300 x 50x 30 (Genesis 6:15).
Volume 2 Issue 32 June 16th, 2002
A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ
Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417
(home/office)
Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
Check out our web site:
(I Corinthians 10:31 and I Peter 4:11)
By: Brian A. Yeager
In this week's bulletin article we are going to discuss the work of the church in evangelism. Since this is our first of 4-5 articles we will begin the introduction of this article with a review of Bible Authority and how to apply it. This is the source of disagreement between conservative and liberal brethren, We will find that it is truly the center of the division on the Institutional issues. We must also understand that division is sinful (I Corinthians 1:10), and is the opposite of what Christ prayed for in John 17. Prayerfully this study will aid both sides of the issues in studying the scriptures and coming to unity on the truth of the matters at hand in this study. The work that is given to the local church is a very important thing to understand. Once we have a grasp on understanding Bible Authority by knowing that we need scriptural authority for all we do (Colossians 3:17), we can study more affectively to learn about the work of the local church. The body of Christ is divided over this question today. There are many that have broad views and very few limits to what they see the local church can do. The Local church takes a collection every first day of the week (I Corinthians 16:1-2). It then must decide what it can and cannot do with those funds. There are three things that the local church is given as it’s work in the New Testament. Those three things are evangelism, benevolence, and edification. Most brethren agree on that, but the disagreements come into existence on how the local church carries out these works. The division of Institutionalism started over a misapplication of Bible Authority in relation to the work of the Local church. We must continue to study these things so that this division and others surrounding the work of the local church can be put to an end. First, we must continually review Bible Authority and how to apply it.
1. The Bible is inspired [God breathed] II Timothy 3:16-17.
a. Through the Holy Spirit John 16:13, II Peter 1:20-21 and John 6:63.2. The Bible provides all things we need to know Deuteronomy 29:29, II Peter 1:3 and John 20:30-31.
b. The N.T. is the word of Christ Hebrews 1:1-2, Hebrews 8:6-13, and Hebrews 12:24 and John 12:48.
c. The O.T. has been put away by the death of Christ (Colossians 2:14, Romans 7:1-6 and Hebrews 9:15-17). The O.T. was never to the Gentile, but was to the nation of Israel, those brought out of Egyptian bondage (Deuteronomy 6:1-6 and Ephesians 2:11-16).
3. Adding to it or taking away from it is sinful Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19.
a. No man or angel can change it Galatians 1:6-12.4. We must have the authority for whatsoever we do or say Colossians 3:17!
b. The word has been once delivered Jude 3 and I Peter 1:23ff.
Examples and Application of Bible Authority
1. Noah was commanded to build an ark of Gopher wood (Genesis 6:14).
300 x 50x 30 (Genesis 6:15).
a. If Noah decided to make the ark of Pine, Cherry, Oak, or any other wood he would have violated God’s word.
b. Noah may use an expedient (an aid to fulfill a command) such as a hammer, a cutting tool, etc. Such expedients could not violate by adding or taking away from the command. Noah could not decide that pine wood was an expedient because it was more readily available. That would be adding to the specific type of wood (gopher wood) that God commanded Noah to use.
2.
Applying Bible Authority using the Lord’s Supper –
a. Direct Command I Corinthians 11:23-28 - This do… in remembrance.
b. Approved Example Acts 20:7 - First day of the week.
c. Necessary inference (implication) Acts 20:7 - Every first day of the week.
d. Emblems - Unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:17; 26-30).
