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WHEN SEARCHING FOR A STAFF MEMBER

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By Ken Blue

Eventually the pastor is going to be forced to search for staff members. This will be someone to work with him, or to replace him when he leaves. Regardless, it could be one of the most important decisions you could make. Therefore, there should be much prayer and counsel when searching for new staff.

I believe the ideal place to look for staff is right within your church. If a church is doing what it should, it will be constantly developing and training men and women for ministry. Although I have hired some good staff from without, the most success has been with those who have been longtime members of our church.

The pastor should constantly be observing the flock for prospective staff and leaders. There are some specific things one should watch for.

The most important is the character of the individual. Are they committed to Christ and His church? Are they faithful to the services, and are they prompt and on time? Do you trust them?

Does the person under consideration work well with others? Can he adjust his personality to you and others? He or she must be likeable and acceptable to others. There can be no room for outburst of anger, or pouting. These are signs of selfishness and immaturity. Don’t underestimate the importance of this quality. He must be able to work under authority, with his peers and subordinates.

Is the person qualified or capable of filling the position? I have seen several staff members who fit the character and personality qualifications, but could not do the job. This is awkward and a frustrating situation for the pastor and the staff member. This is why people need to be observed and trained before they are installed in a position.

The advantages, when hiring from within, is they know the people and the people know them. When hiring from without, you usually get someone who already has his or her own standards, doctrines, and ideas of ministry. If this is the case, they will be critical of you.

I remember on two different occasions when I hired assistant pastors from without, they could not wait to resign because some ladies in our church wore pants. We have power point and large screens in our church. Some students, when coming from college, would not sit through the song service. They had been conditioned to believe these were wrong. Those from outside may have issues with the type of music, and instruments you use. One young man grew up in our church, was saved there and left for Bible College. After the college had him four years, he returned to the Seattle area, but would not attend our church. So, hire from within and avoid the heartache. Let those whose standards differ, go start their own church.

Pastor Jason Murphy grew up in Open Door, and worked on staff for six years. He is now the senior pastor. Both of his pastoral staff were saved, married, trained, and ordained at Open Door. Also, the church secretary, and the custodian were hired from within the church. Pastor Murphy understands the importance of what we have been saying.

THE BIBLICAL USAGE OF THE WORD HATE

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THE HATE DOCTRINE

hate

By Ken Blue

Hopefully this article will rescue some, and enlighten others so they will escape the hate doctrine preached by some pastors and evangelist. The hate doctrine teaches that God hates sinners, and the only place He loved them was at the cross. It is argued that, since the word love is used in the past tense, God has not loved any since the cross. This is an unscriptural teaching, and a perversion of the word, hate.

Words have different meaning and implication according to language and culture. The usage of the word “hate” can be determined by its context. Other teachings demand it be understood as a figure of speech, or comparison. Dake’s Reference Bible says the word is an “idiom of preference.”  

Dictionary definition of idiom: 1. A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on.

2. The specific grammatical, syntactic, and structural character of a given language. 3. Regional speech or dialect. 4. a. A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon: . A style or manner of expression peculiar to a given people: 5. A style of artistic expression characteristic of a particular individual, school, period, or medium:

n 1. (Linguistics) a group of words whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the constituent words, as for example (It was raining) cats and dogs 2. (Linguistics) linguistic usage that is grammatical and natural to native speakers of a language 3. (Linguistics) the characteristic vocabulary or usage of a specific human group or subject.

E. W. Bullinger’s Figures of Speech, Page 426 says, “…i.e., does not esteem them less than me. So the verb to hate is used in Gen. 29:31, Rom. 9:31.”

Williams Commentary, Page 762 says, “ i.e., to love less.”

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The usage of the word “hate” can be determined by its context.[/pullquote]

Barns says, “We are not at liberty literally to hate our parents. This would be expressly contrary to the fifth commandment. See also Eph 6:1-3; Col 3:20. But we are to love them less than we love Christ; we are to obey Christ rather than them; we are to be willing to forsake them if he calls us to go and preach his gospel;”

Adam Clark‘s Commentary say, “And hate not – Matthew, Mt 10:37, expresses the true meaning of this word, when he says, He who loveth his father and mother More than me. In Mt 6:24, he uses the word hate in the same sense. When we read, Ro 9:13, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, the meaning is simply, I have loved Jacob – the Israelites, more than Esau – the Edomites; and that this is no arbitrary interpretation of the word hate, but one agreeable to the Hebrew idiom, appears from what is said on Ge 29:30, Ge 29:31, where Leah’s being hated is explained by Rachel’s being loved more than Leah.”

John Wesley says, Verse 26. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father – Comparatively to Christ: yea, so as actually to renounce his field, oxen, wife, all things, and act as if he hated them, when they stand in competition with him. Mt 10:37.”

