of Jesus His son Cleanses us from all sin”.

The Lamb’s Blood Cleanses Us

In the Old Testament, the shed blood of animals was necessary to cover sins. The animal was completely innocent. The animal never sinned and did not deserve to die. That is exactly the point. Sin requires a blood sacrifice but these sacrifices never really took away sin, they only covered sin, however the Perfect Lamb Sacrifice, the Son of God, didn’t just cover sins, He took them away by giving His own blood and life for us. 1John 1:7b says that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” All means all. That is why “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Confessing sin, then asking for forgiveness, and trusting in the Lamb of God’s shed blood to have effectual power to take away our sins is the necessary element to make us have a holy righteousness and we can then stand before a holy God. This is because God sees Jesus’ righteousness as being our own righteousness. Since He accepts Jesus’ holiness and perfection, He accepts ours because it has been imputed toward us on account of His death (2 Cor. 5:21). That’s why it’s called the “good news!”

Conclusion

No one who is not perfect or righteous will ever enter the kingdom of heaven for nothing unclean can be in God’s presence. He is too holy for that. That leaves me and you and everyone with a big problem. How can we, natural sinners, enter into God’s presence when our hearts are so wicked? We can never be perfect in the flesh. God has solved this titanic problem and He has done it through Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 says “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” That is how we can be made righteous. We cannot make ourselves righteous because our best efforts are like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). I thank God that Jesus can become our righteousness as it is imputed to us on behalf of Jesus’ work at Calvary. If you have not been born again then you will not be acceptable to God on the day of His visitation to judge the world (Rev 20:11-15) so you need to think about repentance today and trusting in Christ before you die or He returns again because by then, it will be too late.

The Righteousness of Christ

People receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Christ, the sinless Son of God, took humanity's sin upon himself and became the willing, perfect sacrifice, suffering the punishment mankind deserved. God the Father accepted Jesus' sacrifice, through which human beings can become justified. In turn, believers receive righteousness from Christ. This doctrine is called imputation. Christ's perfect righteousness is applied to imperfect humans. The Old Testament tells us that because of the sin of Adam, we, his descendants, have inherited his sinful nature. God set up a system in Old Testament times where people sacrificed animals to atone for their sins. The shedding of blood was required. When Jesus entered the world, things changed. His crucifixion and resurrection satisfied God's justice. Christ's shed blood covers our sins. No more sacrifices or works are required. The Apostle Paul explains how we receive righteousness through Christ in the book of Romans. Salvation through this crediting of righteousness is a free gift, which is the doctrine of grace. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus is the essence of Christianity. No other religion offers grace. They all require some type of works on behalf of the participant.
Bible Verse about Righteousness
Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

"What does it mean to pursue righteousness?"

Proverbs 15:9 says, “The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.” If God wants us to pursue righteousness, then what about verses such as Romans 3:10 that say, “There is none righteous, no not one”? If no one is righteous, then who can really pursue it? Are those verses contradictory?

Before we can pursue righteousness, we need to define it. The word most often translated “righteousness” can also mean “justice, justness, or divine holiness.” In the broadest sense, righteousness can be defined as “the condition of being acceptable to God as made possible by God.” God’s standard is what defines true righteousness; His power is what enables it. Unless God is its author, we will never possess righteousness. No amount of man-made effort will result in righteousness. To be righteous is to be right with God. A heart that is right with God results in a life that bears “fruit” (John 15:1–2; Mark 4:20). Galatians 5:22 lists some of that fruit.

A common substitute for true righteousness is self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is the opposite of what God desires. Self-righteousness makes a list of rules and checks them off, congratulating itself on how well it is doing compared to others. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were masters of self-righteousness, but Jesus had harsh words for them: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27–28).

To pursue righteousness means we must recognize that we cannot please God in our sinful state (Romans 8:8). We turn from trying to justify ourselves by our good deeds and instead seek the mercy of God. We desire that He transform our minds (Romans 12:2) and conform us “to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). In the Old Testament, men were declared righteous when they believed God and acted on it (Genesis 15:7; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Before Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), people pursued righteousness by keeping God’s Law, seeking holiness, and “walking humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). No one was justified by rule-keeping but by the faith that enabled them to obey God (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16).

Likewise, today we are justified by the faith that leads us to Jesus (Romans 3:28; 5:1; 10:10). Those who are in Christ continue seeking God in order to please Him (Colossians 3:1). When we come to faith in Christ, He gives us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to pursue righteousness for its own sake (Acts 2:38). He commands us to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). Walking in the Spirit means we live a lifestyle of total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We cultivate the ability to hear God and the habit of obeying His voice in everything.

We pursue righteousness when we pursue the character of Christ and desire holiness more than fleshly indulgence. We avoid the temptation to become self-righteous when we understand that true righteousness begins with godly humility (Psalm 25:90). We remember that Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). When we spend time in the presence of God, we become more aware of our own sin and shortcomings. A dingy shirt looks white beside a dark wall. But, when compared with snow, the same shirt looks dirty. Pride and self-righteousness cannot remain in the presence of a holy God. Pursuing righteousness begins when a humble heart seeks the continual presence of God (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). The humble, believing heart leads to a lifestyle of righteous action acceptable to God (Psalm 51:10).

Walking in the Light (Ephesians 5:7-14)

Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

Introduction

Light and darkness are prominent themes in Paul’s epistles. These symbols are prominent in the gospels, and in the teaching of our Lord. They are employed as well by Peter and John. The symbols of light and darkness are not new in the New Testament; they are themes which are rooted in the Old Testament, and which are drawn upon and applied in the New. In our text, Paul likens our former nature and conduct as “darkness,” contrasting our nature and conduct as Christians by likening it to “light.” Let us listen well, to grasp what it means to walk no longer as children of darkness, but to live as children of light.

Paul’s Argument

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9-14).

This change in our condition should be accompanied by a corresponding change in our conduct. At the beginning of chapter 4, Paul exhorts each believer to walk in a way that is consistent with his calling as a Christian: “I, Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).
The Christians “walk” or Christian lifestyle has been described in several different ways thus far in Ephesians 4 and 5. The Christian is to walk in unity and in community with his fellow saints (4:1-16). The Christian is to walk in a way that is dramatically different from his walk as an unbeliever (4:17-32). Christians are further instructed to “walk in love” (5:1-6). And now, Paul speaks of the Christian’s lifestyle as a “walk as children of light” (5:7-14). If we are to walk in a manner that is consistent with our calling, Paul instructs us, we are to live as those who are “children of light.”

It may be well here to pause for a moment, and to reflect on what Paul is telling us, for Paul’s teaching and the popular perception of Christianity differ greatly. The gospel is often presented as though faith in Jesus Christ requires no great change, and that one need but to “add” Christ to his experience, to “invite Christ into his life,” and then life will become more pleasant, but at little cost to the Christian. Jesus spoke of discipleship, and he cautioned those who would too quickly follow Him to “count the cost” (Luke 9:23-24, 57-62; 14:25-25).

Becoming a Christian is not so much a matter of adding Christ to your life as it is abandoning your life to find true life in Christ. And when one thus trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the change is not small. It is a radical transformation. It is a change from death to life, from darkness to light. Paul’s words indicate that our calling as Christians should have a radical impact on our conduct. We will never be the same again. We should never think or act the same. Our thinking and our behavior after our conversion should compare to our former “walk” as though it were night and day. Anyone who thinks of salvation differently would seem to do a disservice to the teaching of our Lord, and of the Old and New Testament writers.

While Paul has been privileged to reveal certain truths previously mysterious to the saints (Ephesians 3:1-13), his call to conduct our lives as “children of light” is not new. It is consistent with the teaching of the Scriptures of both the Old and the New Testaments. And so he calls our attention to this citation in verse 14: “For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” As it has often been observed, this citation does not precisely match any Old Testament text. Some have therefore concluded that this must not be a citation of Scripture, but rather a reference to an early Christian hymn, or spiritual teaching known to Paul and the Ephesians. A number of the more recent commentators understand it in this way.

There are difficulties with this explanation. Not only do many of the older scholars reject it, but the way in which Paul introduces it strongly suggests to us that it is a Scriptural quotation. While several texts in Isaiah are suggested (9:2; 26:19; 52:1), the text which is most similar is found in Isaiah 60:1.

What Does It Mean To Live As Lights?

Having seen that we are obligated to live as lights, we must now turn our attention to the application of Paul’s instructions. What does it mean to live as lights? Paul does not leave us without guidelines in this matter. Our text not only contains Paul’s exhortation, it provides us with instruction concerning the implementation of living as lights.

We are not left to wonder what “light” is like. Light produces certain fruit. The fruit of the light Paul tells us, is goodness, righteousness, and truth. Goodness is the predisposition to do that which is both wholesome and helpful, what is beneficial. Righteousness encompasses all that is consistent with the holy character of God and which meets the standards set down by His Word. Truth not only excludes falsehood, but it includes only that which God’s Word defines as true, truth as God’s Word declares it.

Living as children of light is living so as to manifest goodness, righteousness, and truth, as Paul has indicated in verse 9. Living as children of light can also be described as “trying to learn” what is pleasing to the Lord” (verse 10). The children of light desire to live as light. Therefore, they do not merely avoid the thinking and the deeds of darkness out of a fear of divine chastening alone, but they genuinely desire to do what is right in order to please the One who delivered them from darkness to light. Where there are negative motivations for avoiding sin, the motivation of which Paul speaks here is a positive one. The children of darkness have pleasure as their goal, too, but they live in order to please themselves, not to please God.

While it is true that living as lights is for our own best interest, this should be a secondary motive, not a primary one. We should seek to please God and others before seeking to please ourselves (Romans 15:1). All too often I hear evangelical Christian leaders urging Christians to act in a certain way primarily because it serves their own interests best. This is not the “high road” of the Apostle Paul, nor of any other writer in the Scriptures. The expression “trying to learn” suggests something more to us. It suggests that learning to walk as children of light is an on-going process. The commands of the Scriptures, Old Testament and New, provide us with some clear absolutes as to what we must and as to what we must not do. But these commands do not cover every choice we are called upon to make.

Let me illustrate this in terms of marriage. When we marry, we make vows which express our commitment to our mate. We are obligated to keep our vows. But in addition to the keeping of these vows, there is a process of getting to know our mate (see 1 Peter 3:7), so that we may please them (see 1 Corinthians 7:33-34). There are many books published which “instruct” men on how to “please” their wives, but I believe that a wife’s greatest pleasure comes from her husband “learning” this on his own, and doing it out of the joy which he finds in pleasing her. So it is with pleasing God. God delights in His children learning to know Him, and then doing that which we believe gives Him pleasure. What we decided to do (or to avoid doing) may not be what another believer chooses to do, but this is a matter of personal conviction, not of keeping a command. Pleasing God is a life-long process, one that is never complete, but one in which there should be both perseverance and growth.

Paul’s teaching in our text indicates that living as children of light will have a radical impact on our relationships. We have already seen this indicated earlier in the epistle. While we Gentiles were once alienated from Israel, her covenants, and her blessings, we have now been reconciled to God in one body, the church. We who were once at odds with Israelites are not united with them inseparably. This union was not grasped by the Old Testament saint (chapter 3), but it has become clear to the church through the teaching of Paul (4:1-16).

If, in Christ, we have become one new man (2:15) and one new building (2:19-22), we also discover that in Christ we have a new relationship with unbelievers, those who are still the children of darkness (see 2:1-3; 4:17-24). As children of light we now have far greater intimacy with those who, like us, are in Christ. But we also experience a corresponding detachment from the children of darkness.
Paul describes this detachment in terms of two prohibitions. The first is expressed in verse 7: “Therefore do not be partakers with them.” The second “do not” is found in verse 11: “And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them.”
In some of His final words to His disciples, our Lord indicated to them that their relationship with Him would bring about a corresponding animosity from those who rejected Him:

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:18-20)
Years later, Peter writes to those who are suffering persecution at the hand of unbelievers and assures them that such is the normal reaction of those in darkness, whose deeds have been exposed by the light:

For the time already past is sufficient for your to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you (1 Peter 4:3-4).
In Ephesians 5:7, Paul urges the saints to not become partakers with those who are godless because their actions are (1) improper for saints (5:3) and (2) because the wrath of God is the fate of those who live in sin (5:5-6). In verse 11 Paul presses the matter even further. Christians are to avoid participation in the “unfruitful deeds of darkness” because their task as lights is to expose the deeds of darkness.

Light reveals that which darkness conceals. Darkness conceals sin and even promotes it. Light exposes sin and thus living as children of light has the function of exposing the sins of those in darkness, which is the first and fundamental step in evangelism. Our Lord Himself came as the “light” (John 1:1-13). Those who acknowledged their sin turned to Him for salvation, while those who preferred darkness to light rejected Him (see John 3:16-21). We, like Christ, are to live as children of light as a part of our calling to reflect and reveal Christ and to proclaim the gospel. It is the contrast in our conduct with that of the world which makes the gospel clear. It is by our contrast with the world that we fulfill our obligation as “lights”:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing any more, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

The rub comes in determining where it is that we draw the lines of separation. We are not to be partakers with those in darkness (Ephesians 5:7), nor are we to participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness (5:11). Where, then, do we draw the line in terms of our relationships with the lost? The Pharisees of our Lord’s day drew the line far too conservatively. They hypocritically drew the line at the level of association with sinners. To have any contact with sinners was thought by them to be ungodly. They were wrong, as our Lord made clear, both by His teaching and His preaching. Very early in His ministry Jesus offended the self-righteous Pharisees by His association with sinners. Jesus indicated that it was necessary to associate with sinners in order to save them:

27 And after that He went out, and noticed a tax-gatherer named Levi, sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 And he left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him. 29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax-gatherers and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax-gatherers and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:27-32).

The Corinthian church seems to have agreed with the position of the Pharisees, but they went to an additional extreme. They, like the Pharisees of our Lord’s day, seemed to hold the conviction that they could not associate with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). And yet, while they were careful to shun unbelievers, they were puffed up with pride in the fact that they accepted a man who professed to be a believer, yet who lived with his father’s wife, something which even shocked the pagans (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). Paul’s teaching on separation and fellowship is clear. In general terms, as “children of light” we are not to have fellowship with darkness. More specifically, we are not to shun unbelievers, nor to avoid association with them. We are to avoid intimate fellowship with them, especially as they practice what is displeasing to God. As Christians, we are not to have fellowship with those who profess to trust in Christ, but whose conduct denies Him.

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15), In some ways, I fear that the contemporary Christian church surpasses the error of both the Pharisees and the Corinthians. Both the Pharisees and the Corinthians drew the line somewhere, even if they drew it in the wrong place. We don’t seem to be willing or able to draw the line anywhere. Because we equate the success of a church with its size, we seem unwilling to discourage any from attending and taking part, let alone to act in discipline by putting someone out of the church.

As I read the Book of Acts, the church grew dramatically. In the context of the Book, Luke is careful to indicate that the church grew because of its faithful proclamation and practice of the Word of God (see Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-35; 6:1-7). Luke also indicates that the church grew as its purity was protected. Thus, as a result of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, great fear came upon the whole church and the unbelieving community, and with it came more converts:

11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things. 12 And at the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. 13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. 14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number (Acts 5:11-14).

The purity of the church does not hinder the proclamation of the gospel; it is an essential manifestation of the gospel. I believe that this truth underlies the words of Paul in our text. In other words, by living as children of light we not only practice the truth of the gospel, we proclaim it to an unbelieving world. I fear that in many churches today which proclaim to be evangelical, we are not “manifesting the light” to the glory of God and to the health of the church, and to the salvation of the lost. To keep with the symbolism of light and darkness, I fear that some churches are trying to win the lost by “turning the lights down low.”

Allow me to explain. The underlying premise of the “lights down low” folks is that people won’t be attracted to a gospel which threatens their beliefs, values, and lifestyles. And so, in order to get people saved, we need to play down the negative aspects of the gospel (sin, righteousness, judgment) and slip the gospel in positively. We need to make the unbeliever comfortable with Christianity if we are to attract them to our churches. If sin and hell are unpleasant topics, then these should be set aside, at least for a time. Once people are saved, they tell us, then we can speak to them about discipleship. This sounds a whole lot like the “bait and switch” methodology of unscrupulous salesmen.

There are many difficulties with this philosophy and methodology. In the first place, it does not square with our Lord’s methods or teaching. There were many who seemed eager to follow Jesus, but He consistently warned them of the cost of discipleship. Neither does it square with the Lord’s teaching concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit in evangelism, as found in the Gospel of John: 7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged” (John 16:7-11).

If the Holy Spirit is to convict men of sin, righteousness, and judgment, then surely we dare not avoid these truths in dealing with unbelievers. The very subjects which Scripture identify as the foundation and starting point of the gospel are those which the “low-light gospeleers” would set aside. The truth of the matter is that the gospel, in its pure form, is not appealing. Indeed, it is repulsive, to lost men. Nevertheless, it is our task to proclaim it in the simplest and clearest terms possible, relying upon God to draw men through the ministry of His Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5).

Jesus did not come to minister to the healthy, but to those who are sick. He did not come to speak to those who were comfortable, but rather to those who mourned and were broken-hearted. He spoke words of comfort, healing, and salvation to the hurting, and He spoke words of rebuke and warning to those who were comfortable and complacent. Why should we do anything less?

As Paul’s words indicate, our task is not to ignore sin, but to expose it. This is done by living righteously, living as lights. Those whom God has chosen, He will draw to the light by His grace and through His Spirit. And those who love their sin and the darkness will seek to extinguish our light. And so it is that some of the texts which speak about light are found in close proximity to those which speak of persecution (see Matthew 5:10-16). We are not to identify with darkness, nor to withdraw entirely from it, but to live as lights in a darkened world, so that sin might be exposed by righteousness, to the glory of God, to the salvation of the lost, and to the blessing of the believer.

Conclusion

Second, to walk as children of light is also to walk in love. All too many play down our obligation to walk as lights by emphasizing their intention to “walk in love.” We dare not attempt to separate these two aspects of our Christian walk. Paul has just spoken of our “walk in love” in Ephesians 5:1-6. Now, in verses 7-14, he presses on to remind us of our responsibility to “walk as light.” There is no conflict. If we do no walk as light we will not be walking in love. Love does not “support” the sinner and the expense of righteousness. Love admonishes, rebukes, and seeks to restore the sinner in the promotion and practice of righteousness. Note the close connection of “love” and “light” in Paul’s letter to the Romans 11

And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts (Romans 13:11-14). To walk as children of light is the ultimate calling of the Christian. It is in so doing that we obey and please God. It is in so doing that we glorify God. It is in so doing that the gospel is proclaimed.

Walking in the light will, in all cases, glorify God. It will in some instances result in the salvation of lost souls. It will in many cases lead to persecution. And it will also put us at cross-purposes with Satan. We should expect him to seek to blind men with respect to the light of the gospel: 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Satan is not content to stop here. In his attempts to “turn out the lights” he goes so far as to disguise himself as an “angel of light,” thereby hoping to directly attack the church through deception and distortion: 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

These false lights will be evident because their fruit will not be the fruit of the light, as Paul indicates. Paul’s emphasis is not merely upon individual compliance with our duty to “walk as lights,” but on the task of the church, collectively, to be a light. The church must take a hard line toward sin. The church must act decisively and rigorously to root sin out of the church. We are not only to seek to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24), but to rigorously root sin out of the church (see 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).

If I understand Paul’s teaching on “light” correctly (including his citation from the Old Testament in verse 14), it is not the unbeliever that is challenged to “wake up” and to “rise from the dead,” but rather the believer. This text, as I understand it, is not primarily a salvation text, but a sanctification text. We can be lights only in a reflective way. Christ is the only true light. We shine as He shines upon us. In Isaiah chapter 60, the exhortation was for the people of Israel to “wake up” and to turn from their sin to righteousness, from darkness to the light. Elsewhere, when Paul takes up the theme of light and darkness, he is exhorting Christians to wake up:
1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11).

Only those who are in Christ can be lights. This compels me to ask you a simple question of the greatest import: “Have you seen the light?” Have you acknowledged your sin, Christ’s righteousness, and the judgment which awaits all who reject the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary? These are dark days. Those without Christ are not only darkness, subjects of the prince of darkness, but they also await the dark day of God’s coming wrath on sinners. Come to the light. Trust in Him who suffered and died for your sins, and whose righteousness can be yours by faith.

May God grant that we may not only see the light in personal salvation, but that others may see the light in us, as we live lives that are marked by goodness, righteousness, and truth, to His glory. I acknowledge the fact that Paul does not employ the term “walk” in these verses, but it is evident that Christian unity and community is the central theme of verses 1-16. The Christian’s conduct is to live and serve in an interdependent relationship to the whole body of Christ.

Psalm 19 is particularly interesting, as God’s revelation is described as “light.” In those verses which speak of God’s revelation of Himself through His creation (verses 1-6), the sun is prominent as the light emitting source (verses 4-6). The psalmist then speaks of the revelation of God through His Word (verses 7-14). In Psalm 119, the Word is referred to as “light” (verses 105, 130). In Psalm 19:12, while the term “light” is not employed, the Word of God is spoken of as that source of illumination that reveals the psalmist’s secret and hidden sins. Some texts read “fruit of the Spirit” rather than “fruit of the light.” In the final analysis, we need not agonize over which reading is correct because those things which Paul identifies as “fruit of the light” in Ephesians chapter 5, are virtually the same as those which he also identifies as “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians chapter 5.

For “goodness” see Romans 16:14; Galatians 5:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:11. For “righteousness” see Romans 6:21.; Philippians 1:11; Hebrews 12:11. For “truth” see 2 Corinthians 4:2; 6:7; 7:14; Galatians 2:5, 14; 3:10; Ephesians 1:13; 4:21, 24-25; 6:14; Colossians 1:5-6. A case can also be made for the growth of the church due to the sovereign work of God, in spite of the actions of the church and its leaders. For example, consider the evangelization of Gentiles in spite of the reluctance and resistance of the Jews (see Acts 8:1-2; 10:1—11:22).

How Do We Bear Spiritual Fruit?

1. A developing Christian character is fruit. If the goal of the Christian life may be stated as Christlikeness, then surely every trait developed in us that reflects His character must be fruit that is very pleasing to Him. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in nine terms in Galatians 5:22-23, and Peter urges the development of seven accompaniments to faith in order that we might be fruitful (2 Peter 1:5-8). Two of these terms are common to both lists: love and self-control. The others are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, virtue, knowledge, endurance, piety, and brotherly love. To show these character traits is to bear fruit in one’s life.

2. Right character will result in right conduct, and as we live a life of good works we produce fruit (Colossians 1:10). This goes hand in hand with increasing in the knowledge of God, for as we learn what pleases Him, our fruitful works become more and more conformed to that knowledge. When Paul expressed how torn he was between the two possibilities of either dying and being with Christ or living on in this life, he said that living on would mean fruitful labor or work (Philippians 1:22). This phrase could mean that (a) his work itself was fruit, or (b) fruit would result from his work. In either case, his life and work were fruit. So may ours be.

3. Those who come to Christ through our witness are fruit. Paul longed to go to Rome to have some fruit from his ministry there (Romans 1:13), and he characterized the conversion of the household of Stephanas as the first-fruits of Achaia (I Corinthians 16:15).

4. We may also bear fruit with our lips by giving praise to God and thankfully confessing His name (Hebrews 13:15). In other words, our lips bear fruit when we offer thankful acknowledgement to the name of God. And this is something we should do continually.

5. We bear fruit when we give money. Paul designated the collection of money for the poorer saints in Jerusalem as fruit (Romans 15:28). Too, when he thanked the Philippians for their financial support of his ministry, he said that their act of giving brought fruit to their account (Philippians 4:17).

I Chose You to Bear Fruit

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. (John 15:16). You are now his fruit and his fruit-bearer. The only fruit that will ever endure to eternal life is fruit which grows out of the cross. "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:23-24). We are Christ's fruit because he died for us. We are his fruit-bearers if we are willing to take up our cross and die with him. It is no accident that when Jesus had commanded you to go and bear fruit, he went and died. Your call and your ministry must always stand in the shadow of the cross of Christ. The only fruit that will last is the fruit that grows on the cross.

Jesus Chose You

Turn it around. Jesus said you did not choose me, but I chose you. And so the meaning probably is: "Your presence here is my doing and so I take full responsibility. I know you agreed to join me in this work, but deep in your heart you know it was I who laid claim on you and so my honor, not yours, is at stake in this work." If that is what Jesus means, then the reason he said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you, was to encourage us that he would help us. If his honor is at stake in our success because he chose us for the work, then we can be sure he will exert all his power to make us fruitful. Jesus will not lightly let his wisdom be scorned. Therefore, he will not look lightly on our cry for help, when we say, "Lord you chose me! Your choices have the weight of eternity in them. You will not let your chosen one be ruined. Help me, Lord." Such a plea—if it comes from the heart—he cannot ignore. His wisdom and constancy and reliability are at stake.

But in what sense did Jesus choose you differently from your choice of him? In at least two senses. He said, "All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Matthew 11:27). "The sheep hear his voice and he calls his sheep by name (he chooses them) and leads them out" (John 10:3). So your choice of Christ was very different than his choice of you. His choice was a recreating, resurrecting, life-giving choice when he called you by name and you were born again and made a child of God. Your choice was all response and trust in his commitment to you.

The other sense in which Christ chose you differently than you chose him is in the call to ministry. Now all believers are chosen in that first sense, and can have the assurance that Christ's honor is at stake in their perseverance. And indeed all believers are chosen for ministry. But among the saints, whose responsibility is the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12), Christ sets some people apart as pastors and teachers to devote their full-time labor to the ministry of the Word and prayer, in order to equip the saints. Here again those who serve do so willingly. We have chosen the ministry. But if we are where we belong, there has been a call from the Lord preceding, equipping, inspiring, and finally enabling our choice of the ministry. If this were not so, ordination would be a sham. "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." Therefore, be encouraged, be very bold in your work, for Christ is for you, and his very honor is at stake in your success.

Chosen to Bear Fruit

First, what is fruit-bearing? What is the fruit you are called to bear—indeed must bear? I think fruit in this chapter is a broad term and embraces two things: love for people and the conversion of sinners. If you bear fruit, you love people and win people to Christ. Let's take love first. The picture in verses 1 and 2 is that Christ is like a vine, and you, his minister, are like a branch shooting off this vine. And God the Father is like the vinedresser who prunes back the branches so they bear the most fruit. Since the fruit is simply the out-forming of what has passed through the branch from the vine, we should ask, What is it that we receive from the vine? Jesus' answer is love. Abiding in Jesus means abiding in his love according to verse 9—"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." "Abide in me" is replaced by "Abide in my love," and this shows more specifically what we receive when we are united to the vine, namely, the sap of divine love. And it stands to reason, then, that what we receive from the vine flows through the branch and crops out in the fruit of love, for the nourishment and refreshment of other people.

There is another way to see the same thing. Verse 2 says that if you don't bear fruit, you don't abide in the vine; you get snapped off and thrown in the fire (v. 6). So in order to abide in the vine or to abide in Christ's love, we must bear fruit. There is an exact parallel to that thought in verse 10: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." So "If you keep my commandments" and "if you bear fruit" mean the same thing. Or at least we can say that fruit-bearing includes keeping the commandments of Jesus. And if we ask what is it in this context that Jesus means by "commandments," the answer again is love. Verse 12: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." And verse 17: "These things I command you, that you love one another." Therefore, love is fulfilling the commands of Jesus. And fulfilling the commands of Jesus is at least part of what it means to bear fruit. Therefore, bearing fruit means loving other people. It means letting the love which we constantly receive from Christ as we abide in him flow through us and out to others for their benefit.

But I think the term "fruit" in this gospel is very broad and also includes the making of new disciples. In John 4:35, 36 Jesus says, "Do not say, 'There are yet four months and then comes the harvest. I tell you lift up your eyes and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life so that sower and reaper may rejoice together." "Fruit for eternal life" in John 4:36 probably corresponds to fruit that abides in John 15:16, which says, "I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide." This would refer, then, to the fruitfulness of winning others to Christ, who are then guarded by God's power for salvation.

But probably in the mind of Christ these two meanings of the fruit-bearing merged into one. If the fruit is the out-cropping of the love of Christ in our lives for the nourishment and refreshment of others, then surely among the benefits received from that fruit would be conversion. John 13:34, 35 gives one example of how this happens: "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." The most winning and powerful witness we can give is the reality of love. So the fruitfulness of obedient love and the fruitfulness of winning people to Christ are really not two different things. They are one. And that is the aim of all your ministry.

The Way in Which You Bear Fruit

There are several pointers in the text that help us discover what this means in practice. One is in verse 7: "If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you." Abiding in Christ involves letting his words abide in us. Notice how these two things come together: the word abiding in you and effectual prayer. Here is the first and decisive line of battle in your ministry. You must resist everything that would pull you away from rigorous study of God's Word and daily hours of prayerful meditation to let that Word sink in and abide. The inwardly abiding word is a truth of Scripture believed, cherished, and rolled back and forth in the imagination until its implications spill over into daily life as love and joy and peace and righteousness. The Word will not abide within us if we are in a hurry. We deceive ourselves when we are so busy doing good things that we snatch a text and a prayer on the run and think that we will be mighty men of God and bear spiritual fruit.

To be very specific, so that you will remember it, almost no minister of the gospel will be a spiritually fruitful person if he is spending less that two hours a day in prayer and meditation in addition to his sermon preparation. Holy, powerful, life-changing spiritual men of God are not made on the run. There are so few people who believe that, the expectations laid on you in the service will probably be a constant threat to your spiritual power and fruitfulness. But Christ has appointed you to go and bear fruit. So resist those expectations with boldness. One other pointer toward the practical meaning of abiding in Christ is the parallel phrase in verse 9: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love." Christ's present love for me is his commitment to give me, right now and forever, everything that is good for me. Therefore, abiding in his love means constantly receiving as from his loving hand all things as are good for me. It means never doubting that he is doing me good, but always resting in his kindness. There is a great freedom in the ministry, when you are confident that every hospital room you enter, every counseling session you conduct, every committee you attend, and every pulpit into which you ascend is a place where the Lord of all loves you, that is, will do what is good for you. Believing that and acting on it is what it means to abide in the love of Christ. And if you do these things, you will bear much fruit.

