What is a proper housing allowance for a pastor? Is the idea biblical? Not Muzzling the Ox The Bible is clear, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages” (1st Tim 5:18) but what is the context of this verse? It is about “the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1st Tim 5:17). In 1st Corinthians 9:3-6 Paul... Read more
Should a pastor be forced to marry a gay couple and go against his own conscience? Ordained by God In the first place, marriage is not a human-created institution but one created by God. He gives us the outline for who should be married in Genesis where it is written, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen 2:18). This verse, in the Hebrew, should read that God... Read more
Here are 5 things you should look for when trying to find a good church home. Biblical Teaching If you are not receiving the whole Word in expository, verse-by-verse preaching and teaching, then you are not getting the whole counsel of God. Topological sermons are fine where you have to use different Bible verses on a certain topic but the way in which the Word of God is written, context is essential for our understanding it. To see the whole... Read more
Here are three surprising places that Christianity is exploding in the world today. Africa Many believe that from the Sahara Desert down to the southern tip of South Africa, there are more Christians concentrated there than any other place in the world. There has been rapid growth in Christianity in Africa that has outstripped that of the Islamic faith and technically, it makes it the most religious place on earth, if only due to the massive number of Christians living... Read more
Do you think that churches should keep their tax exempt status? If so, why and if not, why not? Movements to end tax exempt Status There are movements under way right now by the very powerful, influential, and wealthy people of our nation to end the tax exempt status for churches. It’s not just the “liberal left” but the anti-Christian bias that is pushing for this. For some of those who want to end church tax exempt status, they can... Read more
Is purgatory in the Bible? If not, why do so many believe in it? The Judgment The Bible clearly says that “just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb 9:27) so “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Prov 27:1). Why did Solomon write this? It was because “you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a... Read more
Is having a mentor a good idea? Should every believer need one or only those who are young? The Great Commission Part of the Great Commission is not just to go into all the world but to go into all the world and find people and then make disciples of them which mean they are to learn everything that Jesus taught His disciples. Just before Jesus returned to heaven, He told His disciples “All authority in heaven and on earth... Read more
What does the phrase “the authority of the Scriptures” mean? Here’s why Scripture is called authoritative. Authority On more than one occasion, someone challenged Jesus’ authority. One time, when Jesus “was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them” (Mark 11:27-28). Jesus, as God, had every right and had the... Read more
What is the longest verse in the Bible? What are the longest books and shortest books of the Bible? The Longest Chapter The longest chapter is an easy one; it is Psalm 119. Psalm 119 has 176 Bible verses and that includes 2,542 words. What is the context of this chapter? It is the Law of God and not the Mosaic Law of the Old Covenant which was destined to pass away with the work of Christ on Calvary. The... Read more
What is the shortest verse in the entire Bible? Why is it still so important? The three shortest Verses There are actually two Bible verses that are tied for the shortest verses in the Bible. They are 1st Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always” and John 11:35 “Jesus wept.” A close second is “Pray without ceasing” also in 1st Thessalonians in 5:17. Even though these three are short, that doesn’t mean they are without significant meaning. Indeed, they are, as we will... Read more
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