3. Singing – not playing
SING
- Matthew 26:30
PLAY
- NOWHEREE
IN THE N.T. ARE WE (CHRISTIANS) TOLD TO PLAY = NO AUTHORITY
SING
- Mark 14:26
SING
- Acts 16:25
SING
- I Corinthians 14:15
SING
- Ephesians 5:19
SING
- Colossians 3:16
SING
- Hebrews 2:12
SING
- James 5:13
4. Violation of Bible Authority – Leviticus 10:1-2.
Bible Authority Applied
Most will agree that we must put a scripture with the things we do and most will appeal to passages such as I Peter 4:11 and Colossians 3:17 to argue their cases. The issue is how to apply Bible Authority. Here are some examples to get our minds working. If I send my child to the grocery store and I tell him to get a loaf of bread and a gallon of 2% milk that is a direct command. He must go to the store and get those things. He may choose the brand of milk, but I specified the type when I said 2%. The fact that I specified 2% is called specific authority. He may choose on the bread what type, what brand, sliced or whole; because I did not specify a type. I gave generic instructions, so he has generic authority to purchase the type of bread. Now, if my son comes home with bread and no milk he has fallen short of fulfilling my direct command to him. If he comes home with whole milk, a loaf of bread, and snicker bar he has failed to follow my command on the type of milk and he has added to the order I sent him after. The only choices my son had wherein he would not have violated my authority were the things in which I left generic. Had he added to the order, broken the specific instructions I gave or failed to bring something home I ordered he would have gotten in trouble for sure. Such is the case with commands of God and our strict adherence to them (Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19). This is the explanation of generic and specific authority.
Now, that we understand generic and specific authority we can learn more about the way we obtain authority. The Bible teaches us that we must do all things by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17). We can apply Bible Authority in three ways:
1. Direct CommandLet’s use the Lord’s Supper for an example of how we obtain all three ways of authority. We have the command to partake of the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:23-26). We have an example of the Lord’s Supper being taken on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). From the same example in Acts 20:7, we can infer that we are to partake of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week. Then of course we have that of expediencies. Expediencies are those things that help us to carry out commands. For example, we are to assemble together (Hebrews 10:25). It is expedient to have a place to assemble. Therefore, it would be authorized to have a building to meet in. An abuse of this would be the instrument used during the song worship. The New Testament teaches that the heart is to be the instrument used in singing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). If something else was used that would be an addition which would be a sin (Revelation 22:18-19). Some would argue that if God does not tell us that we cannot do something, His silence permits us to do this thing. For example some might say that God did not tell us that we can’t use popcorn in the Lord’s Supper. Yet, when the Lord instituted it he gave the bread and fruit of the vine as the components (Matthew 26:26-30). Again, we must realize that we cannot add to nor take from what He tells us (Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19). God’s silence FORBIDS us from doing something. Just think. If our children used the argument, “Well mom and dad, you didn’t say that I could not do that…” If we do not respect God’s authority there is no reason to even assemble as His children. Once we decide that we will follow the pattern of the New Testament we can then move on to realizing the work of the church and by realizing the work authorized eliminate that which is unauthorized. Let’s begin first with the work of evangelism. Read and re-read Colossians 3;17!!!
2. Approved Example
3. Necessary Inference
Evangelism
The local church certainly has the work of evangelism to do. Such is proven in the case of what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. (I Thessalonians 1:7-8) “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.” The local church is to carry out the truth and nothing more or less to the lost (II Timothy 4:2 and John 17:17). The Gospel needs to be carried out to the whole world (Mark 16:15-16 and Matthew 28:19). The Gospel is that which will lead men to salvation (Romans 1:16).
Most will agree that it is a work of the local church to evangelize, but the disagreements come in when you ask how to do it. Some believe that it is too large of a work to do on a local basis so they join together with larger missionary programs such as “Herald of Truth”. This is when the local church seeks out a human institution to do it’s work. Of course there is not one single example of this in the New Testament, there is no command from God to do this, or any inkling of an approved example of this practice either in the New Testament. Certainly, if it were such a good idea God would have came up with it first. God’s plan was for the local church to be under the oversight of her own elders (I Peter 5:1-2). God designed the local church to be sufficient in carrying out it’s own work.