Bear Fruit for the Glory of God

What is Fruit?

Bearing fruit for the Christian, it specifically means to be producing something similar to what the attributes of the tree or plant is. For example, a vine can produce grapes and the fruit that is born is of similar nature and quality of the plant from which it comes. The key is that the fruit that it must be bearing is of the same type, quality, and substance of that which it comes from and when the Bible speaks about bearing fruit, there are only two options; it will be fruit of the Spirit or fruit of the flesh. Every Christian should be bearing fruit of the Spirit.

Fruits of the Flesh

Fruits of the Spirit

The Source of the Fruit

Conclusion

Beyond us looking at other people to see their fruit, it is also good to take a look at our own lives to make sure we are bearing fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Do we see that in our own lives? Are we seeing more of it over time, as we grow in Christ? I know for me, as an early believer, I didn’t bear much fruit. However, over time, Christ has changed me, and I have come to bear more fruit. I pray that the trend continues in my life! So, if you are bearing little, don’t give up. Draw closer to Jesus. Ask Him to allow you to bear more fruit. When we pray to do God’s will, expect those prayers to be answered!

All new believers like all new trees take some time for fruit to be revealed and then to ripen. Bearing fruit does take time. I myself am never satisfied and need to keep abiding in the vine daily for me to draw from the life-giving sap of the Spirit of God and from the Vine Himself, Jesus Christ. Change is a lifetime, lifelong process which is why I am so grateful that God is patient.

I have become a fruit bearing tree and this has only been through the power of the Holy Spirit who has been a great Counselor and foundation of which my roots are planted into.
“It is also good to take a look at our own lives to make sure we’re bearing fruit” The key words that strike me are “make sure”. I pray that the good Gardener (God), gives us the grace and mercy to make sure that we tend to our own trees and that we produce the fruit not self-edifying only, but praising and glorifying unto the Kingdom of God. I think growing in grace and knowledge is knowing more of Jesus and God but bearing fruits are showing your life in Christ like love, peace, joy, (Gal 5:22-23) but winning souls is helped to know that the power is in the gospel (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18) and not in the person who shares it.

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:23) The concept of bearing fruit is used often in Scripture. In the Gospels, Jesus told the story of a sower who went out to sow seed. The seed fell on various types of ground. Some of the ground was rocky and hard. Other ground was receptive, but weeds choked out the seed. But there was a portion of ground that was not rocky or weedy, and the seed took root. Jesus said that this was a picture of the different people who hear the gospel. Those who are true believers are those who bring forth fruit (Luke 8:4-15).

What is bearing fruit? Essentially, it is becoming like Jesus. Spiritual fruit will show itself in our lives as a change in our character and outlook. As we spend time with Jesus and get to know Him better, His thoughts will become our thoughts. His purpose will become our purpose. We will become like Jesus. The Bible gives an excellent description a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." Is that what others see in your life? If not, then either you don't know God or you are living outside of fellowship with Him. If that is the case, then a commitment or a recommitment to Him would be in order. God is not asking for a perfect life. But He is asking that these fruits be primary characteristics of a life that is lived for Him.

Defining “good” fruit

God’s number one concern is for all fruit to be good —”the fruit of righteousness” (James 3:18). In fact, Jesus warned, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire” to be destroyed (Matthew 7:19).

And what is good? Only God has the supreme authority to define good and evil. Jesus went on to say, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, emphasis added throughout).

And what is God’s will for our lives? It is revealed throughout His Word and is summarized by the two great commandments and the Ten Commandments (Matthew 22:36-40; Matthew 19:17).

We must aim high to reach the highest goals. To produce the best fruit requires work, time, patience and perseverance (James 5:7-11).

We are to be fruitful

Closely following God’s desire for good fruit is His desire for us to produce a lot of it—to be highly productive. Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8). Notice, bearing abundant fruit glorifies God and identifies Christ’s disciples!

Later, Jesus states the purpose of our calling: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit —fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Hence we must be oriented toward eternal goals and work with all our hearts to bring them to fruition!. The following parable is quite instructive: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down’ ” (Luke 13:6-9).

The keeper of the vineyard asked for another year, during which time he would fertilize the soil to encourage growth. This illustrates God’s patience with us—how He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). A fruitless fruit tree, however, will eventually be “cut down.” Professing without producing is no good.

We are to grow

The parable shows that we must obey God with faith and courage even when it may be humanly frightening. The fearful servant is called “unprofitable” and “wicked and lazy” (Matthew 25:30; Matthew 25:26).

To each of the profitable ( fruitful) servants, the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21: Matthew 25:23). May this be what we hear when Christ returns to reward His servants!

We can’t bear fruit without God

Neither can we, acting on our own, produce spiritual fruit! It requires a miracle of God through Christ. Let’s carefully read and ponder what Jesus explained to His disciples the evening before His arrest. He said: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2). “Pruning” includes the Father’s loving discipline to correct our faults (Hebrews 12:5-11).

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). Rely on God and great things will happen!

“If anyone does not abide in Me,” Jesus continued, “he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:6-7). Abiding in Christ includes learning and applying God’s Word. And a major key to bearing fruit is praying for help!
Abiding in Christ also includes abiding in His Church, “the body of Christ,” as numerous scriptures show (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:21-22; Ephesians 4:12).

The essential role of God’s Spirit

The power to bear fruit

The apostle Paul said in Galatians 5, “Walk in the Spirit . . . If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:25). God’s Spirit enables us to act according to God’s principles—to live a godly life!. Without God’s Spirit, we are merely mortal flesh, and the fruits of raw human nature are called the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21. After listing these sinful “works,” Paul warns that “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21). With the help of God’s Spirit, however, we produce something far different: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [or patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). That is truly good fruit! God wants us to bear much of this fruit!

Spirit-led people have these wonderful virtues of godly character as the result of God’s Spirit acting from within. The credit for this fruit belongs to God and Jesus Christ who supply that Spirit. And God will let us bear this fruit only when we are trying to give of ourselves to others. This fruit is manifested in relationships. God’s Spirit is like a river (John 7:38). It will flow into us only when it is also flowing out to others. In a series of future articles we will examine each of the special aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5—to thoroughly understand them, to see how we can cultivate them and to see how we can use them in serving God and one another. We will get a good taste of each one. As we do that, let’s remember to focus on Christ’s overall lesson regarding the fruit of our lives: Bear good fruit and much fruit!

"What is the key to bearing fruit as a Christian?"

In the natural world, fruit is the result of a healthy plant producing what it was designed to produce (Genesis 1:11–12). In the Bible, the word fruit is often used to describe a person’s outward actions that result from the condition of the heart.
Good fruit is that which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 gives us a starting place: the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The more we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, the more this fruit is evident (Galatians 5:16, 25). Jesus told His followers, “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Righteous fruit has eternal benefit.

Jesus told us clearly what we must do to bear good fruit. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4–5). A branch must stay firmly attached to the trunk to stay alive. As disciples of Christ, we must stay firmly connected to Him to remain spiritually productive. A branch draws strength, nourishment, protection, and energy from the vine. If it is broken off, it quickly dies and becomes unfruitful. When we neglect our spiritual life, ignore the Word of God, skimp on prayer, and withhold areas of our lives from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, we are like a branch broken off the vine. Our lives become fruitless. We need daily surrender, daily communication, and daily—sometimes hourly—repentance and connection with the Holy Spirit in order to “walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Staying intimately connected to the True Vine is the only way to “bear fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14), to “run and not grow weary” (Isaiah 40:31), and to not “grow weary in well-doing” (Galatians 6:9).

One counterfeit to bearing good fruit is pretense. We can become experts at the routines, the lingo, and “acting Christian,” while experiencing no real power and bearing no eternal fruit. Our hearts remain self-centered, angry, and joyless even while we go through the motions of serving God. We can easily slip into the role of the Pharisees in judging ourselves by how we think we appear to others and neglecting that secret place of the heart where all good fruit germinates. When we love, desire, pursue, and fear the same things that the rest of the world does, we are not abiding in Christ, even though our lives may be filled with church-related activity. And, often, we don’t realize that we are living fruitless lives (1 John 2:15–17).

Our works will be tested by fire. Using a different metaphor than fruit, 1 Corinthians 3:12–14 says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
God is the judge of even our thoughts and motivations. All will be brought to the light when we stand before Him (Hebrews 4:12–13). A poor widow in a one-room hut can bear as much fruit as a televangelist leading giant crusades if she is surrendered to God in everything and using all He has given her for His glory. As fruit is unique to each tree, our fruit is unique to us. God knows what He has entrusted to each of us and what He expects us to do with it (Luke 12:48). Our responsibility before God is to be “faithful with little” so that He can trust us with much (Matthew 25:21).

"What does it mean to be a fruitful Christian?"

Fruit is the direct result of whatever controls our hearts (Matthew 15:19). The fruit of a life not surrendered to Jesus includes “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,” and many more evil acts (Galatians 5:19–20). In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit of God is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). God the Father is the gardener (John 15:1), and He desires us to be fruitful. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). As branches cling to the vine, we cling to Christ, drawing our very life from Him. The goal is “much fruit,” as Christ uses us to bring about blessed, celestial results in a broken, fallen world.

When we have committed ourselves to Christ and live to please Him, the natural result is behavioral choices that look like His. He was clear that true followers of Christ will be recognizable by their fruit: “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16–20).

There are many ways Christians can be fruitful. True fruitfulness begins in the heart with the fruit of the Spirit. That inner fruit affects outward actions; our words and our activities will glorify the Lord, and God’s will is accomplished. God’s desire is to transform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and make us as fruitful as He was. In our allegiance to Him, we want to be characterized by good works (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:7; Colossians 1:10), humility (Ephesians 4:2; Titus 3:2), and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). We want to always be ready to “give an account for the hope that is within you” (1 Peter 3:15). We desire to be the “good soil” Jesus spoke of in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:3–9. The result of spiritual fruitfulness is that God is glorified, we grow, and others come to know Christ—this is the ultimate fruitfulness for a child of God (Matthew 5:16; Acts 20:26–27; Mark 16:15).

Become a Fruit-Bearing Christian

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. " (John 15:1-2)

A vine is planted solely for the sake of its fruit. There are many sorts of vines, each with its different sort of fruit. When a vinedresser plants a vine or a vineyard, he selects the type that produces the desired fruit. The fruit will be the manifestation of his purpose. When God planted the Heavenly Vine, it was that its fruit might bring life and strength to dying men. The very life of God, which man had lost by the fall, was to be brought back to him by Christ from heaven; Christ was to be to us the True Tree of Life. In Him, the True, the Heavenly Vine, in His Word and work, in His life and death, the life of God was brought within reach of men; all who should eat of the fruit should live forever.

More wonderful still, Christ's disciples should not only eat and live, but in turn become fruit-bearing branches. The Divine life entering into them should not only dwell in them, but so assert its life-giving power that it should show itself in the fruit they bear for their fellow men. As truly as the Heavenly Vine, all its branches receive the life of God.

I. The Life in the Vine

And with that Christ loved men. In that He fulfilled the will of God. He gave Himself to the mighty Redeeming love of God towards men, and so gave Himself as much to men as to God. There is no possible way of living for God but by loving and living for the men whom He loves and lives for. The human life in Christ could be nothing but a surrender to His love to be used in saving and blessing men. Whether in God, or in Christ, or in us, the Divine life is love to men. This is the life-sap of the True Vine, the spirit that was in Christ Jesus.

II. The Life in the Branch

Still another mistake is made. We pray very earnestly for God's blessing on our work and on those whom we wish to help. We forget that the God who delights to bless ourselves first, to give into our hearts the blessing He wants to impart through us. We are not channels, in the sense in which a lead pipe is when it carries water, and yet does not drink it in. We are channels in the way the branch is. The sap of the vine, before it goes through it to form fruit, first enters to be its life, to give it new wood and strength, and then passes on into the grape. When we preach the love of God and obedience to Him, when we call men to surrender themselves to that love, we must first seek each day to be receiving afresh, in close communion with Christ Jesus, that love and devotion to God into our hearts. When we teach love to man, we should do it as those in whom the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is manifest in its freshness and beauty.

It is by having exactly the same spirit that was in Christ Jesus, and being possessed of the same mind and disposition that was in Him, that we can bear the same fruit He bore, that He can still bring forth fruit through us. And this spirit we cannot have by any imitation or effort, but only by receiving it fresh from Him every morning and all day. An intense devotion to God and an entire yielding up of ourselves to His service for men, and giving up of our life to live, and love and die for men, as Jesus did, this is the life to which the branches of the True Vine are called, this is the life for which the True Vine will surely prepare us. His words are true: He is the Truth and the Life. He gives all He promises. Count no time too precious and no pains too great, in waiting on Him by His Spirit to reveal to you the wondrous mystery of your being a branch, a partaker of the very Life there is in the Vine.

Fruit: What a Christian life is all about

What is the Christian life all about? It is all about knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ and bringing forth fruit. In John’s gospel, Jesus said:

John 15:16
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

Also Paul said in Romans 7:4 :
“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another– to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”

In the parable of the sower Jesus speaks about four categories of those who hear the Word. In the second and the third category were those ones that became unfruitful, while in the last one, in the commendable one, is the one “who hears the Word and understand it who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:23).

What God therefore intended for Christians was not just to believe but not change. To just be the same kind of tree or to give the same kind of fruit they were giving before. Our fruitfulness does matter to God. Let me repeat this: it is not God’s intention that you just flow through life. God created you a unique creature, He gifted YOU, yes you, uniquely, and he commissioned you to do one thing: to go forth and bring fruit. We will soon see how this is done, but keep this in mind. God has gifted each and every child of Him, from the youngest to the oldest, from the poorest to the richest, from the illiterate to the most educated, He has gifted them uniquely and desires from them to bear much fruit. Here is what the Lord said, again in John 15:
John 15:8 “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit;”

and John 15:1-2
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.….every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

The Father rejoices when His children produce fruit. See that He takes special care to prune, to cleanse, those who bring fruit so that they bring more! The Father does not want to just have vine branches … He wants to have fruitful branches, no, ABUNDANTLY fruitful branches, branches that give fruit to their full potential. Today many Christians are sitting idle in the sidelines, waiting for somebody else to “run the show” for them. A “professional”, as they are not… “professionals”. But Peter and the others - most of them fishermen - of the first century were not “professionals” in this sense. They didn’t graduate from any seminary nor did they need to! The only degree they had was the one in fishing! There are others again that though they have believed, you can really see no change in their life. But Christian life without change, Christian life without fruit is an oxymoron. And I don’t mean with this that passionate Christians with zeal for God and His Word do not make mistakes. They do! But passionate Christians deny the call of the masses, that says “follow the flow… it is enough to go on Sundays to church building, sit in a pew, sing songs and hear sermons, then go back home and forget about it till next Sunday”. Passionate Christians do not compromise. They do not settle for less. They look to God and they want to grow in Him. They want to get closer and closer to Him and His Son. They want to manifest Christ as much as possible in their lives. Passionate Christians have passion for fruit and vision for Christ. And the news is that God wants you to be one of them. To be A PASSIONATE CHRISTIAN, or to say it differently, a Christian with passion for God. A warm one, not a lukewarm one (Revelation 3:15). To be a fruitful branch, blossoming and giving fruit in its full potential. This is what the Christian life is all about.

Fruit: pruning

I don’t know much about gardening, but I do know this from school: that for a plant to bring forth fruit it needs from time to time pruning. This however is not a complete definition.

“Pruning in landscaping and gardening is the practice of removing diseased, non-productive, or otherwise unwanted portions from a plant. The purpose of pruning is to shape the plant by controlling or directing plant growth, to maintain the health of the plant, or to increase the yield or quality of flowers and fruits. Proper pruning is as much a skill as it is an art, since badly pruned plants can become diseased or grow in undesirable ways.”

Every plant needs pruning. Every plant needs a farmer that will prune it and direct its growth to the desirable way; who will take care of its health, will remove the diseased parts and will cleanse it so that it brings more fruit. The same is true for us as branches of the Vine that is the Lord Jesus Christ. We also need pruning and guess what: we also have a farmer to take care of it! Again John 15 tells us:

John 15:1-2
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and everybranch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

It is the Father that takes care of the pruning. Remember again, pruning is a necessity, a must! We cannot grow without it! And fortunately we have someone that takes care of it: our Father. He watches as good and careful farmer and he intervenes, directing our growth, removing obstacles and cleansing us so that we can produce more fruit! Isn’t this wonderful?! Producing fruit is a matter of abiding in Christ, producing even more fruit, to the maximum, is a job the Father takes care of, by pruning us. It is our job to abide in the Vine and it is the Father’s job to take care of any pruning that is necessary to increase our productivity.

Hebrews 12:11
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Here the author speaks about chastening and as he says, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present. In contrast it is painful! I believe the same happens with pruning. When a farmer prunes he has to cut pieces from the plant. He has to remove deceased parts, parts that withdraw life from the plant without being useful to it. Pruning means that something has to be cut! Something that was normal, is no longer normal. The farmer has interfered and cut it. Chastening is kind of the same, isn’t it? We chasten our children and we prune our plants. Both are done with the same aim: to make the children better, to make the plants more fruitful. And when God chastens His children this may for the present be painful, yet to those who take the lesson there is only one thing that will be produced and this is no other than FRUIT, peaceable fruit of righteousness as Hebrews tell us. After all God has to do this, because this is a job a Father that loves his kids has to do. And He loves us very dearly. The lesson therefore is that, as plants have farmers to prune them, so that they make more fruit, so also we have our beloved Heavenly Father, who is in charge of the pruning business so that by abiding in Christ we bring even more fruit.

Fruit: priorities and unfruitfulness

Matthew 6:24-34
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

It is the Gentiles, the unbelievers, that care about what to eat, to drink or to be clothed with. But this ought not to happen for us. For us the first thing, the top priority, what we should put first, is the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Today more than ever, there are hundreds of things that plead for our attention and compete for our time. Now more than ever, we are offered hundreds of choices. There was never an age where an individual had so many choices. He can turn on the TV and choose among hundreds of channels. He can go to the DVD shop and choose among hundreds of films. He can surf the internet and can spend his time choosing among thousands of websites. There was no age where an individual had so many choices in so many endeavours that he could freely follow. But as good as this is, all these endeavours battle for our time. They battle for a place in our list of priorities; they battle for a place in us. I love watching films but when I watch too much of them, then my time is gone, and I regret it because I end up having not enough time with God and not enough time to do what He has called me to do. I love getting on the internet and surfing from site to site checking things that I like. But the thing is that if I give much time to it then my time with God will be next to nothing. I have to keep these things in check because my main endeavour, my only real valuable endeavour, is to serve God and Him alone. Now, in this age of multitude of choices, more than any other time, we must keep in mind what is our top priority, the purpose that we are in this life. And this is no other than bringing forth much fruit to the glory of the Father. It is no other than knowing God and have fellowship with the Vine, Christ, and by Him bringing forth fruit to the glory of the Father. And this has not changed. It is the same now as it was 2000 years ago.

Mark 4:3-4, 7
“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed….. some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.”

Mark 4: 14, 18-19
“"The sower sows the word.... "Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

The Word was sown but it became like a barren plant, unfruitful. Why? Because other things got in and took the pre-eminence. What were these other things? The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and what collectively is called the desires for other things. These all are but distractions that steal fruit and in this case they stole it completely! At the end of the day we all have to decide whom do we want to serve in this life? What do we want to do with our lives? Do we want to spend our lives on unfruitful distractions, on what the world, “the Gentiles”, seek, or do we want our lives to bring forth fruit, much fruit to the glory of God? What is your choice? I have made the second one.

Colossians 1:1-10
“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; …. For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Jude 1:11-12
“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;”

II Peter 1:5-8
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self–control, to self–control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

James 3:17-18
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Titus 3:13-14
“Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”

Ephesians 5:8-11
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

Romans 7:4-5
“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another–to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.”

Romans 6:20-22
“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

According to the Bible how can a true Christian be recognized?

Some say there is no difference between a Christian and an unsaved soul. The only difference according to them is that one has been forgiven by God while the other has not. Let us see what the Scriptures have to say about this. In fact let us see what Jesus has to say about that.

Matt 7:16-20 “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Wow! This is quite clear. A person cannot pretend to be a Christian and bear the fruit of worldliness! One cannot freely sin and pretend to be a Christian. The same is true about trees. “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit”.

I believe Jesus was referring to anyone who pretended to be a Christian, as it is clearly shown in the following verses.

Matt 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Matt 7:24-27 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

John 15:12-17 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

The fruit Jesus is talking about here is the fruit of true love. Without being in Jesus, one cannot truly love. The best example is when someone really hurts you. If you do not have Christ in you, it is really hard, if not impossible, to forgive that person. However, when Jesus abides in you, this becomes an easy task. Love becomes a constant in your life.

Col 3:8-10 “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Once you become a Christian your old self is gone! Jesus has come to live in you and you are leading a new life of victory! Hallelujah!
Those who pretend they can continue to go on with their sinful ways, a fateful destination is awaiting them: Gal 5:19-21 “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

However, those who live according to God’s will, will bear fruit and will inherit heaven through the merits of Jesus Christ! Gal 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

Does one bear immediately this kind of fruit when one accepts Jesus into one’s life?

Col 1:6 “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth”.
Eph 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

When we accept Jesus into our life, we receive all of Jesus’ promises in seed form. All of His promises are available to us. We have to make sure we stay focused on Jesus who will help the germination of that seed that will lead to the fulfillment of all it’s wonderful promises: roots, leaves and eventually juicy fruit.

If you are no there yet, don’t despair! Instead continue to contemplate Jesus. Heb 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He will make that seed germinate in your life. He is the one who will make you victorious! Hallelujah! 1 Cor 15:57 “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Will you join me and turn your eyes to Jesus who is the One who will make you victorious? Accept His call and enjoy the One who really does love you. Won’t you do this now? Join the ranks of those who are neither religious nor legalistic, but are true Christians as they are the ones who follow truly Jesus in word and example.

This is a very good question. I pray that the Lord will open the eyes of our understanding on this matter. According to Matthew 7:15 - 20, Jesus said "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Jesus also said to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) In Galatians 5:19 - 24, the apostle Paul says "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

The scriptures listed above tell us that a person is known by their fruit (actions). Someone may say that a person can do a lot of good deeds with the wrong motives. God is the Only One Who knows what is in a person's heart. Eventually, the real person will come to the surface. If a person is truly born-again, he/she will not habitually practice doing what is evil in the sight of God. Notice what Paul says in Galatians chapter five: the fruit (evidence or actions) of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is love, joy, peace,... These characteristics must be evident in a person who calls himself/herself a Christian. However, it does take time for the fruit to develop in our lives. People who habitually practice the characteristics of the works of the flesh are not truly Christians. I know that sounds like a judgment statement. I am not judging anyone; it is the Word of God that is the Judge. If a person is truly a Christian, he/she would walk in love, peace, joy, longsuffering (patience), meekness,... Each Christian should let his/her light shine so that others will see our good works and glorify God. Remember, being a Christian means to be like Christ (the Anointed One and His Anointing) and it is the anointing that is the burden moving, yoke breaking, yoke destroying power of God. Therefore, it is our responsibility to represent Christ in our thoughts, words and deeds.

By showing the love of Jesus Christ! It is the kind of love that we must have for all men – even our enemies (Matt. 5:44). The Christian must always act out of love, i.e., in the best interest of his fellow human beings.

First Corinthians 13:1-13 says it best of all...
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

By walking by faith and living according to His Words, a true Christian is recognized as the glory of God permeates from his day-to-day living.
"...Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kindom of heaven.", NKJV. Christ makes it clear that to be a true Christian one must have the unquestioning faith of a little child in his parent. Christ's entire life was one of unquestioning faith in His Father, His Parent. The true Christian will desire to duplicate His example. As Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit, (which gave Him the power to be absolutely obedient) "...He took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.", So we must be filled with the Holy Spirit that we, also, may have the moral and will power to be obedient to all God's requirements.

Our death, on a cross or by any other manner, will avail nothing. We deserve death because "...all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". Rom. 3:23, KJV, and "...the wages of sin is death;" (but He didn't stop there He said) "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23, KJV. God, our Father, "...so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" Jn.3:16, KJV. Therefore, a True Christian will be recognized by his love of God. How does one demonstrate his love of God? Christ said "If ye love me, keep my commandments". Jn. 14:15, KJV. Jesus also said, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" 1Jn. 2:4, KJV. It will never be difficult to recognize a true Christian because there will be total obedience to God's commandments, the first four demonstrating his love for God and the last six demonstrating his love for his fellow man.

Who Is An Intercessor?

An intercessor is a person who goes before God in prayer on behalf of another person, situation or circumstance.

• Interceding: the action of pleading on somebody's behalf
• prayer or petition: a prayer to God, on behalf of somebody or something.

Every Christian has probably at some point in their life interceded on behalf of a loved one, family member, friend, their church and pastor. We do it when there is a crisis or immediate situation that we need a response to. Does that make you an intercessor? On the simplest level, yes.

However, to be a true intercessor you MUST MEET OTHER QUALIFICATIONS. First, you must be a born again Christian who is willing to be separated, consecrated and committed to a holy lifestyle. Sounds pretty basic? You will be surprised how many people live a casual Christian lifestyle that embrace many of the secular things of this world and then believe that they can pray to God and expect an answer. For example you have been out drinking and partying all night but on the next day learn that a friend has been hurt or has some special need and you begin to "intercede" for that person.

Another example - someone has mistreated you, lied on you etc. and you have made up your mind to never forgive this person. Can you intercede on behalf of others? An intercessor MUST BE WILLING TO FORGIVE. An intercessor must have a REPENTING HEART that is not to say be one that is practicing sin and need to repent constantly for sinning. No, a repenting heart to the extent that I recognize my imperfections and understand that my heart is wicked and deceitful above all things. Therefore I guard my heart, check my heart and am continuously aware of the need to confess and repent of anything that may hinder my walk with God.

A true intercessor understands that intercession is a high and holy calling. A true intercessor is on the order of a high priest whose duties are to go in before God on behalf of the people. Yes, Jesus has made it possible for each child of God to come boldly before the throne of grace for himself but there is still a need for intercessors.

A true intercessor has a personal intimate relationship with God. A true intercessor has a lifestyle that includes a dedicated time of prayer, fasting and reading the word of God. Intercessors are interceding daily for the people of God, the pastors, leaders, communities, homes, families, world peace, different situations and circumstances that affect the people at large.

What is an intercessor? A person who has answered the high calling of God accordingly to II Chronicles 7:14 "if my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. A person who has answered the want and according to Ezekiel 22:30 "and I sought for a man that should stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

An intercessor is “one who pleads on behalf of another”. One can look at the condition of the world and see the need for an intercessor. Christians should plead in prayer on behalf of the world, our family, our pastor, our church –– wherever there is a gap between God’s grace and man’s need, the believer must step in and intercede. Praying for others should be a natural part of us, but we are so focused on ourselves that we forget the many millions of people that are hurting, the millions of people that are lost and will go to hell if they die in their lost condition. “You can organize until you are exhausted. You can plan, program and subsidize all your plans.

JESUS, THE INTERCESSOR

There are three parts to this high priestly prayer: Christ’s prayer for Himself (vv. 1-5), His prayer for His disciples (vv. 6-19), and His prayer for those who should follow in faith in the coming centuries (vv. 20-26).

Christ Prayed for Himself

In verses 1-5, Jesus is praying for Himself. If the intercessor does not pray for himself how can he pray for someone else? A true intercessor must always have a personal open-line of prayer to His heavenly Father. This is essential. There are many that pray for others, but never pray for themselves. This type of praying is useless and powerless, for, to be a true intercessor, our first concern must be to bring glory to our heavenly Father. The prayer of Jesus, here in John 17, brought glory to God because the life Jesus lived brought glory to Him. Our living and our praying must go together.

The main goal of Jesus was to obey, honor, and bring glory to His Father. In everything He did, He kept the glory of His Father before Him. This should be the goal of every Christian. Do you pray at all? Are you bringing glory to God as an intercessor?

Christ Prayed for His Disciples

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” In verses 6-10, Jesus said He had accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do, in terms of equipping the disciples for their work here on earth. He had revealed the Father to them and given the Word of the Father to them.

In verses 11-12, we hear our Lord praying that the Father would keep them and that they and the Father would be one in unity, as Christ and the Father are one. Jesus loved His disciples, and He proved it by praying for them, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (verse 11).

Jesus was praying that the Father would protect His disciples from the evil of the world. He knew how the world had treated Him, so He, in love, was interceding for the disciples.
On John 17, “The Lord does not ask riches for them, or honor, or worldly influence, or great preferments, but he does most earnestly pray that they may be kept from evil, separated from the world, qualified for duty, and brought home safely to heaven. Soul prosperity is the best prosperity: and, in truth, all temporal prosperity, as it is so called, is only real when it is in proportion to the prosperity of soul. Remember how the beloved disciple brings out this thought in his third epistle. ‘Beloved, I wish above all that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as they soul prospereth’ (III John 2). Soul prosperity is the index of true prosperity.”

The Lord not only prayed for His immediate disciples, but He wants His children today to know that He has the same concern for them. In Psalm 121, the Word of God gives these comforting words: “I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon they right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

I am so thankful to the Lord that He intercedes on my behalf. He is my High Priest.
In verse 13, we read Jesus’ prayer for His disciples “That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” The desire of Jesus in this part of His prayer was that the disciples would be happy and joyful NOW. He has the same desire for us today.

