The first lady (the title for our pastor’s wife) sent out an e-mail to the leaders of the church containing a grocery, toiletry, and cleaning supply list which details the first family’s needs for the month of November.  The leaders passed out the list to the entire congregation last Sunday.  They want everyone in the congregation to contribute to all fifteen items each week.  There are fifteen items on the list for week one, fifteen items for week two, and fifteen items for week three.  On week four, they are asking for a monetary donation of at least ten dollars from each member.  We have one hundred members.  Should we comply with this list?  The pastor and his wife are well-off.  They have three luxury cars and a four-bedroom house with a two-car garage… while most of the people in the congregation, including myself, can’t afford food and have to go to the food bank each month.  They told us that 100% of the items will go to the first family and that God will bless us for doing so. Please advise.

Sincerely,
Church Mouse

Dear Church Mouse,

We get buckets of questions from people asking for help because every church they find seems to only care about money… it’s horrid what people have done in the name of religion.  Unfortunately, there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9).  Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for the same greedy behavior (Lk 20:46-47).

In the end, you want to be a Christian – not a Baptist, Methodist, Calvinist, Lutheran, etc.  Baptist churches only make Baptists, Methodist churches only make Methodists, and so on.  You need to find a church that belongs to Christ, not men.  This “first family” has warped and twisted the Scriptures to make religion all about them… and not about God.  Such people have a very strict judgment awaiting them (Jas 3:1).  We would be happy to help you find a faithful church that will teach the Bible and leave all the manmade garbage out.  E-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org if you would like help finding a peaceful, faithful, and godly church to attend in your area.

     Why do christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, and the Bible does not mention that day?  Why do we have to follow the Catholic church?  It was a day they used to celebrate the sun.

Sincerely,
Un-Sunny Disposition

Dear Un-Sunny Disposition,

Many people believe Christmas to be a spiritual holiday, but the Bible never commands us to celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25^th (the truth is, no one knows when Jesus was born, but it was most likely in the spring or summer because the shepherds were out – Lk 2:15).  Christians are commanded to remember Jesus’ death every first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 11:24-25)… we are never commanded to remember His birth on an annual basis.  Christmas is not a biblical holiday.  There is nothing wrong with celebrating it as a family holiday, but it is wrong to teach that there is a biblical foundation to it.

Christmas can be traced back to the Roman pagan holiday of Winter Solstice (also known as ‘Saturnalia’ because it was in worship of the god, Saturn).  As Catholicism tried to integrate itself into a pagan Roman world, Christmas was instituted by Pope Julius I on December 25^th as a way to assimilate the pagans into a Catholic worldview.  In short, Christmas has never been a truly biblical holiday; it is a manmade tradition with no bearings upon your salvation.

     Does your local congregation use incense in your worship service?  If the “pure offering” referred to in Mal 1:11 is the lives of the people of the New Testament Church (as you say), then when does your congregation “offer incense” in God’s name?  Remember, you have previously stated, “If you avoid or ignore verses, that is just as bad as adding to the Bible (Rev 22:18-19).  We have to take every Bible teaching, no matter how unpopular, and accept it in order to truly call ourselves a ‘Bible-only’ congregation.”

Thanks.

Sincerely,
Burning To Know

Dear Burning To Know,

Just like the offerings mentioned in the previous post aren’t literal animal sacrifices, the “incense” that the church sends up to God isn’t literally on fire.  Mal 1:11 is a verse dealing with general principles of the church’s behavior in the way that an Old Testament Jew acquainted with Old Testament worship could understand.  The Bible says that the lives of the righteous are like the sweet smell of incense before those that are perishing (2 Cor 2:14-16).  Rev 8:3-4 also compares our prayers to burning incense.  In either case, nowhere is the church asked to burn incense as a part of worship.  Mal 1:11 would have to be taken out of context to use it as a proof text for incense as an act of New Testament worship.

     Is it alright to give money through the mail to a church for a prophecy?

Sincerely,
Paying The Price

Dear Paying The Price,

Televangelists that promise healing miracles, local preachers that profess to have visions, and any others of their ilk are charlatans and liars.  They are no different than Simon the magician who tried to buy the gift of God for money… they are diseased in heart and enslaved to iniquity (Acts 8:19-23).  The word of God is in the Bible and free and available to everyone… anyone that tries to sell it to you is a false teacher.  Accept nothing but the Bible; don’t let anyone add to it, and don’t let anyone take away from it (Rev 22:18-19).  We have everything we need to know about life and godliness within the pages of the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:3).  There is no need for additional prophecy because God has handed down to us once and for all His Word to the saints (Jude 1:3).  Don’t give a penny, or even a greeting, to those who would use the Gospel for greedy gain (2 Jn 1:10-11).

Should people be getting up in front of the congregation and giving testimonies in the Lord’s church today?

Sincerely,
Speaking Up

Dear Speaking Up,

We are given a couple of requirements regarding speaking in the church assembly.  Any testimony that someone gives of how Christ had helped them, how they had been converted, etc., must fit within the biblical guidelines for the church assembly.

One guideline is that women are not supposed to be speaking or in leadership positions during worship (1 Cor 14:34).  Therefore, any woman that has a testimony to give about her life wouldn’t be able to do it in that setting.

Another guideline is that everything should be done decently and in order (1 Cor 14:40).  Many of the churches that have people give testimonials do so in a chaotic fashion with people jumping up to speak or yelling out during services… this is wholly inappropriate.  A congregation is required to be thoughtful and prepared with how the worship service is run.

These two guidelines alone clarify things.  If a man had a worthwhile teaching to give or biblical message to present, and it was prepared and presented in a way that was proper and decently in order, it would be permissible.  Realistically, very few of the churches in the religious world that use the “testimonial system” do that.

How many false prophets does the Bible mention?

Sincerely,
Counting The Corrupt

Dear Counting The Corrupt,

The Bible doesn’t mention a specific number of false prophets – it just says that there are many (Matt 24:11).  The world is fraught with false prophets who seek to use the Bible for their own gain and lead people astray.  This is why John warns us to test all teachers and compare what they say to the Bible (1 Jn 4:1).  Sadly, most of mankind is either duped by these false teachers or frustrated.  Even within the Lord’s church, false teachers and sin cause people’s love to grow cold (Matt 24:12).  False prophets are innumerable, and the way of truth is spoken against because of them (2 Pet 2:1-2).  It is an uphill battle, but if christians continue to refer people to the Bible instead of their own wisdom, God’s Word will be glorified.

How can I justify hopping, clapping, and swinging back and forth while singing praises to God?  It feels so good; it can’t be wrong… can it?

Sincerely,
Mover And Shaker

Dear Mover And Shaker,

Just because something feels good doesn’t mean it is good.  If our standard for right and wrong is whether or not something feels good… all sin would be acceptable because all sin is intended to make us feel good (1 Jn 2:16).

It is very important that whenever we try and find what is right and wrong, we don’t go looking to prove that something is okay.  You can find anything in the Bible if you want it bad enough – all you have to do is twist the Scriptures and take them out of context (Gal 1:6-7).  Don’t try and justify behavior; try and find the Bible pattern.

So what is the Bible pattern for singing praises?  We are told to make melody with our voices and with our hearts (Eph 5:19).  What God wants to hear is our voices – not instruments, not clapping, not hopping up and down like at a rock concert.  God wants us to soberly and faithfully approach Him with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col 3:16).  We are to worship in a way that is decent and orderly (1 Cor 14:40), so the unbeliever and unlearned will be convicted by our words and behavior (1 Cor 14:16).  Much of modern worship is about how we feel, and it caters to our entertainment instead of God’s Word.  If we don’t have an example of christians hopping, clapping, and swinging back and forth in the Bible – we shouldn’t do it either (Rev 22:18-19).

I want to join a new church, but this church has church on Saturday and Bible study on Tuesday; I thought church must be on Sunday and Bible study on Wednesday, or does it matter?

Sincerely,
Calendar Keeper

Dear Calendar Keeper,

We can study the Bible whenever we want (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, etc.), but the church is commanded to come together on Sunday to worship.  Acts 20:7 gives us the example that the church took the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, and 1 Cor 16:1-2 shows us that the church should take up a contribution on Sunday.  The church must come together on Sunday to do these two things if nothing else.  We have further evidence that the church used Sunday as a day of worship because John used the term “the Lord’s day” in Rev 1:10.  Numerous early christian writers and historians refer to Sunday as the Lord’s day.  Sunday is a day that God has set aside for christians to come together, remember Jesus’ sacrifice, contribute to the work, sing songs of praise, pray, and study God’s Word.  Any church that doesn’t meet on Sundays isn’t taking the Bible seriously.

