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By David Weaks

Benchley, April 14, 2013

• Psalms 119:89 - God tells us plainly what we need to know.
• Matthew 28:18 - Jesus has all authority.
• Ephesians 5:17
• Ephesians 3:3-4
• I Peter 4:11
• Why do we wear clothes?  Because God commanded us to.
• Why do we marry for life?  Because God commanded us to.  Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6
• Why do we keep ourselves only for our mate?  Because God commanded us to.  Hebrews 13:4
• Why do we not murder people?  Because God commanded it.  I Peter 4:15
• Why do we not steal?  Because God commanded it.
• What about creation and evolution?
  • Evolution is the default position of the world.
  • The Bible gives us everything we need to know.  Genesis 1:1-5,27; Acts 17:26
  • If you follow a purely evolutionary line of reasoning, can you say that abortion, genocide, or racism is wrong?
• What about abortion?  Abortion is murder and therefore prohibited by God.  Romans 13:9; Luke 1:21; Exodus 21:22-25
  • Romans 1:28-32 - The descent into sin started by people not acknowledging God.
• What about women preachers, elders, and deacons?
  • I Timothy 2:11-15; I Corinthians 14:34 - God does not permit women in these roles.
  • I Timothy 3:1-7 - We are careful about who we select as elders also.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, January 27, 2013

• Leading (Hebrews 13:17; I Timothy 5:17)
  • Shepherding (I Peter 5:2; John 10:27; I Peter 5:4)
• Service (Luke 22:25-26)
  • Elders are servants of the congregation. They rule by serving.
• Warning and admonishing (I Thessalonians 5:12-13)
  • Acts 20:31,28,32 – Elders are to watch for the flock.
  • Ezekiel 3:17 – The important duties of a watchman.
• Teaching (Acts 20:28,32)
  • Elders are to feed the flock the word of God. I Timothy 5:2; 3:2
• Example
  • Matthew 20:25-27
  • Elders are to lead by example and not try to force decisions on the congregation.
  • Matthew 23:8 – We are all brethren in God’s eyes.
• Elders influence the congregation by their behavior and should not do things that they wouldn’t want anyone else to do.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, January 16, 2013

• Elders don’t have authority (except for delegated authority) – they have authorization from God to do some things that others don’t. Deacons, janitors, etc. have authorization to do certain things as well.
• God created man; thus God alone has the right to direct man’s life. He has the right to choose how to direct and He has the right to choose the directions (Jeremiah 10:23; Psalms 37:23). He is to be the director in every phase of life: domestic, civil, economical, social, and spiritual.
• Domestic
  • Genesis 2:18-24 – Marriage is to be one man and one woman for life.
  • Matthew 15:4-6 – Honor father and mother.
  • Ephesians 5:22-33 – Wives submit to husbands. Husbands love wives.
  • Ephesians 6:1-4 – Children are to obey parents.
  • Colossians 3:18-21 – Commands for husbands, wives, and children.
  • Hebrews 12:9-11
  • I Timothy 5:8
  • I Timothy 5:14
• Civil
  • Romans 13:1-7
  • I Timothy 2:1-3
  • I Peter 2:17

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, January 13, 2013

• I Timothy 3:1; Acts 20:28 – Men are not to aspire to the office of elder so that they can be in charge of things.
• Set proper example. I Peter 5:3
• Hold fast the Word, exhort and convince gainsayers – Titus 1:9
• Feed, tend, shepherd the flock – I Peter 5:2
  • Feed the flock to edify – Acts 20:28,32
  • Watch for souls – Hebrews 13:17; Ezekiel 3:17
  • Restore the fallen – Titus 1:9-11; Ezekiel 34:1-10
  • Correct gainsayers – Titus 1:9
• Oversee the flock
• Show hospitality
• It is not the work of elders:
  • To be a centralized board to receive money from many congregations to do a big work.
  • To build, maintain, or support human institutions for any cause.
  • To oversee any brotherhood function.
    • Brotherhood preacher training program
    • Brotherhood becture
  • When we think about elders, let us be sure we think about the local church, not the brotherhood.