“That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.’ This is what the heart of the Savior craved for His people, and for this He made full provision. In this Prayer, Christ makes it known that we have been brought into the same position before the Father that He held, and just in proportion as we consciously enter into it, His joy is fulfilled in us. As the result of His finished work every barrier has been removed, the veil has been rent, a ‘new and living way’ has been opened for us, and therefore have we access into the ‘holiest of all,’ and are invited to ‘… draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith …’ (Hebrews 10:19-22). His Father is our Father; His relation to God, that of Son, is now ours; for ‘because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father’ (Galatians 4:6). Then the Holy Spirit tells us ‘… truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write us unto you, that your joy may be full.’ (I John 1:3-4).”

In verse 14, Jesus is saying to His Father, “I have given them (the disciples) thy word; and the world hath hated them” (John 17:14). Jesus was faithful to give the disciples the word that His Father had entrusted to Him. Jesus knew what it was like to be hated by the world, so His heart went out to His disciples in intercessory prayer.

In verse 15, the loving Savior prayed, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Notice what He is asking –– “keep them from the evil.” The Greek word translated evil may be translated either evil one, or evil thing. Can you see the concern, and the love, in that statement? A true intercessor will always have both. Jesus was praying that the disciples would be kept from Satan. He is the ultimate source of the evil we see in the world today. Jesus knew that the devil’s main goal is to undermine the faith of believers and to defeat their witness to the world.

About Jesus’ prayer that we be kept from the evil: “Keep them from the author of evil, and from evil itself, from sin, from the power and snares of the Devil and destruction, until their course is run. Satan is the author; the world is the bait; sin is the hook. Keep them from the devil that they may not come under his power; keep them from the world, that they may not be deceived by its allurements.”

In verses 16-17, our Savior continues His prayer: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:16-17). Jesus is asking His Father to sanctify them (the disciples) through His truth.

About verse 17: “He prays, Father, sanctify them, confirm the work of sanctification in them, and rivet their good resolution. Carry on that good work in them; let the light shine more and more. Complete it; sanctify them throughout to the end.” “’Sanctify them’ has two meanings: (1) it signifies to ‘consecrate.’ To ‘separate’ from earth and common use, and ‘devote’ or ‘dedicate’ to God and His service; (2) it signifies to ‘make holy’ or ‘pure.’ The prayer of Christ may be understood in both senses. He prayed (1) that they might be fully consecrated to the work of the ministry, and separated from all worldly concerns; and (2) that they might be holy, and patterns of all holiness to those to whom they announced the salvation of God.”

Christ Prayed for Those Who Will Follow in Faith in the Coming Centuries

In verses 21-23, our Lord is praying for unity. The oneness that He prayed for in these verses is for all believers. It is our Lord’s desire that His people live in unity with one another.

In verses 24-26, we have a petition from the lips of our Lord, for the glorifying of all of His children.
Brethren, let us be reminded of Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” The Lord is not passive in glory. He is within the veil, exercising a ministry of intercession. He prays for us on the ground of His redeeming work that He has accomplished on our behalf. My heart rejoices in the fact that He is interceding for me today.

We Can Learn From this Intercessory Prayer of our Lord We, too, need to pray for ourselves, for the church, and for the lost.

Qualities of an Effective Intercessor

1. Dedication. An intercessor must be committed to Christ, to others and to the task of intercession. There simply is no substitute for dedication. "If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing."

2. Reliability. It's not our ability that God looks for, but our availability. "If you can beat the devil in the matter of regular daily prayer, you can beat him anywhere. If he can beat you there, he can possibly beat you anywhere." Or as a country preacher once said, "If your day is hemmed with prayer, it's less likely to come unraveled."

3. Integrity. "If we accept an assignment from God, we can be sure that He will attempt to build integrity into our lives. I love Psalm 26:11-12: 'But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.'

"My paraphrase would read: 'In all my public trust I will walk uprightly and pay strict attention to truth, honesty, justice and mercy. I will not plan evil schemes or use myself to promote my own cause. I will be true to the integrity of the Word. I will live a moral life in private and in public. I stand firmly on principles of proper conduct, and I will not turn aside.'"

4. Objectivity and empathy. Objectivity and empathy are tricky. Both are necessary, but they must be kept in balance.
If we are empathetic intercessors who cannot find objectivity in prayer, we will soon be consumed emotionally and ultimately overwhelmed with the prayer needs we bear. Remember the words of the old song "Leave It There" by Charles Albert Tindley: "Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there."
On the other hand, if we are objective intercessors without empathy, who cannot feel the needs of those for whom we have been commissioned to pray, our prayer life will grow stale and eventually dry up.

5. Kind. Kindness is a necessary commodity for the intercessor-advocate, as illustrated by the following story.

An old man carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door with squeaky hinges, he put a little oil on the hinges. If the gate was hard to open, he poured a little oil upon the latch.

Every day he found a variety of ways to use his pocket oil can to others' advantage. Neighbors thought he was eccentric, but he went on his way, doing all within his power to lubricate the hard places and make life easier and more enjoyable for others. Do we carry with us the oil of human kindness? When the traffic is backed up, the grocery clerk is rude or your boss decides to come down on you, are you exercising the oil of gladness? Go ahead and do it. It will make your day.

6. Discipline. The intercessor will not be successful without applying discipline to his or her work of intercession. As the next story illustrate, discipline is vitally important.

A visitor to a famous pottery establishment was puzzled by an operation that seemed aimless. In one room there was a mass of clay beside a workman. Every now and then he took up a large mallet and struck several smart blows on the surface of the lump. Curiosity led to the question: "Why do you do that?"

"Wait a bit, sir, and watch it," was the reply. The visitor obeyed, and soon the top of the mass began to heave and swell. Bubbles formed upon its face. "Now sir, you will see," said the modeler with a smile. "I could never shape the clay into a vase if these air bubbles were in it, therefore I gradually beat them out."

It sounded in the ears of the visitor like an allegory of Romans 5:3-5, "Tribulation produces perseverance ... character ... hope". Is not the discipline of life, so hard to bear sometimes, just a beating out of the bubbles of pride and self-will, so the Master may form a vessel of earth to hold heavenly treasures?

7. Leadership ability. Some interesting facts about sandhill cranes:

"These large birds that fly great distances across continents have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stays out in front all the time.

Second, they choose leaders who can handle turbulence. And then, all during the time one bird leads, the rest honk their affirmation.

"That's not a bad model for the church. Certainly we need leaders who can handle turbulence and who are aware that leadership ought to be shared. But most of all, we need a church where we all honk encouragement.
It is safe to say that some of our prayer assignments are also being borne by other Christians. Let's guard our hearts against feeling that we--and our prayers--are "the only reasons" something happens. The apostle Paul warned us that we are "not to think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3).

8. High moral character. True freedom is not the right to do as we please. It is the power to do what is right!

A lawyer who lived in the chambers of the temple told a story about an old gray-haired man in the room next to his who knelt down every night and said his prayers aloud. The partition between their rooms was thin, and he heard what the old man said quite distinctly. He was greatly surprised to hear him always say this prayer: "Lord, make me a good boy."

This may seem rather ludicrous. But if you think of it, you will be touched by its beauty. Long years before when, as a little child, that old man had knelt at his mother's knee, she had taught him this petition, "Lord, make me a good boy." And through the years with their trials and temptations, he still felt the need of offering that cry in the old, simple language of childhood, knowing that in the sight of the ageless God he was still a child.

Just as a good advocate should be a person of high moral character, an effective intercessor must also live a holy life of high moral character.

9. A team player. Corporate intercession is almost an unknown art. In most places it is individual intercession in a corporate setting. Thankfully, the church is beginning to understand how to gather as a group and approach God as one person!

We are also beginning to network as intercessors. We realize that the more testimonies we have in court, the stronger our case will be. We are grateful for the 61 personal intercessors who faithfully serve us and our ministry in prayer. We take seriously the hours they spend in court on our behalf.

We never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline exerted by intercessors. The abilities to work well under pressure and with minimal supervision are grace gifts that God has given most intercessors. People of prayer, we admire your faithfulness to voluntarily spend the time you do in prayer on behalf of others. We can experience transformation of our families, cities and nations if we will be willing to labor together.

What Is Intercessory Prayer?

WHAT IS INTERCESSION?

Intercession is warfare -- the key to God's battle plan for our lives. But the battleground is not of this earth. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and spiritual powers in the heavens above" (Eph. 6:12).

A PLAN FOR BATTLE

If you are born again, you are God's son or daughter (John 1:12). As His child, you have a direct "hotline" to God. At any time, you can boldly come into His presence (Heb. 4:16)

This incredible access to God is the basis for intercession. Once you are in God's presence, you can now discover His battle plan for the situation you are facing. Because prayer alone is not enough -- you need a target for your prayers!

To discover God's plan, all you have to do is ask. The Bible says that "if any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5). When we ask God for wisdom, His desires will become the focus of our prayers. "Let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him" (Romans 12:2).

ARMED FOR BATTLE

Intercessory prayer is a serious matter. And just like soldiers who are preparing for battle, we cannot take on the enemy if we leave our weapons behind. That's why we must go into "battle" armed for spiritual conflict (2 Cor. 10:3-4).

First, recognize that Jesus is in control of the situation. Jesus "rules over forces, authorities, powers, and rulers ... over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well" (Eph. 1:21). He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then, put on "all the armor God gives" (Eph. 6) so that you will be ready to fight with God's weapons. These are the "weapons of our warfare" that can pull down strongholds in the spirit world (2 Cor. 10:3-4). They will also protect you from the attacks that are sure to come once you begin the spiritual battle.

Next, bind the work of Satan, knowing that Jesus has given you authority "to defeat the power of your enemy" (Luke 10:19). If God shows you the identity of specific spiritual strongholds that are at work, take authority over these strongholds in the name of Jesus. And always remember that "God's Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Finally, as you begin the spiritual battle, take comfort knowing that you are not alone: Jesus also is interceding on your behalf! The Bible says that Jesus "is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25; Romans 8:26,27,34).

PERSISTING IN BATTLE

Intercessory prayer is also prayer that doesn't give up. It's the kind of prayer that endures all setbacks and overcomes every obstacle. It's prayer that "presses on" until we "apprehend" God's will in whatever situation we are facing (Phil. 3:12).

This kind of prayer is the key to seeing breakthroughs in your life and in the lives of those around you. Jesus gave a great model for intercession in the story of the persistent friend. Here we see a friend who knocks on his neighbor's door at midnight to ask for three loaves of bread. The neighbor does not want to get up, but Jesus said, "because of his friend's persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs" (Luke 11:8).

Then Jesus said, "Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks" (Luke 11:10). Those words mean keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. In God's time, your persistence in intercessory prayer will reap a spiritual harvest in your life and the lives of those around you!

BATTLING FOR YOUR NATION

Throughout the Bible, God searched for those willing to fight the spiritual battle for their land. In Ezekiel, God says, "And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one" (Ezek. 22:30).

Through intercession, you can take the offensive in the spiritual battle, building up your community, your nation and your world. As you follow God's call to rise up and take your place in the spiritual battle, God promises to "heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).

JOINING THE BATTLE

God is calling Christians to join His battle plan for this world -- to join in intercessory prayer. He is not looking for perfect prayer warriors, just willing hearts who want to see His will come to pass on the earth. All you have to do is turn to the Lord in prayer:

"Father, I come into Your presence and ask You to give me the heart of the intercessor. Help me to be persistent in prayer until the breakthrough comes. Thank You for this powerful weapon of spiritual warfare -- and for Your faithfulness in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen."

GOD'S WORD ON INTERCESSION

SCRIPTURES FOR STUDY

• Isaiah 59:16; Galatians 6:2; 1 Timothy 2:1 -- Our responsibility to intercede
• Genesis 18 -- The importance of righteous believers
• Isaiah 58:6-7 -- The need for intercession
• Romans 8:26-34 -- Help to intercede
• Ephesians 6 -- The "armor" for spiritual battle

How To Be An Intercessor

The disciples asked Jesus "Teach us to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray". So we see that John the Baptist and Jesus both taught people how to pray. Jesus taught the disciples the Lord's Prayer. He also taught much about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount and at numerous other points in His ministry. Therefore we can conclude that prayer - like tying our shoelaces - is something we have to be taught, and it is something we should learn early on in our walk with God.

Intercession is the self-sacrificial work of pouring one's self out for others in prayer. Jesus intercession for us is the model. In His work of "standing in the gap" for us He:

1. Left the comfort and glory of Heaven.
2. Took on our nature and our place in life.
3. Became a servant.
4. Became subject to death. Completely pouring himself out for those He interceded for.
5. Got results - and is bringing many to glory as a result of what He has done

Why Are Some Pastors So Against Intercession?

I believe prayerlessness is the greatest sin in the church—and unfortunately some leaders are propagating this sin and discouraging those with prayer burdens from cooperating with the Spirit of God to bring His will to the earth.

I've seen for years how prayer is lacking in many churches. Even churches that do have prayer meetings often relegate intercessors to the back of the church lest their effectual fervent prayer offend the lukewarm saints.

A precious and confused saint wrote: "Can you please give us clarity. I hear pastors say God did not call intercessors and you can't find it in the bible. He said only Jesus can intercede. Thank you."

Of course, hundreds of people sounded off to refute this claim. Some pointed to 1 Timothy 2:1-3 where Paul instructed his spiritual son to "make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone." Others pointed to Acts 12:5, when the church "prayed to God without ceasing" for Peter when he was in prison. Still others pointed to James 5:14 where Christ's brother instructed the sick to "call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."

What's the Root of This?

Abraham was an intercessor (Gen. 18; 19). Moses was an intercessor (Ex. 32:1-14; Ps. 106:23). Samuel was an intercessor (1 Sam. 7:3; 1 Sam.12:24). Hezekiah, Paul, Stephen, Amos, Solomon, Anna the prophetess, Ezra, Elijah, Daniel and Nehemiah all entered into strong intercession. Although intercessors are called to do more than occupy a prayer closet, believers are certainly called to intercede.

So what is the root of all this? Why would pastors say such a thing? It could be a lack of knowledge (see Hos. 4:6). It could be flat-out deception. It could be a controlling spirit. It could be fear that the intercessors will gain prophetic insight into the sin in their lives. It could be wrong teaching on the topic. It could be bad experiences with immature intercessors who overstepped their boundaries. No matter what the root is, it's dangerous.

Prayer Precedes Revival

Could it be possible that the enemy is trying to shut that down with all this nonsense about intercession not being in the Bible? The enemy hates prayer with a passion because he knows it's our lifeline to God. He knows that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available (see James 5:16). He knows that night and day prayer opens the door for justice (see Luke 18:1-8)

Conclusion

TITHING AND OFFERINGS:

Paying Tithes and Offerings

Obeying the Law of Tithing

We Should Give Willingly

The Apostle Paul taught that how we give is as important as what we give. He said, “Let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
What does it mean to you to be a “cheerful giver”?

Tithing and Other Offerings

Tithing

1. Build, maintain, and operate temples, meetinghouses, and other buildings.
2. Provide operating funds for stakes, wards, and other units of the Church. (These units use the funds to carry out the ecclesiastical programs of the Church, which include teaching the gospel and conducting social activities.)
3. Help the missionary program.
4. Educate young people in Church schools, seminaries, and institutes.
5. Print and distribute lesson materials.
6. Help in family history and temple work.

Other Offerings

As part of the fast day, members attend a meeting called the fast and testimony meeting, where they share with each other their testimonies of Christ and His gospel.

Other Donations. Church members may donate to other efforts of the Church, such as missionary work, the Perpetual Education Fund, temple construction, and humanitarian aid.

Service: Members also offer their time, skills, and goods to help others. This service allows the Church to help needy members and nonmembers around the world at community, national, and international levels, especially when disasters occur.

We Are Blessed When We Give Tithes and Offerings

The blessings we have been promised are both material and spiritual. If we give willingly, Heavenly Father will help us provide for our daily needs of food, clothes, and shelter. If people “will accept the gospel and live it, pay their tithes and offerings, even though those be meager, the Lord will keep His ancient promise in their behalf, and they will have rice in their bowls and clothing on their backs and shelter over their heads. I do not see any other solution. They need a power greater than any earthly power to lift them and help them”. The Lord will also help us grow “in a knowledge of God, and in a testimony, and in the power to live the gospel and to inspire our families to do the same”.

Those who pay their tithes and offerings are greatly blessed. They have a good feeling that they are helping to build the kingdom of God on earth.

What is the difference between tithes and offerings?

When trying to distinguish between tithes and offerings, it is important to first understand the concept of tithing. Christians today often think that what they give to their local church is a tithe, when in reality it is an offering. Christian tithing is a misnomer because Christians are under no obligation to fulfill the command to tithe as given to the Israelites as part of the Mosaic Law. The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which all Israelites were to give 10 percent of everything they earned and grew to the tabernacle/temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5). The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. Paul states that believers should set aside a portion of their income as an offering, but this is not a tithe (1 Corinthians 16:1–2).

God expected the Israelites to honor Him by giving the first fruits of what He gave to them. Leviticus 27:30 states, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.” Giving the 10 percent tithe was commanded of the Israelites and was therefore an obligation. When Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the requirements of the Law and made the mandatory 10 percent tithe obsolete. To continue to insist that it is still in effect is to nullify, at least in part, the sacrifice of Christ and return to the idea of justification by works and law-keeping. The first fruits offering found its fulfillment in Jesus. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

An offering is that which is freely given by Christians to the work of the Lord, the local church, and/or ministries and missions. But offerings are far more than simply the check we write on Sunday. We are to offer much more to God than our monetary resources. Romans 12:1 exhorts us to offer our bodies “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” as part of our worship. Romans 6:13 gives the reason for offering ourselves: because we are “those who have been brought from death to life,” and, as such, we are to “offer the parts of our body to him as instruments of righteousness.” God is not nearly as interested in our monetary offerings as He is in our submission and obedience. The truth is that He doesn’t need our resources to accomplish His plans and purposes. After all, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and needs nothing from us. What He desires, however, and what He values, is the heart that overflows with gratitude and thanksgiving to the God who saved us and who gives us all things, knowing our needs before we even ask (Matthew 6:8). Such a heart gives generously, willingly, and cheerfully in response to the love and grace that abound in Christ (2 Corinthians 9:6–8).

Reasons to Tithe!

Why do people tithe to the church? The reasons are many. As I considered my own motivation, I discovered some reasons to tithe and why I give ten percent of my income to the church. A study of these reasons will help us to understand the great blessing of tithing and the biblical responsibility to tithe.

1. To Honor the Creator.

God owns the entire world and its substance. “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). “Behold, all souls are mine” (Ezekiel 18:4). “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine” (Haggai 2:8). It is God who gives people the power to obtain wealth (Psalm 75:6-7; Ecclesiastes 5:19). We are not to glory in what God has given us, but to glory in Him (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Why should I be grudge God ten percent when everything actually belongs to Him? If it were not for Him, there would be no land, no seed, no strength, no income, and no life. How generous He is to tell us, “”he tithe… is the LORD’S”! (Leviticus 27:30).

2. To Acknowledge My Heritage.

Jesus said to the Jews, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). It would be strange to claim to be a child of Abraham and yet to neglect one of Abraham’s most fundamental and noteworthy acts. I pay my tithes as a spiritual descendant of Abraham, the father of the faithful.

3. To Fulfill the Covenant.

Some people say, “Oh, we do not pay tithes, because tithing was under the law.” If that is a sufficient reason for not paying tithes, then we could also mistreat our parents, for the law said, Honor thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). In actuality, we honor our father and mother and we give our tithes because the principles of the law are written in our hearts by the Spirit of God. We give willingly and liberally because the Spirit motivates us to give what God has said is His.

4. To Show My Love.

For someone who genuinely loves the Lord, the tithe is only the beginning of his giving. He gives not only his tithe, but also offerings (plural), not grudgingly and not of necessity, but cheerfully with love.

5. To Fulfill an Obligation.

The word ought has three meanings: (a) obligation or duty; as in, “He ought to pay his debts”, (b) desirability; as in, “You ought to eat more slowly”, (c) expectancy or probability; as in, “I ought to be through by Monday.” Each one of these meanings puts an obligation upon the Christian. It is desirable for him to pay his tithes, he is expected to pay his tithes, and he has a duty to pay his tithes.

6. To Escape Condemnation.

7. To Spread the Gospel.

Tithing is God’s way of supporting the ministry. In the Old Testament, the Levites and the priest were God’s minister to the nation of Israel, and they were supported by tithes. In the New Testament, God has called people to minister the gospel. These ministers can be more effective if they do not have to provide for their livelihood by working on a secular job but can devote themselves full time to the work of God. They need time to give themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.

It is not wrong for a man to labor with his hands, nor should a minister feel too good to engage in honest labor. Yet God’s plan is for those who preach the gospel to live of the gospel. When God inspired Moses to write that the people should not put a muzzle on the box that labored, God was not as concerned with the ox as He was with the principle that a laborer should receive his livelihood from his work. The application of this principle is that the minister of the gospel should earn his living from his ministry. (See I Corinthians 9:9-14).

Some ministers have endured financial hardships and deprivation in order to proclaim the gospel in needy areas. If the tithing income insures that the minister can live in a good house, drive a good car, and buy sufficient clothes for his family, why should I begrudge providing these things to a man who would preach the gospel even if he had to work on a secular job to do it? It is a disgrace to a church if the pastor has to take a secular job to supply his family’s needs when there should be sufficient tithing income available to allow him to do God’s work on a full-time basis. My tithing can help to spread the gospel.

8. To Avoid a Curse.

God said that the whole nation of Israel was cursed because they had not given God His due. God asked Israel to dedicate the gold of Jericho to Him, but Achan took a wedge of gold and hid it in a tent. It became a curse to him and his whole family.

9. To Enjoy God’s Blessing.

But I do want God to notice me and remember me. He noticed that the window put money into the treasury at the Temple. He noticed what Cornelius was giving. He noticed what Israel was not giving. He knows what we give and He notices when we give.

God has asked us to prove Him and see if He will not give us His blessings. I have trusted Him, tested Him, and tried Him, and I have concluded that it is better to give God what belongs to Him.

10. To Be Consistent.

Paying tithes will not save a person-everyone must be born again to be saved. But paying tithes will reap a blessing. Genuine Christian not only pay tithes, but they willingly pay tithes.

What Does the Bible Say About the Tithe or Tithing?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does the Bible require me to give 10% of my income to my church?
• Should I tithe based on gross or net income?
• Am I obligated to give to my church even if I am having trouble paying my bills?
• What does the Bible say about church offerings?
• Will I receive blessings if I give "seed money" to a ministry?

Old Testament

In addition, everyone was to be generous with those in need:
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. (Deuteronomy 15:7-8)

New Testament

Jesus seems to support the tithe in Matthew 23:23-24, but these verses are primarily intended as a criticism of the Pharisees as hypocrites who obeyed the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law. They were so meticulous about the law that they tithed even the small amounts of spices they grew in household gardens, but they ignored the more important matters of justice, mercy and faith!

Giving is to be done cheerfully, rather than as an obligation (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), and not for the purpose of public recognition (Matthew 6:1-4). The right amount to give may be more or less than ten percent, depending on one's circumstances (Matthew 19:21, Luke 18:22, 21:1-4, Hebrews 13:16, 1 John 3:17). Generous giving is an acknowledgment that everything we have is a gift from God, and is to be used in His service (Luke 12:33, Acts 20:35, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, James 1:17, 1:27, 1 Peter 4:10).

Rather than give a certain amount as an obligation, we are urged to share generously of whatever talents, abilities and wealth God has entrusted to us:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)

Does the Bible require me to give 10 percent of my income to my church? Should my offering be computed on gross or net income?

In Biblical times Christians typically held their meetings in private homes or public spaces (Acts 2:46, 12:12) and did not have significant operating expenses. However, modern churches do need money to pay for salaries, rent or mortgage payments, utilities, maintenance, supplies and other expenses. Churches also need volunteers for many ministries and tasks. The apostle Paul urged Christians to diligently use their God-given gifts to support the work of the Church (Romans 12:4-8).

Am I obligated to give to my church even if I am having trouble paying my bills?

Will I receive blessings if I give a donation or "seed money" to a church or ministry?

The Bible does urge us to be generous with our wealth and time. However, any claim that wealth, health, good fortune or other blessings will come as a result of a donation should be looked at with suspicion.

LESSON 1 – THE PLAN OF SALVATION

Text: John 3: 16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

Aim: To help Students have a clear understanding of Salvation.

Introduction:

The Reasons for Salvation

The Ways To Salvation

Being Born Again, you are Spiritually born into the Family of God. The Spirit of God lives inside of you. Your spirit man has been made alive.

Baptism

What is Christian baptism?

Baptism is an act in which a Christian is immersed in water to symbolize the end of an old way of living, and a new start. When you get baptized it is a testimony to God and people that you, by faith, will live a new life as an overcomer.
The Bible first mentions Christian baptism in its accounts of John the Baptist. The baptism of John was for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. Repentance is the act of regretting sincerely the sin in your past with the goal to never do it again. It is making a decision to turn away from evil and to serve God. Repentance is one of the requirements for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 2:17; Luke 15:10; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 2 Peter... More but He who is coming after me is mightier than I … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11. With the establishment of the new covenant, because of the death of Jesus on the cross When the cross is mentioned in the Bible, it most often does not refer to a physical wooden cross, except when specifically describing Jesus’ crucifixion on Calvary. “Taking up your cross” refers to the metaphorical cross that Jesus’ speaks about in Luke 9:23. “Taking up your cross” is the act of denying the sinful thoughts that come up in you... More, baptism is now about more than the forgiveness of sins—it is a covenant to live the life of a  disciple. A disciple is another word for a follower of Christ, one who is learning to be like his Master. As a disciple you follow Jesus Christ, who is the Master and by living like Him you become more like Him. (Matthew 16:24; 1 Peter 2:21-22)... More before God.
Peter compares baptism to the flood in Noah’s time. “… He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh. But the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ …” 1 Peter 3:18-21. The Bible says of Noah’s time: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. Just as the waters of the flood put an end to this evil in the Old Testament, baptism represents an end to living a self-centered life of doing my own will and beginning a new life of doing the will of God in the New Testament.

Should you be baptized?

If you have made a lifetime commitment to follow Jesus, obey the Word of God and live a new life you are a candidate to be baptized. You are repentant and want to be free from their sin. Sin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the Garden of Eden.
This was the case with the Jews who had crucified Jesus when they heard Peter speak. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren. The “brothers” and “sisters” are those who are a part of the church of Christ. (Matthew 23:8; Matthew 12:50; Hebrews 2:10-18)... More, what shall we do?’” Acts 2:37. It was such ones that Peter exhorted to be baptized. Verse 38.
As with the Jews mentioned above, there are many people today who are sorry for their past sins and have purposed to live a life pleasing to God. Though it is evident that a certain maturity is needed to make such decisions, the proper attitude of heart is the main criterion for deciding to be baptized at any age.  Jesus’ own words to His disciples confirm the needs for such ones to be baptized: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19. There are no references to infants being baptized in the Bible.

What does baptism mean for your life?

Though Christianity consists of a hidden life with God, Christian baptism is an outward act in which we affirm our desire to follow Jesus on this inner way.
Paul explains how we are to live this new life:  “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  Romans 6:3-4.
This “death” that Paul mentions is a death to your old life, where you choose to stop living according to your sinful human nature and tendencies. You can then begin to walk in “newness of life” by obeying God’s commandments.
Being baptized does not free you from temptations but you can, as the writer of Hebrews states, overcome in temptation as Jesus did: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. Because Jesus was tempted, yet did not sin, it is possible for us to come to Him with boldness to receive grace. This grace is so we too shall not commit sin in our... More, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16.
You can live the rest of your life for the will of God, as Jesus did: “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me … then I said, “Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.”’” Hebrews 10:5-7.
With such a purpose of heart, God will open His Word to you so that you can run on the way of His commandments. This new life will result in you reaping the blessings of God rather than the consequences of sin.

What Is Baptism and How Important Is It?

• Scripture: Colossians 2:8–15   

In our three-part series on baptism and church membership, we focused on the meaning and importance of church membership. And today we focus on the meaning and importance of baptism. The note I want to strike immediately — the tone and the truth that I want to set first and foremost — is that baptism gets its meaning and its importance from the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in our place and for our sins, and from his triumph over death in the resurrection that guarantees our new and everlasting life. Baptism has meaning and importance only because the death and resurrection of Jesus are infinitely important for our rescue from the wrath of God and our everlasting joy in his glorious presence. That’s the note that must be struck first.
We are not mainly talking about religious ritual here. We are not mainly talking about church tradition here. We are mainly talking about Jesus Christ and his magnificent work of salvation in dying for our sins and rising for our justification. Talking about baptism means talking about how Jesus taught us to express our faith in Jesus and his great salvation. So don’t have small thoughts as we begin. Have large thoughts. Great thoughts about great reality — Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified to bear the sins of millions and raised to give them everlasting life in the new heavens and the new earth.

Sign, Emblem, and Ordination

To answer the question What is baptism and how important is it? let’s look at some of the biblical foundations for it:
We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented and come to faith express their union with Christ in his death and resurrection, by being immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a sign of belonging to the new people of God, the true Israel, and an emblem of burial and cleansing, signifying death to the old life of unbelief, and purification from the pollution of sin.
Let’s take five parts of that affirmation and look at the biblical basis for them.

1. Ordained by Jesus

First, “We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord . . .” What we mean by this is that the Lord Jesus commanded it — he ordained it — in a way that would make it an ongoing practice of the church. We find this most explicitly in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
“In baptism, by faith, we are united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.”
“Make disciples” is the main verb: “Having gone, make disciples of all nations.” The defining participles are “baptizing them” and “teaching” them. So the church is commanded to do this for all disciples. Making disciples of all nations includes baptizing them.
And the time frame is defined by the promise of Christ’s help in verse 20: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The promise of help is for as long as this age lasts. So the command he promises to help us with is as long as this age lasts.
So baptism is a command, and ordinance, of the Lord Jesus to be performed in making disciples until Christ returns at the end of the age.