Thank you so very much for the quick response.  I left church early tonight and felt very guilty even taking communion to my Holy Father because I had to excuse myself right after communion, so I could leave.  I just had to get out of there.  The Sunday night service was worse than the morning.  I am beginning to think that my pastor has serious mental problems, and I don’t know what to do about it.  I am teaching Sunday school, and I am able to teach one hour of truth, and I am able to sing worship songs to God.  But the preaching is making my nerves shaky.  He either tells news stories that he gets from the internet that are so far fetched it’s like something from the Globe or the Enquirer, or he reads history books, or he shows videos on a big screen.  This morning, when he said what he did about Jesus, it was about the worst!  But nobody seems to mind.  If they do, I don’t hear it.  I am wanting to get away and seek the Lord for wisdom as to whether or not to quit the church, but I am certain that the Lord has called me to work for Him.  I just don’t know what to do about this preacher.  I e-mailed him the Scripture that proves that Mary and Joseph were married before Jesus was born, but he won’t say anything about it.  Would you please pray that God will show me what His plan is and what His will is?  I need to sing, and I love teaching Sunday school.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Horrified

Dear Horrified,

We appreciate your dedication to your congregation and your righteous indignation over false teaching.  May we offer some thoughts on the issue?  You have written to us on numerous occasions because of the unscriptural things that are coming from your church’s pulpit.  You are trying to balance your desire to work for Christ and your desire to avoid false teaching.  Have you considered that by leaving and going somewhere faithful, you would be doing both?  God says that a faithful congregation should be “a pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).  In your own words, the church you are currently a part of isn’t – and the membership doesn’t seem to care about changing that.  Your labors (which you intended to offer to the Lord) are being used to support false teaching and unscriptural practices.  Since it seems clear that the congregation is at peace with their preacher’s sermons and teachings… you are now in the vast minority and propping up a sinking ship.  Looking at the character and honesty your letters have conveyed – you simply aren’t with a like-minded group of people.  We know of faithful, biblically-sound churches all across America… churches you could feel comfortable in, grow from the teaching of, and use your zeal and energy to support.  Would you consider letting us recommend one to you?  If so, e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

“By His stripes, we were healed.”  I used it, and I have had it work.  The Lord said three times when Satan came to tempt Him, “It is written”, so when something doesn’t line up with the Word of God, I start out with saying that and the verse it coincides with.  My question is: why are the results not immediate (except once and that was because two other believers, an elder and pastor, laid hands on me)?  It took forty-five minutes of speaking to my son’s illness before manifestation of a cure – is this a faith thing, time willing to spend thing, or amount of people thing?  Pardon any religious ignorance ‘cause I have worked weekends for fifteen years, and the only church I get is once a month and computer/TV church.  I am not familiar with a lot of standards, and my current church doesn’t even lay hands on the sick, but I am looking for a job wherever my Lord wants me and a church my wife and I can agree on that is without religious/denomination issues.  Thanks and God bless.  You answer guys are a Godsend.

Sincerely,
A Heart For Healing

Dear A Heart For Healing,

The verse you quoted is Isa 53:5, and it refers to Jesus’ crucifixion healing us from our spiritual wounds… not our physical ones.  Peter quoted the same verse in 1 Pet 2:24 and clarifies that the healing we received was from the wounds of sin.  Many televangelists and Pentecostal churches teach that we can have physical wounds miraculously healed if we have enough faith, but that simply isn’t true.  There was a time when God allowed the apostles and prophets to perform miracles, but that time has passed (read “Gifts That Stop Giving” for more details on the cessation of miracles).

God never promises that we won’t suffer physical ailments.  In fact, we are promised that our bodies will deteriorate, and only our souls will live on forever (2 Cor 4:16).  Paul had a physical disorder that he prayed would be removed, and God said, “No.” (2 Cor 12:7-9)  Sometimes, suffering is just part of a christian’s life – after all, this world is not our home (Heb 11:14-16).

We love your attitude of accepting only what the Bible says.  We would be happy to help you find a congregation in your area without denominational ties!  We don’t believe in denominationalism either (read “Down With Denominationalism” for the Bible’s take on all the religious confusion today).  If you would like our help, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

When I am playing the piano in our worship, I hardly ever feel the presence of God.  But when I have the Sunday off, and I am worshipping, I feel God’s presence.  Why is this?

Sincerely,
Not Feeling It

Dear Not Feeling It,

There are two parts to your question that must be dealt with.  Before we answer your concerns about how and when you feel close to God, we recommend you read the post “Music to HIS Ears”.  After reading that, it may make the second part of this question obsolete because it explains how using instruments as a part of worship isn’t a biblical practice.

The second half of your question deals with emotion.  The Bible never talks about us feeling the presence of God.  In fact, mankind hasn’t been allowed in the presence of God since Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden (Gen 3:8).  The angels are in God’s presence (Lk 1:19), but mankind won’t be until the Day of Judgment.  God is certainly close to us and affects our lives (Acts 17:27-28), but we don’t have direct contact with Him.  So when we talk about “feeling the presence of God”, what we are really discussing is when we feel emotionally close to God.  Emotions are fickle.  There will be times when you will feel like God is far from you… but you are wrong because He is still watching over you (Ps 9:10), and there are folks that believe that they are close to God, but they are separated from Him because they are living wickedly (Matt 7:21-23).  Simply put, we can’t trust our emotions to be accurate.  The only way to confidently know that God is near you is to live faithfully by hearing and acting upon His instructions (Rom 1:16).

I sometimes pray with a group of people on a prayer line.  The leader calls in from Africa.  The man calls himself a prophet.  No one has ever seen him.

The prophet is the leader of this prayer line.  He seems to be a wonderful man of God with spiritual gifts… always praying in the name of Jesus.  I’m very concerned and do not want to be deceived into any magic or anything that is against God.

He often asks the people who are having issues to bring oil, water, white handkerchiefs, stones, garments, shoes, rings, pictures, honey, sugar, salt, shirts, and many other objects.  He would pray over them and tell us what to do with them (for example: wear it to bed, put it under your pillow, flush things down the toilet, place it in the Bible, and various directions).

Could it be that, in the background, he is working magic?  Is this of God?  Should christians be involved in this?  Thanks for your honest answer.

Sincerely,
On The Party Line

Dear On The Party Line,

This man is definitely not of God.  God tells us to test all teachers and compare them to the Scriptures (1 Jhn 4:1) because even false teachers disguise themselves as ministers of the light (2 Cor 11:14-15).  This man is a great example of this.

God never teaches that we should do the things that this “prophet” is telling you to do.  In fact, the Bible teaches that all behavior like this is occult and should be fled from.  When the christians of the first-century converted, they burned their books of magic and fled from such occult practices (Acts 19:19).  Paul tells us that all spiritual gifts have ceased (1 Cor 13:8-10).  This man isn’t teaching or living by Bible principles; he has warped God’s Word for his own purposes, and that will get him in a lot of eternal trouble (Gal 1:6-8).  This man has gone beyond the Scriptures (1 Cor 4:6).  Don’t unwittingly become his accomplice by entertaining his false notions (2 Jhn 1:11).  You are right to be concerned.

Hi.  Hope you are having a wonderful day.  I have a question.  I know that if you sow financial seed, you can receive a harvest from God, but what I want to know is: can I also sow financial seed to receive a healing from God???

Sincerely,
Medical Costs?

Dear Medical Costs,

Whoever told you that you are guaranteed a financial harvest by giving to God is misinterpreting the meaning of 2 Cor 9:6.  The idea that we get financial gain by giving more to churches is a heretical teaching that very conveniently happens to sow financial prosperity for churches… regardless of what happens to the people they are preaching to.  This teaching is often referred to as “the prosperity gospel” and is wrong (read our article “Cash Cow” for further details on that false doctrine).  Suffice it to say, sometimes God blesses giving people with financial blessings, but other times, truly godly people suffer through great financial struggles.

We don’t know what physical ailment you wish to have healed, but more money in the contribution plate isn’t the answer, and if your church is telling you that it is – you need to find a new church!  We can help with that if you’d like (e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org).  God tells us to pray when we are sick and to have others pray for us as well (Jas 5:14).  Righteous prayers do more good than we can ever imagine (Pr 15:29, Jas 5:16).  Live faithfully and trust that God is in control (Ps 46:10).

I’m a new christian, but there is so much that I do not understand; one of the things that I need to know is: when I was in the Baptist church, I learned to take communion every first Sunday.  Now, I’m in a different church, and there is no communion… just once a year washing of the feet as Mary did for Jesus, so when I heard that one of the ministries on TV was giving communion last week, I also took part while at home.  Was I wrong, or should I only do feet washing?  Thank you for taking the time to answer.

Sincerely,
Clean Toes

Dear Clean Toes,

The church should take communion every Sunday.  In fact, the subject is so clear that it is an evident sign that a congregation isn’t biblically sound if they don’t take it every Sunday.  In Acts 20:7, we see that the church, including the apostle Paul, gathered on the first day of the week to take the Lord’s Supper.  We are told to follow the example of the apostles (1 Cor 11:1).  In the New Testament, the church took the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, and we should, too.

On a separate but related note, we never see feet washing as a part of the worship service of the church.  Though there are examples of feet washing in the Bible, none of those examples are a part of congregational worship.  The church you are attending is failing to take communion when the Bible says to, and it is adding feet washing as worship when the Bible never teaches that… God warns against adding or subtracting from His Word (Rev 22:18-19).