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By Keith Shackleford

Benchley, October 18, 2012

• The precept of I Corinthians 11:22
  • Despise
    • A matter of examination
      • After regarding the goodness of God do you dismiss it? Romans 2:4
      • Such are those who reject the stone. I Peter 2:4,7-8
      • Such are those who turn from God. Hebrews 6:4-6
    • Look down on with contempt
  • Correcting attitudes towards the church via the example of the Lord’s Supper
    • Assemble for the better, I Corinthians 11:17
      • Suggests purposes of assembly: worship, mutual edification
      • They disregarded the sacrifice of the Lord. I Corinthians 11:24-27
      • They hold in low esteem their own spiritual well-being. I Corinthians 11:28-30
    • Assemble in unity, I Corinthians 11:18
      • But they were dismissive of one another, I Corinthians 11:21-22,33-34
      • By this they showed their lack of regard for the church.
  • They showed disdain for the church by changing the holy into the common.
  • They showed disregard for brethren by flaunting “riches” over “poverty”.
• Some ways the church is despised
  • By altering God’s local arrangement
    • Saints, bishops, deacons, Philippians 1:1
    • Elders in every church, Acts 14:23
      • Despised by unqualified elders and deacons, elders over many churches
    • Autonomy of the church among you – with its own elders, deacons, saints (I Peter 5:3)
      • Despised by: sisterhood of churches under central oversight.
  • By altering the divine arrangement of the church in: evangelism
    • To sound out the word. I Thessalonians 1:7-8
    • To train up and send out preachers. Acts 13:2-3; I Timothy 4:14; Colossians 4:11-12
    • Despised by: creating and supporting some other organization to do this work – i.e. missionary organizations, institutional organizations, publication organizations, etc.
    • Or also by sponsoring another church to do the work God assigned
  • By altering the divine arrangement of the church in: edification
    • Spiritual growth and encouragement through instruction and understanding
    • Despised by: some other means of building up the saints unto some other purpose – i.e. choirs, concerts, gyms, food, movies, etc.
  • By altering the divine arrangement of the church in: benevolence
    • Caring for needy saints, Romans 15:25-27
    • Assuring church is not charged with those for whom it is not responsible, I Timothy 5:16
    • Despised by: church funds assisting non-saints, sponsoring organizations, or other churches to do it
  • By corrupting the worship
    • Singing – Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
    • Prayer – I Corinthians 14:15-17
    • Preaching – Acts 20:20
    • Lord’s Supper – I Corinthians 11; Acts 20:7
    • Giving – I Corinthians 16:2
  • By non-attendance
    • Out to be glad to be present, Psalms 122:1
    • Should be so regular that an absence is noticed by all.
  • By failure to prepare for service
    • God is to be worshipped in spirit/truth. John 4:24
    • Preacher must prepare: sermons not accidental, must study, think, pray, meditate. Ezra 7:10; I Timothy 4:12-16
    • Congregation must prepare: worship not accidental, must prepare hearts for it. II Chronicles 20:33; I Corinthians 11:7,27
    • Assembly should bear reverence. Psalm 89:7
  • By lax convication
    • Pulpit not for compromisers, Acts 4:19-20; Titus 2:15
    • Pew is not for religious fence-stradler, I Kings 18:21; Ephesians 4:14
    • Known what and why you believe, I Peter 3:15
  • By worldly living
    • It disregards our high calling, Ephesians 4:1
    • Don’t preach one way and live another, Romans 2:21-24
    • Live offenselessly unto the church, I Corinthians 10:31-32
    • Be effective for mutual benefit, Matthew 5:13-16; I Timothy 4:16

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, September 30, 2012

• I Peter 5:1-3: Elders are not to be bosses. They are to be servants of the congregation. See Hebrews 13:17 regarding obeying the elders.
• I Peter 5:12: Silvanus is thought to be the same as Silas who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys.

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By David Watson

Benchley, May 9, 2012

• We grow by putting God’s word into practice, continued:
• Managing a family and a congregation require similar skills.
• I Peter 1:7 – Our faith as a Christian is tested as though by fire through adversity.
• James 1:2-4 – We should meet the trials of life with joy.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, May 6, 2012

• Hebrews 13:17 – See Luke 22:24-26. Elders rule by their leading and example. They are not to lord their position over the congregation. If the elders try to lead in a way that goes against God’s word, the members of the congregation are responsible for recognizing this and not going along with it. Otherwise, the members are to submit to the leadership of the elders.

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By David Watson

Benchley, May 2, 2012

• We grow by learning God’s word.
• I Peter 2:2 – We are to desire God’s word.
• Hosea 4:6 – The Israelites were destroyed because of lack of knowledge.
• We have many methods available to help us learn God’s word: sermons, Bible studies, teachings from more knowledgeable Christians, and our own study.
• II Peter 1:13; 3:1-2 – It is helpful to be reminded of things we’ve learned before so that we do not forget God’s word.
• We grow by putting God’s word into practice.
• Hebrews 5:12-14 – We must study and practice so we will be ready for the solid food of God’s word.
• I Timothy 3:4-5 – An elder must show his spiritual maturity by managing his own house well.

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By Jesse Jenkins

Benchley, April 29, 2012

• John 10:11,27 – Jesus is the good shepherd.
• The relationship is directly between Jesus and His sheep.
• God has also provided for a congregational arrangement in which elders act as shepherd of the congregation. The sheep are still directly subject to the chief shepherd, which is Jesus. They have an additional relationship to the elders of the local congregation. (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17)
• Each congregation is always to be independent. If a local church is not developed such that is has elders, it should still be independent.
• Shepherds are to feed, lead, and oversee the flock.
• Each congregation is to have a plurality of elders if men are qualified. Elders are always spoken of in the plural in the Bible (Titus 1:6).
• Paul used “flock” to teach that a congregation is to support the preaching of the gospel.
• As relates to the local flock:
• Shepherds are to lead in the will of the Chief Shepherd.
• Sheep are to follow the shepherds when they follow the Chief Shepherd.
• Sheep are to recognize the necessity of staying with the flock.