2. Union with Christ

Second, baptism “expresses union with Christ in His death and resurrection.” The clearest teaching on this is Romans 6:3–4:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
In the wider context of Romans, I think it would be a mistake to say that water-baptism is the means of our being united to Christ. In Romans, faith is the means by which we are united to Christ and justified. But we show this faith — we say this faith and signify this faith and symbolize this faith — with the act of baptism. Faith unites to Christ; baptism symbolizes the union.
An analogy would be saying, “With this ring I thee wed.” When we say that, we don’t mean that the ring or the putting of the ring on the finger is what makes us married. No, it shows the covenant and symbolizes the covenant, but the covenant-making vows make the marriage. So it is with faith and baptism.
So similarly Paul is saying, “With this baptism you are united to Christ.” And the point we are focusing on here is that we are united to him in his death and burial and resurrection. “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” So the imagery of baptism is death, burial, and resurrection. Christ was buried and raised to new life.

In baptism, by faith, we are united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism dramatically portrays what happened spiritually when you received Christ: Your old self of unbelief and rebellion and idolatry died, and a new you of faith and submission and treasuring Christ came into being. That’s what you confess to the world and to heaven when you are baptized

3. Immersed in Water

Third, we believe this expression of union with Christ in death and resurrection happens “by being immersed in water.” The clearest evidence for this is Romans 6:3–4 which describes the act of baptism as burial and rising from the dead. This is most naturally understood to mean that you are buried under water and then come out of from the water to signify rising from the grave.
The word baptism in Greek means dip or immerse. And most scholars agree that this is the way the early church practiced baptism. Only much later does the practice of sprinkling or pouring emerge, as far as we can tell from the evidence.
There are a few other pointers to immersion besides the meaning of the word and the imagery of death and burial. In Acts 8:37–38, the Ethiopian eunuch comes to faith while riding with Philip in his chariot and says, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Philip agrees and it says, “He commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” That they “went down into the water” makes most sense if they were going down to immerse him, not to sprinkle him. Similarly it says in John 3:23, “John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there.”

4. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Fourth, baptism means doing this immersing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This means that not just any immersing is baptism.
There is a holy appeal to God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit to be present in this act and make it true and real in what it says about their work in redemption. There is no salvation without the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When we call on their name, we depend upon them and honor them and say that this act is because of them and by them and for them.

5. Expression of Faith

Fifth, baptism is an expression of faith and therefore only for believers. The key sentence in the Bethlehem Elder Affirmation says, “We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented and come to faith express their union with Christ in his death and resurrection.” So our understanding of the New Testament is that the meaning of baptism includes the fact that it is an expression of the faith of the one being baptized. It is not something that an unbeliever can do. It is not something than an infant can do. That is why we don’t baptize infants.
“Baptism is a command, and ordinance, of the Lord Jesus to be performed in making disciples until Christ returns at the end of the age.”

There are several passages that have had the greatest influence on me over the years in persuading me of the Baptist view. One of the most important is Colossians 2:11–12:
In him [Christ] also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ — so Paul speaks of circumcision in “made-without-hands” terms. Circumcision today has meaning for the Christian, not as a physical act, but as a spiritual act of Christ in which he cuts away the old sinful body and makes us new. It is virtually synonymous with the new birth. Then he speaks of baptism — having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
So the image of spiritual circumcision is closely connected with the image of baptism: “You were circumcised . . . having been baptized . . .” The old “body of flesh” was cut away in conversion; you died and rose again in baptism.
It’s probably right, therefore, to say that baptism has replaced circumcision as the mark of being part of the people of God. In the Old Testament, men were circumcised to signify membership in the old-covenant people of God, and in the New Testament men and women are baptized to signify membership in the new-covenant people of God.
That has led many Christians to assume that, since circumcision was given to the male children of the people of the old covenant, therefore baptism should be given to the male and female children of the people of the new covenant. That’s the gist of the argument.
Look carefully at Colossians 2:12: “. . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith . . .” The words through faith are all important on this issue. Paul says that when you come up out of the water signifying being raised with Christ this is happening through faith.
Verse 12: “. . . in which [baptism] you were also raised with him through faith.” Baptism as a drama of death and resurrection with Christ gets its meaning from the faith that it expresses. In baptism you are “raised with him through faith.”
Paul shows the same way of thinking about baptism and faith in Galatians 3:26–27: “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” We become sons of God through faith and no other way. Then he says, “for” — connecting this way of becoming sons of God with baptism — “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
That explanation with the word for only makes sense if baptism is understood as an act out of faith. Or to turn it around: Since you were baptized into Christ, therefore we know that in Christ you are all sons of God through faith. Why? Because that is what baptism means: You were baptized into Christ by faith. Baptism without faith was inconceivable to Paul.

Spiritual Birth

So when the shift happened in redemptive history from the old covenant to the new covenant and from circumcision to baptism, there was a shift from an ethnic focus on Israel and only males being given the sign of membership in the people, to a spiritual focus on the church of all nations with both male and female being given the sign of membership in the people, namely, baptism.
Membership in the new-covenant people of God is not by physical birth, but by spiritual birth. That new birth happens by the word of God, the gospel (1 Peter 1:23–25). Therefore, the church should be composed, not of the believers and their infants, but believers only. And the sign of membership in the new-covenant people is not a sign for infants but a sign for believers.
“Baptism has replaced circumcision as the mark of being part of the people of God.”
So we can see how the meaning of baptism is woven together with membership in the people of God. And since the local church is an expression of that people, baptism is closely connected to membership in the local church. In the New Testament, being a Christian, being baptized, belonging to the new-covenant people of God, and being a member of a local church were linked together. If you tried to pull one of those out (not a Christian, or not baptized, or not in the new-covenant people, or not a member of local church), it would have made no sense. They belonged together. So baptism is important.
It was uncompromisingly commanded by the Lord Jesus.
It was universally administered to Christians entering the early church.
It was uniquely connected to conversion as an unrepeatable expression of saving faith.

Baptism and the Local Church

So now after two sermons, we have two things that are important. Baptism is important. And the nature of the local church as a sacred expression of the universal body of Christ is important. Failing to be baptized is serious. Excluding genuine believers from the local church is serious. There are godly, Bible-believing, Christ-exalting, God-centered followers of Jesus who fail to see the dreadfulness of not being baptized as a believer. And there are godly, Bible-believing, Christ-exalting, God-centered followers of Jesus who fail to see the dreadfulness of excluding such people from church membership.
The question we should ask is not only hard to answer, but it is hard to formulate. Perhaps the Lord in his mercy will show us how to do both in a way that will cut this knot for his glory. May the Lord grant a wisdom like Solomon’s or, even better, a wisdom like the One who is greater than Solomon.
There are so many questions surrounding the Christian term baptism. It seems as if every church has a different method or idea of what baptism means and how the step is taken. We hope to answer all of your questions about being baptized so that you can confidently take this step of identification with Christ Jesus! 

What is Baptism?

Baptism is an outward act that symbolizes the inward phenomenon of coming to and accepting Jesus Christ as real, as God incarnate, as the sacrificial means by which those who believe in him can be forever reconciled to God. The purpose of baptism is to give visual testimony of our commitment to Christ. It is the first step of discipleship (Acts 8:26-39).
The Greek word for “baptism” is "baptidzo" literally means to “dip” or to “immerse”. 
The symbolism of baptism is that, just as Christ died and was buried, so the baptized person is submerged (whether physically or symbolically) under water.  And just as Christ rose again from beneath the earth, so the baptized person rises again from beneath the water. Under the water is the believer’s old, dead, heavy, suffocating life. Out of the water, cleansed by the blood of Christ, is the believer’s new, fresh, purposeful life.
Baptism is a picture of devotion and commitment to Christ. Baptism reminds us and others that we are devoted to Christ and belong to Him.

Do You Need to be Baptized to be Saved?

According to God's Word, Baptism is not a requirement of salvation. Let’s examine what the Scriptures teach on this issue:
It is quite clear from such passages as Acts 15 and Romans 4 that no external act is necessary for salvation. Salvation is by divine grace through faith alone (Romans 3:22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9, etc.). If water baptism were necessary for salvation, we would expect to find it stressed whenever the saving gospel of Jesus is presented in Scripture Paul never made water baptism any part of his gospel presentations. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul gives a concise summary of the gospel message he preached. There is no mention of baptism. In 1 Corinthians 1:17, Paul states that “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel,” thus clearly differentiating the gospel from baptism.
If baptism were part of the gospel itself, necessary for salvation, what good would it have done Paul to preach the gospel, but not baptize? No one would have been saved.  The penitent woman (Luke 7:37-50), the paralytic man (Matthew 9:2), the publican (Luke 18:13-14), and the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43) all experienced forgiveness of sins apart from baptism. For that matter, we have no record of the apostles’ being baptized, yet Jesus pronounced them clean of their sins (John 15:3—note that the Word of God, not baptism, is what cleansed them).
There are two Bible verses that may cause confusion in regards to how baptism and salvation is mentioned together. Acts 2:38 says "repent and be baptized"... meaning that baptism is not required but a physical next step to take after the spiritual step. Mark 16:6 "whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."...again, baptism is stated as a natural next step after the spiritual believing. It is the belief that grants salvation and the failure to believe that causes condemnation.
Water baptism is certainly important, however, the New Testament does not teach that baptism is necessary for salvation.

Infant Baptism vs Adult Baptism

What is the difference between infant and adult baptism? Let's take a look at how infant baptism began and why it's important for adults to take the symbolic step of baptism.
Infant baptism arose from the teachings of some early second and third century church fathers that baptism washed away sin. This meant that if you died without being baptized then you died with your sins unforgiven and thus went to Hell (or purgatory as that concept developed over time). With the high infant mortality rate in the early centuries, the concept of baptizing babies as soon as possible came into vogue. Since it is not necessarily good to push baby heads underwater, the idea of sprinkling took hold.
Again, the word baptism does not mean “sprinkle or “pour”. The Greek word "baptidzo" literally means to “dip” or to “immerse”. 
Throughout the years of the Church, baptism by immersion has taken several forms. Some baptize by dipping three times in the “Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit". Others use the Jewish model for baptizing Gentile converts into Judaism. The initiates wear white robes and are dipped three times forward and three times backward. The most common mode of baptism is once backward to portray the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
According to Romans 6:1-10, baptism pictures at least three things:

1. First, baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. As we stand in the water we are representing Christ on the cross. As we are dipped underwater we illustrate the burial of Christ. As we come out of the water we demonstrate the resurrection of Christ.
2. Second, baptism is a personal testimony to us of the washing away of our sins. As we go under the water we reconfirm that our sins are forgiven and as we come out of the water we are resurrected to live a new life in Christ.
3. Third, baptism represents our personal identification with Christ. Paul declared in Romans 6:3-4  “We were buried with Christ in baptism and we are raised to walk in a new life" as forgiven followers of Christ empowered by the Spirit of God.

Being sprinkled or having water poured over your head when you were an infant, or too young to understand, missed the point of baptism on all three levels.
The Bible teaches that commitment to Christ always precedes baptism. In fact, baptism is your testimony of surrendering your life to Christ. The New Testament order is not be baptized and then receive Christ. It is always first you receive Christ and then you get baptized. If you were not aware of submitting to the Lordship of Christ then it is impossible to think of your baptism as a personal commitment to Christ. 

Jesus' Baptism

Matthew 3:13-17 - "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

If John was baptizing for repentance and Jesus was without sin, why would he have to be baptized? Jesus’ meaning in Matthew 3:15 was not a statement that baptism is necessary for salvation, nor that he needed to repent of anything. The intent of the Jewish people regarding baptism was to signify their readiness to follow the will of God. So by engaging in this action, by including himself in this tradition of his people, Jesus “fulfills all righteousness,” not merely by the physical act, but by the spiritual implications of it. 
There was no written legal requirement for Jesus to be baptized in order to inaugurate his ministry. Jesus followed the law, but he also followed the traditions in line with the heart of the law. By this act, Jesus proclaims the beginning of his ministry.

Scriptures on Baptism

1 Peter 3:21 - "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.."
Colossians 2:21 - "having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead."
Ephesians 4:4-6 - "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Acts 22:16 - "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’"
Baptism is an important event in the believer's walk with Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about both water immersion baptism in which a believer makes a public confession of their faith.
Jesus lead the way in example of water baptism! If you are wondering what it means to be baptized in the Christian faith, these verses should point you in the right direction and help you understand what it means to be baptized.

• 1 Corinthians 12:13

·  13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
·  1 Peter 3:21
·  21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

·  Acts 10:48
·  48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

·  Acts 22:16
·  16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

·  Colossians 2:12
·  12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

·  Galatians 3:27
·  27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

·  Luke 3:16
·  16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

·  Mark 16:16
·  16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

·  Luke 3:21-22

• 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

• Mark 1:4-5

·  4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

·  Matthew 28:19-20
·  19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

·  Acts 8:36-38
·  36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized? ” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

·  Ephesians 4:4-6
·  4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

·  Acts 16:31-33
·  31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.

·  Acts 2:38-41
·  38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

·  John 1:29-33
·  29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

·  Matthew 3:11-17
·  11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

·  Romans 6:1-18

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

The Bible’s answer

The term “born again” refers to a new beginning in the relationship between God and the person who is born again. (John 3:3, 7) God adopts those born again as his children. (Romans 8:15, 16; Galatians 4:5; 1 John 3:1) Similar to those who are legally adopted, they experience a change of status, becoming part of God’s family.—2 Corinthians 6:18.

Why is a person born again?

Jesus said: “Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) So being born again prepares a person to rule with Christ in God’s Kingdom. This Kingdom rules from heaven, so the Bible describes the “new birth” as providing an inheritance that is “reserved in the heavens.” (1 Peter 1:3, 4) Those who are born again are given the conviction that they will “rule together as kings” with Christ.—2 Timothy 2:12; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22.

How is a person born again?

When Jesus discussed the subject, he said that those born again would be “born from water and spirit.” (John 3:5) This expression refers to baptism in water followed by baptism with holy spirit.—Acts 1:5; 2:1-4.
Jesus was the first person to be born again. He was baptized in the Jordan River, after which God anointed (or, baptized) him with holy spirit. Jesus was thus born again as a spiritual son of God with the hope of returning to life in heaven. (Mark 1:9-11) God fulfilled this hope by resurrecting Jesus as a spirit creature.—Acts 13:33.
Others who are born again are also baptized in water before they receive the holy spirit. * (Acts 2:38, 41) They then have the sure hope of life in heaven, which God will fulfill in the resurrection.—1 Corinthians 15:42-49.

Misconceptions about being born again

Misconception: A person must be born again to gain salvation or to be a Christian.
Fact: Christ’s sacrifice provides salvation not only for those who are born again as the ones who will rule with Christ in heaven but also for the earthly subjects of God’s Kingdom. (1 John 2:1, 2; Revelation 5:9, 10)
That second group of Christians have the opportunity to live forever in Paradise on earth.—Psalm 37:29; Matthew 6:9, 10; Revelation 21:1-5.
Misconception: A person can choose to be born again.
Fact: The opportunity to have a relationship with God and gain salvation is open to all. (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; James 4:8) However, God chooses those who will be born again, or anointed with holy spirit. According to the Bible, being born again “depends, not on a person’s desire or on his effort, but on God.” (Romans 9:16) The expression “born again” can also be rendered “born from above,” confirming that the selection of those who are born again comes “from above,” or from God.—John 3:3.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and leader of the Hebrew people, once sought a night time interview with Jesus. He had been impressed with the Lord, hence declared:
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” (Jn. 3:2).
Christ never acknowledged the compliment. Rather, he went right to the heart of the matter and admonished the Jewish dignitary:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Jn. 3:3).
Nicodemus did not understand the nature of the Lord’s symbolic language, and so inquired:
“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (Jn. 3:4).
Jesus pointed out that the birth of which he spoke was of a spiritual nature. He announced:
“Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:5).
Within the world of “Christendom” it is generally conceded that one must experience the new birth or be born again if he is to be saved. Our Lord certainly left no doubt about it when he emphasized:
“You [plural] must be born again” (Jn. 3:7; emphasis added).
But what does it mean to be born again? What constitutes the new birth?

What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?

There are three important phases connected with a birth experience:

• a begetting,
• a bringing forth, and
• the state into which one enters as a result of that process.

In the human arrangement, for example, there is the implantation of seed by the father, a delivery from the mother, and a family relationship subsequently enjoyed (with inheritance privileges).
Within this context Christ suggests each of these components. There is mention of: the Spirit, water, and the kingdom.

1. One must be begotten by the Spirit, and that such is effected by the Word of God as the sacred message produces belief in a sincere heart.
2. Penitent faith, generated by the gospel, will lead one to obey the New Testament command to be immersed in water, thus identifying with Jesus’ birth from the dead (i.e. his resurrection — Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5).
3. All who yield to this divine plan become citizens of the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13), or members of his church (Mt. 16:18-19).

Let’s address each of these matters.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The New Testament makes it clear that the Holy Spirit, operating through the medium of the Word of God, “begets” (in a manner of speaking) the individual who gladly receives that truth.
For example, James declares:
“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures” (Jas. 1:18).
Further, note Peter’s comment:
“Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and abides” (1 Pet. 1:23).
In one of his epistles to Corinth, Paul observes:
“For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15).
To these plain passages add this fact: the Scriptures clearly affirm that the Holy Spirit uses the Word of truth as his instrument of operation upon the human heart (Eph. 6:17).
It thus becomes apparent that the term “Spirit” in John 3:5 is an allusion to the source of the spiritual seed that impacts the human heart by means of the gospel. This represents the initial phase of the conversion process.
NOTE: An accurate analysis of John 3:3 will not allow the view—becoming increasing popular with some—that “Spirit” in John 3:5 refers to a kind of “baptism in the Holy Spirit”. The birth from the water is distinct from the implantation of the seed.
Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit from the Holy Spirit, contrasted with physical birth.
In contemporary Christian usage, the term is distinct from sometimes similar terms used in mainstream Christianity to refer to being or becoming Christian, which is linked to baptism. Individuals who profess to be "born again" often state that they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The phrase "born again" is also used as an adjective to describe individual members of the movement who espouse this belief, as well as the movement itself ("born-again Christian" and the "born-again movement").

Origin

The term is derived from an event in the New Testament in which the words of Jesus were not understood by a Jewish pharisee, Nicodemus.
Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. John 3:3–5
The Greek phrase in the text is ambiguous, resulting in a wordplay in which "born again" is rendered as "born from above" in some translations.
The King James Version uses the phrase born again three times, two of them in chapter 3 of the Gospel of John when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus.

What is a born again Christian compared to just a Christian?

A Christian is just someone who thinks/believes they’re a Christian because they belong to a church, got baptized, or try their best to live a good life and please God. You find them in every denomination without exception.
A born again Christian is someone who has come to Christ because they have been convicted in their heart that they are a guilty sinner before God, and they can do nothing to keep themselves out of the hell they deserve as a sinner…that doesn’t mean they’re bad people, they just understand that no matter what religious rite they go through or how good they live…they’re still a sinner. The born again Christian has come to Christ knowing that there is no other way to heaven except through the person of Jesus Christ…not His church, etc. There has been repentance, a change of the mind and direction in life. There has been an exercise of faith in and only in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for them. There has been a sincere, genuine acceptance of Christ into their hearts through a sincere prayer. These people have entered into a personal relationship with Christ, and they know it in their hearts. This is why millions of people over the centuries have given up their lives before denying Christ. We KNOW He lives inside of us, and we know we’re going to heaven when we die based on His promises.
The process of becoming reborn of spirit takes a great many years of dedication. Jesus himself, who was without sin, completed this at age 33. Anyone else on Earth must first clear their soul of all sin, before they start on the journey upwards. Along the way there are several sign posts but a great many of these would be rejected by many Christians who are indeed trying (or claiming) to be reborn.

• You will become a very powerful healer
• You will gain psychic senses.
• You will hear God’s voice as the still quiet voice. It will answer all the questions you might ask, but its answers will not agree with what your pastor is telling you.
• Eventually, at the point at which you can be reborn of spirit, you will face a question. Do you wish to remain on Earth, or do you wish to pass to the Eternal Kingdom. If you choose the latter, you will depart in a fusion explosion, there will be no part of your body left for burial. A coronial inquest will likely be held as to the cause of death, and so some publicity will come about.
• If you choose to continue on Earth, as indeed Jesus did, because he knew it was Father’s Will, you too will live a life 100% in line with Father’s Will which you will know in every instant. You will also know, as in absolutely know you are immortal.

The Meaning of the Cross

Tonight I want to talk about something that has been on the mind of a lot of people in the last year. I want to talk about the passion of Christ. But in spite of the number of people who have seen the film, many people do not understand the deeper meaning of the Cross. That is what I really want to talk about tonight. What does it really mean–the Cross?
When you go throughout the world, you see many churches with steeples. When the Communists tried to outlaw religion in Russia and in Eastern Europe, they forgot that the cross was on many of their churches and cathedrals. The cross is worn on the necks of so many people, but they don’t know what it means. What does it mean to you tonight?
First, the Cross shows us the depths of our sins. We don’t realize what sin is in the sight of God–how deeply it offends Him and how it separates us from Him. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed in Gethsemane. He was agonizing, sorrowful. He prayed to God, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39, NKJV). He looked into the cup, and what did He see in that cup? He saw the sins of the whole world! He saw murder, war, racial prejudice, adultery, lying and fraud.
People ask the question, “What is sin?” Sin is coming short of God’s righteousness. God is righteous and holy. He cannot look upon sin. A diamond may be perfect to the natural eye. But if you take it to a specialist and he looks at it through a glass, he sees a defect in it. And God looks at us that way.
We go to church and pray. We are good, moral people. But He looks at us through His own righteousness, and He sees in all of us the defects–our sin.
The Scripture says all have sinned. We have all come short of God’s requirement. The Bible also teaches that sin is breaking the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. We are not to worship idols. We are to honor our parents. We are not to steal or cheat. We are not to commit adultery, lie, commit fraud or many of the things we read about in the newspaper today.
The Bible says that we are sinners by nature and by choice. James 4:1-3 says: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (NKJV). We are all that way. Sin has affected our minds. The Scripture says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV).
Sin also affects your will. Jesus said, “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34, NKJV). There’s something of which you are guilty. You can’t break this habit. You would like to, but you have no power to do it. You are a slave. You cry for freedom, but there is no escape.
But Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32, NKJV). Then He said that He was the truth (John 14:6).
Sin also affects your conscience. Every one of us has a conscience. Sometimes it’s a little red light that comes on every time we sin against God. But you can have a conscience that doesn’t work any longer. You have gone against your conscience for so long that it’s dead. You are no longer shocked or offended by sin around you or sin in your own life.
There’s a penalty to sin. The wages of sin is death. The Cross says to the world tonight, “You are a sinner. You are under the sentence of death.” That means spiritual death, eternal death. But not only does the Cross show us our sins, it also shows us the love of God. God is saying tonight, “I love you. No matter what you have done–how bad you have been–I love you.” And the death of Christ is what makes the Good News. God is saying to you, “I love you. I forgive you because of what Jesus did on the cross.”
The Cross is a pardon; it’s a reprieve from death for people who don’t deserve it. None of us deserves to be saved. None of us deserves to go to heaven. But God is love (1 John 4:8), and God is grace and mercy. “Grace” means something that you don’t deserve, something that God just gives you. God offers you a pardon tonight. He offers you forgiveness; He offers you assurance of Heaven if you die. And that can happen right here tonight. “God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, KJV).
I heard a story of one of the great men of the past. The devil came to him and listed all of his sins. The man asked, “Is that all?”
The devil said, “No, I’ve got a lot more.” And he listed the rest of them.
“Now what will you do?” Satan said.
“Now,” said the man, “write this beneath them all: The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all sin”    (1 John 1:7).
Jesus died on the cross for you, and the Scripture says that you can never be the same once you have been to the Cross: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV).
Do you feel that your life has been a failure? Is your life turned upside down? Do you wonder which way to turn? The choice you make tonight will affect your whole life. It will also affect where you spend eternity. Where will you be a hundred years from now? You won’t be here, but the Cross guarantees a future life. The Cross is followed by the Resurrection. The death of Christ was not the end. There’s a Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Scripture teaches that Christ is reconciling the world unto Himself. He’ll reconcile you. You are separated from God by sin. But when you come to the Cross, you are united with God, and you become a partaker of His own nature.
There were two thieves crucified with Jesus that day. Both of them reviled him, but one suddenly changed. He said to Jesus, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42, NKJV). He didn’t have time to join a church. He didn’t have time to be baptized. He didn’t have time to live a good life. He just said, “Remember me.” And Jesus said, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, NKJV).
He said today. It won’t be yesterday or tomorrow. It’s “today you will be with me in Paradise.” And the first person that Jesus greeted in Paradise, I believe, was that thief. Jesus can do the same for you, whoever you are.
What about you? Have you ever been to the Cross and really opened your heart to Jesus Christ? You may be a good person, a moral person, a church person, but you are not sure that you really know Christ as your Lord and your Savior. I’m going to ask you to make that commitment to Christ.

Question: "What is the meaning of the cross?"

Answer: Simply put, the meaning of the cross is death. From about the 6th century BC until the 4th century AD, the cross was an instrument of execution that resulted in death by the most torturous and painful of ways. In crucifixion a person was either tied or nailed to a wooden cross and left to hang until dead. Death would be slow and excruciatingly painful; in fact, the word excruciating literally means “out of crucifying.” However, because of Christ and His death on the cross, the meaning of the cross today is completely different.

In Christianity, the cross is the intersection of God’s love and His justice. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God points back to the institution of the Jewish Passover in Exodus 12. The Israelites were commanded to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and smear the blood of that lamb on the doorposts of their homes. The blood would be the sign for the Angel of Death to “pass over” that house, leaving those covered by blood in safety. When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John recognized Him and cried, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), thereby identifying Him and God’s plan for Him to be sacrificed for sin.

One might ask why Jesus had to die in the first place. This is the over-arching message of the Bible—the story of redemption. God created the heavens and the earth, and He created man and woman in His image and placed them in the Garden of Eden to be His stewards on the earth. However, due to the temptations of Satan (the serpent), Adam and Eve sinned and fell from God’s grace. Furthermore, they have passed the curse of sin on to their children so that everyone inherits their sin and guilt. God the Father sent his one and only Son into the world to take on human flesh and to be the Savior of His people. Born of a virgin, Jesus avoided the curse of the fall that infects all other human beings. As the sinless Son of God, He could provide the unblemished sacrifice that God requires. God’s justice demanded judgment and punishment for sin; God’s love moved Him to send His one and only Son to be the propitiation for sin.

Because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross, those who place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation are guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16). However, Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). This concept of “cross-bearing” today has lost much of its original meaning. Typically, we use “cross-bearing” to denote an inconvenient or bothersome circumstance (e.g., “my troubled teen is my cross to bear”). However, we must keep in mind that Jesus is calling His disciples to engage in radical self-denial. The cross meant only one thing to a 1st-century person—death. “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Galatians reiterates this theme of death of the sinful self and rising to walk in new life through Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

There are places in the world where Christians are being persecuted, even to the point of death, for their faith. They know what it means to carry their cross and follow Jesus in a very real way. For those of us who are not being persecuted in such fashion, our job is still to remain faithful to Christ. Even if we are never called to give the ultimate sacrifice, we must be willing to do so out of love for the One who saved us and gave His life for us.
My subject today--”The Meaning of the Cross”--may strike you as being a bit theological and impractical. It sounds like the kind of thing that theology professors may enjoy discussing, but not the sort of thing that will help you work out problems in your marriage or raise your kids or pay your bills or overcome personal problems.
But in reality, there is no more practical subject in all the Bible. The cross of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. The cross reveals to us the character of God: His love for lost sinners and His perfect justice meet at the cross. If we want to grow in our love for God, which is the first and greatest commandment, then we must be growing to understand and appreciate of the cross, which shows us His great love. If we want to grow in godliness, we must grow in understanding the significance of the cross, which confronts the most prevalent and insidious of all sins, namely, pride.
The cross is the place where all the wounds of sin are healed. If you suffer from emotional problems--guilt, anxiety, depression, anger, or whatever--there is healing in the cross of Christ. If you are going through tragedy or suffering, there is comfort in abundance as you contemplate the sufferings of the spotless Savior on your behalf. After all, Peter wrote these very words to slaves who were suffering unjustly under cruel masters. The words about Christ’s wound (referring to the welts produced by whipping) must have spoken to the hearts of these slaves who were whipped unjustly. Peter knew that meditating on the cross would produce in them a heart of overflowing gratitude to the One who bore so much on their behalf.
Keeping the cross of Christ central will protect you from the many winds of false doctrine blowing in our day. Satan hates the cross because it sealed his doom and he is relentless in his attacks to undermine and thwart the cross. Every cult or false teaching in some way diminishes the work of Christ on the cross and magnifies human ability. I believe that the doctrine which Satan is currently working to erode in American Christianity is the doctrine of sin. If he can convince people that they are not sinners who deserve God’s wrath, then they don’t need a crucified Savior. If he can convince Christians that they are not ongoing sinners in daily need of repentance and the cleansing blood of Jesus, then they don’t need to go deeper in appropriating the message of the cross. Thus the centrality of the cross is crucial to all sound doctrine.
First Peter 2:24-25 shows us that
Through Christ’s death on the cross, those who turn to Him are delivered from both the penalty and the power of sin.

All of our problems stem from sin--from our own sin or from the sin of others against us (and our sinful reaction to it) or from the fallen world in which we live. Thus the solutions to our problems center in the cross of Christ.