I am a minister/evangelist and a widow with four children.  I have just reunited with a childhood sweetheart.  We haven’t seen each other in thirty years.  We have been intimate and want to get married in six months.  He is saved and a deacon at his church in another state.  He has been a member for twenty years.  I am relocating to his state.  Our main problem is that he will not compromise or is willing to change his church or denomination.  I really feel bad because I have fallen in love and want to be married again after twenty-three years of marriage to my late husband.  I have a call in my life to minister to women and children.  I want to be with him at his church, but I know it wouldn’t be long.  What do I do?  We need to clean up our act; I will not minister and treat God with disrespect in the pulpit.  What should I do?

Sincerely,
Perplexed

Dear Perplexed,

The best way for you to not treat God with disrespect in the pulpit would be to stay out of the pulpit.  You are worried about which denomination to be a part of, but all denominationalism is wrong (see “Down With Denominationalism” for further details).  You are worried about mistreating the pulpit by being married to a man of different religious views, but you ignore the fact that women aren’t supposed to be in the pulpit (1 Cor 14:34).  We here at AYP have a consistent record of showing patience with people who ask questions on this site, but just like our Lord taught… we have zero patience for those who profess to teach Christ but instead are hypocrites (Matt 23:13-15).  You say that you are an evangelist, and yet you ignore the most basic Bible teachings on men and women’s roles, the error of denominationalism (Eph 4:4-6), and depending on what you mean by “we have been intimate”, maybe even have ignored God’s teachings on marriage and sex (Heb 13:4).  Ma’am, you are no minister of Christ (Matt 7:21-23).

I received your answer and thank you.  My question… you said there is nothing wrong with celebrating christmas as a family holiday, but it is wrong to teach it as a biblical holiday.  If it’s wrong to teach it as a biblical tradition, then why would God approve of it?  Also, if this is a tradition that the Romans made because they worship the god of Saturn, then I know God would not approve because He is a jealous God and says not to worship any other gods but Him (Ex 20:3).

Did you know that more people commit suicide around christmas than any other holiday… because people are afraid that they will not have the right present or won’t have enough money to buy one?  And every year, your family expects you to get them a gift or material of some sort, and if you don’t, they get mad and angry at you.  Christmas is not about Jesus; it’s all about money and profit.  When people get up on December 25^th to celebrate Christmas, the first thing they do is run to the presents and materials.  They don’t bow down and thank God for what they already have.  This is a holiday that brings more hate than it does love.  Why?  Because God does not approve of it.

Sincerely,
The Grinch

Dear The Grinch,

We have many holidays that don’t have biblical origins.  Memorial day, Valentine’s Day, and Thanksgiving are all examples of non-biblical holidays.  If Christmas is treated as a voluntary holiday with presents, jovial family get-togethers, etc. – then there is nothing wrong with it.

However, if people are using Christmas to worship Saturn (which is highly unlikely nowadays) or treating it as a biblical necessity, then it is certainly wrong.  Your other concerns about Christmas are issues of greed and love.  God makes it clear that He hates it when we are fixated with material things (Lk 16:13).  The way many people treat the holidays is indicative of a growing dysfunction in our culture.  Many people forget that our lives consist of more than our possessions (Lk 12:15).

Why does the church not teach when Christmas first started?  They only teach that it’s Jesus’ birthday.  But they don’t teach who actually started Christmas.  Everything that I have been studying about Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus; it’s all about money.  When I type ‘what is Christmas’ into a search engine, Santa Claus is the first thing that is shown, not Jesus.  Congress was actually started on December 25^th, 1870, and America decided to make that the Christmas federal holiday.  Jesus was never born around December.  All my life, I have been told lies about Christmas.  Can someone out there tell me the truth about Christmas?

Sincerely,
The Grinch

Dear The Grinch,

Many people believe Christmas to be a spiritual holiday, but the Bible never commands us to celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25^th (the truth is, no one knows when Jesus was born, but it was most likely in the spring or summer because the shepherds were out – Lk 2:15).  Christians are commanded to remember Jesus’ death every first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 11:24-25)… we are never commanded to remember His birth on an annual basis.  Christmas is not a biblical holiday.  There is nothing wrong with celebrating it as a family holiday, but it is wrong to teach that there is a biblical foundation to it.

Christmas can be traced back to the Roman pagan holiday of Winter Solstice (also known as ‘Saturnalia’ because it was in worship of the god, Saturn).  As Catholicism tried to integrate itself into a pagan Roman world, Christmas was instituted by Pope Julius I on December 25^th as a way to assimilate the pagans into a Catholic worldview.  In short, Christmas has never been a truly biblical holiday; it is a manmade tradition with no bearings upon your salvation.

I have to respond to your demonology answer.  Yes, I believe that demons are not subject to humans truly living in the name of Jesus, but I believe the Lord allows evil to dwell in ignorance.  I myself, along with many other investigators, have experienced scientific proof of ghosts (demons) in electronic voices and documentation.  You can’t really believe that this is just a delusion that hundreds of millions of people are experiencing.  I believe this is Satan using one of his strongest powers, which is the power of deception, to make people believe that some people stay on earth when they die instead of going either to heaven or hell.  There are many cases of possession, such as the case of Anneliese Michel and countless others.  If not for demons, what else could this be?  There has to be a logical answer to ghosts, psychics, possessions, and voodoo besides delusion.  Could it be the deception of a demon?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Demonologist

Dear Demonologist,

There is definitely deception from demons in this world.  All false teaching and beliefs are doctrines from demons (1 Tim 4:1).  Demons do not directly interact with mankind anymore, as we mentioned in the previous post… this would include supposed ghost encounters, etc.  However, Satan and his minions are actively involved in deceiving mankind.  Demons are false gods, and they are the recipients of all false worship (1 Cor 10:20).  There is no doubt that demons are deluding mankind, but you may be barking up the wrong tree as to how they are doing it.

We have other ministers (who are women), and his [the pastor] feelings about women seem to be not ones of love.  Our church voted to ordain these women before he came, but he has blocked this.

Sincerely,
Not Feeling The Love

Dear Not Feeling The Love,

Just one more nail in the coffin for this congregation.  The role of women in the church is a very sensitive issue, which is why it is so important to carefully study the Scriptures on the topic.  Our behavior should always be guided by what God says, not by our personal agendas or emotions.  After clearly lambasting this “pastor” in the previous posts, we find ourselves in the odd position of agreeing with him.  Women should not be ministers.  1 Tim 2:12 very clearly states that women should not be preachers or ministers.  1 Cor 14:34-35 further clarifies that public teaching in the church is not a role for women.  Regardless of how politically incorrect that stance may be… that is what the Bible says.  The congregation you are attending is sinning by having women ministers.  It is time for you to find a faithful church because this church isn’t one.  We would be happy to help you find a congregation in your area – simply e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will help track down a scripturally sound, Bible-following, God-fearing congregation near you.

It’s me again.  If you are not paying tithes, does the pastor have the right to stop you from serving on organizations?  If a deacon disagrees with his program, should the deacon be put off the deacon board?

Sincerely,
Under A Thumb

Dear Under A Thumb,

We’ll answer your question by asking a question: why is there only one pastor in this church?  The Lord never designed the church to be led by one man.  In every New Testament congregation, the church is led by a plurality of elders (also known as pastors).  Pastors lead the church together.  Paul wrote to the elders in Philippi (Php 1:1).  He met with the elders in Ephesus (Acts 20:17).  Every congregation had elders to lead them (Acts 14:23).  There is no example of a single elder/pastor leading the church.  Multiple pastors shepherding the church avoids all the power being placed in the hands of one man.  One man with too much authority can be corrupted… as your church is seeing.  This man is totally corrupted, power hungry, and greedy.  As you have mentioned in your previous questions, he has an unhealthy addiction to money.  This church has a problem with its leadership structure.  If you would like to start attending a congregation that won’t bleed you for every dollar you have AND is Scripturally sound AND will help you get to heaven instead of spreading false teaching, we would be happy to help you locate one in your area.  Our e-mail is askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Our pastor told us that when the offering is taken up, you do not ask God to bless those who did not have anything to give when the person is praying over the offering.

Sincerely,
Blessingless

Dear Blessingless,

That is utter rubbish.  God tells us to pray for the sick (Jas 5:14), the poor (Ps 86:1), our enemies (Matt 5:44), etc.  God tells us to pray for all mankind (1 Tim 2:1).  Any religious leader that is telling people that those who don’t put money into the collection don’t deserve to be prayed for is attempting to shame people into giving money.  It is a horrible and reprehensible practice used by men who are greedy and covetous (1 Tim 6:10).  Don’t walk – RUN from any church that uses this sort of money-grubbing practice.

If I think the pastor is adding or taking away from the Word (for example, he says some things written in the Bible are incorrect), should I continue under him?

