Categories
Christian Worldview

Jesus said we should judge others

Many good things are happening in the midst of all the pain and heartache of the pandemic. 

People and churches are helping the less fortunate, communities are rallying together, Christians are praying more with their Bibles open, and the good news about Jesus is reaching many more households than ever before via online sermons and social media.

God can and does use even the toughest times for good. 

Unfortunately, together with a lot of good online teaching out there, there is also a lot of bad, unbiblical teaching being streamed.   

Some celebrity, prosperity teachers have banished COVID-19 back to hell, while others are praying for deliverance from the Coronavirus demon. Really bad theology. 

As soon as you raise a question mark, others may tell you, “Judge not!”

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Categories
Pandemic

Is the world officially out of control?

You’ve watched the news from around the world these past few weeks and possibly thought to yourself – the world is officially out of control! No-one knows what’s going to happen! Everything is crazy! Help! 

For the record, the Bible tells us that the world is definitely not out of control; but continually being governed and directed by a good, sovereign God.

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Categories
Pandemic

What is God saying to the world during the pandemic?

As we are in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic and surrounded by somewhat uncertainty, perhaps fear and maybe some panic, we need to turn to the ultimate source of hope and truth, the Bible.

The Bible’s truth is true because God cannot lie and full of hope because it is God’s Word.

What does the Bible have to say to our world at this extraordinary time?

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Categories
idolatry

Put away the foreign gods!

John Calvin famously said, “Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual forge of idols”. Or as Tim Keller has phrased it, an idol factory.

We are prone to worship and give our allegiance to idols (things that are not God), thus sinning by breaking the first two commandments.

In Old Testament times, Samuel said to the people of Israel:

“If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3)

The Israelites had succumbed to the false idols of that day and age.

They worshipped and gave their allegiance to Baal and Ashtoreth, tribal deities of the surrounding nations.

Samuel said that if the Israelites wanted to repent and turn to God their repentance must be tangible and will be difficult.

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Categories
Church

Women in ministry

How can we appropriately recognize women in ministry?

In most churches, including ours, women play a vital role in all kinds of ministries. We also have women in our staff team. How should we as a denomination (and a local church) appropriately recognize and acknowledge women in ministry, especially those leading ministries and in full-time ministry?

One suggestion is that we should set apart women in these ministries as deacons or deaconesses i.e. give women an officially recognized title, like their male counterparts.

There is of course debate as to whether or not women can hold the office of deacon or not.  Here is why I think women can:

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