Philemon 1:2,Colossians 4:15,1 Corinthians 16:19

A Body of PRACTICAL Divinity Book 2—Chapter 1 OF THE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH, THE SEAT OF PUBLIC WORSHIP Having treated of the object of worship, and distinguished worship into internal and external; and having considered internal worship as it lies in the exercise of various graces; I now proceed... Read More

These are quotes and excerpts of the writing of Shen Xiao Feng who is a servant leader of a very large house Church network in China: Christians are to be salt and light in the world. Ready to purify the world through the Lord’s love. A leader must be clear about God’s calling and regularly spend ti... Read More

Our mouth is open unto you, O you Corinthians, our heart is enlarged, you are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own affections. Having detailed his own trials and afflictions, for in patience, says he, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (v. 4, 5.) in stripes, in impris... Read More

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. What Christ said to His disciples, that does Paul also now advise. And what did Christ say? Behold, I send you forth as sheep... Read More

Rom. XV. 25-27 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. Since he had said that I have no longer more plac... Read More

Church (1577)(ekklesia from ek = out + klesis = a calling, verb = kaleo = to call) literally means called out (but see note by Louw-Nida below) and as commonly used in the Greco-Roman vernacular referred to citizens who were called out from their homes to be publicly assembled or gathered to discuss... Read More

ALL OF "GRACE GEMS" FROM DECEMBER 2003 IN ONE FILE Some beloved idol? (J. C. Philpot, "Spiritual Times and Seasons" 1841) "Because the whole land is filled with idols, and the people are madly in love with them." Jeremiah 50:38 Have we not all in our various ways, set up some beloved idol . . . some... Read More

First, and foremost, institutional churches that meet in special buildings are unknown to the New Testament, whereas house churches were clearly the norm in the early church: And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathere... Read More

When pastors gather, they sometimes joke that if it weren't for people, pastoring would be a great profession. Indeed, people are the reason that pastoring is sometimes so painful. However, as I contended in June's E-teaching, Pastoring with Less Pain, Part 1 of 2, if you are a sincere disciple-maki... Read More