Sincerely,
Basic Math

Dear Basic Math,

The Bible is perfect, and we all need to be very careful not to add or take away from the Scriptures (Rev 22:18-19).  We all need to learn to not go beyond what the Lord has written (1 Cor 4:6).  The reason for this is because anyone that willfully teaches or perverts the Scriptures is bound for hell (Gal 1:6-8).  If your pastor is saying the Bible is incorrect – he is wrong.  The Bible is just fine; he is the one that is in trouble.  Leave that congregation immediately and seek a faithful church.  As you can see, all churches are not the Lord’s church.  If you would like help finding a faithful church in your area, e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will do our best to put you in contact with a congregation in your area.

Is it right for a married woman and a divorced preacher to be together?  The preacher says that they were put together even though the woman was and still is married.  They’ve been together six months.  Her divorce comes up May 4th.  The preacher is divorced because his ex-wife committed adultery more than once… what to do?  Just want to do God’s will and live right.  Help.

Sincerely,
Spectator

Dear Spectator,

If the woman is married – she needs to stay away from this preacher and any other man other than her husband (1 Cor 7:2).  It seems pretty clear that this preacher isn’t paying attention to Scriptures if he is dating a married woman.  Even if she is currently separated from her husband… she is still married and should be trying to reconcile if at all possible (1 Cor 7:10-11).  This is not a man of God and not the kind of man she should be involved with.  In our experience, these types of men prey upon vulnerable women and use God’s word as a veil for deceit and lust.  Remember that the devil’s workmen disguise themselves as servants of light (2 Cor 11:14-15).

If you do not have a present to give to the pastor, are you cursed?

Sincerely,
Hexed?

Dear Hexed,

Absolutely not.  Any church that places higher value upon members who contribute more money are in direct violation of Scriptures.  James taught that we should not show partiality between the rich and the poor (Jas 2:1-4).  It is wrong to treat poor christians like lower class citizens because the poor saints are often the very same people who are the richest in faith (Jas 2:5).  A church that is constantly soliciting money from people to the point of shaming them is of the devil.  Christ condemned the Pharisees for “devouring widows’ houses” (Mk 12:40) and commanding people to neglect their families by giving to religion before providing for their own (Mk 7:9-13).  You are not cursed if you are unable to give a present to the pastor… he is cursed if that is the teaching he is giving you.

I have a question about Jesus and how I can be baptized in the Holy Spirit.  It says in the Bible that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, and they talked in tongues, right?  So I’m wondering why I can’t speak in tongues; I’ve gone up to the front at church a long time ago when I was young and was prayed over, but no tongues ever came out of me.  Does this mean I’m not God’s child?  Am I doomed?  I know it sounds dumb, but I need help; I don’t know what to think.  I don’t want to go up there again ever; I’m scared now.

Sincerely,
Tongue-Tied

Dear Tongue-Tied,

You don’t need to speak in tongues to be saved… which is a good thing because nobody speaks in tongues anymore.  Holy Spirit baptism was a miraculous event that happened to the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).  The only other time that Holy Spirit baptism occurred was at the first Gentile conversion (it was given as a sign to Peter that it was okay for non-Jews to become christians – Acts 10:45-48).

Holy Spirit baptism is not what saves you; water baptism is what saves you (Acts 8:36, Mk 16:16, 1 Pet 3:21).  The Holy Spirit provided certain people with the ability to perform miracles.  Other than the apostles, christians received these miraculous abilities by the laying on of the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:16-19).  Doing the math, that means that the last person to have miraculous abilities (like speaking in tongues) had to have lived at the same time as the apostles.  The last apostle died over 1,900 years ago!  Any church that tells you that you have to speak in tongues, prophesy, perform miracles, etc. to be saved is lying to you and misapplying the Scriptures.  We recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, so you can see what the Bible really says about salvation.  If you would like help finding a faithful, Bible-following church in your area, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Is it right for pastors to ask people for money for prophecies?

Sincerely,
Read My Palm

Dear Read My Palm,

Absolutely not!  Especially since God specifically says that we have the perfect and complete Bible, so there are no more prophecies (1 Cor 13:8-10, Jas 1:25).  Televangelists that promise healing miracles, local preachers that profess to have visions, and any others of their ilk are charlatans and liars.  They are no different than Simon the magician who tried to buy the gift of God for money… they are diseased in heart and enslaved to iniquity (Acts 8:19-23).  The word of God is in the Bible and free and available to everyone… anyone that tries to sell it to you is a false teacher.  Accept nothing but the Bible; don’t let anyone add to it, and don’t let anyone take away from it (Rev 22:18-19).  We have everything we need to know about life and godliness within the pages of the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:3).  There is no need for additional prophecy because God has handed down to us once and for all His Word to the saints (Jude 1:3).  Don’t give a penny, or even a greeting, to those who would use the Gospel for greedy gain (2 Jn 1:10-11).

Can an instrument be in a church, or is it a sin?

Sincerely,
Open Mic

Dear Open Mic,

God has given us instruments to use for worshipping Him – our hearts (Eph 5:19).  In the New Testament, God tells us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to Him.  He wants the only melody He hears to come from our hearts.  Instrumental music wasn’t introduced into the church until over three hundred years after Christ.  In fact, ‘a cappella’ singing (singing without instruments) literally means ‘as the church’.  There are no examples of the church using instruments to worship God in the New Testament.  If we start using them, we are adding something to God’s Word (Rev 22:18-19).  All we are ever told to do is “sing and make melody in our hearts”… pluck your heartstrings as you sing to God, and you will make God happy.

What do you do when you feel that you have been pushed aside and not allowed to let your calling being used?  I was a director of a youth choir at my local church.  We now have a minister of music, and now I have been told by them that my services are no longer needed.  Whenever I asked to direct the choir because the Lord has laid a song in my heart, I am told that they have to pray about the song.  I talked to the pastor, and I was told that I should work with the minister of music, but they are not allowing me to work with them.  I have been directing and singing since the age of seven, and I am presently 49.  I have asked the Lord to help me with this situation because I am not clear about what I should do.  I have been asked to join another ministry, but I do not want to leave my present church.

Sincerely,
The Other Director

Dear The Other Director,

We are not exactly sure what advice to give you.  On the one hand, we could simply tell you that it is important to do whatever you can to be at peace with all men (Rom 12:18).  There are many times when we must deal with disappointment in order to get along with others.

On the other hand, we are concerned that we would be giving you a small piece of advice on human relationships while overlooking the weightier issue – the fact that you have been caught up in a world of choirs, ministers of music, and other things not found in the Bible.

The Bible gives us a simple example for worship.  God tells us that all christians should sing and make melody in our hearts (Eph 5:19).  There are no choirs in the New Testament church.  Choirs have audiences… in the church, we should all participate in praising God with our voices.  Choirs are a denominational concept that deviates from the New Testament pattern.  We here at AYP love singing and praising God in song, just like you do.  It is important that we stick to the Bible pattern and have everyone praise God and pluck their heart strings together.  Worship only makes God happy when we worship Him the way He wants (1 Sam 15:22).

Is it wrong to bring a drink into church?  I know in 1 Corinthians it discusses this, and I think it’s clear cut, but I’ve noticed members bringing in water bottles, then it became flavored/colored waters, and now I’ve seen coffee and whipped coffee drinks in the church building.  This bothers me, but maybe I should not be so worked up about this either…

Sincerely,
In A Froth

Dear In A Froth,

1 Cor. 11:22 addresses how the Corinthian church was treating the Lord’s Supper like a common meal.  It is always wrong for the church to become a social organization and add social functions to the work of the church or the worship services.  However, we would not go so far as to use that verse to bar all food or drink from the church building.  Bringing in a bottle of water or a baggie of Cheerios for your child is not the same as having a social meal.

Where the line is between a handful of raisins for a fussy child and a sinful situation that involves a feast replacing the Lord’s work… that is a matter of wisdom.  That is what you are asking about.  It takes wisdom and maturity to discern between good and evil (Heb 5:14).  If not careful, a congregation can easily drift into liberalism (Heb. 2:1).  A congregation’s leadership, which is hopefully an eldership, should be ever vigilant to protect against such drifting.

I now believe as you do regarding miracles and why they ceased to exist when they did.  Also, you enlightened me on why God today uses unseen influences to make good things happen for us when we pray as if we’re asking for a miracle.

My question: what is happening in these charismatic meetings when people report blind people seeing again, limbs growing, all the things you read about in their literature?  I hadn’t given it much thought, not seeing it myself, until a neighbor told me she went to Oklahoma to a huge meeting some years ago, and a preacher, who has since died, would just walk by a portion of the congregation, and everyone would fall out on the floor, start speaking in tongues, people in wheelchairs getting up and running, etc.

Then you hear about some of the people ‘losing their healing’ some time later.  Are they actually receiving something, or is it all in their minds because they’ve been ‘ramped up’ during these meetings?

I’d like to know your opinion and what the Bible has to say about these groups because it seems like they’re just going for all the right reasons, believing that they’ll get healed.

Sincerely,
Caring For The Sick

Dear Caring For The Sick,

Charismatic preachers are false teachers that take advantage of the vulnerable.  People in their darkest hours of sickness seek hope from any source.  Faith healers prey upon this.

