Should divorced men be youth pastors, fill-in pulpit supply, etc.?

Question:

Where I attend church, we had our youth (teen) Sunday school teacher who also lead activities for the youth, surrender to preach. Our pastor said that since he has been married before (on third time actually) he couldn’t be ordained, but there is still things that he could to, and he added that if anyone argued this, it was due to their ignorance. Last that I heard, he was going to do fill in preaching for churches on occasion. Even though he is not going to be ordained, I feel that this is wrong. Does the Bible speak about those that are going to preach to congregations, but who are not going to be ordained, or is this something that we have made up so we can ignore the Bible and follow after our own lusts?Continue reading

My pastor offended me in his message. What should I do?

Question:

I recently began attending a Bible-believing church. The pastor teaches from the KJV only and believes in the superiority of the underlying text.  At first I felt welcome. Everyone was glad that someone new decided to continue going to their church.  As time progressed I was baptized.  I even began to bring several visitors to the church with me, one of which was subsequently baptized there.  A few Sunday’s ago, the pastor before the sermon stated: If you aren’t attending the Church meetings on Wednesday evening, and Sunday evening that a blessing was being missed.  He then went on to reiterate the statement of another pastor in response to this woman who always seemed to have problems and troubled him about them. Continuing, the pastor stated that this woman showed up only once a week and that he did his counseling on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. Basically, if you have problems don’t bother me unless you are here every church service.   Needless to say, there was only one group of people who only attend on Sunday morning, mine.  So we as a group seemed singled out as being unfaithful to Christ.  After the message, I was left holding the bag.   Continue reading

What are the duties of a deacon?

Question:

I have spent a lot of time  looking for a ‘booklet’, ‘book’, etc. on the duties of a deacon.

Answer:

As to the booklet about deacons, that would be a good topic to cover in a second Bible Course on the Church, but I do not recall seeing a book out there just on deacons and their responsibilities. We know why they were first chosen, so the pastor(s) could continue to center on prayer and the ministry of the Word, without getting too bogged down in daily tasks around the church. Acts 6:1-4 says, “And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” They were to be chosen by the congregation (“Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom”), and then to be given their duties by the pastor(s) (“whom we may appoint over this business”).Continue reading

What about preachers and deacons who have married divorced wives?

Question:

There is still another question. With the three Bros. mentioned…, none of them are previously married, their wives were. My Pastors say that does not disqualify them. We are going over a new constitution in our church and divorce came up. The constitution reads… Their argument is that if a husband cheats on his wife (adultery) and they divorce, the wife is free to marry again, she is “loosed” calling the relationship dead, because in the Old Test. the man would have been stoned to death. The relationship of two divorced people is far from over if there is children are involved. I know several people, including those mentioned that have “yours, mine, and ours syndrome.” So do the rules of Timothy and Titus apply on both sides of the fence? Was Joseph going to give Mary a death sentence when he said that he was going to “put her away quietly” when he found out that she was with child? I have not researched it yet, but was stoning adulterer’s, only if caught in the act? ( Mary Magdalene ) Can only the man end the marriage? I can not find any instance in the scripture of the women putting away the man.Continue reading

Who is to police the Lord’s Supper?

Question:

Who is supposed to “police” the Lord’s Supper to make sure that no one is improperly partaking?

Answer:

We are not told to “police” the Lord’s Supper. We are told to warn people that God Himself will judge people who imporperly partake of it. 1 Corinthians 11:26-32 26 says, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”Continue reading

Do Pastors have to be married?

Question:

Does a man have to be married to be a pastor?

Answer:

The apostle Paul was a missionary, which is simply a pastor on a foreign field, and sometimes even in one’s own homeland, and he was not married. 1 Corinthians 9:3-6 says, “Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?” Paul could have married, if he had wanted to do so, but he chose to devote his life completely to the Lord and His work.Continue reading

Should women be allowed to speak in Business Meetings?

Question:

Does the admonition in 1 Timothy 2:12 against a woman usurping authority over a man forbid her from speaking or asking any questions in a business meeting and forbid her from even voting as a member?

Answer:

I Timothy 2:11-15 says, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” I Corinthians 14:34,35 says, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”Continue reading

How old is the right age to be a deacon?

Question:

How old is the right age to be a deacon?

Answer:

The Bible does not give an age, but a level of spiritual maturity. I Timothy 3:8-13 says, “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. AND LET THESE ALSO FIRST BE PROVED; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” They need to be old enough to have established a godly reputation.Continue reading