The Kingdom of the Heavens > A God who Speaks > God Speaks to Us

God Speaks to Us

The ways in which God has always spoken to people

The Scarecrow Fallacy

December 7, 2020 5 Comments

To commit the “Scarecrow Fallacy,” which I have named after the Scarecrow character in the 1939 movie the Wizard of Oz, is to mistake a diploma for knowledge or a credential for God’s calling. God usually makes use of available formal education, and often acts through the organized Church’s mechanisms of licensure and ordination, but has never bound himself always to do so. It is possible to have a very powerful calling from God with no formal human recognition, and also, unfortunately too common to have excellent ministry credentials and no relationship with Jesus whatsoever.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, Heresy, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Prophecy, Social control and statecraft, The universal Church and local churches, Through others, Through the church, Uncategorized

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Teachers

December 5, 2020 4 Comments

Teachers are given to the Church to teach and explain the Word of God and to model and transmit the relationship with God they are teaching. Teaching as a gift of the Holy Spirit may also be given to people who are not permanently given to the Church as teachers, and may be given to people on specific occasions. Ephesians 4:11 “teachers” are not the same thing as “pastors.”

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Through others, Through the church

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Pastors

December 3, 2020 4 Comments

Pastors are shepherds of flocks of people. Their main function is to guide, guard, tend, and care for the needs of their flock, not to command it. They should not be expected to exercise all of the gifts of the Spirit, to be competent to do every job in the Church, or to do the whole “work of the ministry” in place of the members of their flock.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Through the church

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Evangelists

December 1, 2020 2 Comments

Evangelists, as people given by Christ to the Church, are primarily trainers in evangelism, sent to show the rest of us how to introduce others to a friendship with Jesus. They are not sent to do the work by themselves! But, because of our Western focus on paid “ministers” and on attendance at church “events,” true evangelists tend to be unrecognized and unappreciated.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Purpose of the Church, Through the church

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Prophets (New Testament)

November 29, 2020 3 Comments

Prophets tell forth God’s words to an individual, church or situation, giving God’s perspective which is not plainly visible without God’s illumination. The purpose of prophecy is to edify the Church. Prediction of the future is not the essence of prophecy. Many great preachers were likely prophets, though not recognized as such. This function is still important to the Body, and therefore still present in it.

A God who Speaks, God Acts by Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Prophecy, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, What is God's Word

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Apostles

November 27, 2020 2 Comments

The distinguishing mark of the apostle is the apostolic functions of starting new works, of guiding resolution of conflicts, and of ordaining and directing organization in the Body. Since these functions are still needed, it follows God still gives the church people gifted for these functions, whether we call them apostles or not.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Purpose of the Church, The universal Church and local churches, Through others, Through the church, What is God's Word

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The Ephesians 4 “Offices” are Jesus’ Gifts to the Church, not Fixed “Offices” of Authority

November 24, 2020 3 Comments

Ephesians 4:11 identifies five groups of people given to the Church by Christ to equip its members to do the work of the ministry–apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These five groups are best viewed based on their functions, and not as fixed “offices” of authority. The common Protestant emphasis on the pastor as the “boss” of the local church is unjustified.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Church purpose versus church growth, Divisions in the Church, God Speaks to Us, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Purpose of the Church, Through the church

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Authority Figures in the Church — Deacons

November 22, 2020 2 Comments

The New Testament provides for deacons as servants of the local church, administering alms to its widows, orphans and poor members. They are not spoken of as being in charge, but those who serve well obtain good standing and great boldness, as the martyr Stephen and Phillip the Evangelist did.

A God who Speaks, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Purpose of the Church, The universal Church and local churches, Through the church

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Authority Figures in the Church — Elders

November 21, 2020 4 Comments

The term term translated “elder” refers to the age and wisdom of persons functioning in this role in the Church. It often seems to be used interchangeably with “overseer” (or “bishop”), and the way a person legitimately functioning in this capacity is to be recognized (often called the “qualifications”) is the same as for an overseer. Like overseers, elders teach and lead by example, not by fiat.

A God who Speaks, Discipline or Correction, God Speaks to Us, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Through others, Through the church, Uncategorized

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Authority Figures in the New Testament–“Bishop”– Inspector and Model

November 13, 2020 2 Comments

Christ is himself the Head of the Church, But visible, local churches, as human organizations, also need visible leadership. “Bishops” or “overseers,” as mentioned in the New Testament refer to people who have the function of overseeing others’ work and providing a model of right living, not an office of lordship over the church,

In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Through the church

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