The meetings that you are talking about where people fall over, start randomly speaking gibberish, and supposedly are healed are infamous for being rigged.  Many journalists have investigated these tent meetings and found that they are specifically designed to work people into a frenzy.  During that frenzy, the evangelists will tell people they are healed, and the adrenaline of the moment gives some the momentary feeling of being healed.  There are documented cases of patients going to these meetings and being told that they had been cured of their cancer only to have the doctors diagnose them as terminally ill days later.  Other “healed” people are deceivers planted within the audience that pretend to be sick and throw their crutches away to add to the charade.

Those who go to these meetings are vulnerable to false teaching and are consequently deceived.  They are seeking a cure, and the false teachers know what to say to raise their hopes (2 Tim 4:3).  The faith healers are false teachers, and they will be judged by God for their wicked deceptions (2 Pet 2:1-2).  A teacher is more strictly judged (Jas 3:1), and therefore, these preachers will be held accountable for their lies.  It is our duty to try and undo their deception by bringing the truth to those who have been deceived.

Thank you so much for answering my question in a timely manner.  Every Sunday during our worship service at church, we recite the Apostles’ Creed, and I cannot see anything in it that goes against the Bible.  Am I missing something important?   When we recite, “I believe in the holy catholic church…”, I am under the impression it means I believe in the universal church.  I am of the Methodist faith, and I really want to do what is right in keeping with the Bible.  Am I correct re: the Apostles’ Creed?  Thank you so much for helping me.

Sincerely,
Creed Control

Dear Creed Control,

There are several things unscriptural about reciting the Apostles’ Creed.  First of all – it really isn’t the apostles’ creed at all.  Paul said that the only thing he preached was the message of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:1-2).  He also said that if anyone preached anything other than that message, they were wrong (Gal 1:6-8).  So a creed named the Apostles’ Creed is already hypocritical – the only creed the apostles had was the Word of God.

Furthermore, there are several phrases within the Apostles’ Creed that are vague at best – and at least one sentence that directly contradicts the Scripture.  We have highlighted it below in bold:

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
 the Maker of heaven and earth,
 and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
 born of the virgin Mary,
 suffered under Pontius Pilate,
 was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
 and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
 from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost;
 the holy catholic church;
 the communion of saints;
 the forgiveness of sins;
 the resurrection of the body;
 and the life everlasting.  Amen.

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He told the thief next to Him, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43).  Jesus clearly said that He was going to be in Paradise after dying on the cross… not in hell.  The Apostles’ Creed is a direct contradiction of Scripture.
This just goes to highlight the problem with human creeds – at very best, they say the exact same thing as Scripture (in which case… they are redundant and unnecessary), and more likely, they say things that are wrong.  The best thing mankind can do is throw off all creeds and accept nothing but the Bible.

I attend a church that doesn’t teach on the Day of Atonement.  I have in the past given my Atonement offering just the same.  Should I give my Atonement offering to a ministry that would pray over my offering in that regard, or is it okay to continue to give it to my church with the notation “Atonement Offering”?  Does it make a difference?

Sincerely,
Check Please

Dear Check Please,

The Day of Atonement was an Old Testament Jewish festival in which Jews gave offerings by fire – i.e. animal sacrifices – to God (Lev 23:27).  Christians do not celebrate the Jewish feasts.  In fact, Paul specifically told christians not to let anyone bind them to the Old Testament feasts which were just a shadow of the New Law found in Christ (Col 2:17).  The Old Law was a tutor to lead people to Christ, but now that Christ is here – we are no longer under that tutor (Gal 3:24-25).

Christians don’t make “atonement offerings”; we are commanded to take up a collection every Sunday (1 Cor 16:1-2).  We recommend reading “What Must I Do To Be Saved” and “Finding The Church” for more details on what New Testament Christianity is and how to find a faithful congregation to be a part of.

I am so confused; I heard you have to speak in tongues to be saved.  I have not spoken in tongues that I know of, and I know I have the Holy Spirit in me because I feel Him in my heart.  Why is it that some preachers say you must speak in tongues and some say you don’t?  Here is a scripture I am confused about also – Mark16:17: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”  Is this telling me I am not saved since I have not spoken in tongues?

Sincerely,
Speechless

Dear Speechless,

You do not have to speak in tongues to be saved.  The Ethiopian eunuch didn’t speak in tongues, and he was saved (Acts 8:36-39).  The Philippian jailer didn’t speak in tongues, and he was saved (Acts 16:31-34).  Paul taught that only some had the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:28-31).  Any preacher that teaches that you have to speak in tongues to be saved has missed some very basic Bible verses.  They have an agenda and are deserving of condemnation as false teachers who proclaim something other than the Gospel (Gal 1:8-9).

Furthermore, miraculous gifts are no longer present in the church.  They are no longer needed because we have the complete and perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-10).  For further details on this, read “Speaking in Tongues”, “The Lost Art of Prophecy”, and “Spoken Like A True Friend”.

Mark 16:17 is not referring to all christians, but instead it is referring to the “signs that would accompany” Christianity.  As the gospel first spread, God used miracles to attest to the authenticity of the apostles’ claims that Jesus was the Son of God (Mk 16:20).  These signs and wonders were God’s way of supernaturally bearing witness to the preaching (Heb 2:2-4).  Miracles do not make you a christian; obedience to the will of God does (Rom 12:2).  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to understand, verse-by-verse, what it takes to become a christian.  Do not accept anything but the Scriptures.  Only God’s Word holds the answers to our salvation (Rom 1:16).

My wife and I are struggling to make a difficult decision about our church.  Our pastor preached a series of messages about how the Lord speaks to us.  Each week, he talked about God’s message to us through nature, literature, trials, situations, etc.  The particular week that has us concerned is the week he talked about how God speaks to us through movies and media.  At the end of the sermon, he showed a couple of clips from movies that had moved him in his life.  Schindler’s List was one, and there were a few others.  My wife and I had never seen Schindler’s List, so we rented it and were very disturbed by the fact that there was nudity in it.  (We braced ourselves for the horrific acts against the Jewish nation).  So, is there a place for a movie clip from a rated ‘R’ movie from the pulpit?  The movie clip was fitting for what the sermon dealt with, but if he’d seen the entire movie in order to see the final few minutes, he had to have known about the nudity.  I just don’t think it’s appropriate, no matter how moving the final scene is.  Please shed some light on this matter.  How do we approach our pastor?  We love our church and our family, but we feel so conflicted about this.  We don’t want to leave, but we don’t want to be attending a church that thinks being “culturally relevant” means showing rated ‘R’ movie clips.

Sincerely,
Rated ‘P’ for Pure

Dear Rated ‘P’ for Pure,

There is some debate to be had over seeing a ‘R’ rated movie that is rated that way for violence… but nudity is an entirely different matter.  At the very least, christians should be very, very cautious about viewing anything rated ‘R’.  According to the MPAA, a ‘R’ rating on a movie is received for one (or a combination) of five things:

1. Adult themes and activities.  This is a generic listing, but it is fair to say that this content almost always involves subject matter that is inappropriate for anyone with morals.  ‘Adult themes’ is almost always synonymous with ‘sinful behavior’.
2. Hard language
3. Intense or persistent violence
4. Sexually-oriented nudity
5. Drug Abuse

When a christian looks at that list (and at least one of those things MUST be present to receive an ‘R’ rating), it should explain why ‘R’ rated movies can be such a bad thing.  Christians are to dwell upon things that are pure, wholesome, good, and holy – not worldly filth (Php 4:8).  When we dwell upon evil things, like what is found in ‘R’ rated movies, we set ourselves up for spiritual failure and death.  Jesus Christ wasn’t “culturally relevant” in the sense of being like others.  Jesus abhorred worldliness.  The Bible tells us to flee immorality and instead to live soberly and righteously in this present world (Tit 2:12).

The Lord’s church is supposed to uphold the truth (1 Tim 3:15).  It does sound like the congregation you are a part of no longer takes that seriously.  The Lord speaks to us through His Word, not Hollywood.  The Bible is how He reminds us how to live faithfully (2 Pet 3:1).  The Bible is how He teaches us how to avoid sin (1 Jn 2:1).  The Bible is how He shows us how to make our joy full (1 Jn 1:4).  Anything that the world around us shows can only point to God, so that we are without excuse (Rom 1:20).  Salvation and life can only be found in His Word (Rom 1:16).  If a congregation fails to put God’s Word on a platform far above the teachings of the world… then a faithful person must go elsewhere.  See our posts “Finding The Church” and “Preacher Interrogation” for more details on the subject.  We would also be happy to assist you in finding a faithful congregation in your area; simply e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

My parents and I have a question about how to honor my deceased grandpas.  We would appreciate it if you could please help give us some guidance on this.

I was raised in a non-christian family in China.  One of my grandpa’s ashes is kept in a Taoist temple where all the Taoist gods are worshiped.  My other grandpa has a picture at a Buddhist temple where the monks pray regularly.  My parents and I accepted Jesus Christ a few years ago, but our grandpas’ ashes and picture are still at the temples.