1. Through Christ’s death on the cross, those who turn to Him are delivered from the penalty of sin.

This is clearly the meaning of the words, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” By using the word “tree” rather than “cross,” Peter no doubt had in mind Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where it prescribes the penalty for a condemned criminal, that his body be hanged on a tree: “For he who is hanged is accused of God.” The apostle Paul refers to the same text in Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” Both apostles are saying that Christ took on Himself as our substitute the condemnation which we deserved.
When Peter says that Christ bore our sins, he is citing from Isaiah 53:12 (Isaiah 53 permeates 1 Pet. 2:21-25; see Isa. 53:4, 5, 6, 8b, 11b.) The holiness and justice of God demand that a penalty be paid for sin; Christ took that penalty on Himself on the cross. By mentioning Christ’s body, Peter calls attention to the fact of His humanity. Since the human race sinned, a member of the race had to pay the just penalty God demands. But only one who was sinless Himself could pay such a penalty, since others would have to pay for their own sin. Jesus Christ, who alone among the human race committed no sin (1 Pet. 2:22; Isa. 53:9), is the only one capable of bearing the sins of the human race. This bearing of sins was a legal transaction in which God the Father transferred to God the Son the penalty we deserve.
That God sent Christ to bear our sins means that God does not just shrug off our sin. We live in a day of loose justice at best. People commit horrible crimes and get off with a slap on the wrist. A man admits to sexually molesting, killing and dismembering numerous boys, but pleads insanity and will likely end up spending some time in a mental ward. We all know that is not justice.
Yet I talk to people all the time, many of them Christians, who think that God’s justice is like that. They shrug off sin as if it’s no big deal to God. They think He will just overlook it. But the Bible is very clear: All sin must be judged! Either your sin is on you and you will bear the penalty; or your sin is on Christ who bore the penalty. Either way, God does not take sin lightly! The just penalty must be paid.
During the Napoleonic Wars, men were conscripted into the French army by a lottery system. If your name was drawn, you had to go off to battle. But in the rare case that you could get someone else to take your place, you were exempt.
On one occasion the authorities came to a certain man and told him that his name had been drawn. But he refused to go, saying, “I was killed two years ago.” At first they questioned his sanity, but he insisted that this was in fact the case. He claimed that the records would show that he had been conscripted two years previously and that he had been killed in action. “How can that be?” they questioned. “You are alive now.” He explained that when his name came up, a close friend said to him, “You have a large family, but I’m not married and nobody is dependent on me. I’ll take your name and address and go in your place.” The records upheld the man’s claim. The case was referred to Napoleon himself, who decided that the country had no legal claim on that man. He was free because another man had died in his place.
Jesus Christ bore your sin on the cross, but you must take Him up on the offer. If you turn to Him, you will be delivered from the penalty of sin which God justly must impose. That’s what Peter means when he says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross.”
But that’s not the end of the matter. Peter goes on to show that Christ’s death not only delivers us from the penalty of sin, but also from its power:

2. Through Christ’s death on the cross, those who turn to Him are delivered from the power of sin.

“... that having died to sins, we might live to righteousness; for by His wound you were healed.” Some have wrongly applied the word “healing” to physical healing. But clearly that is not in the context (neither here nor in Isa. 53:5). The “for” (2:25) is explanatory; Peter is explaining further what he means by the healing effected by Christ’s death: Rather than straying like sheep, as we formerly lived, we now have been turned (passive verb in Greek) to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. In other words, Christ’s death delivers us from the ongoing power of sin.
There are three facts about the power of sin which we must grasp from these verses:

A. The power of sin caused us to stray continually as sheep.

“For you were continually straying like sheep” (2:25). Peter uses a verb construction that emphasizes the continual past action of straying. Before we turned to Jesus Christ as our sin bearer, we were characterized by straying from the Good Shepherd, going our own way. We were lost even though we may not have known it. We were in danger of harm and even death, although perhaps we were oblivious to it.
Well, for one thing, sheep don’t appreciate the intelligence or caring commitment of the shepherd. He knows of better pasture higher up on the slopes, but the sheep don’t know that he knows what he’s doing when he tries to get them to climb the hill. All they know is that it’s difficult and they’re hungry. They see a little patch of grass off the trail and think, “Why go to all the trouble of climbing this hill? This patch of grass looks good enough.” So, following their appetites and ignoring the shepherd, they turn aside for momentary gratification and miss the bountiful provision they would receive if they only followed him to higher ground. Sounds kind of like people, doesn’t it!

Sheep aren’t even smart enough to know that they’re lost or to find their own way back to the shepherd if they wanted to. The only way they come back to him is if he takes the initiative in going out looking for them. This is implied in Peter’s use of the passive verb, “have been turned to the Shepherd.” It is explicit in the parable Jesus told of the shepherd who left the 99 sheep in the fold and went out looking for the one that was lost. This means that none of us can boast in our smarts in coming to Christ. If we have turned to Him, it’s because He came looking for us. If you have not yet come to Him, you cannot save yourself. But the Shepherd is seeking you, even today. He wants to deliver you from the power of sin that causes you to stray from His loving care and protection.

B. The power of sin required death and new life for deliverance.

The power of sin is so great that we can’t be delivered from it by promising to turn over a new leaf or by sheer will power. There had to be a death of our old man toward sin and a resurrection to new life in Jesus Christ: “... that, having died to sins, we might live to righteousness.” This is the same truth that Paul teaches in Romans 6-8, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:1-4, and many other places: That when Christ died, we who believe in Him died with Him. We were identified with Him in His death. When He rose from the dead, we, too, were raised to newness of life, so that the power of sin over us was broken.
This sounds wonderful, of course, but the rub is that as a Christian, I don’t feel very dead to sin. To be honest, I don’t even feel faint or weak toward sin! The same evil lusts which formerly controlled my life rear up and entice me with the same force as they did before my conversion. So it sounds like a denial of reality to say that I’m dead to sin. What does the Bible mean?
Two things, as I understand it. First, being dead to sin is an accomplished fact that takes place the instant I am united with Christ at conversion. Most Christians don’t know about it at the time, but it is still true positionally. The moment you trusted in Christ as Savior, you were identified with Him in His death on the cross, so that all the benefits of His death became yours. As Paul puts it (Rom. 6:6, 10-11),
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be rendered inoperative, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; ... For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
It’s true, so believe it! “But, still,” you say, “I don’t feel dead. So how can I believe something contrary to my experience?” The key for me is to understand that by death the Bible never means cessation of existence, but rather, separation. When you die physically, your soul is separated from your body. To be identified with Christ in His death means that I am separated from the power of the old nature and from this evil world system. I am now separated from that which formerly had a stranglehold on me. I can choose to obey God rather than the lusts of the flesh.
This idea of separation is brought out by the word Peter uses for death, which occurs only here in the New Testament. It meant to be removed from or to depart, and thus was used euphemistically of death, much as we speak of a departed one. Peter means “that we might be utterly alienated from our sins.” My old nature is not eradicated as long as I’m in this body. But it’s power over me has been broken by the cross, so that I can live separately from it.
If you’ve ever jacked up a car so that the drive wheels are off the ground and then stepped on the gas, you know what it means to have a source of power which seems very much alive, but it is rendered inoperative through separation. You can rev up the engine with the car in gear, and the wheels spin like crazy. But the car isn’t going anywhere, because the wheels have been separated from the pavement. That’s one aspect of our union with Christ, that we have been separated from the power of sin, even though it still revs like crazy inside of us.
The second aspect of death involves something I must do, not something that is already done by virtue of my union with Christ. We see these two aspects in Colossians 3:1-5, where Paul says that we have died (3:3) and then turns around and says, “Therefore, put to death ...” (3:5). By this he means that we must take radical action to separate ourselves from various sins that tempt us. It points to the decisive and often painful action of denying ourselves in obedience to God. It must start at the thought level if we want to live in holiness before God.

Jesus Christ died on a wooden cross in the month Nisan in A.D. 33. He died because some Jewish leaders had plotted and eventually pressured Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, to put Him to death by crucifixion (Matt. 27:1, 11-20; Luke 23:13-24). The Roman soldiers had already beaten him and placed a crown of thorns on his head. After the sentence was announced, they forced Jesus to carry the cross on which He was to die. He had to carry the very tool of His death. Later it became the symbol of His death.
They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. John 19:17
History tells us that the wooden crosses had different designs. The question, “Are there any historical facts about the cross?” illustrates the shape of several ancient crosses. What is the significance of the cross of Jesus Christ? The significance of the cross is not its design, construction, or purpose, but its symbolic meaning. It is the symbol of Jesus’ death. It is symbolic of the fact that Jesus died so that our sins can be forgiven.
Jesus’ death was prophesied thousands of years before.
Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know – this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 2:22-23
How did He die? With a crown of thorns crushed down on His head, His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. After hours of anguish and pain, a Roman spear was thrust finally into His side, and there on that cross He died for the your sins and my sins.
. . . and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24
The sky turned black and the ground was rippled with an earthquake. Soon afterward His dead body was removed from the cross and buried in a cave. He died on a Friday and returned to life on Sunday.
When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead . . .Acts 13:29-30
As a result, the cross today is a symbol of Jesus’ death. The Roman Catholic Church displays pictures of Jesus still hanging on the cross. It is a reminder of His suffering for us. Protestants display pictures of an empty cross a reminder that Jesus died AND returned to life.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. Acts 5:30

Conclusion:

The Roman cross of crucifixion is a reminder of Jesus’ death and return to life. He died so that those who believe in Jesus Christ can be declared to be holy and spend eternity with God. All that God asks is that we believe in Jesus Christ and want our lives to be changed.
If you look critically at the wondrous cross you will see in it nothing but common wood. The cross is best discerned through repentant tears.
When I first became interested in examining the Gospels as eyewitness accounts, I really had no interest in Jesus as God. I was willing to survey and consider the wisdom of Jesus as an ancient sage, but nothing more. Once I was convinced these Gospel accounts were reliable, however, I knew I had to reconsider my naturalistic presuppositions. If Jesus truly rose from the grave, He was more than a wise sage. In those early months of my investigation, I eventually embraced “belief that”; I was convinced that the Gospels were telling me the truth about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But I still didn’t have “belief in” Jesus as Savior. In fact, I can remember asking my wife if she knew why Jesus had to die on the cross to as part of God’s plan of Salvation. Although she had grown up as a cultural Catholic, she was unable to provide an answer.
I then began a second investigation; this time examining both the history and theology of the cross. Although the symbol of the cross appears in much pagan history prior to Jesus, the crucifixion cross described in the Gospels was a real, historical method of execution. As an instrument of death, the cross was detested by the Jews, so it became a stumbling block for them when considering Jesus. How could the Messiah be executed on a cross? The Greek and Roman Empire executed thousands of criminals and captives in this manner (Alexander the Great executed two thousand Tyrian captives on crosses after the fall of Tyre). This form of punishment was usually reserved for criminals guilty of such crimes as treason, desertion, robbery, piracy, and assassination. It continued to be used in the Roman Empire until the era of Constantine, when it was eventually abolished as an insult to Christianity.

Even though I became convinced the Gospels accurately described Jesus’ death on the cross, I still had many questions. How could God allow this type of horrific death to occur to His only Son? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross in the first place? What did he do deserving this kind of death? The Bible provides a path to the answers as we trace how the authors used the word and described the cross as an instrument of our Salvation:
The Cross Reconciles (Pays) Our Debt
The Bible acknowledges an important truth: all sin must be punished. God is just, and justice requires wrongs to be punished. We know this is true, even in our temporal experience as humans. When we break human laws, we expect to be punished in some way, and this punishment is proportionate to the authority we’ve offended. When we break our parent’s rules, we received one level of punishment; when we break the laws of the federal government, the punishment is appropriately harsher. God also has a set of Holy laws (called “Commandments”). When we violate these laws we offend the greatest of all authorities. Justice must be satisfied if God is to remain just, and the Bible reminds us of the gravity of our violation: our sin is punishable by death. The cross provides a solution, however, and demonstrates the mercy of God, even as it accomplishes His justice. The cross is the place where Jesus (God) paid the price for us, and in doing so, He offered us a way to be united to God, in spite of our moral imperfection:
Ephesians 2:14-16
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
The Cross is Where God Does All the Work
If we could pay our own penalty we would eventually become proud and boastful, and this confidence would ultimately incline us toward independence from (rather than dependency on) God. Maybe that’s why God does all the work here. In the end, His effort to save us is all we can ever boast about, and that’s in our best interest. We typically worship whatever we boast about, and whatever we worship becomes our “god”. Those who believe they can earn their Salvation through their own good works establish themselves as their own savior (their own “god”). This is the supreme form of idolatry, and it completely denies the role God plays in our Salvation. Christianity is the one religious worldview describing salvation as a “free gift”. Unlike every other “works-based” theistic worldview, Christianity describes God alone as the all-powerful author and solitary provider of our Salvation. God’s work on the cross is the central focus of our faith and the only thing in which we can boast:
Galatians 6:12-16
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
The Cross Demonstrates the Power of God to Save Us
The cross is the ultimate demonstration of God’s power. As I learned about Jesus in the New Testament, I became convinced He was precisely who (and what) the Gospel authors claimed. But my “belief that” required an additional step to become “belief in”. The more I learned about me in the New Testament, the more I understood my imperfection and my need for a Savior. To a world convinced of its own excellence and autonomy, this most certainly seems nonsensical, and I also found it confusing (and, in some ways, insulting). When I began to recognize my flaws and see myself accurately, however, my belief that Jesus was God ultimately led to my trust in Him as Savior. The cross isn’t reasonable to those who still deny their need or to those who don’t understand the all-encompassing mercy and justice of God:
1 Corinthians 1:17-19
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Christians, however, ought to recognize the cross is a symbol of God’s supremacy; the cross reconciles our debt and demonstrates the role and power of God to save us.
The cross is a mystery.
How can suffering and dying on a cross be the power of God?
The Jews viewed anyone who died on a tree to be "cursed". (Deuteronomy 21:21-23, Galatians 3:13) In fact, crucifixion was devised as a gruesome execution method to ensure a particularly painful, slow, humiliating and torturous death.
Then how is it that what the world viewed as a "curse" can be the power and victory for Christians?
It is important to look beyond the cross. The cross itself is not extraordinary, for it was a common execution method to terrorize and warn the public against committing crimes. Many others in those days were hung to die, even the two criminals who were crucified next to Jesus.
But for Jesus, death on the cross did not end at death. He overcame death and resurrected.
Can you imagine a more fearful and hopeless thing than death? Even the most powerful king could not escape the final resting place of the cold, fearful tomb. Death is greatly dreaded. There is an undeniable humanistic fear of suffering and dying.
As the time of his arrest neared, even Jesus prayed and cried out to God on Mt. Gethsemane. Conclusively, he came down the mountain to carry his own cross to where he would be crucified.
Since Jesus came in the flesh, surely he could feel human pain too. One can naturally wonder, where did Jesus get this strength to even pray in the face of the suffering and death to come?
There is understandable fear in death, but the important thing to remember is that our God is a living God. He is beyond the humanistic and earthly limits. God is in heaven and He reigns eternally unlike other kings. God is the one who even makes eternal life possible. This is tremendously hopeful to know, and Jesus certainly knew and believed this. Jesus knew that His heavenly Father would resurrect him, and that the future of everlasting life is incomparable to the present suffering and death on the cross.

The cross and resurrection always go together. The greatest message in Jesus' life is in these two defining words, which He demonstrated using the example of his own life - that when you die, you live!
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. (Romans 5:7) But Jesus took that cross and suffered with love for all of sinful mankind, the ones who actually deserve to die. God sent His blameless Son to take the curse of mankind upon himself, sparing us from death, because of love.
The cross is a sacrifice, and a difficult thing to accept. To self-empty, suffer and die for others... is not easy at all. Yet it is possible with love. Giving up my life for others is the ultimate act of love, which Jesus did. But His sacrifice didn't end there. It now gives eternal life to others. Love is powerful!
Disciples of Jesus are called to follow the path of Jesus. This means to follow the path of the cross - that of sacrifice, giving out and emptying oneself with the heart of love. Then we can experience the power of resurrection.
The world teaches us to gain for ourselves first, then others. But the gospel is quite the opposite and may even seem foolish.
- When you give out, you will be filled!
- When you sacrifice for love and with love, there will be greater joy!
- When you lower yourself, you will be exalted! (Philippians 2:3-11)
There is wisdom of the highest level in the Cross. It is the secret and power of a Christian's life. Even the highly educated Apostle Paul resolved to know nothing except Christ crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2) Everything else, he considered rubbish. (Philippians 3:8)
Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, let us keep our eyes on the cross and all its richness.
Christ in me is to live
To die is to gain
Christ in me is to live
To die is to gain 

He's my King, He's my song
He's my life and He's my joy
He's my strength, He's my sword
He's my peace, He's my Lord

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION

The purpose of a church administration is to manage the organization. The church administration must plan and make all decisions, both large and small, for day-to-day consistency. Since this administration is religious, it must stay true to the morals and practices of the church.

What Is Church Administration?

A church may appear to be a place you go on Sundays to attend service, but the church is much more, including a fully functioning business and/or organization. The business nature of today's churches makes administration a vital function.
Mission Statement
The mission of any church should be to follow God. The church administration must establish a mission statement that clarifies what it believes (according to its denomination or theology) and what it follows (such as the Bible).

Purpose

The purpose of a church administration is to manage the organization. The church administration must plan and make all decisions, both large and small, for day-to-day consistency. Since this administration is religious, it must stay true to the morals and practices of the church.

Accountability

It is important for a church to maintain accountability. 10 danger signals that point to an erosion of integrity, including a church administration becoming more issue-oriented than Christ-centered, vulnerability to outside forces and church goals that are too materialistic or financially motivated.

Positions

Depending on the church, the administration can be divided into several roles. Some churches provide a board, while others designate the pastor as the sole executive decision maker. The administration also includes roles for finances, accounting, community and church management, as well as secretarial work.

Pay

The number of paid individuals on the administration varies based on the budget of the church. At very small churches, only the pastor and maybe one or two people may be paid. However very large churches may have hundreds of paid positions.
Church administration is spiritual service to the Body of Christ which involves the wise stewardship of God’s resources for the accomplishment of the work of ministry.  Church administration or management has to do with the organization of church ministry, and with the operations that govern that organization.  Administration is not an end in itself, but rather it is a means for serving people effectively, while making efficient use of resources in a manner that glorifies God.
With regard to organization, we believe that the affairs of the church are to be guided by biblically qualified elders who are nominated by the congregation, approved by the Board of Elders, and affirmed by the congregation.  The elders work within the directions of the church constitution, and of any bylaws the church adopts.  We believe that the church constitution and bylaws are subject to the authority of the Scriptures.  The elders are to be assisted in their service to the congregation by biblically qualified deacons who are nominated by the congregation, approved by the Board of Elders, and affirmed by the congregation.  The elders are responsible to oversee all aspects of the church’s ministry, including the service of administration.  The Board of Elders must be informed and involved in important decisions, but the daily management of church finances, facilities, equipment and ministry programs can, and most often should, be delegated to deacons, administrative office staff, and other faithful church members.  In this way, the elders are able to devote themselves to the ministry of the Word and prayer, and church members are able to serve the Body of Christ in accordance with their spiritual gifts.
With regard to operations, we believe that the management of church affairs should ultimately benefit people and glorify God.  Moreover, we believe these management goals are served by having biblically consistent policies and procedures in writing and available for reference.  Policies and procedures that give direction and definition to the ‘how’ of ministry are desirable for the following reasons:

1. they help insure that matters are handled effectively; that is, with the goals of biblical ministry clearly in view;
2. they reduce the possibility of mismanagement and unethical behavior, particularly in matters pertaining to employees and finances;
3. they save time in the decision-making process, thus enabling the ministry to function more efficiently;
4. they help to clarify expectations, and enable people to work together in ministry with greater understanding.

We believe that those who manage ministry are given a significant trust.  God is honored and believers are encouraged when church affairs are administered well.  Therefore, church administrators should be spiritually mature, and able to work well with others.  Also, they should be able to plan, organize, delegate, oversee and evaluate ministry wisely according to biblical principles and goals.
Church administration and management positions guide, direct and oversee the critical functions that help churches meet their long-term goals. Church administrators also play a role in helping the community, given the nature of today’s churches.
“The 21st-century church has been catapulted into arenas that were hardly accessed a few years ago,” according to Ministry Today magazine. “It now offers so much more than just a sanctuary and a sermon.” Churches may provide:

• Day care centers
• Grade schools, high schools and training institutes
• Youth organizations
• Senior programs
• Help for coping with divorce
• Drug rehabilitation
• Vocational training
• Ministry to the incarcerated, those with HIV/AIDS or the homeless
• Economic development or business incubators

Depending on the size of the church, church administration and management responsibilities can encompass the job description of one individual or several people. In larger churches, one person may be responsible for finance while another person may be responsible for developing certain types of ministry programs. Small churches may have only one church administrator.

Church Administrator Roles

The following areas represent the roles and responsibilities a church administrator might have.

Leadership and Supervision

• Advise the council or team of elders on the status of all areas of responsibility.
• Work with the senior pastor or as a member of the leadership team to offer support and vision.
• Coordinate planning and execution of new leader orientation.

Finance and Human Resources

• Oversee the hiring process for new staff.
• Supervise employees.
• Monitor the performance of all personnel.
• Develop employment policies and procedures.
• Develop compensation plans.
• Coordinate the planning and budget process, ensuring that teams have goals in place and that they are tracking process.
• Recruit and train teams that count the congregation’s weekly offering.
• Oversee the finance team and present budgetary matters to the council and congregation for approval.
• Monitor spending and ensure that it stays within the budget.

Communication and IT

• Collaborate with the communication coordinator or team to provide relevant and timely communication to the congregation.
• Oversee electronic media such as the website and social media networks.
• Coordinate the technology team to support the church’s servers, computers and other technology needs.
• Manage daily computer issues and assume responsibility for door, camera and phone systems.

Facilities

• Oversee rental agreements with the church.
• Work with building and grounds team staff to manage maintenance.
• Coordinate renovation projects and explore building needs.

The Mindset of a Church Administrator

Administration is a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:28). People who are gifted in church administration can bless a local church with their ability to be a liaison between the pastor, the congregation and the staff, with the spiritual integrity (Proverbs 11:3) that they are called to have.
These and other biblical principles are not at odds with business. “The administrator has to have a corporate view and treat the church like a Fortune 500 company, no matter what the church’s size,” Ministry Magazine says. Some leaders shy away from practices that appear too businesslike — to avoid becoming “worldly” — but business principles can successfully help churches grow and help people follow Jesus Christ.
Successful church administrators are able to — with the wisdom, knowledge and discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit (John 14:17) — apply what they know about business to impact the church.

Serving the Church as an Administrator

Effective church management is the appropriate administration of church resources. Some are resistant to labeling church management as a business function.
However, whenever there are people and money involved, there needs to be structured business practices to ensure resources are managed appropriately.
Churches are unique in that they rely on donations from members and have a responsibility to be good stewards with those resources.  The ability to manage church resources effectively depends on the ministry’s process of overseeing church operations.

8 Keys to Effective Church Management

1.  Church Board Governance

Most churches are organized as an organization. This means they have a legal requirement to be governed by a board-of-directors.
The board is obligated to oversee the operations of the ministry and is responsible for the proper management of church resources.
Effective board governance lays the groundwork for efficient church management by directing and holding church leaders accountable for proper oversight of resources.
This includes oversight of ministry budget, capital expenditures, legal compliance and managing the risk of church operations.
Effective boards are diverse in membership and have representatives from business or legal backgrounds to ensure a broad perspective and proper documentation of board documents.

2.  Church Strategy

Church growth is a result of well thought out church strategy and planning.
Churches should go through the process of vision, mission and values and strategic plan development.
This structured planning process allows the organization to set performance targets and lays out the steps to fulfill its mission and purpose.

3.  Church Goal Setting

Implementation of church strategy is dependent on how well goals are set and accomplished.  Goal setting can be a time consuming process, but once SMART goals are developed, a good performance management process can help ensure focus and timely completion of church goals that support its mission.

4.  Budgeting Process

Churches have limited resources so need a structured budgeting process to identify expenditure requirements and prioritization of church spending.
A budget provides the necessary resources for day-to-day operations, church programs and the unexpected building or campus repairs. In addition, saving for the new building or land acquisition is also an important part of the budgeting process.

5.  Managing Performance 

Strategy and goal completion is only as effective as the process that manages it.  A structured process to monitor goal completion holds people accountable and supports  implementation of strategy.
Whether it is church employees, volunteers or a sub-committee of the board – completing goals, as written, on time is crucial to a church’s ability to achieve its mission.

6. Facilities Management

Visitors and members like to gather in an atmosphere that is clean, maintained and aesthetically appealing. Consequently, whether a church rents temporary building space or has a full-blown campus, managing the upkeep and maintenance of ministry facilities is important.
Buildings need to be cleaned, maintained, and repaired. Create a scheduled maintenance plan to maintain a comfortable and appealing church environment.

7.  Volunteer Support

Churches rely heavily on volunteer labor and need a structured volunteer management process to help recruit, place, train and oversee volunteer help.
Volunteers off-set labor costs.  Provide a customer-friendly volunteer experience to ensure an efficient and effective volunteer program.

8.  Legal and Risk Management

Churches need to manage their risks and be legally compliant with governing laws. A ministry needs to understand its risks and be proactive in minimizing exposure. Campus safety and volunteer screening are examples of church related risks.
Whether a church has a congregation of 100 or 10,000, effective church management is important to ensuring good stewardship of the resources God supplies.  Setting the direction by developing strategy, goal development and strong performance can go a long way in helping a church achieve all that God has called it to.

Church Administration Issues You Need to Know—But Didn’t Learn in Seminary

From child protection to budgets to property and more, why every pastor needs a working knowledge of management matters.

Ask church pastors about what excites them, and they often enthusiastically share the plans their churches have to reach their cities, build life-sharing small groups, preach and teach the Bible, and develop thriving children’s and youth ministries. The list is seemingly endless.
But ask them about what keeps them up at night, and they often rattle off a list of issues unified by a common theme: church administration. The list usually includes the management of finances, the liabilities of staff or volunteer misconduct, the handling of paperwork, tax compliance, and the upkeep of a facility. This list, too, is seemingly endless—but there is no enthusiasm. The responsibilities are unavoidable, yet they aren’t even remotely close to the reasons pastors get into ministry.
Many pastors lament the lack of education they received on these management matters, further adding to the frustrations. Yet their churches expect them to know what to do.
But whether you are a veteran pastor or a newcomer, there is no reason to despair about these management details. There is hope. Anyone can learn the basics of church management.
That’s not to say anyone can become an expert in church management, nor should today’s church pastor, who faces myriad responsibilities, become such an expert. But complete ignorance of these issues no longer is acceptable, given the societal, cultural, and legal changes taking place nationwide. Familiarity with key management matters is a must for sound church leadership. Handling these tasks with excellence helps ensure the ministries continue to thrive—and can protect the reasons these leaders got into ministry.
So let’s explore five of the most common, pressing management topics that every church pastor should know. This is not a comprehensive list, and further education and learning is highly encouraged on these fronts and more. But the list does offer an overview of some of the most important challenges confronting churches today. Learn the key angles, which can go a long way toward building a stronger church:
1. The protection of children and youth. Every year for many years, allegations of sexual abuse involving a minor has remained the top reason churches end up in court.
Every pastor must take this threat seriously. It isn’t going away. And the stakes are significant. An act of molestation renders devastating effects on victims and their families, doing lasting harm to their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It also makes a church vulnerable, starting with a loss of trust inside and outside the congregation, and extending to potential costly litigation and negative media coverage.
Churches cannot create impenetrable defenses, but they can take several important steps that demonstrate good-faith efforts to provide a safe environment—steps that can prevent many types of offenses. Success starts with visible, vocal support from the church’s pastor, who must champion the church’s commitment to foster a culture of safety, care, transparency, and action:

• A comprehensive, written child protection plan adopted and followed by the church’s leadership.
• A thorough application, screening, and selection process for anyone in the church—clergy, staff, and volunteers—who will work with children and youth. The process should involve a written application, an interview, institutional references from individuals who can speak directly to the applicant’s overall fitness to work with minors, and background screening. Screening should include local, state, and federal criminal records databases, but churches also should run applicant names through the free sex offender database available. All screening should be periodically repeated.

• responsibility to be mandatory reporters of suspected abuse, and all states require mandatory reporters of abuse to report a suspected case in a short amount of time).
• Mandatory annual training of all staff and volunteers to cover best practices, including the church child protection plan and the abuse response plan.

2. The dollars and sense of ministry. Budgets. Taxes. Fraud prevention. Compensation. This is the stuff of CPAs, not pastors, right?
Not exactly.
Churches today require wisdom and discernment from their pastors when it comes to their finances. Expertise isn’t expected, but a working knowledge is. Here are some initial steps for building that financial sense:

• Know what type of budget calendar the church uses and note when budgets must be planned, reviewed, and approved. Pastors should help reinforce the process so that staff and volunteers know what they need to do and when they need to do it by—and pastors should set the right example by following that process, too.
• Make certain the church’s vision and mission—what God calls a church to do and how to do it—is clear. Church Finance, budgeting starts with this.

Pastors set their churches up for financial success first by having vision and mission set, and then by making certain budget priorities reflect that vision and mission.

• Ask for simple, visually driven financial reports, including ones showing giving and expense trends—and read them. Pastors should use these gauges with leaders to see the state of the church’s finances and what direction they’re going.
• Understand the dual tax status of ministers—they are self-employed when paying into Social Security and Medicare, but treated as employees in most other instances. Be mindful of the housing allowance, the most valuable clergy tax benefit, which should be set in writing by the church before each new calendar year. Track business expenses and turn in timely receipts and reports. Understand the laws and regulations that dictate tax exemption, charitable contributions, and benevolence (the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide fully covers all of this and more).
• Encourage sound internal controls so that no individual has unsupervised control over the handling of contributions or spending. When a church becomes a victim of fraud, it is usually perpetrated by someone on the inside who exploits a weakness. Require regular reviews of processes and procedures.
• Know that personnel often represents the largest expense for churches, and also recognize that most in ministry are not overpaid. Fair compensation is a real challenge that churches must be willing to address so that budgets are handled well and pastors and staff aren’t struggling to make ends meet.

