Church Hunters -- Part 4

In our final study of what to consider when choosing a church, we are going to turn down a completely different road. To this point, we have looked at the church itself--the commissioned, continuing, and convinced church. Now we will look at a singular person in the church: the called pastor. The pastor is a very important part of choosing any church. Often, if one wants a good picture of what the church is, he can look to the pastor and see a picture of what the church will eventually become. What should one look for in a pastor?

I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 provide us with the characteristics of a bishop or elder (other Bible words for pastor). We will be looking at the pastoral characteristics found in I Timothy 3:1-7.

1. The pastor is called to a good desire -- His reputation before God (I Tim. 3:1)

1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

The pastor must have a desire to be in this position. Without that desire, he will soon lose his passion for the work of God. However, this desire must be in the right places. He must desire the position to serve others, to preach the Word of God, and to lead the flock. His desire must not be material gain or leading others astray.

QUESTIONS:

1. Does my pastor have a desire to be in the pastorate?

2. Is my pastor's desire based in scriptural things and not selfish things?

2. The pastor is called to a good character -- His reputation before the church (I Tim. 3:2-3, 6)

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

The pastor's reputation in the church must be a good one. He must have a character that reflects his position. An outline of the above characteristics would be this:

Unquestioned gender

The unquestioned gender is the fact that he is a he. This is crucial to a Christian's beliefs. It is God-ordained that pastors be men. This is not because women are not supposed to study the Bible or be leaders. Rather it is because God wants the church to be a picture of how the home is structured. His structure from the beginning is man leading the home. The church is a picture of the marriage and family relationships.

Unquestioned behavior

The pastor's behavior should be above reproach. Accusations should not be able to take hold in his life. He should always be aware of any dangers that could come into his life, his family, or his church. His behavior should be characterized by the purpose that God has given him. He should be organized or disciplined in his actions.

Unquestioned love

His love for the people in his church should also be unquestioned. He should be hospitable, welcoming people and helping with needs whenever he can. He should be a teacher, lovingly showing his congregation how to follow God's Word.

Unquestioned actions

His actions should be God-honoring. He shouldn't be a drunk or a bully. He shouldn't be greedy or constantly trying to get more stuff that he doesn’t need. He should be patient. He shouldn't be quick to argue.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is he a man?

2. Is his behavior unquestionably godly?

3. Does he have a love for the church?

4. Do his actions reflect that he is following God?

3. The pastor is called to a good home -- His family's reputation (I Tim. 3:4-5)

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Our pastor should be one that takes care of his family. He should be in charge in his house- the authority that his family looks to for leadership. His wife should be submitted to him Biblically. His children should obey and acknowledge his authority. If he is not able to be in authority over his own house, then he would not be able to be a good authority in God's house. 

QUESTIONS:

1. What is his wife's attitude toward him? Does she willingly submit to his leadership?

2. Do his children acknowledge his authority and obey him? Or are they rebelling constantly and not bringing honor to God?

4. The pastor is called to a good testimony -- His reputation before the community (I Tim. 3:7)

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

The pastor should have a relationship of respect with the community. He should be known as a man of character among all non-believers. If he does not have a good testimony in the community, how can he reach out to the community? How could they see the love of Christ through the church? The world needs to be able to respect the morality of the pastor, even if they don't respect his beliefs. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Does his testimony in the community reflect well on God?

2. Does his testimony in the community allow us to properly reach out to the community?

3. Will our church be given a bad name because of his leadership?

I hope that you have enjoyed this series on the characteristics of a Biblical church. God desires that all who have believed in Jesus Christ follow Him and the church is a large part of that following. Following through the commissioned church, the continuing church, the convinced church, and a called pastor are essentials for every Christian to have. Again, I offer a word of caution when asking these questions: If a few of the underlying questions do not add up to exactly where we want them to be, it does not mean that God does not want us in that church. Rather He wants us to be leaders and help that church grow. If however, the church does not exhibit the major qualifications that our presented in scripture, we may want to consider going elsewhere. Ultimately, we must let God lead us to where He wants us. 

1. Photo credits: www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YKKWGPNX

Church Hunters -- Part 3

We have looked before at the commissioned church and the continuing church as characteristics to look for when choosing a church to attend. Now we will look at the convinced church. In Acts 4, the church was preaching the gospel of Christ. They were following the commission and continuing in the practices which they knew were right. Now they were experiencing persecution. It was at this time that the church needed to be convinced. Now what did they need to be convinced about, and what do our churches, in turn, need to be convinced about?

1. They were convinced of their Messiah--Acts 4:8-10

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Though I am not a Jew looking for a Messiah, to these apostles, that's who Jesus was. He was promised from the beginning of time. He was the one who fulfilled all the prophecies given in the Old Testament. These disciples were convinced that the man they were following was the one who they needed to follow.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is this church one-hundred percent convinced in Jesus Christ being the Messiah, the Son of God?