We are unsure how to continue to show respect and honor my grandpas without violating God’s commandments.  In America, it is typical that the deceased have a grave, and the loved ones go there to present flowers to honor the dead.  However, in my case, I cannot go to where my grandpa’s ashes are to honor him without entering the Taoist temple full of idols and false gods.  What should I do?  Can I go, ignore the other gods, but just put flowers there for my grandpa?  Should I not go at all?

We cannot move his ashes elsewhere either because my grandma (who is still alive) and all my other relatives are still not christians.  In addition, the spot for his ashes at the temple cost a lot of money when they purchased it.  They are not going to agree to relocating my grandpa’s ashes simply because of my belief and my mother’s.  Both of my grandpas never heard the Gospel in their lives.  They died never knowing Jesus.  What shall we do now to honor them?  Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Sincerely,
Temple Trouble

Dear Temple Trouble,

Every culture and country has unique issues that it presents christians with, but there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9).  Your problem is with appearances.  You know that the Buddhist and Tao gods are nothing at all (1 Cor 8:4).  You know this, but everyone else doesn’t, and therefore, for the sake of their consciences, you must be careful how you act (1 Cor 8:10).  Here are some things to consider:

1. Do people assume if you go to a Taoist temple that you are going to worship their gods?  If so, you cannot go.  Leave flowers outside the temple or give them to relatives to deliver when they visit, but make it clear that you cannot be seen as an idolater.
2. There are some religious sites that don’t give the impression that all visitors are of that religion.  For example, take the Sistine Chapel – millions of people visit the site every year, and many of them are not Catholic at all.  Visiting there does not give the impression you are Catholic; it merely gives the impression that you wanted to see the Sistine Chapel and its art.  If this is the case with visiting these temples, you may be able to go without giving the impression that you are worshipping their idols.  Only you can make this decision.  It is a cultural issue, and you must decide how people would view your visit.
3. Can you in good conscience visit your grandfathers’ memorials?  If we cannot do something in good conscience, for us it is sin (Rom 14:23).  A bothered conscience is a sign that you believe you are doing the wrong thing, and even if that isn’t true – you have to abstain for conscience’s sake.
4. There are many ways to honor our deceased relatives other than visiting their graves.  Putting their photos on our walls, writing memorials, re-telling stories of their lives, etc. are all viable ways of showing how much they meant to you.  When someone dies, they are no longer concerned with the affairs of this world; anything you do to honor them is for the benefit of the living, not them.

After considering both your conscience and the influence you have upon others, prayerfully make a decision and stick to your guns.  In the end, you serve God and not man (Acts 5:29).

Hi, I’m loving your website right now; thanks for sharing this great site with us!

I have a question in regards to speaking in tongues.  A co-worker of mine (who states she is a christian) and I have many talks about biblical topics.  She told me the other day that she has spoken in tongues before.  She also said that she was filled with the Holy Spirit prior to her baptism.  She believes that since she is filled with the Holy Spirit, she is able to speak in tongues.  I know this ability was for the apostles and we do not have this gift today… but how do I go about teaching her this from the New Testament?  I know we all have gifts, but I want to show her this is not a gift that we are bestowed with today.  Help please!

Sincerely,
English Please

Dear English Please,

The easiest way to handle someone who says they have spoken in tongues is to simply ask, “Oh, what tongue did you speak in?”  Invariably, they will be tongue-tied because they will have no clue what you are talking about.  At this point, you can begin to explain that the Bible says speaking in tongues was a miraculous ability that allowed someone to speak in REAL languages that they had never learned (Acts 2:7-11).  The charismatic and Pentecostal churches teach that speaking in tongues is a “hidden” or “secret” language that can only be understood by the angelic beings unless an interpreter is present.  That is hogwash.

The whole purpose of speaking in tongues was to allow the gospel to be spread rapidly.  The gift of speaking in tongues was only useful if it allowed someone to teach another person God’s prophetic word (1 Cor 14:6-9).  Unless your friend was miraculously able to speak another real language that allowed her to teach a real person the gospel – then she will have to realize what she did wasn’t from God.  Then you can begin to teach her that miracles no longer happen (miracles being defined as things that break the natural laws of this world), and they are no longer needed because we have the complete Word of God.  See the posts, “I Dreamed A Dream” and “Three Cheers For Miracles!” for further details on how to explain this concept to your friend.

I know that in many of my friends’ churches, they lift and raise their hands during worship.  Is this wrong?

Sincerely,
Raising A Concern

Dear Raising A Concern,

The practice of lifting up your hands during worship is traced to 1 Tim 2:8, but unfortunately your friends’ churches misunderstand the verse. There is nothing wrong with literally lifting up your hands to God, but Paul is telling them to “lift up holy hands, without wrath and disputing”. The context is about a certain lifestyle that people were to have. It is similar to the saying, “put your hand to the plow” in Lk 9:62. ‘Lifting up holy hands’ refers to working, laboring, and serving in a godly way. Christians are to serve God faithfully, without arguing and disputing with each other. ‘Lifting up holy hands’ has nothing to do with how high your arms are raised when you pray; it has to do with the character of the life we live. Are we living holy lives where our hands serve God (1 Cor 4:12)? Raising your hands during worship has the impression of godliness, but it denies the actual power of God’s command to ‘lift up holy hands’ (2 Tim 3:5).

In answer to a previous question, you said: “The church’s work should be simple. The church of the first century wasn’t involved in every community and political arena. Their work was focused on three things – caring for needy christians (Acts 4:34), preaching to the lost, and teaching the saved (Acts 15:35).”

My church wants to sponsor a speaker to speak (it’s a lecture, not preaching) inside of our church building.  We would charge an entrance fee (or ask for a certain donation) and would pay the speaker for his time, accommodations, and travel expenses.  My conscious is deeply violated by this idea, and I believe it is unethical to have this forum in the church building itself – I don’t mind if it is in a convention center or hotel or other location.  I will not be attending this lecture, but I feel like if my church does host this speaker, I can’t go there and support them without violating my conscience.  What are your thoughts on this?

Sincerely,
Conscientious Objector

Dear Conscientious Objector,

A church doing this doesn’t just violate your conscience; it violates God’s laws. The church of the first century wasn’t interested in the things of this world, nor was it involved in furthering secular education and studies. Jesus even said that His kingdom, the church, was not of this world (Jhn 18:36). The church and any teaching it does should impart spiritual guidance to people (Rom 15:27). This trend of congregations getting wrapped up in earthly knowledge, politics, etc. is indeed unethical.

Furthermore, the congregation is using this speaker as a fundraiser! The Bible only provides one way for the church to garner funds – with a collection made every Sunday from amongst its own members (1 Cor 16:1). Bake sales, entrance fees, garage sales, etc. are not Biblical ways for the church to acquire money. Far too often, churches have gotten so wrapped up in how to bring in more money that they are perpetually holding their hand out, begging, demanding, and selling themselves to increase their finances. “Mega-churches” and televangelists are just an extreme form of the epidemic that is sweeping through religion. Instead of giving the gospel away for free, they are selling it to the highest bidder! Simon was swiftly rebuked for this attitude (Acts 8:20), and any church today that tries to “drum up” funds rather than trust the faithful contribution of its members each Lord’s day should be rebuked just as harshly.

This congregation has a serious problem and has made an obvious decision to disregard some of the most basic teachings on the church; you are right to be upset with them. AskYourPreacher recommends that you ask your preacher where he gets the authority for the choices they are making and then swiftly leave unless they change their ways (see “Finding A Church” for help where to go if things don’t improve).

While visiting a congregation in Hawaii, they announced having a birthday lunch celebration in their building after services. They invited visitors. We chose not to take part in this. Is having lunch in the church building right or wrong?

Sincerely,
It’s Not My Birthday

Dear It’s Not My Birthday,

It’s wrong unless having the lunch is specifically a part of something the church is meant to focus on… and celebrating birthdays isn’t something the church is meant to focus on. The work of a congregation is a very important subject because what a congregation does tells you what is important to them. Most of us have seen churches that are merely social organizations. These groups talk about Jesus, but they are really only interested in having fun and making people feel good. Christ’s church needs to do what Christ wants it to do. It isn’t about what makes us happy, but about what makes Him happy. We are here to do God’s work (Jhn 4:34). If we want to be God’s church, we need to be busy doing what His church did in the Bible. That means we only spend the church’s time, money (the building is part of the church’s money), and effort on things that we can read about the church doing in the Bible. There are only four things we see the church of Jesus Christ doing.

1. Caring for needy christians. The church has the right and responsibility to spend its time and money to help take care of christians that are suffering financially (Acts 4:35, Acts 6:1, Acts 11:28-30).
2. Teach christians. Any congregation that belongs to Jesus has to teach christians about God’s Word, so they will grow and mature in Christ (Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 4:17, Acts 15:35). They also have the right to support preachers and elders who are dedicating themselves to teaching (1 Tim 5:17-18).
3. Preaching to the lost. Perhaps the greatest responsibility of a congregation is to bring the gospel to those who are dead in their sins (Acts 11:26). The church is supposed to preach to the lost because mankind will go to hell without the Bible’s saving words (Rom 1:16).
4. Worship God. The church is supposed to assemble together (Heb 10:25) and worship God. They do this by singing (Col 3:16), praying (Acts 12:5), studying (Acts 2:42), taking the Lord’s Supper on Sunday (Acts 20:7), and taking up a collection on Sunday (1 Cor 16:1).

