Month: May 2009

What is the Church Anyway?

Rob WoodrumLeave a comment

Our text this Sunday will be 1 Tim 3:14-16 (In the Message)

Just a few short verses, in which Paul gives an explanation about why he’s writing this letter in the first place.  In his explanation, he gives some very interesting insights about the nature of the church gathering.  How does v15 describe the church?  What three descriptors does he use?  What do those mean to you?

The context is the church, yet what does v16 seem to be talking about?  What do you see as the connection?

Short…to the point…yet a lot to think about.  See youse Sunday.

Quality Control for Leaders

Rob Woodrum1 Comment

casual-1Phew…glad last week is over.  Happily, it didn’t stir nary a trace of controversy, which is awesome, since the verses we dealt with are so traditionally controversial.

This Sunday we’ll be looking at 1 Timothy 3:1-13. (the Message)

Any group of people that seek to unite and accomplish a common goal are going to, by necessity, have leaders within the group.  Even on game shows like Survivor, we see how people naturally fall into roles and leaders eventually emerge among the tribes.  An old axiom says, “If everyone is in charge, then no one is.” .  We had to learn those lessons early on in trying to re-imagine our approach to church in Eastgate.  Leaders are part of the deal.

Paul provides lists of character traits that the leadership of the church should embody.  Why do you think it’s important for those who lead the church community to embody these moral characteristics?  Is it a double standard…that is, should these traits only characterize the leadership, or is there something else to this?

The word Paul uses for “Bishop” is episkope, and it means someone who watches over things and investigates them…it is commonly called “an overseer”.  Many denominations have created an office hierarchy out of this word…but the text doesn’t seem to support that.  Words like “pastor/shepherd”, “elder” and “bishop/overseer” are more than likely describing the different functions of those who lead the local church.  Read 1 Peter 5:1-2 …do you notice anything about those terms in this verse?

The other designation for leadership is “deacon”, which in the Greek is diakonos, and it literally means “servant”.  I suppose this is any function in the church community that serves the specific needs a community has…including what the cultural developments require.  Things like teaching the children, music ministry, making coffee, doing media stuff….these would be included, in my thinking, as we make the generational and cultural leap to the 21st century.

Traditional formations of the church have created an elaborate hierarchy from passages like these…do you get any sense of an elevated class of people from what Paul says here?  What is the overall sense of Paul’s instructions….and how would you apply it to church as you know it?

Interesting stuff to chew on…huh?

See yers’ Sunday

How To Make a Difference

Rob Woodrum2 Comments

Hey!  I was out of town last week, hence the lack of an update.  But now I’m back (insert cheers or boos here, your choice).

Happy Mom’s day!  Be sure to buy your Mom some flowers and a card…or give her cash, that should shock her. 

hand_to_heaven_180x180This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 Timothy 2:1-7.  (In the Message).  We’re looking at 1&2 Timothy with the theme of discovering what Church life should look like in real life.  Paul started off his letter with instructions about keeping the Gospel streamlined…not adding sensational stories or heavy-handed rules.  From doctrine, he moves to practical instructions about the church’s place in this world, and our primary means of making a difference.

In v1-2, Paul gives specific instructions about how we are to deal with our fellow human beings…from our neighbors to our president.  What is his instruction?  Why does he make that such a priority?

V2 even tells us about the priorities of our lifestyle.  What should characterize the Christian life in relationship to the world around us?  HERE is the literal Greek word for the last word used to describe the Christian lifestyle in v2.  Does this characterize your life?  How does Paul’s instructions in v1 connect with v2?

In v3-7 Paul describes the ultimate way we as the church make a difference in this world.  In light of the prevalent call to political activism, these last verses seem to temper our understanding about what the church is called to do and represent.  What does that mean about our primary mission in the world?

Looking forward to exploring this together on Sunday!  See yez’ then!