2. Would this church and pastor ever consider turning to another Messiah as its Lord?

2. They were convinced of their Message--Acts 4:18-20

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Peter and John, when brought before the religious leaders had a predicament. They had been threatened and told to never preach in the name of Jesus Christ. But Peter and John made a decision. They made sure in their hearts that they would not waver, no matter who told them to stop preaching. They were convinced that they should obey God more than they should obey man. They were also convinced that they needed to tell all of what they had seen Christ to and heard Christ teach. They were convinced that their message needed to go forward. What about our church?

QUESTIONS:

1. Has this church changed the message that it teaches from God's Word?

2. Would this church and pastor ever consider changing the message that it teaches?

3. They were convinced of their Methods--Acts 4:23-24, 31-35

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

When Peter and John were released by the religious leaders and came back to the church, the two men told the church everything that had happened. Notice what they did after that in verse 24--"they lifted up their voice to God with one accord"--and in verse 31--"and when they had prayed." They kept the methods that they had used before right then and there after hearing the threats of the religious leaders. Then in verses 32-35, the continued the other methods that they had done before. They were convinced that the methods that they had used before and had worked still worked. Where does that leave the church today?

QUESTIONS:

1. Do I agree with the methods this church uses?

2. Will this church keep strong the core methods found in Acts 2:42-47?

3. Will this church waver in its methods when challenged by the world or will it stay strong and as separate as it needs to be?

We have now finished part 3 of this series of characteristics to consider in choosing a church. We have one more part remaining, which looks at a different part of the church than we have looked at to this point.

1. Photo credits: www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YKKWGPNX

Church Hunters -- Part 2

Last time, we looked at the commissioned church. Today, we are looking at the continuing church. So what is a continuing church? It is a church that is continuing in what Christ left us on earth to do. While the commission is the essence of our ministry, the continuing is the environment that God has called us to create in the church. Let's look at Acts 2:42-47--

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The church here continued in several different things here. And not only did they continue, they continued steadfastly. Steadfastly there means faithfully or regularly. They did not fail to make use of these practices and create a godly environment in the church I would like to point out six of these practices, and then show the result of those practices.

1. They continued in teaching -- "doctrine" (v. 42)

The early church was one that heard the words of the apostles. These men had heard directly from Jesus Christ Himself. They'd followed Him for three and a half years. And what they had been taught, they taught to the people. Look where we are today. We have the scriptures, from Genesis all the way to Revelation. We have the very Words of God at our fingertips. As such, our churches should be teaching the doctrines that are found within. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Is my church teaching doctrine that lines up with scripture?

2. Is my church continuing to teach in different settings and formats?

3. Is my church exalting the Bible as the authority for all doctrine, rather than the men who speak in the pulpit?

2. They continued in fellowship -- "fellowship (v. 42); with one accord (v. 46)"

The early church enjoyed each other's company. They were friends. They didn’t just walk in, sing a couple songs, pray, hear some teaching, and leave. They formed relationships with the other members of the congregation. They learned to love these people. Many people in churches today seem to hold to the "come, sit, stand, leave" philosophy of church attendance. But God wants us to continue in fellowshipping with one another, in forming relationships. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Is my church a friendly church?

2. Does the pastor encourage us to fellowship with one another?

3. Do we have opportunities for fellowship (meals, small groups, etc.)?

3. They continued in discipleship -- "breaking bread" (vv. 42, 46)

This practice is a mix of the previous two-- teaching in principle, fellowship in practice. When the early church created relationships, they then were able to teach others more closely. They were breaking bread together, eating meals with smaller groups of people.  This is the practice. The principle comes in the word breaking. When they would break the bread, they would pass it around to all who were at the table. They would spread the bread around so that all could have some, and in the process also spread knowledge around. Where do this principle and this practice leave the church today? In practice, our relationships should deepen to the point where we can implement the principle of discipleship in our everyday living. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Does the church provide ample opportunity for me to learn from other members?

2. Does the church provide ample opportunity for me to teach other members?

3. Is discipleship encouraged along with outreach?

4. They continued in prayers -- "in prayers" (v. 42)

The early church knew the power that prayer had. The apostles had seen The power of prayer in the life of Jesus Christ and had learned how to pray from Him. These prayers filled the church with power. They prayed for God to work in their church, in the lives of other church members, and in their own personal lives. What should this mean for us in our churches? We should be using prayer to fill our church as a whole and the people within the church with power. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Does my church encourage us to pray for one another by providing prayer requests and praises in the service and/or on paper?

2. Does my church provide opportunities to pray for one another?

5. They continued in giving -- "parted them to all men (v. 45); from house to house (v. 46)"

Giving is one of the hardest things to do. As people, we naturally desire for our own welfare to grow through receiving. But here in Acts, the church was naturally giving. Not only did they give, but they gave sacrificially. They would sell off a piece of property and give all the proceeds to the church. The church could then spread that money to people who were in need. As a church now, we should be giving for several things that are even mentioned in the Bible. We should be giving 1) to support the local church ministry and the pastor (I Tim. 5:17-18), 2) to provide for the needs of others (Acts 2:45), and 3) to support the work of missionaries (II Cor. 8:1-5). 

