Believers who read the New Testament book of Ephesians recognize foundational spiritual truth presented in Ephesians 4:10-16. Ephesians 4:10-16 (NASB), He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things. 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the…
INTRODUCTION What is the greatest challenge you will face in following Christ? If you answer that question correctly, you will also identify the primary characteristic of a disciple of Christ. Simply stated, the greatest challenge for any believer is to become a servant like Jesus. Correspondingly, Christ-like servanthood is the distinguishing trait of a maturing…
We can learn about the prayer life of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Jesus is the perfect example for how to live, and His prayer habits provide a template for believers to follow in their own prayer life. HOW JESUS PRAYED WHEN JESUS PRAYED WHAT JESUS PRAYED AND WHAT HE TAUGHT ABOUT…
People around the world long for peace. Satisfying this longing, however, requires a change of heart that is out of reach for everyone apart from God’s grace. Let’s consider the definition of lasting peace. Lasting peace is not simply a cessation of hostility. It also includes wholeness and freedom from distress, both of which are…
Teamwork, by its very nature, focuses on task accomplishment through the various contributions of each team member. God’s way, however, is not man’s way (Isaiah 55:8-9); so it should not be surprising that teamwork in the Body of Christ is more significant than simply a group effort to reach a goal. Biblical teamwork, like other…
Ministry of Discipleship / Counseling Condensed Version with Verse References The church of Jesus Christ is to be committed solely to the Old and New Testaments as the only written authority for faith and conduct. The biblical discipler/counselor’s faith and conduct, which includes discipling/counseling theory and practice, are established and defined only by the standards…
Responsibilities & Qualifications of Church Leaders Thus far, this series has presented leadership plans along with insights about church leaders. RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHURCH LEADERS Part 6 highlighted common characteristics of believers growing in Christ. For example, all believers are spiritually gifted to minister in ways that build up the Body of Christ and bring glory to God. While ministering…
The church is described in various ways in the New Testament. One of these metaphors is a temple, a dwelling of God in the Spirit that is described in Ephesians 2:19-22. In verse 19 the church is pictured as a family or community. This partially describes the closeness God intends for His people, but the picture of the…
Excerpted from Forgiveness: The Possible Impossibility Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity and means “to cancel a debt” or “to set aside.” The awesome demonstration of God’s love—the sacrifice of Jesus—is the perfect example of forgiveness that sets the standard by which God’s children are to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32, Be kind to one another,…
Jesus reduced life’s significant priorities to just two: Loving God—with all your heart, soul, and mind—and loving others, as you already do love yourself (Matthew 22:36-38). Contrary to an avalanche of humanistic propaganda, there is no third commandment to “love yourself” in this key passage of Scripture. Perhaps surprisingly to some, our inherent “love of self” does not…