A. Organized religion is an Earth centered entity.  Much if its success depends on keeping its members focused on the things of this world, like membership and stewardship drives, or building funds.  For that reason most seminaries don’t spend much time teaching prophecy and some even discourage their students from teaching it after they graduate.   Their fear is that if they get people thinking too much about the next life, we’ll lose interest in this one.  The result is that many pastors feel ill equipped to teach it and are too busy to stop and learn.  Besides that, it’s a controversial issue and can cause disharmony in the fellowship, something else to be avoided. Para-church ministries don’t have those concerns and can handle controversial topics like prophecy more easily.

A. Since the promise is a verse from Scripture you should receive it as being generally true.  Then look for independent confirmation, like you would with any other prophecy or word of knowledge.  If the Lord meant it for you, He’ll send someone to confirm it. Deut. 19:15 says a matter must be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

A. The so-called second work of grace is based on 1 Thes. 5:23 which says,

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Some teach that this sanctification comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I have actually had people write me claiming to have stopped sinning because of it.  One man even gave me the date on which he stopped sinning.

The problem I have with this teaching is that the man who wrote 1 Thes. 5:23, the Apostle Paul, also wrote the Book of Romans in which he admitted that he could not stop sinning and in fact the harder he tried the worse he became. (Romans 7:14-8:1)  Then He thanked the Lord for attributing his sins to his sin nature and not condemning him for them.  He had made a similar statement in 1 Thes. 5:24 when he said that the Lord is faithful and able to keep us blameless.  This is because when the Lord went to the cross, He took all the sins of our life and paid the price for them there (Col. 2:13-15).  Because of this the Father can no longer blame us for them, having already blamed His Son. Therefore we’re not condemned and are considered blameless.  So it’s not that we stop sinning, it’s that because of the cross the Lord can regard us as though we had.

A.  A Bishop is a presiding official or overseer.  The word is equivalent in use to Elder. Bishops were teachers and preachers as well as overseers and were charged with guarding the church against doctrinal error.  Deacons were subordinate to Bishops and handled the more mundane tasks of church administration.  The Greek word for Deacon means “one who serves.”

The Greek word limiting the use of wine  is different in the verse concerning Bishops than in the one concerning Deacons.  For Bishops Paul used a word that actually describes a drunkard. In effect he said in choosing a Bishop, don’t choose someone who is given to drunkenness.  But for Deacons, he suggested choosing men who would be wary of drinking too much. Since a Deacon might one day become a Bishop, someone who has learned to avoid over indulgence would be less likely to develop any drinking problems that would disqualify him later.

Most scholars believe the Bible does not prohibit the occasional use of alcoholic beverages, but does stand opposed to drunkenness.

A. The major roles of church leaders are outlined in Ephesians 4:11-13.  The Greek word translated pastor there means shepherd, and the responsibilities are similar.  Take care of the flock, see that they’re fed,  keep the wolves away,  bring back the lost ones.  These days most churches ask their pastors to do quite a bit more, and when they do everybody suffers for it.

A. Being the Word of God, the Bible cannot be self contradictory. No single verse of Scripture can cancel the intent of others.  If God gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him would not die but have everlasting life (John 3:16), if everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks finds, and to all who knock the door will be opened (Matt. 7:7-8), if all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13), and so on, then we must have the option of accepting or rejecting the Lord.  The fact that He knows in advance what our choice will be, does not negate our freedom to choose.

A. Some believe only a baptism done in the name of Jesus is proper.  (Most are of the Oneness Pentecostal movement.)  Others say using the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is correct.  Surprisingly, both use Matt. 28:19 to support their positions.

The issue hangs on one word, name.  Oneness advocates say if Jesus meant to include all the Trinity He would have said “in the  names …” rather than “in the name … “  But this is not a matter of interpretation or even application. It’s simply a matter of properly understanding the grammar of the text.  Even though it’s singular it’s correct to apply “name” to all three members of the trinity.

In my opinion, this debate really misses the point of baptism.  And that is, what’s the motive of the person’s heart in being baptized?  If it’s to make a public declaration of faith in the Lord’s death as the sole basis for one’s salvation, then it really doesn’t matter which form is used.

A. The G12 model was designed to work this way:

A pastor trains 12 people to be cell leaders. These cell leaders are each responsible for discipling 12 others in a cell group, usually with a minimum number coming from the community and not from within the church they attend. After a specified time, and after certain strict requirements are met, these cell members then become leaders themselves, and start their own cells. Thus, the membership of the church is multiplied, and the message of the Gospel is taken into the community.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the G12 structure.  Jesus taught 12 and then sent them out to teach others.  Paul also taught some who then went out and taught others.  It’s how G12 is implemented and what’s being taught that causes some to question it.  They believe the founders of the G12 model adhere to some unsound doctrinal principles and the fear is that these are being passed along to others. Be a Berean.  Search the Scriptures to see if these things be true (Acts 17:11).

A. I haven’t read either book, so I can’t comment on them.  But I can say that the Church started out meeting in homes, and I don’t think the Lord ever intended for it to become anything different.  The problem started when someone decided that a church was a building with a paid pastor and a congregation.

In my opinion all this mega-church and church growth stuff we hear about is more a matter of economics than theology.  I don’t care how many professionals there are on staff and how many programs are offered, you can’t have Christian fellowship with 10,000 people.

So what do the mega-churches do?  They start a bunch of small groups with volunteer leaders that meet in people’s homes.  That’s where the real work of the Church is done.  The mega church provides administrative oversight and collects the money required to pay the staff salaries and maintain the buildings, none of which would be necessary if the small groups were independent home churches.

A. There’s no indication that after some of the angels joined Satan in his rebellion God took away their power of choice.  So theoretically they retain the potential for rebellion.  As to whether some are or not, it’s too early to tell. Some believe that at least part of the supernatural army arrayed against God in the last days will have been recruited from among the angelic ranks.