3. Common legal issues. Churches are free to choose their pastors, clergy, or ministers. However, the government may or may not consider those individuals to be pastors, clergy, or ministers for legal and tax purposes.
Nevertheless, it is critical for churches to understand how their pastor, clergy, or minister is viewed when it comes to specific situations. For a statute or judicial ruling, carefully read the law or the case decision to see how the term is defined. For a tax benefit, such as a housing allowance, the Internal Revenue Service requires the individual to meet specific criteria. An individual must be ordained, commissioned, or licensed, and then considers a combination of four other factors, including the individual’s involvement with administering and leading worship services.
Pastors face numerous other legal matters. They should be familiar with their state’s clergy-penitent privilege law. They should exercise extreme caution before signing any contracts on the church’s behalf. They also must understand that the work they put into sermons on church time and using church equipment means their church owns the sermons.
Records also matter to pastors. They must understand how their church was formed, meaning they have read the church’s charter, constitution, bylaws, and any resolutions. These documents dictate how the church operates—who leads it, how it meets, how decisions get made, and what kinds of reporting requirements the church must meet. A failure to follow these documents can nullify important church business. Pastors also should know the whereabouts of other key documents, including the church’s property records and financial records.
4. Religious freedom issues. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees religious freedom protections to churches. The Supreme Court has reinforced these protections in recent years, including a unanimous decision barring civil courts from intervening in employment disputes between churches and clergy, and a majority decision protecting the free-speech rights of churches.
Churches also receive special treatment with respect to a variety of federal statutes. For instance, prohibits employment discrimination, but churches may discriminate on the basis of religion. Churches also are exempt from the so-called “contraceptive mandate” required of employers by the Affordable Care Act.
For pastors, they enjoy freedom-of-speech protections regarding their preaching on spiritual and moral topics. Specific religious exclusion for speech, so long as that speech “is not intended to plan or prepare for an act of physical violence or incite an imminent act of physical violence against another”.
But religious liberty challenges also loom.
Zoning laws often lead to disputes between churches and municipalities due to activities that churches wish to do on their properties. Specific laws have been passed to help preserve the rights of churches, but zoning lawsuits still are common.
And political activities by churches proves to be a murky subject. The Internal Revenue Code prevents churches (and any other organization that receives tax-deductible contributions) from explicitly endorsing political candidates for office, but permits churches to conduct an “insubstantial” amount of lobbying on political issues (with “insubstantial” ambiguously left undefined). Some believe the prohibition of candidate endorsements by churches is unconstitutional; in the history of the Tax Code, only one church has ever lost its tax-exempt status over the matter. But the risk of losing tax-exempt status does, in theory, exist.
Marriage is another challenge. The Constitution continues to protect the rights of clergy to decide whom they wish to marry, so that remains unchanged.
5. Property matters. While personnel almost always represents the largest budget expenditure for churches, building and property expenses aren’t far behind. As a result, pastors should be familiar with the following:

• Lending. If a church needs a loan, the pastor should understand the process. And if a church already has a loan, it is important to understand the terms and covenants that the church must meet.
• Insurance coverage. Disputes with insurers are another top reason churches go to court each year. Pastors should understand the coverage their church possesses, and what special coverages may be necessary to cover specific risks, such as water damage, abuse allegations, or employment matters. Form an insurance committee to regularly review coverages and pricing.

• Facility use. If a church allows outside groups to use its building, it should make certain it has a clear policy and process for how that works. Require the group to demonstrate it possesses adequate insurance coverage. Churches also must be mindful of whether they charge outsiders for building use, and the potential implications of entering the stream of commerce.
• Unrelated business income. Many churches host festivals sponsored by businesses or operate an onsite bookstore or coffee shop. These types of activities may generate income for the church that is taxable. Pastors should be familiar with all activities on church property that generate income so that the church can determine if it owes unrelated business income tax.
• Slips, trips, and falls. Personal injuries are another common reason why churches end up in court. Proper maintenance of the church building and grounds is important—and an act of ministry that protects the well-being of the youngest and oldest of the church.
• Safety teams. A pastor should consider forming a team consisting of staff and volunteers who are passionate about the safety of every person who attends the church. These teams can regularly review the property, policies, and procedures to identify vulnerabilities and address them.

Pastors set the tone for their ministries. The right education and planning go a long way toward strengthening any church. While management issues may not be the reason pastors get into ministry, giving them proper attention is an opportunity to support—even enhance—ministry and allow it to thrive.
Recently I had a chance to teach a class of Bible college students about church administration. As I was preparing, I spoke to a close friend of mine who had been an executive pastor—and who now is the lead pastor at a large church—about the subject. He dryly said, "The number-one job of a church administrator is to keep the senior pastor out of jail."
That was, of course, a joke (I hope). The following 10 points are what I shared about administration with this class of up-and-coming church leaders.
1. Systems are not life, but systems are necessary to support life. Just like a skeleton does not live on its own but a living body must have a skeleton to exist, administrative systems don't live on their own, but they are necessary to support the life and vision of the church.
2. Know your personal administrative weaknesses and admit them...then get help. Too many pastors get in trouble for trying to be superman or superwoman, and forget that God has not given any one of us everything we need for effective ministry so that we will learn to rely on one another. This is why healthy, effective, gift-diverse teams are non-negotiable.
3. If you are the lead pastor, make sure you understand the finances of the church well, and then separate yourself as much as possible from being the one who handles the money. It's scary to me when the pastor is the only one handling finances or their spouse is keeping the books. Create redundant systems for accountability.
4. Err on the side of transparency (with your council, your congregation, etc.). A lot of leaders go down because they don't do this. In our church, our books are open to any member; that has only ever produced good will in our congregation, and it requires us to be ready with solid reasons for why we do what we do.
5. Learn to think through every detail and contingency before an event happens. Have plan A, B, and C ready. For example, before an event, know things like how many trash cans you need, where you are placing the trash cans, and where and how often you will dump the trash.
6. Keep notes and files for each recurring event and/or service. Review (debrief) after the event is done, and preview the notes before planning the event again the next year.
7. "Spend church money as if Leti Parker were with you, " said Mrs. Parker, who got saved late in life, was an old retired widow who lived on a small fixed income, but tithed faithfully.
8. Trustworthiness in finances and administration will release greater spiritual ministry and leadership through you (Luke 19:11-27).
9. Excellence in administration that supports the vision will make people in your organization happy and will bring glory to God (1 Kings 10:1-10).
10. Learn to clearly communicate where you are going, and as much as possible, release people to figure out how to get there. Others will come up with systems better than anything you could have ever figured out. Control freaks won't be able to lead this generation anywhere!
Let's be leaders who don't put people—or ourselves—through unnecessary pain because we have not thought well through administrative systems and structures.

Getting Started in Church Administration

Church administration is a science, an art, and a gift. Church administration is a science because it involves procedures, processes, and techniques that provide the organizational structure for ministry. As an art it involves sensitivity to people gifts, needs, situations, and timing. Finally, the apostle Paul also defines administration as a spiritual gift in I Corinthians 12:28. Therefore, as a church administrator you are called to show the love of Jesus in many ways in your work in the church. Your major responsibility is to assist the church in the managing of personal and organizational resources.
As you start your role, you are called to first understand the current situation and develop relationships with those involved in areas of ministry where you will be serving. You must be a good listener, be genuine, and show that you care about the ministry. Second it is important for you to have clear expectations through a job description and regular communication with a supervisor. If you are a first time church administrator, the job description may need to be more clearly defined in the future as the shape of the position becomes clearer. Finally, you will develop some strategies for enhancing the work of the church. The unveiling of these strategies will involve strong people skills as you present your thoughts and ideas in ways that are not intimidating and top-down but clearly focused on spiritually growing the work of the church.
Most church administrators are responsible for areas of ministry such as communication, finance, personnel, and facility. As you develop relationships with the people already serving in these ministry areas, you will start to understand the dreams of the congregation and where the team may need assistance in fulfilling these dreams. Your style of presenting ideas among the members involved in a ministry must always be with a love for the congregation. Are you able to assist in making ministry happen? How can you help to make their volunteer time at a meeting meaningful? People enjoy participating in a group where they can give ideas and get needs met also. You are there to equip them to serve and many times this involves coordinating, organizing and communicating with the group on a regular basis, not just at meeting time.
You are there to motivate and help members discover and use their spiritual gifts for ministry. It is important to always serve with others on a team, whether it is facility, newsletter, finance, or facility. This allows for engaging the congregational members in the leadership of the church and the decisions are approved by a group rather than one person becoming the “powerhouse” or “fall guy.” Remember, you are there to enhance the ministry of the church, not to run it. You want ideas to flow from the members and involve them in the thought processes and decisions. Many times you are working with council members who are the leaders of the church. Empower them to do their ministries.
These processes of coordinating, organizing, and team building should help develop a structure for ministry work that combines people and administrative processes together so they work harmoniously. The dreams and plans determine the organization you need, not the other way around. God bless you as you serve others.

Church Administration & Finance Tools

Why is administration of Christian ministry important in the local church?  In I Corinthians 12:28, the gift of administration is listed among the spiritual gifts.  In I Corinthians 14:40, we read that “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
Church leaders and administrators are called to use their gifts to provide for orderly functioning of the church.  This work must be God centered, led by the spirit of God, and accomplished with a servant heart.  The challenge is always to maintain an appropriate balance — people must always be more important than the organization.  A clearly defined organization should help people serve, not be a hindrance to service.

Purpose

The resources provided here are to assist church members in their task of adding clarity, order and control to church organization, so that people are better equipped to serve in a way that honors God.  If procedures and policies are clear in the areas of church organization, accounting, finance, employment and risk management, people will have more trust in the church, and will be better able to serve in a loving and God glorifying way.  These resources are free to anyone who can use them.
When constructing church policies and procedures, be sure to consult with competent legal and financial professionals.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP:

No matter the size of your church or the community that you serve, effective leadership should come from the heart and soul of a church leader. ... In addition to the biblical qualifications of a church leader, effective ministry traits allow leaders to foster a Christ-centered community.

Skills Needed for Effective Church Leadership

Though there are many common traits that all people in leadership positions are required to have, there are some traits specific to leading a church. No matter the size of your church or the community that you serve, effective leadership should come from the heart and soul of a church leader. Every pastor, minister, coordinator, director and other leader wants to improve their skills and knowledge when it comes to leadership.
In addition to the biblical qualifications of a church leader, effective ministry traits allow leaders to foster a Christ-centered community. Here are some of the most common and essential qualities in effective church leaders.

1. Teaching and Learning Simultaneously

Because the church community looks to its leaders for guidance in their lives, these individuals must possess the ability to pass on the Word of God in a clear and effective way that really reaches the audience. Communication skills that help people relate to the teachings of Christ are essential for a church leader. These skills need to be altered and tailored according to the specific makeup of the congregation. The teaching style needed to engage a youth group would be very different from that used to communicate to an older audience.
Though communication and teaching are at the heart of what a church leader practices, effective church leaders are also continuously learning and being humbled by what they do not know. The ability to learn different skills and knowledge needed to meet changes, roadblocks and other issues inherent in leading a church is important. Keeping up with a network of other church leaders and discussing their failures and successes can be a very helpful way to become a continuous learner.

2. Leading by Example

Sometimes it is easy to forget that church leaders are as capable of sinning as their congregation members. Because church leaders are held to higher standards, this can put a lot of personal pressure on these individuals to avoid mistakes and failures at all costs. Unfortunately, this can lead to even bigger failures and mistakes. How church leaders manage their own lives affects the way the church sees them. Ethics play a large part in effective leadership. Maintaining a moral code that others can adopt and live by is an important aspect of church leadership.

3. Advanced Communication Skills

There are many ways to communicate with a community. Communication does not just start and end in the pulpit during services. Church leaders are expected to have open lines of communication that involve both listening and discussion. So much emphasis is placed on speaking and oral communication skills that it’s easy to gloss over the idea of listening. Active listening is just as important for a church leader’s communication skills as delivering a passionate sermon on Sunday.

Writing skills are also essential to effective church leadership. Whether it is the church newsletter or a simple email, church leaders need to be able to communicate not only orally but also in writing.

4. Being a Visionary

Church leaders should have ideas for growth and success when it comes to their church community. Being able to communicate this vision and achieve these goals in a way that engages the people around you is not always easy. But leading for the present is never enough. Having the foresight to invest in the future of your church and get others to follow you can be one of the most important skills of a church leader.

Leadership and Authority in the Church: What It Is and Isn't

During recent discussions with members and each other, we have discovered confusion and possible misinterpretation of our position on leadership and authority boundaries. To avoid further confusion and to bring glory to God, we have consulted the elders and come together in a combined leaders' meeting to compose our thoughts on this key subject.

What is Leadership Authority?

Although the heart of leadership according to Scripture is servanthood (Mark 10:42-45), the Bible also teaches that legitimate leaders have authority, in the sense of a right to direct others. This authority comes from God and is delegated to leaders for the good of the church. The following verses reflect the clear teaching that leaders should be respected and obeyed when operating within their legitimate sphere of authority:
You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. . . Such men deserve recognition.
- 1 Cor. 16:15-18
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
- 1 Thes. 5:12,13
[Speaking to a leader] These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
- Titus 2:15
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
- Heb. 13:7
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
- Heb. 13:17
Of course the Bible's teaching on obedience does not mean the church can outlaw dissent when expressed legitimately. When members conscientiously disagree with a direction advanced by leaders, they have the right to express dissent. This dissent should be expressed in a way that safeguards the unity of the church, is respectful, not bitter, and in love. Elders have declared that we will respect a right to dissent in our church as long as it is expressed maturely. Any effort taken by leaders to harm the reputation or exclude legitimate dissenters from the life of the church would clearly be wrong. Leaders must be mature enough to accept the fact that others may disagree on judgment calls, even within their own church, without reacting in hurt or becoming insecure.
Dissent is different than rebellion. Rebellion involves attempting to set people in the church against the leadership. This is also division and schism, which are sinful and subject to admonition and even formal discipline.

1. Leadership Accountability

"There is no such thing as autonomous delegated authority. All delegated authorities are under God's authority. This is why, when scripture addresses those under delegated authority, it also addresses those in delegated authority in the same passage and reminds them of their responsibilities before God."
We take this qualification to mean that, just as members are accountable to leaders when it comes to home church ministry, leaders are accountable to the elders or "overseers" (1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1) of the church and to each other. This accountability includes demonstrating to their colleagues that they conduct their ministry in accordance with ministry standards established by the eldership and the Servant Team. When Leaders are out of line, members can contact the office to complain to the grievance board, to the relevant sphere leader, or to the elders. They will launch an investigation of leadership errors or misbehavior and give members full opportunity to be heard.

2. Leadership Limitations

"The scope of the authority is limited to the area of the authority given to them by God. God does not require us to obey leaders outside the legitimate sphere of their authority. This is why wives are urged to "be submissive to your own husbands" - not to all men (1 Pet. 3:1; Eph. 5:22). For the same reason, it is inappropriate for parents to tell their adult children whom they must marry, or for civil authorities to tell their citizens what religious beliefs they must hold, or for church authorities to tell Christians what jobs they may take."
In connection with point #2, we remember that, we have been troubled at times in past by leaders and members assuming that church leaders have authority in areas where they do not. As a result of such misunderstanding, members or leaders have at times tended to make leaders into surrogate parents who regulate areas of life completely unrelated to church ministry. In the Bible, the church is sometimes called the family of God, but we should remember that the parent is God the father--leaders are brothers and sisters like the rest.
We notice two exceptions: 1) Paul compares himself to a mother nursing and a father to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:7, 11). However, the similarity with mothers is the affection they have for their children, and the similarity to fathers was in the way they were "exhorting and encouraging and imploring" the Thessalonians. These actions suggest pleas, not commands. 2) He calls himself the Corinthians' father (1 Cor. 4:15) and implies that this gives him a measure of authority, but this applies only to those who were actually converted through his ministry.
We are zealous to avoid illegitimate expansion of leadership authority, not only because of our reputation as a church, but also because of the negative effect such expansion has on our members. Members who wrongly depend on leaders to "hold them accountable" or make decisions for them never learn the self-discipline and mature decision making that should characterize good disciples of Jesus Christ. Leaders should be eager to foster independence and internal moral control in their members, avoiding dependency.
To understand the appropriate scope of authority for any given office we can examine the question of responsibility. If an authority figure is responsible for some area, then it is reasonable to assume that he or she should have the authority to carry out that responsibility. If, however, someone else is primarily responsible for the outcome of a given decision, church leaders would be out of line for suggesting that they should make the decision.

For instance, who is responsible for the way you raise your children? Clearly, parents alone bear this responsibility. Therefore, while church leaders can teach parenting principles, and can offer advice to parents, they would never accept decision-making authority, even if parents asked them to.
This principle would also apply in many other areas, such as dating, finance, diet, media, etc. We believe church leaders are assigned authority almost exclusively in the relatively narrow sphere of running the ministry of the church. While leaders have a pastoral role in members' lives, this is accomplished by persuasion, not by command authority. A number of examples of legitimate and illegitimate areas of authority may help us understand this principle.

Sample Legitimate Uses of Home Church Leaders' Authority

1. Deciding how a home church will use or not use music in its meetings.
2. Deciding on membership of cell groups or other study groups focusing on discipleship. (But not regulating who attends public meetings like home churches. Note that campus ministry home churches are technically "Ministry Teams" which means they do have the right to restrict attendance at their meetings.)
3. Deciding who is admitted to ministry houses. (However, terms for admission and removal from houses should be disclosed to prospective members before they move in.)
4. Deciding who will teach at meetings, and what will be taught.
5. Deciding what ministries will be prioritized at meetings (with announcements, for instance), but not preventing people from practicing ministries they feel led to practice.
6. Deciding when and how to apply formal church discipline. (The elders require an opportunity to review and possibly veto any proposed formal discipline involving removal from the church.)
7. Deciding what standards will apply in judgment areas of ministry, such as how strict or lenient to be on gray matters, or how certain problems should be counseled. For instance, how soon after a serious moral failure should a person be allowed to teach?
8. Mapping out a doctrinal position on areas open to question, such as the role of women in the church or social or divorce ethics (but not forbidding members to hold different views in these non-essential areas).
9. Recognizing ministry house leaders, cell leaders, high school leaders (but get sphere approval for change in Sr. leaders), or sit-in leaders.

Even from this partial list we see that church leaders have substantial authority to carry out their ministry. The prerogatives mentioned in this list would easily enable leaders to establish what emphases the church will feature, which ultimately determines the tone and feel of a church. They are truly authoritative leaders of the church's ministry.
Also the elders have reserved certain decisions exclusively to themselves. These are not delegated to home group or ministry team leaders. They include:

1. Setting certain budget parameters for the church and authorizing new spending
2. Removal of deacons or elders from office
3. Removal of staff workers at, or above the level of department heads
4. Ordaining new deacons and commissioning new ministries
5. Approving brochures and literature that speak for the Ministry

The Best Church Leader Is a Team

Plurality. It’s a weighty word that reminds us that ideas have consequences. By plurality, I’m talking about shared leadership. It’s a way of referencing the consequential idea that leadership in the New Testament was a team enterprise, not one man’s genius. Thus, when leaders acted, it was together as a ruling body (Acts 13:1–3; 15:22–23).
Leading. Together. As one. That’s plurality. Pretty simple stuff.
“The quality of our plurality determines the health of our church.”
It is simple, but not inconsequential. I propose that the quality of our plurality determines the health of our church. Nothing too radical. I just meant that an eldership is a microcosm of the church. When elders share their leadership and life together, the church thrives. As the plurality goes, so goes the church.
And as I’ve been pondering that proposition, another consequential idea has surfaced as a beautiful implication: Where pluralities are strong, joy in ministry runs deep. What’s the connection between a healthy leadership plurality and joy in ministry?

1. The Joy of Becoming a Team

Some men plant churches and slide into a plurality of elders through a slow and measured process. Not effortless, mind you, but these men have time on their side. The manuals are companions to help guide their way. Others, like me, inherit a plurality almost overnight through a church crisis where my most attractive quality was that I was the only guy left to take the role.
Right away, I discovered that having a plurality of elders is not synonymous with having a team of elders. Our shared values, mutual respect, relational history, network affiliation, and constitutional responsibility did not magically make us into a band of brothers. For many, a plurality is nothing more than the names that appear in incorporating documents or under the “Elders” tab on the church website. But a team is different. It’s a leadership community that breeds the kind of culture where doing ministry together is joyful.
Recently, Christianity Today commemorated the passing of the remarkable Billy Graham. While Graham was more evangelist than elder, he understood the importance of leading as a team. One contributor cited it as a defining mark of Billy Graham’s ministry:
I learned from Graham to build your ministry on a team. He knew this, and he built a core team that was with him fifty years. Everybody on the team brought strengths to the table. When you build an effective team, you hire people who compensate for your weaknesses and who mobilize or reinforce your strengths, because nobody can be good at everything.
Here’s a statement you can trust in any church: Wherever two or more leaders are gathered, a culture will emerge. Sometimes that culture is marked by rivalry and self-protection and competing agendas; but when this culture fosters a healthy team and stronger church, ministry becomes a sweet experience.

2. The Joy of Unity

“When elders share leadership and life together, the church thrives. As the plurality goes, so goes the church.”
Some people call it ministry silos — roles where the workers are often disconnected and the work feels like you’re manning an outpost on Pluto. Cut off from meaningful unity, expectations plummet. Ministry becomes pragmatic — a means to use my gifts, a path to satisfy my call, or just a way to pay the bills.

by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). Paul knew that the Philippians’ agreement was a crucial component to the completion (or satisfaction) of his joy. His words remind us of a principle often true of pluralities: The greater the unity among the workers, the deeper their joy in the work.
There is a beauty when strong and diversely gifted people unite to serve the church. It’s a faint glimmer, a dim reflection of the triune God — coequal persons, distinct roles in creation and salvation, but always united in their delight for one another and all they accomplish together.
Diverse persons finding joy in agreement. That’s a healthy plurality.
But here’s the tricky part: preserving joyful unity in the midst of disagreement is healthy plurality too. Some assume that disagreement or dissent undermines the team and will always clog the flow of joy. But that common fallacy confuses dissent with disrespect or disloyalty. Humble leaders have healthy debates that uphold the law of love. And when they are able to disagree agreeably, this actually works to improve the unity and depth of the team. A healthy plurality must understand that mindless uniformity among the elders weakens the church. Healthy leadership is to comprehend that a misguided deference to the loudest voice or a naïve admiration of the lead pastor makes agreement superficial, even dangerous.
One can wish for a robust plurality that inhabits the delicate space between agreement and dissent, but it doesn’t come by wishing. Real unity requires something from everyone. “Being of the same mind” and “having the same love” requires a lot of work, but it also delivers deep joy.

3. The Joy of Care

“The greater the unity among your church leaders, the deeper their joy in the ministry.” 
God loves elders, and he wants their souls to be nurtured and tended. So, he supplies sufficient grace to convert pluralities into teams. This happens when each man realizes they need the other men. They must experience and model Paul’s analogy of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27), which assumes the principle: To grow, I need your help.
When a team identity begins to form, the care of each member becomes even more important. As care flows, delight grows.
In a world where almost anything can be professionalized and outsourced, it’s easy for pastors to farm out their care for one another by finding the primary help for their souls outside of the eldership — sometimes even outside of the church. This is not a subtle attack on professional counselors, coaching, or parachurch ministries. I serve on the board of a counseling ministry and have benefitted from both counseling and coaching from outside of my local eldership. But those services must always supplement the care from the local church, and never replace it.
According to Jesus, it’s our love for one another, not our productivity and performance, that marks us out as distinct from the world (John 13:34–35). An elder plurality only experiences this joyful distinction when the shepherds are caring for one another as they are caring for the sheep.
Oh, and I believe deeply in the need for lead pastors, provided it’s understood that his role derives its warrant from the authority of the elders. So plurality adds another brain-teasing twist by asking coequal leaders to submit to another coequal leader whom they have empowered to lead.

Indispensable Ingredient

Of all the ways God could organize local church leadership, why plurality? It is not about simplicity, ease, or efficiency. When one considers all of the polity options God could have chosen for governing churches, it’s easy to see that he gave the church a plural leadership with a different set of goals in mind. But I believe God chose plurality because he loves humility.
“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)
If I’m right, God chose this method of church governance because, to work well, plurality requires what God values. Humility, contrition, word-trembling leadership — these are the kind of leaders to whom God looks. It’s no surprise to discover that these are also the values he requires for an effective plurality.
God values both the ends and the means. He not only wants the mission to be accomplished, but God wants to see churches that flourish and last. Because humility remains an indispensable ingredient towards securing that future, God created plurality. Then he blesses our feeble and faltering attempts to faithfully practice it.
Helps for Leading your Church for God's Glory!
He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30
What is Church Leadership?  It is leading our Lord's Church as His servant and steward by following His precepts. We lead by pointing to Christ our Savior and Lord. In so doing, we are equipping, training, feeding, inspiring, cultivating, comforting, correcting protecting and worshiping. This is not a science and cannot be thoroughly defined, because it is more of an art and is dependent on people and situations. However, there are key characteristics that we can define like, shepherd and avoid like, pride; found in God's Word, the Bible (John 10; 14; 1 Corinthians 11; Ephesians 4).
What is Leadership?

A basic description of leadership is the duty and call of the person who is in charge to take charge with courage and character, and to risk leading his/her people where they need to go and how they need to be led. It is a position that seeks Truth, instruction, love, vision, opportunities, and needs and then motivates others to get it done through the resources, talents, and time they can contribute.
"We desire to see a church committed to His purpose and poured out to His ways. Then we will see revival through real prayer and devotion to His Lordship."
The Example for Church leadership than our Lord Jesus Christ, as He declared, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10).

Biblical Requirements of Leaders

Can you think of any greater privilege than to be called to be a leader in the church of Jesus Christ? The church is his Body, his Bride, the Temple of his Spirit, his Flock, his Army, and his Family.
This is why God's Word has laid before us such challenging requirements for Christian leadership. The standards are rightly high, not only for the sake of the church's vitality but also for the sake of the leader's vitality.

Four Qualifications

The chief biblical texts that develop the requirements of leaders are: 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 2 Timothy 2:1-13, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 6:1-6, and Exodus 18:21-22. The qualifications spelled out in these passages can be summarized in four words: commitment, conviction, competency, and character.

1. Commitment. Are the would-be leaders clearly committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? Is there a passion to know him in all his fullness? While different personality types express passion differently, there must be evidence of a fire inside to know and obey the Crucified and Risen One.
2. Conviction. Do the would-be leaders have biblically informed convictions-about who God is, who humans are, the meaning of history, the nature of the church, and especially the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection? Are they learning what it means to be transformed by the renewal of the mind (Rom. 12:2), to "think Christianly" about every dimension of their lives-money, time, sex, family, recreation? For this reason, Paul warns against being too quick to call recent converts to leadership; commitment and conviction take time to deepen.
3. Competency. Do the would-be leaders know how to make their way through the Scriptures? Can they help others find their way around the sacred pages (2 Tim. 2:15)? Have the would-be leaders been entrusted with appropriate gifts of the Holy Spirit (. 4:11-12, 1 Cor. 12:12-31, Rom. 12:3-8)? Do they have a working understanding of the gifts, and can they help others discern and deploy those entrusted to them? Do they have the necessary relational skills for this position? Do their relationships manifest the integrity and love of Jesus, especially in their marriage and with their children (2 Tim. 3:5)? The Kingdom of God, after all, is about righteousness; that is, right relationship.
4. Character. Are the would-be leaders taking on the character of Jesus? Someone has astutely observed, "It is not a matter of perfection, but direction." Are the potential leaders moving toward greater and greater Christ-likeness? The lists of leadership requirements are finally about character. Do they exhibit self-control, hospitality, gentleness (control of anger), a quest for holiness, temperance? Is there evidence of dying to the love of money, to manipulation, to always having it one's own way? Are they faithful to their spouse ("husband of one wife")?

It should be noted that the injunction in 1 Timothy 3:4 that requires a leader to "see that his children obey him with proper respect" is not a demand for perfection. Even the best parents can have children that choose to disobey them (see Luke 15). Paul's concern is that those in leadership give their best energies and time to training their children.
What about "above reproach"? The point is that as leaders we should seek to be all that the Master calls us to be. It means being above condemnation as we confess and repent of our sins and failures and seek, by grace, to grow.
The biblical qualifications of a leader are commitment, conviction, competency, and character. The greatest of these is character.

Ways to Raise Up Leaders in Your Church

The New Testament is filled with instruction on disciplining believers generally. But now and then it also focuses on raising up church leaders in particular. For instance, Paul tells Titus, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). Then he describes what these elders should be like. Similarly, he tells Timothy to find “faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). 
The criteria listed for an elder in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 should characterize every Christian, with the exception of not being a recent convert and being able to teach. Which is to say, the goals of discipling a believer and a would-be church leader are mostly the same. 
Wherever you reside, endeavor always to acquire and maintain an influence with young men. They are the hope of the church and of the state; and he who becomes instrumental in imbuing their minds with sentiments of wisdom, virtue, and piety is one of the greatest benefactors of his species. They are, therefore, worthy of your special and unwearied attention. . . . In short, employ every Christian method of attaching them to your person and ministry, and of inducing them to take an early interest in the affairs of the church.
Here then are nine steps for raising up leaders in your church.