QUESTIONS:

1. Am I going to have an opportunity to give to support the church and the pastor?

2. Am I going to have an opportunity to give to support others who are in the church and in the community?

3. Am I going to have an opportunity to give to support missionaries around the world?

6. They continued in worship -- "Praising God" (v. 47)

Worship is the culmination of all the above practices. Worship is not just a style of music, but rather an environment, a culture, and a lifestyle that glorifies God. When the early church did all of the above, they also continued in worshipping God. God was honored. God was glorified.

QUESTIONS:

1. Do the actions of this church exemplify worship of God?

2. Is the church's atmosphere and environment one that places a priority on worship?

3. Am I able to glorify God in my actions in this ministry?

Now, what was the result of this atmosphere? What did God do for this church? Look at the end of verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." When this church created an environment surrounded around God-honoring practices, God brought in the souls who would be saved and would join the church. The church grew as a result of honoring God. They grew in numbers and in spiritual matters. This church is a great example for us to follow. 

1. Photo credits: www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YKKWGPNX

Church Hunters -- Part 1

In the last few weeks, I've reached out to people at my college asking them what they would like to learn about from the Bible. One of the topics requested was "Characteristics to look for when choosing a church." In response to this, I have written a 4 part series from the Bible about general characteristics that each Christian should look for in choosing a church. Often one may just attend a church for a few weeks, decide if we like it, and either stay or move on. Growing up as a pastor's grandkid I saw this cycle happen all the time. But what does the Bible say about where we attend church? The 4 characteristics we will be looking at are 1) The Commissioned Church (Acts 1:8), 2) The Continuing Church (Acts 2:42-47), 3) The Convinced Church (Acts 4), and 4) The Called Pastor (I Timothy 3).

What is the commissioned church? It is the church that follows the command of Christ in Acts 1:8:

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The church that follows this commission is one that the Christian should desire to attend. This church is a church that has received power from God and the Holy Ghost, meaning that they are indeed a Bible-believing, saved congregation. The members have accepted Christ's sacrifice and have the Holy Ghost dwelling inside them. That is a basic qualification.

But this church is not only one that is saved, but it also is witnessing--it is indeed following the commission of Christ. This commission is to 4 different groups of people.

1. The commission is to the community. "In Jerusalem"

Jerusalem was the city where the disciples were located. They were first to go to the people right where they were located. This is a basic mission for any church. If a church is not going to attempt to reach their local community, it is not going to grow, let alone thrive in the community.

QUESTIONS:

1. How is this church reaching out to the local community?

2. What is this church's reputation with the community?

2. The commission is to the surrounding area. "In all Judaea"

Judaea was the province that Jerusalem was located in. For we who are in the states, that would be like our state. For my home, it is Pennsylvania. For my school, it is Florida. This Judaea should be reached by the church. The local church should have fellowship with and a good reputation with other churches in their area. 

QUESTIONS:

1. Do this church have fellowship with other local, like-minded churches?

2. Do this church have a good reputation with other local, like-minded churches?

3.  The commission is to the outcasts. "In Samaria"

Regionally, Samaria could be considered the surrounding area to Judaea and Jerusalem. It's only one region over. But the Samaritans were also the outcasts of the land of Palestine in this time period. They were half-breeds, mixed Jews and Assyrians. They worshipped differently and in a different place than their half-brothers. These two countries did not get along. But Jesus went to them. He commanded His disciples to go to them. Jesus went to all the outcasts of society--the sinners, the tax collectors, the harlots, the lepers.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is this church willing to go to the outcasts of society?

2. When this church encounters outcasts, does it treat them with kindness?

4. The commission is to the world. "The uttermost part of the earth"

This is fairly simple. The same application that applied then applies today--everyone everywhere deserves to hear about Christ. Other verses in scripture say "all the world," "all nations," and "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." 

QUESTIONS:

1. What is this church's attitude toward global missions?

2. Are we encouraged to give more to missions?

3. Are we encouraged to potentially go as missionaries, on short-term, long-term, or lifetime missions trips?

4. Are we supporting as many missionaries as we possibly can?

I must clarify before we move forward in this series: negative answers to one or two of the above questions do not necessarily mean that God does not want you in that church. It may be that the desire and vision is there, but the means are not. What it does mean is that these should be questions to take up with your pastor and volunteer to lead in answering those questions in the church if God is leading you to do so.

The church being commissioned--being willing to go into the community, to the surrounding area, to the outcasts, and to the world--is a must have for every Christian. The commission is the essence of what God has left us here on earth to do. If our church is not following this commission, where does that leave us as an individual? I must also issue this encouragement: do what you can to fulfill the commission in your own life. When you are doing so, God will lead you in finding a church that is fulfilling the commission as well.

1. Photo credits: www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YKKWGPNX

2. Video credits: https://www.facebook.com/johnbcrist/videos/1026079677527111/