Old Testament In the Old Testament, the priesthood was reserved for men (Ex 28:1), but God sometimes called women into leadership positions in other areas, such as Miriam (Ex 15:20, Mic 6:4) and Deborah (Jdg 4:4-5). Jesus But when we get into the New Testament, we can begin by noting that Jesus had many female followers. Women accompanied Jesus and …
What Does the Bible Say About Church Ministry?
The New Testament describes various ministries that the Holy Spirit can give to those he sees fit. In general, all Christians share a common mission, but some are called by God to perform a specific task and are equipped with the necessary gifts of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of these ministries is to serve the church and spread the …
What Does the Bible Say About the Twelve Apostles?
The word “apostle” means “sent out” and usually refers to Jesus’ twelve apostles plus Paul, but can also refer to Jesus himself or to a leadership position within the church. The office of apostle was instituted by Jesus so that, just as Jesus was sent by his Father into the world, so the apostles would be sent by the Son …
What Does the Bible Say About Christian Leadership?
Jesus is the Lord of the church and the Holy Spirit is the leader of the church. God calls and equips some to be leaders in the church with him. The words most often used about church leaders are “presbyteros”, which translates to “elder”, “episkopos”, which translates to “overseer” and “poimaino”, which translates to “shepherd” or “pastor”. These words are …
What Does the Bible Say About Jews and Gentiles?
To be a “Jew” originally means to belong to Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and thus to be a descendant of Jacob’s son Judah, Abraham’s great-grandson, but it is also used in a broader sense to describe all those who share in God’s promise to Abraham to create a blessed people. Today the term is used to …
What Does the Bible Say About the Religion of Israel?
When God enters into covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai, he gives them the Torah, the Law of Moses, which Israel, as the people of God, promises to follow. If Israel kept the Law, God would bless them and give them the Promised Land, but if they did not keep the Law, they would be cursed and cast out of …
What Does the Bible Say About the People of God in the Old Testament?
God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation, which also happened through Abraham’s grandson Jacob, who became the father of Israel. Eventually, the people of Israel settle in Egypt, where they become slaves after a time. God rescues his people from Egypt and makes a covenant with them on Mount Sinai. From the Sinai covenant …
What Does the Bible Say About the Body of Christ?
The church is sometimes described as “the body of Christ”. When we are saved, we belong to Christ and symbolically become part of his body. When Jesus walked down here on earth 2000 years ago, his body was down here and with it he went around laying his hands on the sick so that they were healed, with his mouth …
What Does the Bible Say About the Free Church?
Being a “free” church means that each individual congregation is the body of Christ in its fullness, while at the same time being part of the universal church and cooperating with other local congregations. There is no denomination or governmental authority over the congregation, but Jesus is the head of the church and each local congregation is led and funded …
What Does the Bible Say About the Different Names of the Church?
God’s church is referred to in the Bible by several different names that in different ways say something about the nature of the church and what its function and purpose is. Some examples are Believers, body of Christ, God’s children, Christians, the flock of God, Sanctified, the Saints, the church of God, the Israel of God, elect Exiles, the Disciples, …