This is the stuff that Jesus wants His church to be doing. If we aren’t doing that (or if we are doing stuff other than that) – we are no longer His church. His church does what He wants, not what it wants. Everything a church does needs to somehow be specifically involved in furthering one of those four tasks. A church-sponsored birthday party doesn’t fit into those categories. Birthday parties are great, but they aren’t what Jesus’ church is here for.

Is it okay to listen to “Christian Music”? I know the Bible says to sing and make melody in your heart, but outside of church and worship, can you listen to instrumental Christian music? I feel like it’s better to listen to than some of the other stuff that is out there.

Sincerely,
Rhythm And Lyrics

Dear Rhythm And Lyrics,

It isn’t inherently wrong to listen to “Christian Music”, but it is worth considering the effects it will have upon your influence, your behavior, and your conscience. You are right, God asks us to worship Him through singing and making melody in our heart (Eph 5:19). God never asks for any instrument to be plucked but our heart strings. That is the worship He asks for, and that is the worship we should give Him – no more and no less (Rev 22:18-19, Deu 4:2).

If you are going to listen to religious music with instrumental accompaniment, you must understand that they recorded it as a form of worship as well as a form of entertainment… which is wrong. Therefore, by buying and actively listening to such music, you may be sending mixed messages to others and supporting an industry that is built upon a false teaching. We have to consider how our behavior looks to others (Matt 5:16). Just because you know anything but acapella worship is wrong doesn’t mean others would.

You also must consider your behavior – are you singing along with the music? If so, are you worshipping God with the words of the song? It is not always easy to discern the line between singing along as a form of entertainment and singing along as worship. You must decide for yourself if your behavior crosses the line between personal enjoyment and active participation in a form of worship God doesn’t desire.

Which brings us to the last question – does it bother your conscience? If you cannot feel completely convinced in your mind that what you are doing is acceptable before God, you have to refrain. Whatever cannot be done in faith is sin (Rom 14:23). If you consider your conscience, your influence, and your behavior before God, only then will you be able to come to a sound personal decision on whether or not you can listen.

Is it okay to attend church-sponsored events? Or would that suggest that I accept what they do and their view on what the church is supposed to support and how the church is organized?

Sincerely,
Above Reproach

Dear Above Reproach,

Some events are appropriate for a church to sponsor – a Bible class, a work party to repair the church’s building, a gospel meeting, etc. Anything that is performing the work of the church (teaching and preaching {Acts 15:35}, benevolence for needy christians {Acts 11:29}, and worshipping God {Acts 2:42}) is appropriate for a church to sponsor. For the sake of clarity, I am going to assume that your question deals with things the church shouldn’t be involved in.

If a church is involved in doing things that it shouldn’t, you have to consider what it will look like if you attend. Attendance doesn’t necessarily mean you endorse someone’s behavior. If I go to a baseball game where they serve alcohol, that doesn’t mean I condone drunkenness. However, in some circumstances, your attendance would look like endorsement. Paul talked about christians eating in an idol’s temple and how that example would harm others (1 Cor 8:10).

You will have to decide on a case-by-case basis. You must always consider your influence; if your attendance at an event would cause someone else to stumble or get the wrong impression, you should avoid it (Rom 14:14-16). Make sure to live in a way that does not give any appearance of evil (1 Thess 5:22). Watch your influence and always consider that your behavior is honorable in the sight of all men (Rom 12:17) and will glorify God (1 Pet 2:12). Finally, only attend if you can do so with a clear conscience (1 Tim 1:5).

My boyfriend says that pastors are wrong when they say, “Give 10% in
tithes.”  He says that the Bible says 1/10^th. His argument: the dictionary defines ‘one tenth’ as ‘one part of ten’, and ‘10%’ is defined as ‘10 parts per hundred’, thus meaning that 1/10^th is actually smaller. So in all actuality, we should only give:

1cent, $1, $10, $100, etc. (not) 2 cents, $1.54, $12.25, $149, etc.

What he does is if he makes $487.00, he’ll put $40.00 into his tithe envelope and another $10.00 into the offering plate going over the 10% anyway. When I ask why argue when you put in over the percentage anyways, he says it’s not about the money; the preachers may or may not know the difference, but he does, and it’s about facts. Is this true?

Sincerely,
By The Numbers

Dear By The Numbers,

Your boyfriend is missing the point and using a modern definition for an ancient word. If I understand your boyfriend’s argument (and I’m not sure I do) it revolves around rounding numbers and an American dictionary. His point is that there is a difference between 1 part per ten and ten parts per hundred. This may be true in certain chemistry and technical applications, but it is not true in the normal usage of 1/10^th. Tithe does mean 1/10^th. It is a fraction. Ask any math teacher how to find 1/10^th of something, and they will tell you to divide by ten. The Old Testament doesn’t use an American dictionary for its word definitions, so the parts per hundred and parts per ten argument doesn’t hold water.

Having said all of that, tithing is an Old Testament Jewish practice, not a command for New Testament christians. Your boyfriend and your pastor are arguing about something that doesn’t even apply to christians! See this post for more details about tithing, and see this post for details about finding a faithful church. Though 10% is a good ‘rule of thumb’ for how much to give, the Biblical commandment for christians is to ‘give cheerfully’ and as you have ‘purposed in your heart’ (2 Cor 9:7)… which it sounds like your boyfriend has been doing. If the leadership of your church doesn’t understand the difference between Old Testament and New Testament teachings – they probably aren’t paying very close attention to their Bibles.

What do you think of taking holy communion in our homes on a daily basis?

Sincerely,
Regular Remembrance

Dear Regular Remembrance,

Taking communion is a weekly thing – no more, no less. Christ told us that whenever we take the Lord’s Supper, we should do it in remembrance of Him (Lk 22:19), but He never said how often. It isn’t until the book of Acts that we see how often the church observed the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 20:7 we see that christians ‘broke the bread’ in remembrance of Christ on Sundays. That is when they did it, so that is when we do it.

Paul says that we are to take the Lord’s Supper when the church is gathered together (1 Cor 11:20). Taking the Lord’s Supper is an act of worship done by every congregation of the Lord each Sunday. When we take a look at all the teaching on the Lord’s Supper, we get the truth (Ps 119:160). Christ commands that we do it in remembrance of Him, the church gives us the example of doing it on the first day of the week, and Paul teaches that we should do it when we are assembled as a church.

I tithe, but at the end of the service, should the leader go on and on, scripture after scripture, telling you that you are cursed with a curse if you don’t give tithes and offerings? Badgering people about this I feel is wrong, and I have an uneasy feeling about this the more I hear it. We are supposed to give out of love and with a cheerful heart. Is it wrong to hold this offering over the congregation’s head and to use Scripture to justify it? What happens if I don’t have the money to tithe? Am I going to be not as blessed as the rest of the congregation? I do believe God wants us to be blessed and prosper, but what about the people who are struggling and not prospering? Does that mean their faith is weak? I’m really troubled by doctrines and people’s perceptions of how we are supposed to be overflowing with prosperity and people are supposed to see that we are more prosperous than the worldly/secular people. Does God really want our bank accounts full when all of it is going to perish anyways? I would like to know if prosperity is truly what Jesus taught and what He emphasized.

Sincerely,
Too Much Money Talk

Dear Too Much Money Talk,

Christians don’t tithe; Jews do. Christians also don’t have any guarantees of financial prosperity. Faithfulness doesn’t guarantee financial success. If that was the case, why did Paul end up in prison (Acts 16:37)? Why did Jesus say that He didn’t have anywhere to lay His head (Matt 8:20)? The most faithful people often suffer the most for the gospel. In fact, Christians are guaranteed to suffer for Christ’s church (Acts 14:22). If anything, prosperity is often a hindrance to faithfulness (Lk 18:24).

Tithing is an Old Testament command to the Jews (Deu 14:22). ‘Tithe’ means ‘to give 10%’. Christians are never told to tithe in the New Testament. We are told to be ‘cheerful givers’ (2 Cor 9:7). We are also told to ‘lay by in store’ and plan ahead before we give (1 Cor 16:1-2). We are never told a specific amount that we are supposed to give. Having said that, I think 10% is a good starting point for giving. Don’t let anyone badger you with the “You Have to Tithe” argument, though. Unless you are a Jew, you aren’t bound by the 10% rule.

It sounds like the church you attend teaches something called “The Prosperity Gospel”. The “Prosperity Gospel” is a false teaching that says if you serve God, you will have financial success; if you don’t, you will have financial failure. This is completely false. Job was the most faithful man on the planet in his day (Job 1:8), and he suffered more financial loss than anyone before or since. If the congregation you attend is teaching that… run. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15) who are teaching that Jesus cares more about money than He does about souls.

Why can’t women become preachers or lead songs for that matter? Would it be a sin?

