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One must ask how do men become evangelists? The Bible answers:
2 Tim. 2:2 "And the things that you have heard
from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
It is the responsibility of evangelists to commit the
true gospel to others, teaching them how to be "faithful" and "able" in teaching heaven's riches. Paul taught Timothy. Timothy
was an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5). Timothy was to "commit" what he was taught to others who were "faithful" and "able." The two
specifics are that men who teach must be "faithful" and "able." God has not bound the "system" or "way" or "machinery" of
how to carry out that particular command except that the church is to do it.
When God told Noah to build an ark, he specified the dimensions,
the type of wood, the number of windows, doors, and layers, but he didn't specify how Noah went about carrying out the command.
Noah could have used any "system," "way," or "machinery" that he desired to fulfill the command. He could have even hired
out help if he so chose. In respect to building evangelists, God has bound faithful evangelists to commit the gospel to others
who would be able to teach others. But he may choose a number of different ways to fulfill that command. He might have a single
person work with him for a certain period of time. Since such is a work that the church is to be engaged in, because
the church is to support preachers; the church could even monetarily support this person as he trains and does the work of
an evangelist (1 Cor. 9:9-14, NKJV below):
9 For it is written in the law of
Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about?
10 Or does
He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he
who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing
if we reap your material things?
12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless
we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do you not know that those
who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of
the altar?
14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
He may choose to teach several on a given day of the week.
That is left to his discretion--God has not bound how many he teaches at once; God has not bound where he teaches them; God
has not bound how long he takes to teach them; but God has bound "what" he teaches them--the true gospel defense. A
preacher training session whether it is a one shot session or a protracted meeting lasting many days, weeks, months is left
to the judgment of the evangelist within the local church. (There is no authority for churches collectively building a preacher
school; only the local church can provide such a work in faith). Those who attend, whether locally or abroad, is left to the
judgment/discretion of the willing: the preacher and the trainee(s).
Churches desperately need to place more emphasis on teaching
men to teach faithfully. Let me say again, however, that there is no authority for churches building and maintaining a "college"
(or human organization) to train preachers. The local church is sufficient to train men for such and we don't need a human
organization to do it for the church.
The same is true with congregational worship:
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The church is commanded to "gather as a church" for worship (Acts
14:27; 1 Cor. 11:18; 1 Cor. 14:23; Heb. 10:25). God has not bound the place to gather (hotel room; park, church building;
house, etc.).
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God
has not bound how long we gather or how many times we gather (but the assembling of ourselves together is bound). God has
bound what is to go on during this time (prayer, teaching, Lord's Table, singing, giving; Acts 2:42; Eph. 5:19; Acts 20:6ff).
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God has not bound the order in which we do these things, the number
of songs to sing, and contrary to some thinking, the length in which we preach/teach.
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God has bound that we observe the death of Christ on the first
day of the week (Acts 20:7), but God has not bound the hour.
We are left with matters of judgment within these areas. Some
have become contentious over some of these judgmental issues because they do not understand how the Bible authorizes
people to do things.
However, when we come together as a church, we do not use that time
to teach "math," but rather the "gospel;" we do not use that time to play instruments or sing secular songs, but rather to
praise God with the fruit of our lips (Heb. 13:15). Neither do we use that time to eat a social meal, but rather
that time is to partake of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:17-34).
If you want to study more on the "evangelist," I suggest
my PowerPoint lessons on him and his work at this link: Church Government .
Regarding "Brotherhood Magazines." The local church
has no authority to build and maintain papers, colleges, orphan homes, etc. to do its work of evangelizing and benevolence.
The local church is its own evangelistic society. Having said that, this doesn't mean that men cannot on their own accord
and apart from the church, build and maintain a paper, college, orphan home, etc. Truth Magazine is not a "church magazine."
It is a magazine, albeit that is run by brethren but that doesn't make it a church of Christ paper, so to speak, than a college
run by brethren makes it a "church of Christ college." They both will be held accountable if they sypathize with false teaching
but their existence is not sinful. If they solicited local congregations to give them funds/donations to opperate, then it
would be sinful for churches to be involved in such. They are their own institution that provides a "service" for brethren
(i.e., class material). They may compile, and organize class material and sell it. A church securing class material from
Truth Bookstore is not giving a donation, but securing a service. Could a church pay to have their church building painted?
Could they pay to have their lawn mowed? Yes. These are things that are associated with essential services and God has left
such within the prudence man's judgment. Could a group of Christians own and operate a painting business? Yes, but if they
solicit donations/contributions from churches of Christ then they would be sinful. However, if they provide a service, then
obviously they should be paid for it. These things fall under a study of general versus specific authority. I suggest our
material on "Understanding Bible Authority" at this link: Bible Authority You will have to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later. I would also suggest the lesson on "Church Buildings"
Likewise, please consider that we are able to have
a web page. If it is used for the purpose of educating the world with the gospel, then it is an authorized method
of carrying out the great commission (Mk. 16:15).Our web page is the work of the local church of Christ at Sunnyside, WA.
We do not have authority to solicit other churches to pay for our web page. God has deemed the local church as sufficient
in carrying out His will. With ability comes responsibility. Churches do not need to collectively gather to carry out the
will of God by building a national radio program; television program; magazine; etc. We must work within the confines of our
budget to do what the Lord has commission, some do more, some less. As long as we keep the local church doing what the local
church is commission to do we are safe. Once the local church begins doing what it is not commissioned (social meals; etc)
we sin.
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