Then, you come to the issue of paying preachers. Some say that you cannot pay a preacher, but the New Testament clearly shows that you can (I Corinthians 9:14). Then you get into the “who” question of paying preachers. I wrote a congregation one time for outside support. They wrote back and asked me what congregation was “overseeing” my work. I told them the local church I was preaching for was overseeing me. They were not happy with that answer, so they wanted to become my overseeing church. They said that they would raise support for me and have it sent there then they would send one check to me. They would be my “sponsoring church”. My question then and still today is this: Where is that concept in the New Testament? You have local congregations such as in II Corinthians 11:8 and Philippians 4:15 helping, but doing so individually, not under a sponsoring church arrangement. I have listened to brethren argue that it was more efficient to do it that way. Well, it may be more efficient for some congregations to meet on Monday instead of Sunday but that does not make it right. Where is the authority?
Then there are television programs such as “In Search of the Lord’s Way”. At the end of this program it is stated that it was brought to you by churches of Christ in your area. That program airs here in Butler, but we are not bringing it to this area. We are not supporting it’s broadcast here. If the church in Edmond, OK decides to run this program that is fine, but not under the support of local churches abroad. There is no authority for it. We have gotten letters from programs like this asking for help. They have started something so big that they need someone else to help them. That would be like me starting to renovate a house then coming to the church and saying that I have overspent and I need their help in paying for my bad money management and lack of counting the cost of the job. That would be like me handing my credit card bills to the church and asking them to pay off my debts. The local church is sufficient in carrying out it’s own work, overseeing it’s own work, and in funding it’s own work. It should never enter into a work of it’s own without being able to fund it. There is simply no example, command, or inference that local congregations worked together in evangelism breaking autonomy.
Then, you get into the education of evangelists. There is nothing wrong with a local congregation training men to be Gospel preachers (II Timothy 2:2). However, in the church today we see many cases where the local church is paying for the secular education of preachers. We see cases where preaching schools under the direction of a local eldership start asking for funds from other congregations. For example, one school that has always prided itself on being overseen and funded by the local church in Memphis, TN is the Memphis School of Preaching. I noticed an interesting article in which it was pointed out by Curtis Cates [the director of the school] that “The school shares a campus with Forest Hill Church of Christ, which puts $400,000 a year into the school. The rest of the $2 million annual budget is covered by other congregations. http://memphis.bcentral.com/memphis/stories/2001/06/25/story7.html”. This same preaching school built a library called the “N.B. Hardeman Library” which ran up a bill of 1.1 million dollars. Who paid the price? See the chart below and then continue to read on (use your back button on your browswer to return to this article)....
http://www.wordsoftruth.net/hardemanlibrary.htm
N.B. Hardeman’s granddaughter picked up half the cost while brethren and churches paid the other half. The granddaughter and the individual brethren had the choice to do what they wanted with their money in this case, but where did the local church get it’s authority? Not from the New Testament that is for sure. To build a building to the honor of a man is something the local church cannot be involved in, and I would also question any one else. Why? See: I Corinthians 10:31 and John 12:43. These are the things that occur when we break autonomy in the body of Christ and set up a man, school, or board to carry out the local church’s work.
Those Needing Our Prayers
Desiree’s mother has a brain tumor,
Ann Holt (she will need a ride to services because of her health problems),
Ann’s granddaughter is having health problems after having her stomach
stapled, Mike Cornwell’s (Mike is a preacher in Brighton, MO) daughter
Annette (35 yrs. old) has uterine cancer, Betty Brown, Joan Croyle, Bill
Croyle, Gracie Cook (Desiree’ is friends with the family of this infant
who is suffering with underdeveloped lungs and many other problems) and
John & Olive Anderson who’s new address is on the bulletin board.
Traveling
Mike Lockwood is in VA, Brian and
Terry will be going to Georgetown, PA where Brian is preaching this evening,
and Jay & Carol Wagner are in FL.
Door Knocking
See Brian if you are willing to help.
Graduation Party (not a part of
the work of the church and later realized by the congregation that announcements
of a social nature should not have been listed in the bulletin - B.A.Y.)
Everyone is invited to Christy Graham’s
graduation party. It will be June 23rd from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. at Yellow
Creek State Park. Please let Bill and Brenda know if you are planning
to attend by June 17th.
Ladies Class
The next ladies class will be at Julie’s
house on Sunday June 30th at 2:00.