Sincerely,
A Woman’s Role

Dear A Woman’s Role,

Women have a zillion different roles and responsibilities within the church; leading singing and preaching aren’t on the list. Women are not supposed to be in authority over men within the church (1 Tim 2:11-12). Men are supposed to lead the congregation in teaching and worship when the congregation assembles together (1 Cor 14:34-35). Women and men have equal value in God’s eyes (1 Pet 3:7), but their roles are different (1 Cor 11:8-10). Yes, it would be a sin for a woman to be a preacher. Society doesn’t like that statement, but the Bible makes it nonetheless.

I have two questions regarding the Holy Spirit:

1. Speaking in tongues: Does this still happen? What are some verses that talk about this subject?
2. Prophesy: Can we prophesy through the Holy Spirit? Or who does/can?

Please help me answer these questions.

Sincerely,
Visions of Answers

Dear Visions of Answers,

Speaking in tongues and prophesying are miraculous abilities that no longer exist because they are no longer needed. The purpose of miracles was to bear witness that Jesus and His apostles were sent by God (Heb 2:4). Both speaking in tongues and prophesying were miraculous abilities that the church needed in its infancy. Speaking in tongues was useful for preaching the gospel to unbelieving nations with various languages; prophesy was useful for teaching the church God’s will before they had a complete New Testament (1 Cor 14:22). Now that the New Testament is complete and has spread to every nation and language, there is no need for such miracles. Paul himself said that miracles were only needed until knowledge of God’s will was perfectly preserved for all mankind (1 Cor 13:8-10).

The easiest way to see that these miracles have ceased is to see how God provided them. The Holy Spirit provided the apostles with the ability to perform miracles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The apostles could perform miracles, and they also had the unique ability to pass on miraculous abilities through touch (Acts 8:15-18). Since the apostles were the only ones that could pass on the ability to perform miracles to others, we would need an apostle alive today in order to still have prophesy, speaking in tongues, miraculous healings, etc. The miracles died out with the final person that the last living apostle laid his hands on. Today, we are led by the perfect and complete Word of God (Jude 1:3, Rom 1:16), and those miraculous abilities are no longer necessary.

When I was going to a youth conference on the weekend, I was reading the Bible in the book of Acts. I found Acts 2:17-21.

I knew this verse had something to do with the weekend. When we stopped at a coffee shop, I told my friend about the verse, and she thought it was amazing. When we were at the main session of the youth conference, the preacher used this verse… does this have any spiritual meaning?

Sincerely,
Acting on Acts

Dear Acting on Acts,

The coincidence of the preacher using this verse aside, every Bible verse has a spiritual meaning and significance. Acts 2:17-21 is an excerpt from Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, the very first sermon preached after Christ ascended into heaven. Peter is quoting the book of Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and stating that what Joel wrote about was happening now. The verses have nothing to do with our behavior today or the end of time. If someone uses those verses to talk about speaking in tongues, modern day prophecy, visions, or the end of the world – they are misusing the Bible. Those verses refer to that particular day and the time period surrounding Christ’s life and death. Let me explain the context.

For 400 years, the Jews had received no word from God – no prophets, no visions, no dreams, nothing. Then, after all that silence came:

1. Zacharias and the angel (Lk 1:13)
2. Elizabeth’s prophecy (Lk 1:41)
3. Simeon’s prophecy (Lk 2:26)
4. Anna’s prophecy (Lk 2:36)
5. The vision of the shepherds (Lk 2:8-9)
6. John the Baptist’s preaching (Matt 3:1)
7. Jesus’ miracles (Jhn 2:11)
8. The miracles of Jesus’ seventy disciples (Lk 10:17)

There was a veritable explosion of supernatural events. Peter is explaining how this influx of miracles, visions, and prophecy were a fulfillment of what Joel had said would happen in the last days of Israel. ‘In the last days’ doesn’t mean the end of the world in this circumstance; it means the end (or last days) of the Old Covenant. Peter is using these verses from the book of Joel to illustrate that Jesus really is the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for. Jesus fulfilled Joel’s prophecy, and today we reap the benefits of it.

I was reading a question to a priest, and I asked him why we call him ‘father’ when it specifically says not to in the Bible (Matt 23:8). His response was that it is for the same reason a child calls their parent ‘father’; they are the natural father and the priest is the spiritual father. While I believe calling a priest ‘father’ is wrong, why is it okay to call our birth parent ‘father’?

Sincerely,
Paternal Nomenclature

Dear Paternal Nomenclature,

Calling a priest ‘father’ is wrong because, as the priest said, it is referring to ‘father’ in a spiritual sense. That is what Christ is condemning in Matt 23:8-10. Christ is rebuking people who elevate themselves above others within the church. Catholic priests place themselves in a position of spiritual superiority and authority above others. That is wrong and exactly what Christ told His disciples never to do.

On the other hand, the term ‘father’ is perfectly fine when used to refer to a physical parent. The Bible itself uses the word ‘father’ almost 1,000 times, and the vast majority of those times refer to fleshly parents. Gen 2:24, Gen 9:22, Lev 20:9, Pr 17:25, Mk 10:29, Lk 11:11 are just a few examples. Our fathers are a blessing from God given to us for a time to guide and discipline us (Heb 12:9-10). They are worthy of honor and the title ‘father’ (Eph 6:2).

My daughter would like to start attending a congregation much closer to her home, but the congregation sends a small fund to another church to support a preacher in Cuba. It also has, on occasion, had ladies’ meetings at which a lunch is served. The church that she attends at present does much of the same things, except they have church sponsored pot-lucks held at the building once a month and game days on a chosen day at the building. Both of the congregations are in the liberal camp, but the first congregation has a good program for learning, strong elders, and would not pressure a person into doing anything against their own conscience. The question is, which of these two congregations would you recommend that she attend, and how would you counsel her to give of her means since she knows it is her responsibility? Thank you; she will be looking forward to hearing the answer.

Sincerely,
Motherly Mother

Dear Motherly Mother,

It sounds like a no-brainer to me. You are trying to choose between two undesirable situations, so I will only respond to the question you asked. The first congregation you mentioned is:

1. much closer
2. less liberal
3. has better elders
4. has better teaching

In my opinion, that would be the best choice.

Now, concerning your question on giving: you certainly need to give as you have been prospered (1 Cor 16:2). I know nothing about the congregation you described, but I do know that there are a hundred different degrees of liberalism as well as conservatism. If you can give with a good conscience (1 Tim 1:19), then give at that congregation. If you believe your money will be used unscripturally and/or will be used to promote more unscriptural projects, then I would send my money to a congregation that would use it in harmony with the Lord’s will. Perhaps that congregation would also be a better one to attend.

Pope Benedict XVI

A few weeks ago you answered a question about inter-faith marriages.  You listed four possible outcomes to the described situation; three of which you labeled as “BAD” and only one as “GOOD.”

The first two outcomes are below:

1. She eventually converts and obeys the gospel, becomes a christian, and is saved (GOOD).
2. You eventually convert and obey the Catholic church, and you are both lost (BAD).

Your response implies that Catholics are not Christians and that Catholics are not saved.  I realize that there is only one truth, but many denominations obey the gospel.  Truth is not limited to one denomination.

Where in the Bible do you find that there is only one church that is “properly” Christian?

Sincerely,
Accepting Our Differences

Dear Accepting Our Differences,

Where in the Bible do you see there being more than one church that is properly Christian? The burden of proof lies upon those who wish to add churches to God’s design. Paul said there was only one church, one doctrine, and one God (Eph 4:4-5). Jesus always referred to His church, not His churches (Matt 16:18). Jesus is head of the church – one head, one body (Eph 5:23). The truth is nobody even fathomed the idea of anything but one church in the first century.

When you write that ‘truth is not limited to one denomination’, you treat that assertion as an established fact… when in reality the opposite is true. Multiple religions are condemned in the New Testament. Any practices other than New Testament practices are condemned (2 Thess 2:15). Christians are warned against warping, altering, and perverting God’s established teachings for His church (Gal 1:6-9, Rev 22:18-19). Furthermore, we are promised that many will claim to have served Christ in this life and will be turned away as false Christians on the Judgment Day (Matt 7:21-23).

The practices of the New Testament church are laid out simply in the New Testament. Any congregation that wants to serve Christ need merely look at the church of the Bible and mimic its behavior (see our post here for further details on finding a faithful church). If a congregation wants to ensure its place as part of Christ’s body, it must submit to Christ’s teachings alone. There can be no man-made creeds, no human ideas and theologies, no statements of faith – just the Bible.

The Catholic church is not the same as Christ’s church, therefore Catholics are not Christians. The Catholic church accepts the pope as it’s head, placing his authority above the Bible. Their practices fit perfectly with Paul’s definition of what false religion looks like: forbidding marriages and abstaining from certain foods (1 Tim 4:1-3). Catholic priests expect to be called ‘father’, a practice in direct contradiction to the Scripture (Matt 23:9). The church of the Bible looks nothing like the Catholic church – you cannot be both a Catholic and a Christian.