. Shepherd Toward Biblical Qualifications

The place to begin is with the qualifications Paul gives to Timothy and Titus:
If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Tim. 3:1–7; also Titus 1:6–9)
There’s nothing extraordinary about these virtues. An elder does what an ordinary Christian should do extraordinarily well. He’s a model for the whole flock. He’s a picture of maturity for all.
I’ll occasionally ask young men whether they’ve thought about serving as an elder, and I’ll do that early on in their discipleship, knowing they may be years away from being qualified and ready. It’s my way of asking whether serving and building up the church is one of their ambitions, and if not, why not? Which is to say, a good discipling tool for every Christian is this list (with the exception of able to teach).
I want to lay the onus on elders especially to think about how to raise up future leaders. That is one of your particular obligations.
That said, I don’t believe Paul means to provide an exhaustive list for what an elder should be. For instance, he never says “faithful Bible reader” or “man of prayer,” though I think every elder should be those two things. When it comes to raising up leaders generally, and men whom the church would financially support especially, I do think we should also look for natural gifts of leadership. I want to promote and equip men who look like they can help advance Christianity into the place I’ll never go: the future beyond my passing.
Does this mean I’m transgressing James 2:1 and playing favorites? I don’t think so. James is concerned with wrongly favoring the rich. But wrong discernment and discrimination doesn’t make all distinctions wrong. Remember, Paul tells Timothy to look for “faithful men” who can “teach others,” as well as men who “aspire to the office of overseer.” A man can aspire for the wrong reasons, but a man who doesn’t aspire at all is not qualified.
Ultimately, you want to shepherd men toward biblical qualified-ness. That’s the baseline. And the more a man also demonstrates the natural giftings, which show themselves in the fact that people follow him, the more you might look for opportunities to have him practice leading.

2. Adopt a Posture of Looking

If you want to raise up leaders, you need to be on permanent lookout for them. This should be your posture, especially if you’re an elder.
Pastors should be profoundly opportunistic about raising up more pastors. And the whole church should have a deep confidence that the Lord wants new leaders raised up.
I want to promote and equip men who look like they can help advance Christianity into the place I’ll never go: the future beyond my passing.
I keep my eyes open in a number of ways. I hang around the congregation and interact with them. I stand at the door after Sunday services and notice who says what, or who is interacting with whom. I work to provide lots of teaching opportunities in the weekly life of our church where gifted teachers can emerge. Praying daily through the church’s membership directory also brings people to mind.

3. Spend Personal Time

Spending time with people is a crucial part of raising up leaders, just as Jesus called the disciples to join him on the mountain so they might “be with him.”
Sadly, I see many pastors build walls around themselves. Those aren’t men who will be raising up more leaders, at least directly. I’m not saying you need to be an extrovert, but a pastor does need to find some way to spend time with other potential leaders in his church. Hebrews 13 exhorts the church to follow their elders’ example. How can they do that if they don’t know their leaders up close? Paul’s call to imitation requires the same—time spent.
So a pastor needs to figure out ways to spend time with younger men. Lunches can be crucial. That way, we can spend intentional time together, and he can share the blame. I build people into my sermon preparation schedule, too, including a lunch devoted to brainstorming over application and a Saturday night reading preview. Not only do these encounters improve the sermon, but I’m also able to get a sense of different folks, and encourage them. Figure out what schedule works for you, and draw disciples into it.

4. Advance Trust

If you wish to see leaders raised up, your general posture should be characterized by a willingness to advance trust. Having lived in different places and traveled, I know such a disposition varies from place to place. But I do think it’s a property of love: love believes all things and hopes all things (1 Cor. 13:7). You probably have members of your church whom the Lord has entrusted with great talent. But for that to be discovered, someone must advance trust to them, like credit. And good leaders do this. They don’t wait for people to prove themselves, and then give them teaching opportunities. No, they see the hint of something that, with a little encouragement, could grow and flourish. So they advance credit and let the young disciple spend it.
If you want to see leaders raised up, your general posture should be characterized by a willingness to advance trust.
Many leaders, with the best of motives, can be too conservative here. More than once I’ve seen senior pastors unable to affirm anyone else’s leadership. Or I’ve witnessed men become lay elders and then pull the treehouse rope ladder up after them, so that no one else can get in, asking more of prospective elders than anyone ever asked of them! Now, you will make mistakes. You won’t bat a thousand. I haven’t. But I do definitely take risks in leadership. It’s worth it. God is sovereign. Christ will build his church. So let’s lean in and take some risks.
Congregations, for their part, need to be patient with young men in leadership as they make young-man mistakes. I often tell churches not to be afraid of nominating a young lion cub. He may scratch the floors or damage some furniture, but if you’re patient with him, you’ll have a lion who loves you for life. 

5. Delegate Responsibility

This point is tied to the last one. How do you advance trust? By delegating responsibility and opportunity. There are several components to this:
Give people the opportunity to lead.
Quietly keep a list of men in your congregation you think might be good teachers, or public prayers, or service leaders, or Sunday school teachers. Test them by delegating. Again, I recognize some pastors feel very protective about their flocks: “But Mark, the Holy Spirit has made me the overseer.” That’s where I say: When you die, friend, the church is going to be fine. And you want to help make it more fine by loosening your grip now and preparing other leaders by delegating. Your goal is not to build your kingdom. Your goal is to empower others by giving them opportunities to lead and teach.
Lose votes and arguments.
Delegating authority means ceding a measure of control. And if you’re willing to do that, you need to be willing to lose votes or not always have the last word. Not everything must go your way. If you never let people lead in a way contrary to your own opinion, you’re not really letting them lead! So, yes, you might be disappointed to lose on this or that issue, but the gain of encouraging other leaders to lead is a better long-term investment (not to mention it blesses the church with the gifts of their wisdom).
Cultivate respect for other leaders.

6. Give and Receive Feedback

Once you delegate responsibilities and opportunities to minister, you also need to create structures for feedback. For starters, that means showing those you’re discipling how to give and receive godly criticism. Be honest and tender with brothers about things they could improve on.
Your ability to give godly criticism will be greatly enhanced by modeling what it means to invite and receive godly criticism. To encourage that, I try to receive critical comments without answering back (not that I always succeed), even if I disagree with the criticism. I do answer if I think the comment will mislead others, but if I slap down every constructive criticism a younger man offers me, especially after I’ve invited the feedback, he’ll quickly learn it’s futile (and embarrassing) for him to offer forthright opinions to me. And that will prove the least useful for me! There’s always room for improvement in my ministry. The feedback I’ve received over the years has greatly helped me to serve the church better.
In addition to modeling what it means to give and receive godly criticism, we must also model giving godly encouragement. Paul had plenty of critical things to say to the Corinthian church, yet he opens the letter by thanking God for them (1 Cor. 1:5, 7). I don’t think that Paul was flattering the Corinthians. I think he was rightly acknowledging what God had done. Should we not acknowledge that what comes from God belongs to God, like the evidences of grace in one another’s lives? Encouraging would-be leaders should teach them to give praise to God.
So many times I’ve seen men, particularly younger guys, act as if real leadership is shown in correcting others. That’s why young men’s sermons often scold. What they haven’t figured out is that you can often accomplish more by encouragement. There are times to scold. But 80 to 90 percent of what you hope to correct can be accomplished through encouragement. If you look back at your life and consider who influenced you the most, you’ll probably realize it’s the people who believed in you. “You will find, if you think for a moment, that the people who influence you are people who believe in you. In an atmosphere of suspicion men shrivel up; but in that atmosphere they expand, and find encouragement and educative fellowship.”
When I observe that the men I’m discipling give encouragement and criticism to me or to one another, I learn as much about them as I do about the thing they’re commenting on. It’s like standing in an art gallery and looking not at the paintings, but at the people observing the paintings. What are they drawn to? What do they emphasize? Setting up good feedback loops, if you’re a pastor, helps all of this discipling to happen.

7. Encourage Godly Authority

Too often today, people don’t understand what a gift godly authority can be. Raising up leaders requires us to teach about godly authority, and to encourage it. Jesus certainly taught his disciples about good use of authority (Matt. 20:25–27).
The fallen world both misuses authority and lies about authority well used. Satan’s basic lie to Adam and Eve was that God couldn’t really love them and tell them no.
The true nature of authority became clear to me years ago when I was preaching through 2 Samuel. David’s “last words” are striking:
When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. (2 Sam. 23:3–4)
Good authority blesses those under it. It nourishes them. People will gravitate toward healthy authority that spends itself for the good of those under its care, rather than using them for its own good. Look at how a family prospers under good parents, or a team under a good coach.
That’s why the abuse of authority by pastors is such a terribly destructive and uniquely blasphemous sin. Further, the stories of prosperity preachers buying private jets for tens of millions of dollars point to something incredibly twisted and Satanic. Such “pastors” reinforce the lie that Satan hissed into Adam and Eve’s ear in Eden: that authority is just a way to abuse you for the leader’s benefit.
Gratefully, the King on the cross shows us that the opposite is true for godly authority.
Just as Jesus tutored his disciples in the godly use of authority, and modeled it himself, so must we with any men we’re raising up in leadership. 

8. Expect Clarity

Leaders in the church must know how to be unusually clear on doctrine and in teaching the truth generally. This is an implication of what Paul teaches the Ephesian leaders in Acts 20. And it’s his assumption throughout his letters to Timothy and Titus. 
A leader must possess a clear-headedness about the truth. You want people who have a natural ability to answer the question, “Why?” And they need to be especially clear about certain issues: the most basic matters of theology and the gospel; those doctrines that distinguish your church from others; and those teachings in Scripture that are under fire and unpopular in the world at large.

9. Foster a Culture of Humility

What all eight of these previous practices require is a culture of humility. Christian discipling depends on such humility, which drives out envy.
It’s no sign of humility in me if I’m watching someone else minister and thinking either “I could do it better” or, feeling discouraged, “I could never do it that well.” God does different good things with different people. We’re like different instruments in the orchestra, and a good leader helps each person find his or her place. Why would the trombone be jealous of the kettledrum? Each can be enjoyed for what it is.
One way to view my whole ministry is getting my church ready for the next pastor.
Fostering a culture of humility means working against the fear of man. And we do that, of course, by learning to fear the Lord. Every would-be leader should learn to recognize fear of man in himself. One way we can see it in a new intern is when he shows up in our church and is threatened by other strong leaders. But I want strong leaders, as many as I can get. After all, one way to view my whole ministry is getting my church ready for the next pastor.
In general, humility leads us to speak when we should speak and stay silent when we should stay silent. It leads us to be both tender-hearted and thick-skinned. I want to see God’s church prosper by seeing more humble leaders raised up. And I think my humility is part of how that will happen.
What a joy to be used by God to disciple others! Why wouldn’t you spend your life doing this?

We Can’t Change People—and Why That’s Good News

Why are so many in my church just not changing?
Why do some grow quickly and move ahead in the Christian life, while others drift or always seem stuck in neutral? Why do two young addicts profess faith, get involved in church life, have the same discipleship opportunities, and gain new friendships—and yet one flounders while the other flourishes?

Replace, Don’t Just Remove

The answer lies in the heart. We know Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” We also know from Mark 7:21 that the heart is the root of all bad behavior. Verse after verse points to our hearts when tracing our sin problem.
Seldom do any of our habits or flaws disappear by a process of extinction through reasoning or by the mere force of mental determination. Reason and willpower are not enough. But what cannot be destroyed may be dispossessed. . . . The only way to dispossess [the heart] of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one.  A young man, for example, may cease to idolize pleasure, but it is only because the idol of wealth has become stronger and gotten the ascendancy, and is enabling him to discipline himself for prosperous business. Even the love of money ceases to have the mastery over the heart if it’s drawn into another world of ideology and politics, and he is now lorded over by the love of power. But there is not one of these [identity] transformations in which the heart is left without an object. Its desire for one particular object may be conquered, but . . . its desire for having some one object of absolute love is unconquerable.
It is only when admitted into the number of God’s children through the faith that is in Jesus Christ [that] the spirit of adoption is poured out upon us. It is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great and predominate affection, is delivered from the tyranny of its former desires, in the only way that deliverance is possible. So it isn’t enough to hold out a mirror of its imperfections to your soul. It’s not enough to lecture your conscience. Rather, you must try every legitimate method of finding access to your hearts for the love of him who is greater than the world.

Our Only Hope

In ministry we must constantly do two things: (1) Go after the heart by (2) preaching the gospel. Most pastoral frustration arises out of anger (usually not expressed) toward those who won’t change or seemingly don’t listen to our advice. But if Chalmers is right, then the answer to all our “why’s?” is simply that people don’t love Jesus enough. Why has that individual gone back to the heroin? Because Jesus did not capture their affections. How should we respond? By returning to the gospel, over and over, and holding out the glorious love of Jesus.
Don’t chase them down. Don’t harass them. Don’t guilt-trip them. Don’t pressure them. Just keep proclaiming the good news. Keep praying that God, by his Spirit, will so grip their heart that only King Jesus can sit on the throne of their life.
Burnout often occurs in ministry because we’re overwhelmed by the needs of others, or we’re overburdened by those who seem intent on destroying themselves—even though they know the truth. These are the times we must go after our own hearts, and remind ourselves of the gospel we preach.
No matter how great our pastoral gifting or how amazing our expositional ministry, we cannot change anyone. The transformation of a human heart is exclusively the work of God’s Spirit. Only when the Spirit has effected this miracle will a person live under the Lordship of Jesus.
Those excelling and growing in our community are not always the brightest or even the ones I thought would “make it.” They are the ones who, when they grasped what Jesus sacrificed for them, made him their one true love. They’re all over the place at times, but you can see Christ as the root and source of their affections.

Keep Sowing

In the mess of ministry, we must not grow disheartened by “rollercoaster Christians.” It happened to Jesus. Judas fell away. His best friends dumped him. The crowds wandered off. But Jesus kept aiming at the heart, and so must we. Chalmers maintained it’s not enough to lecture the conscience. He was right. Instead, we must try “every legitimate method of finding access to hearts for the love of him who is greater than the world.”

4 Ways to Handle Conflict Between Elders’ Wives

Sometimes church life can be like a refrigerator. At first glance, things look fresh and healthy, but as you dig deeper, it’s obvious mold and other unwelcome inhabitants have set up camp. By refusing to deal with things, funk settles in and rot grows within.
Dealing with relational rot is particularly imperative in church leadership. Passages like 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 discuss qualifications for elders. The bar is high. These men are called to lead and shepherd the flock God has entrusted to them. But what does that mean for their wives?

areas of conflict. 
There aren’t specific directives for elder’s wives in Scripture, so how should we deal with conflict when it arises?
Here are four recommendations.

1. Deal directly with the funk.

As with any discord, we must first look inward to get the log out of our own eye before looking outward to pull the speck out of our sister’s (Matt. 7:3–5; Luke 6:41–42). All of us sinners need the gospel’s exposing light in our lives.

When you feel you should rebuke a sister, first decide if what you’re dealing with is truly sin. Recognize the realm of Christian freedom and forbearance. Personality quirks exist. Sometimes we simply need to be patient with our sisters’ imperfections. This can be challenging, of course, which is why God puts us into a community of believers. If you’re unsure whether what you’re dealing with is sin, ask yourself if the Bible clearly condemns the behavior. If so, what Scripture could you use to encourage her toward repentance? Is she in a public ministry position where this behavior may cause others to struggle? Is her husband aware of the issues?

We must check our own hearts. Ask yourself: Is my concern born out of genuine love for my sister and concern for God’s glory? Or is it motivated mainly by self-interest? But what if you’re still unclear on whether the issue is worth confronting? King Solomon offers a needed warning: “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out” (Prov. 17:14). Deal with the funk festering within your church, but be certain it’s the funk of sin and not personal preference.

2. Pray and seek counsel.

Too often we work through these situations with sinful autonomy, forgetting we have God’s Word and Spirit to guide us. We can bring our cares to an all-knowing God to assist us in our time of need. In him we have all we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3), so we should seek him before anyone else. Our first response in conflict should be, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). I know many who have reacted hastily to a situation instead of first taking time to pray and ponder God’s Word.

God also gives brothers and sisters to counsel and guide us along our heavenly pilgrimage. Go, seek their advice. But be careful to involve only those necessary. It’s never right to gossip under the guise of “seeking counsel.” Often in our desire to be affirmed in our assumptions about another sister, we involve too many outsiders, bolstering our pride instead of breaking our hearts over sin. Keep your circle small and your prayers large. Have ears to hear. Be humble. Be teachable. You may well find you are the one in need of rebuke.   

3. Follow God’s process.

In love for his people and his name, the Lord established instructions to follow when relational sin enters the local church. Matthew 18:15–17 lays out the format for confrontation when “your brother sins against you.” God gives three clear steps to deal with demonstrable and unrepentant sin: Go alone to confront her; if she doesn’t listen, bring a friend and try again; if she still remains unrepentant, tell the congregation.

4. Clothe yourself with humility and love.

Deep, affectionate, humble love can go a long way toward softening the hardest heart. If we bring our own lives before the perfect Judge—reflecting on God’s forgiveness of our many, many sins before approaching a sister about her own—we are bound to treat her with more grace and compassion. Ponder biblical proverbs such as “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1), or “answer a fool according to his folly and be a fool yourself” (Prov. 26:4). 

We must measure our words carefully.
This is never the time to play spiritual superhero, thinking you must “fix” the oneyou think is a bad egg. God is perfectly capable of defending his name, and he cares more about church purity than you do. But he graciously invites us into the process of restoring his bride as we seek the good of others above ourselves.
If you’re caught in a difficult situation with a fellow elder’s wife, God is using it in your life as much as he’s using it in hers. Seek counsel from wise believers, submit to Scripture’s commands, and throw yourself on God’s mercy, seeking help to respond in humility and love. Don’t let the rottenness of relational sin fester. It’s worth the trouble for the purity of your church and the glory of your King.

Lay Counselling Within The Local Church

Lay counseling accomplishes many things: it involves members in the work of the church, it provides a fulfilling ministry for lay persons, it takes a load off the pastor. It also solves people's problems.

"We don't have enough programs of continuing care for many of the people who come through our doors. But how do we help single parents, the divorced or widowed, and those who are struggling financially or grappling with emotional problems? How do we meet the unique needs of teens, or help adults cope with marital tensions, drinking, mid-life crises, or spiritual dryness?
In this age of self-help books and popular seminars, we sometimes forget that proclamation of the gospel and the practical teaching of Scripture is the basis for helping people cope with life. Jesus was a preacher, as were the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles.

By his life and teaching, Jesus emphasized face-to-face contact, and he encouraged mutual caring among his followers. The writers of the Epistles used the words "one another" almost sixty times, usually in the form of admonitions to care, encourage, edify, teach, confront, and support. James defines "pure and undefiled religion" in terms of both holy living ("keeping oneself unstained by the world") and compassionate service such as caring for needy widows and orphans.
People-helping is taught in the Scriptures, it is required of all believers (not just pastors); it is urgently needed in all congregations, whatever their size, as people struggle with today's stress, confusion, and anxiety. Recognizing this need and the biblical mandate to meet it is the first step toward developing a congregation of "people helpers." Only then can we look at some practical, procedural questions.
What Is Lay Counseling?
Counseling involves a caring relationship in which one person seeks to help another deal more effectively with the stresses of life. There can be a number of counseling goals:

• Clarify problems
• Explore and express feelings
• Cope with stress 
• Find freedom from spiritual, psychological, and interpersonal conflicts
• Develop self-acceptance and God-awareness
• Confront counselees with their sinful and self-defeating thoughts and/or actions, and help them find a new or renewed willingness to live in accordance with biblical teaching.

Counseling also enables counselees to reach their fullest potential and to become involved in growth as disciples and disciplers for Jesus Christ. The process is summarized not so much by the Greek word noutheteo, which means to admonish, warn, and rebuke, but by the word parakaleo, which means to comfort, support, and encourage, as well as to exhort and admonish.

Counseling is often seen as a foreboding process involving couches, complicated terminology, and foreign-accented therapists with mind-reading skills. Such a stereotype is collapsing quickly, as it should. Although counseling often involves face-to-face discussions between sensitive, skilled professionals and their paying clients, the term "counseling" has come to mean much more. It may include, for example, the teaching and learning of skills, an involvement in activities which reduce personal and community pressures, or joining a group of people who work together to solve their problems. Counseling may occur in an office or clinic, but it also takes place in restaurants, shopping centers, homes, work settings, and churches. As defined in this broad way, counseling is "caring" or "people helping," and thus is an activity which should involve all Christians who are concerned about one another. Of course there are specialists as in all other fields-individuals whose training and expertise enable them to deal skillfully with the in-depth conflicts of those who need help. But most problems do not need a specialist's involvement, and this is where lay counseling becomes very important.
Are lay counselors effective? According to an impressive body of empirical research, the answer is Yes! Lay people can and do help, often as capably as professionals. Regretfully, almost none of this research has been brought to bear on the church. Nevertheless, many congregations are developing and emphasizing lay counseling programs. Let me draw on the conclusions of psychological research, share some of my own observations in developing and using a lay counselor training program, and summarize conclusions which have come from an informal telephone survey of several churches which are involved in lay counseling.
Who Does Lay Counseling?

Lay counseling should take place on three levels. Level I is counseling by encouragement. It involves all believers of a local church, and its objective is to teach them how to be more sensitive and caring. As described, these groups are composed of believers who care for, support, help, encourage, and give account to one another.
Although this three-level approach is not accepted by everyone, it emphasizes the widely-held view that all church members should care and help others, but only a selected few should be trained as lay counselors. In Romans 12:8 we read that paraklesis is a spiritual gift. Such gifts are distributed throughout the body of Christ, as God wills, and are used for the purpose of edifying the church. Not all members of the body have this gift of "coming alongside to help." But many do, and these people must form the basis of a lay counseling program.
In considering who should do the counseling, it is important to recognize that within any congregation there will be some members who have no special counseling gift or training, but whose personal experiences enable them to help others in special ways. Widows, for example, can often help other widows, and divorced persons frequently can help those whose marriages are breaking up.
But for those who show evidence of being gifted in "coming alongside to help," I would suggest the development of a formal lay counseling program as an effective way to meet the overwhelming needs of many congregations. Such a program can be successful if four key ingredients are given careful consideration:

• Pastoral support  
• Careful selection of counselors
• Effective training
• Development of programs for using trained counselors

Let's consider each of these in turn.

What Is the Pastor's Role?
The pastor's encouragement, support (especially from the pulpit), and willingness to allow trained lay persons to counsel are all important if the program is to succeed. For a variety of reasons, some pastors are reluctant to let lay people counsel, and others seem to be threatened by any prospect of lay counselors who might be more effective than they or their staff members. In churches where the pastor believes that all problems can be resolved by exhortation, or is convinced that the church should avoid any appearance of being a therapeutic community, lay counseling programs are likely to flounder and eventually die. In each of the successful programs encountered in the telephone survey, the pastor was enthusiastic and clearly supportive.
How Are Lay Counselors Selected?
Churches will find a variety of selection techniques ranging from open invitation (where anyone who so desires becomes involved) to selection through a process of interviews and tests. Whatever method is chosen, careful selection is a key to lay counseling effectiveness.
Many people may want to be involved when a lay counselor program is first announced.
To keep classes small and to be more carefully selective, some churches give training by invitation only. This can create resentment among those who want to participate but are not invited. Often many (not all) of these persons are individuals with problems of their own. They come to the class subconsciously seeking solutions for their own needs, or intent upon helping others as a means of sublimating their own struggles.

The following approach is suggested for recruiting the right people:
1. Carefully design or choose a program for training lay counselors.
2. Get appropriate approval to start the program and make its existence known.
3. Publicly emphasize the importance of caring, but stress that counseling is a gift which many believers may not possess; that a rigorous training program is required before the potential lay counselor will become active in the church counseling ministry; and that completion of the program will not necessarily make one a qualified lay counselor. It is important to discourage casual involvement in the program.
4. Announce that there will be a selection procedure to enter the program. This may cause some resistance and criticism, but it helps prevent insensitive, immature, and otherwise unsuitable people from entering the program. If you are careful not to "put down" anyone, most people will see the value in some initial screening. Criticism will be reduced (and some personal needs will be met) if you conduct a prior class on the ministry of caring and the discovery of spiritual gifts. This class could be open to everyone, followed by a more in-depth class open only to those who successfully complete the selection screening.
Screening might involve:

• A brief written statement acknowledging the applicant's adherence to the church's doctrinal positions, plus a testimony of personal Christian experience. Also helpful is a statement of the applicant's reasons for wanting to be in a lay counseling program.   
• A letter of recommendation from two or three people who know the applicant well. At Church, applicants are asked to submit a letter from their spouse, closest in-town friend, closest non-Christian friend, and others.   
• An interview during which the class leader and another church leader try to assess the spiritual maturity, stability, and motivation of the applicant.
• A psychological test or two. Such tests have to be obtained and interpreted by a trained psychologist or other competent person.

Some readers may resist this as being too rigorous and time-consuming; but subsequent experience is likely to demonstrate the importance of choosing counselors carefully!
How Are Lay Counselors Trained?
Several programs have been developed for the training of lay counselors. In some congregations there may be access to a competent professional who can "custom design" a training program which will carefully-match the needs of the congregation to the desire for trained lay counselors. Obviously, any training program will be more effective when the teacher has some familiarity with professional counseling techniques and counselor training, although such background information is not absolutely necessary.
It is helpful to divide training into three phases: pre-training, training, and post-training.
The pre-training phase involves selection of materials, announcement of the program, and selection of the participants.
In the training phase, there must be opportunity for students to learn by listening to lectures, reading, observing, and experience. Most programs involve at least 40 to 50 hours of training (some of which may be completed at home) spread over a period of several months. It is best to keep the training groups small (12 to 15), to meet regularly, to use at least some printed materials, to be flexible, to allow time for students to share of themselves and to express their own needs and insecurities, to discuss complex problem issues such as depression and to involve students in "role plays"-brief periods of practice counseling in which class members divide into pairs, counsel each other about some real or assumed problem, and then discuss the practice counseling with the class which has been observing. If a professional cannot teach and comment on the role plays, it might be helpful to secure the services of a professional who could serve as a consultant.
Ideally, the training should include:

• Basic biblical knowledge, especially that which relates to personal problems, helping people, and the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
• Knowledge of counseling skills and the opportunity to practice these skills.
• Some understanding of such common problems as discouragement, anxiety, excessive stress, or spiritual dryness.
• An awareness of both the ethics and the dangers in counseling.
• A knowledge of the importance and techniques of referral.

The best programs are committed to increasing a student's sensitivity and helping skills, are based on scriptural principles, are alert to the established findings of modern psychology, and are committed to giving participants support and practical help.
The post-training phase is a follow-up time of further learning, discussion of cases, and encouragement. When post-training is not implemented, lay counseling programs sometimes have difficulty surviving, although trainees may continue to apply the training to themselves or informally to others.
After taking the "Discover your spiritual gifts" class, women either volunteer or are invited to take a counselor training program, Bible study leaders stay alert to find potential class members who are spiritually mature and who appear to have counselor potential.

How Are Lay Counselors Used?
Lay counselor training is used in three ways. First, the counselors are helped themselves. Professional counselors sometimes talk about the "helper-therapy principle"-a belief that the people who get the most benefit from counseling are the counselors. This has been found repeatedly in lay counselor programs. People appear to mature spiritually and psychologically as a result of the training, even though such training may never be used to help others.
Helping people informally is a second outgrowth of training. Family members, neighbors, work associates, fellow church members, and others appear to benefit from the informal help given by lay counselors, although it is difficult to determine the extent and effectiveness of such informal helping.
There are the more formal church-related programs. Some of these are highly organized; others are not.
-A church is large, and strives to keep track of all members. Trained laypeople, working under the direction of the church's professional counseling service, have been involved in calling on "disenchanted members." The goal is not to manipulate people back into active membership, but to listen, care, and express a willingness to help. Lay counselors also visit church members who are in the hospital.
-A church has a "reach out" program started by one of the lay counselors. The purpose is to find overburdened mothers in the church and community and reach out to them with encouragement, practical caring, and counseling help.

Setting Up a Counseling Center at your Church: Setting up for Success

We live in exciting times! Although we still have our fair share of fear, pain and injustice, we also live in a time where resources are more readily available to those in need. One of the resources I have devoted my life to is that of counseling. I believe in it, partake in it, and try to connect people with it. Many churches have picked up on this and are starting counseling services for their congregation. Certainly, this is a topic on which many books could be written. However, here are just a few essentials that I’ve discovered over the years as a pastor that will help your efforts succeed in providing counseling services to bless your congregation.

