Here are seven Communion scriptures, in the Bible, that apply to the principle behind the Lord’s Supper: 1. 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” When the Apostle Paul was instructing the Corinthian church on the meaning and the proper methods for taking Communion or the Lord’s Supper, he wrote that this Sacrament has a specific purpose. For one thing, Paul reminds the church... Read more
Here are four tips for a pastor doing a memorial service or a funeral service. Meeting with the Family Before When a pastor has a funeral or memorial service to do, they should find a time to speak with the family and tell them what to expect at a service. Even though they may be familiar with funeral services, they might not be thinking about what to expect since they are experiencing a time of great grief. You will need... Read more
Where do pastors turn for help since they are often the ones giving counseling? Physician, Heal Thyself Pastors are giving counseling so often that at times they must feel drained. They pour out their lives so much for others that they rarely are filled up by others and that’s the problem when pastors need counseling themselves. They are no different from others who battle with life issues like relationship problems, problems with their children, problems with finances, health issues, and... Read more
What is the personal parsonage tax allowance for a pastor? Ministerial Benefits Not every church provides a parsonage but for those that do, there are some allowances for the pastor and his family in living there, but these allowances are not just for pastors but for certified teachers, DCEs, DCOs, deaconesses, parish assistants, certified lay ministers, directors of parish music and directors of family life ministry. They can also be for missionaries or for evangelists that the church puts up... Read more
Here are four great youth sermon topics they should love. Joseph’s Life The life of Joseph is a great story about life being unfair. The fact that Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him and then found out that they could make a profit by selling him to slave traders. They thought they had seen the last of Joseph and for all intents and purposes, he was dead; at least in their minds. They even deceived their father Jacob about it,... Read more
What are the qualifications that a church should look for in a pastor and according to the Bible? Paul’s Directive for Titus When Titus was told to select elders, the Apostle Paul gave him (and us) some very sound guidelines that a church should look for in a pastor or elder. Paul wrote that he should be “above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus... Read more
What does a sermon outline look like? How do you make one from scratch? The Greatest Sermon Ever If we look in the Bible and really, throughout church history, the greatest sermon ever preached wasn’t the one by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) or the Apostle Paul’s message to King Agrippa (Acts 26) but the Sermon on the Mount, given by Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus was making one overall point; that those who... Read more
Do youth pastors need to have a degree in order to teach youth? Commanded to Study The Apostle Peter tells us that we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity” (2nd Pet 3:18) and the Apostle Paul commanded Timothy to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be... Read more
Do pastors struggle with sin just like everyone else? Paul’s Struggle Roman’s chapter 7 has given a lot of believers comfort because they saw the Apostle Paul’s struggle with the flesh and it’s something that they (and I) can identify with. You are certainly not alone in your struggle to live a life that is pleasing to God because Paul wrote “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the... Read more
Does the Bible teach only pastors should baptize people or can anyone do this? Repent and Believe The Apostle Paul once wrote that God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30) so there is a command for every person ever born to repent of their sins and to put their trust in Christ. In the Great Commission, Jesus told His disciples “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem”... Read more
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