1. A Clear Voice about the need and benefit of counseling from the top down.
This probably trumps all others. Although it doesn’t carry the stigma it did 50 years ago, there’s still negativity attached. For this counseling center to be vital and instrumental in changing the lives of those in need there has to be an acceptance of the process as a whole. The Lead pastor has to be a voice that supports and encourages people to seek counseling for all types of situations. Without this clear and positive presence from the pulpit and beyond, it’s difficult for people to actually engage the services that are being offered by the church.
2. Confidentiality – having an environment where people’s identity is confidential.
Certainly, it goes without saying that it’s important to protect the things that are said in counseling, but this goes much further. This includes protecting people’s identity before they even see the counselor. This is especially true where a designated counselor sees multiple people throughout the day. Here are three suggestions to make that possible:
A. A semi-private waiting room where people can sit and not feel like they are on display for all to see.
B. Counseling office where clients don’t have to walk through a parade of staring eyes as in an office. You may not think this is a big deal but when someone is seeking counseling to talk about something sensitive they’re already feeling vulnerable. I think a walk along a hallway of offices can feel like a walk of shame. You may say, “No one knows why they are there.” But they know why they’re there. This can really eliminate their motivation to seek counseling.
C. Soundproofing in the office. I think everyone that has worked in the church office knows there are times when it’s impossible not to hear what is going on in the other office. There needs to be some sort of soundproofing or noise machine so that people can speak freely without feeling everyone knows their business.
3. An intentional understanding about Dual Relationships. Having a counselor or counseling center set up in your church is different than any other setting because there are dual relationships that occur by just being part of a congregation. There must be some sort of intentionally communicated boundary around what is discussed openly in public/Sunday morning and what is discussed in the therapy room. There also needs to be a clear way for the counselor to separate these things. This is definitely important in terms of acknowledging that someone is seeing you in counseling, using any of the material spoken in counseling as sermon/class material, and being able to have a relationship outside of the counseling room. With those who are licensed, there are clear boundaries in place, but can get blurred in a church setting. People have to feel like the things they’ve spoken of in the counseling room stay there, and don’t hang over their head the whole time they’re part of the congregation. Although this was somewhat of the norm 50 years ago and in smaller congregations currently, we find it actually undermines the therapeutic process.
4. Boundaries and expectations with other ministers. This really falls into two different subjects:
1. Discussion between ministers about someone in counseling
2. Knowing when to refer someone to counseling.
As someone who has been both a pastor and a therapist for many years, I can see both sides of this topic. It’s legal for pastors to see individuals in a counseling setting. Although pastoral counseling is a good thing, because there’s no license required there is also no real accountability into what it entails, no specialized education required, and no continuing education required. I’m certainly not saying that ministers are not capable or competent at doing counseling. I am saying that there are situations that can be complex and should be handled in a more controlled setting. In those situations having specific tools, specialized higher education, and having some guidelines in terms of causing unintentional harm aren’t just helpful but essential.
This isn’t about territory, and certainly not about cutting Jesus out of the therapeutic process. This is about someone who has a specialty and trained specifically to help people in those areas. There is some crossover at times. Especially when dealing with couples, pre-marital situations, and individuals dealing with things other than severe mental illness.
There is a tendency for counselors only to see people struggling with addictions or mental illness like schizophrenia. Although there’s nothing wrong with this, having consistency in this area can be helpful to take things off of pastors’ plates as well as create a wholistic mindset when helping people heal. I highly recommend setting up some sort of policy, criteria, or boundary around referring people to the counselor.
I said this fell into two categories but the other category is pretty self-explanatory. Once someone refers an individual to counseling, there needs to be some sort of policy or boundary around what is discussed after that pass off happens. There is a real therapeutic issue in terms of discussing information with other clinicians/pastors. Having something that is intentional and set up to protect the client can keep mishandling from taking place.
There are so many other things that I think are important but this will give you a good start. Having open and honest discussions among pastoral staff and seeking other clinicians in the area as resources can be extremely helpful in making sure the services you’re setting up are both approachable and effective in helping people heal.

Things You Should Know about Pastoral Counseling

1. Counseling requires a three-dimensional Bible.

No one enjoys a flat, one-dimensional story with static characters, a predictable plot, and an unsatisfying conclusion. Why? Because it doesn’t ring true to human experience, which is deep and multifaceted. Many folks shy away from Bible-based counseling because they assume the Bible is like a bad story, flatly giving instruction about behavior instead of offering a rich, colorful picture of human life.
The best counseling uses Scripture as God intended: as a living perspective of a dynamic world that holds authority over our own. It is not one-dimensional, but three-dimensional, able to address the many factors of life—from relational dynamics to self-perception to circumstantial difficulties. The Bible delights us even as it instructs us; it challenges the core commitments of our hearts even as it lifts our perspective above our sorrows.
The Bible attests to itself three-dimensionally. Just read Psalm 119 if you want to see a long, lingering view of how Scripture functions in the swirling currents of life.

2. Counseling requires a three-dimensional view of human life.

Just as we honor the Bible by using it as God intended, so we honor human life when we recognize it as God intended. He designed us to dynamically respond to the situations around us, and that response is multifaceted.
In life, people do not just think, they also want and choose. They need their minds instructed, but also their hearts captured. They need to make new choices, but also need to be shown a vision of what those choices will do for them. They need help understanding how their private thoughts affect the way they relate to the important people in their lives, or how the events that happened to them in the past affect their assumptions about the future.
In sum, counseling helps connect the dots between various aspects of a person’s experience. It helps them understand themselves better in light of what Scripture says. Using the Bible three-dimensionally allows counselors to show Christ’s loving authority over every dimension of human life.

3. You are more capable than you realize.

A living Christian with a living Bible is a powerful tool for change. You may think there is a category of person out there who is able to hear people describe their problems and automatically understand what to say in response. No such super-listener exists. So relax. You can’t auto-fill a person’s trouble—but neither can anyone else. You should not assume a paid professional is needed for a struggling person’s problems.
Don’t get us wrong. Doctors and professional counselors are a wonderful source of help. We are simply pointing out that your first impulse should not be to shy away from addressing the complexities of another person’s troubles. Your first impulse should be to serve them in those troubles. Why not be willing to step into the mess yourself? Why not partner with your struggling friend as she walks through the process of getting help?
If God has given you his Word and his Spirit dwells within you, there is much more you can do than you probably realize. Do not shy away from speaking truth into the life of a troubled friend.
If God has given you his Word and his Spirit dwells within you, there is much more you can do than you probably realize.

4. You are less capable than you realize.

Yes, the relationship between the third and the fourth points is paradoxical. With the first, we want every Christian with a Bible and the Spirit of humility to be confident that he can help a troubled friend in some significant way. But with the second, we want every Christian to acknowledge the limits of his own wisdom.
You will come across problems you’ve never heard of, situations you know only some of the facts about, relationships you don’t have the capital to speak into yet. Humility is the best protection from hurting someone when getting involved in a delicate situation. Humility recognizes the limitations of your own perspective and experience.
Some Christians tend to think that knowing the Bible means they will automatically apply it wisely in complex situations. But this is not the case. We need the Spirit to grow us in both love and knowledge so that we can discern what is pleasing to God in the dynamic situations before us (Philippians 1:9-11). Sometimes, the right thing to do is to encourage a struggler to seek out someone else who is further along than you, particularly as it relates to specific troubles. This doesn’t mean you say nothing. It only means that you should be quick to listen and slow to speak.

5. Counseling is problem-initiated.

The nature of counseling is that people come in only when they are struggling with a problem. When your car breaks down, you take it to the shop to get it fixed; when a Christian is not doing well, she seeks out a pastor or a counselor for help. Counseling is arranged in response to perceived trouble in a person’s life.
This perceived trouble is important to address if you are going to love someone well. Many times, Christians want to get straight into familiar territory when having conversations with people in trouble. They don’t quite understand everything going on, so they quickly move to portions of Scripture that they do understand well. The result is often a faithful-but-not-very-pertinent application of the Bible.
We should respect the problems that people face by listening carefully and seeking understanding.

6. Counseling is not problem-focused, but Christ-focused.

Having acknowledged that counseling is problem-initiated, we need to point out that it is not problem-focused. The focus should be on Jesus Christ and how the person’s heart should respond to him amidst the sorrows they are facing. Counseling is not primarily about fixing problems, though we do a lot of that. It’s first about reorienting worship from created things to the Creator by means of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The most important question in counseling is not, “How do I get better?” but “What is my heart worshipping?”
If a single woman is fighting to free herself from patterns of promiscuity in her relationships, certainly lust is involved. But if you dig deeper, you’ll find that she may wrestle with a longing for safety and security, seeking it in the arms of men who take advantage of her. Or if a married couple is in constant conflict, on the surface it might seem like they are debating their finances. But if you plunge below the surface, you’ll often find that his fear of failure has a choke-hold on their home. His heart, designed to worship God, is using that functionality to seek his identity elsewhere.

7. Counseling is for everybody.

Because counseling is about the heart responding rightly to the complex problems of life, every Christian should acknowledge his need for help. Discerning how to respond faithfully to uninvited feelings of depression or intrusive fears often can’t be done alone.
Every Christian is living her life in a world marked with futility and difficulty; none of us should assume we can navigate through such a world without the honed skills of other Christians. Counselors are often those whose skills have been honed to discern the interplay between difficult circumstances and heart responses. A few conversations with a battle-tested counselor can sometimes do wonders.

8. Counseling is not for everybody.

Another paradox for you. The last point was that counseling is for everybody, but this point is giving another layer of nuance. Counseling is not needed when a person has the basic ability to understand how he ought to be responding to the situation he finds himself in.
The regular Christian life is marked with difficulty, but it is also marked with the regular means of grace in the preaching and teaching ministries of the Word, in the fellowship and accountability of intentional friendships, and in the prayerful seeking of God as a body. These regular means of grace keep a person clear-headed and clear-hearted in their approach to life, enabling many Christians to go through long seasons when counseling is not necessary.
In the mystery of God’s providence, some Christians will be spared from the worst kinds of griefs or given the best kinds of church community and thus not need counseling for the most part. Others will have different routes. In light of this, Christians should think of counseling as neither the universal ideal for everyone nor as unpleasant rehab for the particularly unfortunate.

9. Counseling is time-limited.

Counseling is not a permanent state of being. Often, it’s not even all that long. Often, a struggling Christian establishes better patterns of response and starts to see his problems from the broader perspective of God. And as he gets better in these ways, he won’t need counseling anymore. He will not need to continuing coming in because the depression is lightened, the porn addiction is not overwhelming, he’s learned to sacrificially love in his marriage, she’s eating normally again, or she’s able to rest from her anxieties. The original problem that drove them to counseling has abated.
Good counselors try to work themselves out of a job, entrusting folks to the broader ministries of the Word in the context of the church.

10. Even the worst situations have hope.

Jesus Christ does not abandon anyone to the complexities of life. In the regular life of a church, the number of difficulties in the body can at times be overwhelming. But this is no surprise to Jesus, who told us that this world would be trouble. But he also told his people to take heart, for he has overcome the world (John 16:33).
The word Jesus speaks in the churning trouble of this world is peace. So even the worst situations have hope—though not because there is an easy way out. Jesus’s promise is that he is able to insert a foreign virtue into the suffering. The peace of knowing God as a worshipper changes the whole dynamic of a person’s life. The gospel of Jesus Christ has turned countless addicts, prostitutes, abusers, and arrogant fools into worshippers of the one true King. We’ve seen it, and it is amazing to behold.
There is nothing like a transformed life to make you think, “The gospel really works.”

Mode of Therapy – Pastoral Counseling

Religion plays a vital role in the lives of thousands of people. For practitioners of a specific faith, seeking therapeutic support within their own religious community makes sense. Of the many different types of psychotherapy, all approaches have one major component in common: an established relationship between the client and the therapist based on trust, empathy, and understanding.
This same type or a similar kind of relationship often already exists within the church community — between a devout, church-going individual and the pastoral leaders of the church. Pastoral counseling presents an opportunity for a church leader to provide the members of his or her congregation with individual counseling regarding a particular concern or family issue. This counseling is structured to align with the guiding spiritual principles of the church.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of pastoral counseling when compared to other forms of discussion therapy is that the troubled individual and the therapist have an already-established relationship prior to the beginning of counseling. To an active church member, the prior relationship often makes pastoral counseling a more comfortable option, especially for those who prefer a spiritual-based counseling approach. Of course, many church leaders offer pastoral counseling to anyone who reaches out for support, regardless of church membership or past relationships, but pastoral counseling is provided by pastors trained in both spiritual and psychological concepts.

Pastoral Counseling History

Religious groups have always offered spiritual support to members of a faith community. In fact, in ancient cultures, the role of the religious leader was much larger than it is today, and faith leaders provided the same type of pastoral counseling to everyone, including political leaders and monarchs.
A range of counseling opportunities exist within the religious community. To some extent, all members of the church community receive a degree of pastoral counseling: The role of the pastor and his or her weekly message, often delivered in a sermon, is, in many respects, a form of religious-based counseling. For some individuals, however, the need for support grows beyond the scope of this semi-public sermon, and one-on-one pastoral counseling may provide an ideal solution.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, religious communities have offered pastoral counseling in a psychotherapeutic context. Following the traumas of World War I, the need for therapeutic support increased drastically, and many individuals sought support from the church rather than from the medical community. As the therapeutic model continued to develop, it branched out to include aspects of traditional Western psychotherapy, including some cognitive behavioral therapy methods and a focus on mindfulness and the importance of individual choices.

Pastoral Counseling Scope of Practice

Pastoral counseling uses many of the tools of traditional psychotherapy, but it supports those counseling methods with theology, faith, traditional knowledge, and the additional resources available within faith-based communities.
Pastoral counseling works to provide support by meeting these six goals:

• Enlivening the mind
• Revitalizing the body
• Deepening of the individual’s relationship with nature and surroundings
• Personal growth within the chosen social systems, including family and career
• Deepening relationship with God

Providing these tools means that a pastoral counselor can become a helpful resource for congregants to address many of the same issues for which people traditionally seek counseling, including personal concerns such as anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. Pastoral counseling often is ideal for individuals who are coping with grief resulting from the loss of a loved one, who are facing a terminal illness, or who are having a crisis of faith and who may benefit from talking to a theologist in addition to a traditional mental health counselor.
Pastoral counselors should become familiar with the following therapeutic modes:

• Behavioral
• Gestalt psychology, with an emphasis on human potential
• Relational
• Spiritual growth, including the concept of the collective unconscious and extraversion and introversion

The pastoral counselor’s job is to seamlessly integrate spiritual values, as determined by the specific faith practiced by the believer, with the scientific aspects of psychotherapy. While pastoral counseling invites religious principles into the counseling session, the pastoral counselor must abide by psychotherapeutic guidelines to provide the best care for the individual seeking counseling.

Pastoral Counseling Short Term and Long Term

While pastoral counseling is typically associated with the church, pastoral counselors may practice mental health counseling in any number of different settings. The length of treatment is determined by a number of factors, including:

• Individual preferences
• The facility in which the pastoral counseling is taking place
• The reason the individual is seeking counseling

In addition to the church, pastoral counseling is typically offered in hospitals, at both inpatient and outpatient mental health counseling facilities, including addiction and rehabilitation facilities, as well as in private practice. The length of the counseling program is based on the types of issues being addressed.
In some cases, long-term pastoral counseling is recommended as a means of providing ongoing assistance as individuals overcome obstacles or transition into coping with personal problems on a daily basis. In other situations, short-term counseling is sufficient to assist with issues addressed during pastoral counseling sessions. Short-term counseling is especially common for those coping with grief following the loss of a loved one or for church members coping with a terminal illness diagnosis.

Pastoral Counseling Evolution

Pastoral counseling is a useful tool for helping individuals who are experiencing mental distress or dysfunction because of rigid religious beliefs or issues with their faith. While some aspects of faith-based ideas are typically incorporated into pastoral counseling, this form of therapy should not be confused with traditional sermons or the type of faith-based leadership support that is offered within the church community. Instead, pastoral counseling is an arranged form of mental health counseling that addresses the needs of the whole individual by incorporating religious- and faith-based ideas into the existing therapeutic model.
Pastoral counseling is founded upon the core beliefs of the world’s most dominant religions. References to the importance of pastoral counseling appear in religious texts from the creed of every faith, from the ancient Hebrew Torah to Martin Luther’s 16th century precis. While the church has made pastoral counselors available for centuries, it was during the 20th century that pastoral counseling developed as a profession, complete with therapeutic guidelines that align with other counseling models in addition to church foundational principles.
In fact, from the beginning of organized religion, religious leaders have provided counseling to those who sought support from the church. In some religions, the concept of meeting with your church leader for guidance and support is still practiced and utilized in mainstream religious culture. In some regard, an individual and a church leader meet in a private and confidential environment to discuss the personal issues plaguing the individual.

When Is Pastoral Counseling the Correct Option?

Pastoral counseling is just one option in a wide variety of different therapeutic counseling approaches, and, like any other type of counseling, pastoral counseling isn’t for everyone. Ultimately, the determinant of pastoral counseling as an option is an individual’s background in the church and his or her issues with faith. For some, coping with problems outside of the church provides better outcomes; for others, the ability to receive counseling within the church allows for increased personal comfort and insight.
In general, pastoral counseling is ideal for anyone who is looking for a faith-based perspective when dealing with a mental health issue. Pastoral counseling may be best suited for individuals who:

• Are not entirely comfortable in a traditional or secular counseling setting
• Who are facing end-of-life issues and want to discuss faith-based perspectives on death and dying
• Who are coping with the loss of a loved one and wish to understand faith-based existential concepts
• Are concerned about the connection between secular counseling and their personal religious beliefs
• Have had negative experiences with other methods of psychotherapy and wish to find support through the church

Pastoral Counseling Credentialing and Licensure

Today, pastoral counselors are not simply church leaders, but individuals who have a counseling background and training, who are interested in playing a supportive role within the church. While many ministers opt to provide some level of counseling, they typically limit this service to individuals who are part of their particular church congregation, parish, or community. This allows the minister to have a personal background or an ongoing relationship with the individual in need of counseling, which often improves therapeutic outcomes.
To become a pastoral counselor, a candidate must be part of a church community and have a religious background. Ordination as a minister is the first step toward becoming a pastoral counselor; it ensures the proper background in church theology to provide counseling on the church’s behalf.
Communities: Development of church-based counselling teams
Pastoral care is a biblical mandate to the Church to be involved in the lives of God's people. A key metaphor used by Jesus to describe his pastoral role was that of a shepherd. To be God's shepherds and instruments of healing and transformation in God's world is imperative to all people, clergy and laity alike.

Choosing a Christian Counselor

When you as a Christian realize that you or someone you love is in need of counseling there are several issues that need to be addressed.
First is the stigma that seeking professional help may bring. In certain Christian circles professional help is viewed in a negative light, even when it is Christian. One has to see these counselors as a gift from God to bring His healing presence in your life.
Second is the task of finding a competent counseling professional who will truly integrate their faith into the counseling process. Unfortunately, not everyone who claims to be a "Christian counselor" operates with a personal and professional commitment to Christ-centered soul care. In order for a Christian to make a good decision about a Christian counseling professional, there are some important factors that need to be understood as well as the various options that are available to you.
Most communities have a number of counseling resources. Churches may provide a pastoral counselor, a counseling professional who works out of the church, lay trained counselors or a particular support group. Professional counselors may be available in various settings, including private practice, clinics, government agencies, treatment centers, etc.
When choosing the most appropriate counselor for you or a family member or friend there are a number factors that need to be addressed:
The individual's needs -- How severe is the problem? Is it life threatening? Is the individual motivated to get help?
The individual's resources -- The person's finances, medical insurance, time, their family and other support systems all need to be considered.
The church's resources -- Types of counseling that the church offers, what support groups they have, as well funds to assist in paying for professional counseling all need to be considered.
The community's resources -- What resources are available in the community? Are there competent counselors and psychiatrists available? In addition are there community mental health services that are accessible to this person?
COUNSELING ROLES
In order to choose the most appropriate counseling resource, one must understand the variety of roles within the overall field of counseling. Understanding these will assist a person in choosing what is best for them or the individual they are referring.
Pastoral Counselors -- This title is used by many who have a whole variety of qualifications. Most work in a private practice but usually have connections to churches that refer to them and may even give them office space in the church. However most people who use the term "pastoral counselor" are ordained ministers with additional training and experience in counseling.
Lay Counselors or Caregivers -- Many types of helping ministries have been developed in order to mobilize people in the church to meet the needs of people. Although some of this may focus on meeting physical needs there is a growing motivation to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of people in the church and in outreach into the community. In most cases these are free services that the church offers to their congregation and people in the community. This is providing a much-needed service for many that cannot afford professional counseling. However, many churches are being careful to train these lay counselors to know when they must refer to a counseling professional.
Support Groups -- These groups are playing a vital role in meeting some of the practical needs of people. These are typically issues based such as addictions, divorce recovery, etc. The group itself becomes a critical source of support for many of its members.
Professional Counselors -- These professional clinicians are qualified due to their education, experience, licensure and certification. In selecting a Christian counseling professional you should be aware of the different degrees and licenses that individuals may have. Unfortunately, each country has different licenses with different qualifications and thus there are few national norms. There are some fairly common terms that are used to describe different professionals, their degrees and their licensing.
TIPS FOR CHOOSING A COUNSELOR
There is a vast difference between a Christian who is a counselor and a Christian counselor. Some counselors use the term Christian because they have learned this may expand their practice.
There are a number of things you need to consider before choosing a counselor:

• Which type of counselor do you think would be the best? Choosing between a pastoral counselor, lay counselor or a licensed professional is a choice you must make.
• What is the payment structure? Does the counselor accept insurance payment and is he/she accepted by your insurance? Is there a sliding scale based on ability to pay? Does you church assist people who need counseling?
• Is there a trusted person (pastor or friend) who recommends this counselor?
• What kind of licensure or certification does the counselor have?
• What experience does the counselor have in dealing with your specific issue?
• Does it matter to you if you have a male or female counselor? It is also important for you to know some things about what this professing Christian counselor believes and how that applies to the way that he or she practices their counseling. Psalm 1 declares that, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly." You may call the counselors office and tell them that you would like to ask the counselor some questions before you set up an appointment for counseling.

Some of the information you may be able to get from the office worker:

• What is your general approach to counseling?
• How do you integrate Biblical truths into your counseling?
• Are you involved in a church? Which one and in what role are you involved?
• How do you integrate Biblical truths into your counseling?
• What part does prayer play in the way that you counsel? Do you pray with clients?
• What is their perspective on the miraculous?
• What is their view on certain on any key moral/ethical issues of concern for you. Issues such as abortion, divorce, remarriage, homosexuality, discipline of children, roles of husband and wife.

This is an important decision for you and being thorough in choosing a counselor you or someone you trust doesn't know. Set up a phone interview with the counselor before you start the counseling process and ask some of the questions we have listed. May the Lord bless you as you seek His healing in your life.

I Have Questions About a Counseling Ministry, Counseling in the Local Church, and More

Member Question: I have several questions which are of a personal nature and wondered if you could answer them for me. Here is my list:

1. Would your training teach me how to become a biblical counselor?
2. How would this impact our church?
3. Should we charge for biblical counseling?
4. How would we respond to people who would come to us from the community?
5. If I ever wanted to start a business/ministry like yours, would I be able to do this after your training?

Would Your Training Teach Me How to Become a Biblical Counselor?

The training I offer people does teach them how to counsel theologically and practically, which is what biblical counseling is–the practical application of theology.
With that said, there is one key point which is important for you to understand.
While any person can learn how to counsel biblically, it does not ensure the person can counsel on a high-end level, which enables him to counsel any kind of counseling case. No program can do this for a person because this kind of gifting is given by the Lord.
Only God can give a man or woman the gifting needed to do what some would call formalized or professional counseling. Though any Christian can counsel, which we all agree, not every Christian can do the heavy lifting which many counseling situations require.
My training will maximize your God-given gifts, whatever they may be, and by the time you are through with the program, you will be fully aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and your level of competency.

How Would This Impact Our Church?

In a word–this would unleash your local church to excel toward a level of discipleship which they may have never experienced. Most Christians today would tell you they don’t know how to counsel. They have unwittingly bought into the culture’s message of the professional counselor.
Our culture has yanked soul care from our pastors and the local churches. For the most part, the unregenerate world has become the gatekeeper and authority for what is wrong with us.
Too many Christians are unaware of how counseling is just another form of discipleship. They rarely connect how they are counseling each time they open their mouths–whenever they speak to someone.
Their speaking (counseling) may not be biblical, but they are nonetheless counseling. The key is to turn their speaking into biblical counseling, which is the mandate of the local church–to make disciples.
Counseling should not be mysterious to the average Christian, but it is. If you become trained in counseling–robust discipleship–it will begin to impact your life, your marriage, your family, and your local church in amazing ways.
Your messages from the pulpit will change. The church will begin to hear how counseling is every person’s responsibility. They will feel the freedom of what a robust body-to-body ministry can be in their church.
More and more of your people will stop saying, “You need to see a counselor” and begin saying, “Let’s talk.” And if they can’t help the person with the problem, they will know who in the church to refer them.
Once a pastor begins making this dynamic change in his own mind and life, he will begin teaching this “you can counsel/disciple” message to his people. They will not only catch the message, but they will be grateful you are equipping them while releasing them to do soul care.
To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. – Ephesians 4:12-13
While you are doing this kind of equipping, it’s important you maintain a light counseling load because it will keep you case-wise as well as influence how you apply your sermons. However, the bulk of the counseling/discipleship should be accomplished by your people.
This will allow you to do more equipping than actual counseling. One of the benefits of this methodology is a healthy body which can take care of itself. Another benefit is you’re not bogged down with a bunch of needy people who keep you from doing your equipping work.
You would be teaching leaders how to disciple and they would be doing most of the discipling. This is the model Jesus employed. He spent most of His time equipping a few, which released the few to care for the multitudes and eventually the known world, after His ascension.

Should We Charge for Biblical Counseling?

I do not believe a local church should charge their people for counseling. The people are already paying through their offerings. The pastors are receiving a salary from the people, which releases them to care for the people.
Counseling is another form of discipleship and church members should not have to pay to receive sanctification care. This is different from paying fees for retreats and conferences.
I’m talking about when a person or family needs specific advice about a problem or situational difficulty. I see my offering to my local church as a means to support my leaders. I also expect them to care for me and my family.

Charging the Community?

We did not charge people money who came in from the community to receive counseling.
Here are a few things I implemented regarding the process of taking care of people who came to us from the community and other local churches.
It’s important for you to think through these things because when people find out you’re a caring community of Christlike disciple-makers, they will come to your church.
Once you elevate the flag of “we care and we know how to help you” they will come knocking on your door. A counseling ministry can serve as a wonderful means of bringing people to your church.
Your sheep first – The pastor’s first order of business is his own sheep, not the sheep from another church or the un-churched. The sheep who attend his church have made a commitment to him and his vision for leadership. They have selected him and the other leaders as the ones who will lead in shepherding them.
He and his leadership team will give an account for how he cares for the flock which the Lord has given them (Hebrews 13:17). It is unwise and unhealthy for him to spend more time caring for the community than the people God has brought to his fold.
This is an important matter, though many times a pastor or church can be so evangelistically minded or seeker sensitive that he and his leaders end up reproducing unhealthy sheep.
If this unhealthy methodology of sanctification continues, the pastors will become fire-fighters, rather than equippers of the body. The first priority is always the local assembly, those who have committed themselves to the leader’s teaching/equipping ministry.
Other churches – If a person came to me from another church, I required them to bringing a leader from their church to sit in on the counseling sessions. I did this for the following reasons:

1. The doctrine of sin and the doctrine of progressive sanctification informs me how people looking for help will always need help. We are never entirely sanctified and a counseling session or counseling season with me will not cure them of everything which ails them.
2. I did not want to give them advice and then send them back to their local church and nobody in their local church was informed as to what was wrong with them. This is unwise and uncaring. They needed ongoing care from the ones who were charged with providing that care. I did not want them coming back to me every time they had a problem.
3. Their pastor would be giving an account for these sheep who came to me for soul care (Hebrews 13:17). If I was going to give account for someone, e.g., my wife and family, then I would want to know what’s going on with them. A pastor should think similarly. He and his team should be aware of the condition of the people the Lord has given him. This is at the heart of the gospel–God knows us and cares for us. Pastors should lead by example while equipping their people to emulate the soul caring aspects of the gospel.
4. Having those who were going to give an account informed about their sheep was an integrity issue for me. I felt a moral obligation for the ones who would give an account to know their sheep were over at our place, in our fold, looking for help. Though I never made that call to one of their leaders, I appealed to the sheep to do so. I would not counsel them otherwise.
5. In most cases, if a person came to me from another local church, it was because their local church did not know how to counsel. If a leader from the church came to sit in on the counseling, then it was a twofer–I counseled a struggling person and I trained a leader.

There were times when a person would come from a local church but had a bad attitude about their local church. There was a process we implemented in order to walk them through whether they should stay or leave their church.
Depending on how the conversation went, we worked through the options. The bottom line for us was for them to make a decision with integrity and with the other church’s involvement and awareness.
We were not competing with any other church and we also wanted to stay on good terms with our fellow leaders and churches. Everything was done with Christian charity and we never had any problems with any local church in our community.
From the community – If the counselee did not attend a local church and came to us for counseling, I required them to attend our local church at least during the season they were in counseling. This is how they paid for their counseling.

If I Ever Wanted to Start a Business/Ministry like Yours, Would I Be Able to Do This After Your Training?

Yes, you can build a business/ministry like mine. I’m glad you call it a business and a ministry because that is exactly what it is. If you don’t treat it as such, you won’t survive.

• It is a ministry, just like doing plumbing or electrical work. You would be serving people.
• It is a business. You would be providing for your family.

A small number of people do not understand this. They think counseling should be free. No counseling is free, regardless of where it is received. If they attend a local church, somebody is paying through offerings. Their pastor is not working for free.
If the counselor is in the community, they should pay him/her as well. Unless the counselor is independently wealthy or subsidized by other means, there is a responsibility from God placed on the counselor to provide for his/her family.
You would be making a career choice just like the plumber or the electrician. If you make a career choice to be a counselor and run a business similar to mine, then you will need an income.
I would not recommend doing a lot of counseling on the side along with another full-time job. Counseling is not just a counseling session. I counsel for two hours per session, but I invest a minimum of four hours into every counseling session.
This includes the initial phone call to set up the session, session reminders before the meeting, driving to the session, doing the session, driving from the session, email follow-up for homework, prayer, and answering their questions via email.
If you’re good at counseling, it will take a lot of time. This does not include the burdens you carry for the people, as well as some people’s thanklessness and hateful attitudes. If you’re not careful, counseling will grind down your soul.
As to whether you can do it? I’ll answer this from a human perspective, knowing ultimately it is in God’s hands. From a human perspective, everything rises and falls on your gifting.
Either you have the gift for high-end counseling, which is what you would need to run a business/ministry, or you do not.
By the time you are done, there are no stones left unturned. You will have a sound theology, a sound understanding of sanctification, and the ability to apply theology to the lives of people. You will be able to fully maximize the gifting the Father has given to you.
This does not mean you will have arrived in your understanding and practice of counseling. I’m still learning my craft. It means you will have the tools you need for your current abilities. It will also give you an awareness of which directions you can go. Your ongoing training will continue until the Lord returns.

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