John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible says, “… not that proper hatred of any, or all of these, is enjoined by Christ; for this would be contrary to the laws of God, to the first principles of nature, to all humanity, to the light of nature, to reason and divine revelation: but that these are not to be preferred to Christ, or loved more than he, as it is explained in Mt 10:37 yea, these are to be neglected and forsaken, and turned from with indignation and resentment, when they stand in the way of the honour and interest of Christ, and dissuade from his service: such who would be accounted the disciples of Christ, should be ready to part with their dearest relations and friends, with the greatest enjoyment of life, and with life itself, when Christ calls for it; or otherwise they are not worthy to be called his disciples.”

 There is little need to continue calling on other theologians to prove our point. Although, we could find a hundred more who agree with us on this subject. The issue is clear to those who want to see it; and those who do not, no amount of proof will change their minds. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO HATE OR NOT TO HATE?

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The Hate/Love Dilemma

By Ken Blue

Luke 14:26 (KJV) “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Matthew 5:43-44 (KJV) “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

It is amusing when men think they have discovered some novel teaching they think others have overlooked. One such teaching is that God hates sinners. To add injury to insult, they take it a step further by saying that the only place and time God loved sinners was when Jesus was dying on the cross. That is, the only time God loved the world was when wicked men were killing His Son. All the nuts are not in the cereal box!

Now, these purveyors of false doctrine need to help us with the above verses. In one, I am to hate my father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters. In the other verse, I am to love my enemies, bless them, and pray for them. My guess is, a lot of Scripture twisting will be necessary to make these and other passages like them fit the hate doctrine.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The idea that God only loved man, at the cross, is ludicrous.[/pullquote]

The idea that God only loved man, at the cross, is ludicrous. He loved the Disciples prior to the cross. He loved the rich young ruler prior to the cross. He loved Jacob prior to the cross. He loved Israel prior to the cross. Mark 10:21 “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” John 13:1 “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

Now, did Jesus love the young man, and His own disciples prior to His death on the cross or not? I think these false teachers have stepped in something that won’t come off their shoes. The reason this false teaching must be countered and rejected is that it will embolden Christians in their hatred and contempt for the lost. Do you think God sent Jonah to Nineveh because He hated them? If you do, you should donate your brain to the canary farm.

PHARISAICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

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DON’T BE PHARISAICAL ABOUT LOVING SINNERS

By Ken Blue

“Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV) “ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” “2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

I am glad that I have the preserved, inerrant Word of God in the KJV, and I accept all the fundamental doctrines intended for the body of Christ. However, if being a fundamentalist means protesting at the burial of a dead soldier, or proclaiming that God hates sinners, or believing you are superior to other races, then you can count me out.

Anyone in this dispensation who rejoices at the death of the lost has a warped understanding of God. I have read the context of the above passages, and I am aware of the moral and natural attributes of God. Just because Calvin could not reconcile the sovereignty of God, and the free will of man, does not mean we should be silly when it comes to the justice and the love of God. There is no contradiction.

God hates sin, and so should any child of God, but God does not hate the sinner, nor rejoice when one dies. Perhaps if you took a look at your own life, you could get some understanding of God’s love and avoid being pharisaical.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Anyone in this dispensation who rejoices at the death of the lost has a warped understanding of God.[/pullquote]

Suppose one of your children commit adultery, shack up with some one, gets into pornography, is hooked on drugs or gambling, or becomes a sodomite? Would you rejoice as you kill them, as the Muslims do, or would you continue to love your child and hate their sin? Be careful with your answer. It may expose you as PHARISAICAL.

As Jesus wept over Jerusalem, I am sure His were not tears of anger or hatred. He wept over them because He loved them and knew they would be lost. We must wonder what it is that twists the minds of men to hate sinners, and believe God hates them also, and rejoices over their death. Until someone can adequately and convincingly prove otherwise, we will accept the position that God hates the sin, loves the sinner, and wants to puke every time one of these Pharisees opens his mouth. – You’re welcome.

THE LAWS OF LIFE AND DEATH #1

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By Ken Blue

Ro 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Ro 8:2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Ro 8:3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Ro 8:4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Definition of law: “ That which governs or has a tendency to rule; that which has the power of controlling. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7. ”Webster’s  1828 Dictionary.

The three laws are extremely important, and they must be understood if the child of God is to enjoy complete peace, joy, and liberty in Jesus Christ. The first law we will consider is found in the last half of verse two. It is called the “law of sin and death.” The second law is in verse three, and is “the law” of Moses. The third and final law is “the law of the Spirit of life…” and is in the first part of verse two.

The law of sin and death is a law, or principle that begins to evolve when we take steps in the direction of sin. The first example is that of Adam and Eve. God told them they would die if they ate of the forbidden tree, Eve’s explanation lays out how the law of sin and death operates.  Notice the key words in Genesis 3:6.  “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” The outcome of their action set in motion the law that brought about their death.

Another example of this law in illustrated in Joshua 7:21,  “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” The next few verses show the end result of the law of sin and death, it was death to Achan’s entire family.

James states that sin resides in our hearts, and is ever seeking an opportunity to assert itself. Notice how clearly he lays it out. James 1:14-15 says, “ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” This is the progression, the law, the principle that goes into motion when we entertain and debate sin in our mind or heart. This law is as sure as tomorrow’s sunrise. You cannot escape the outcome of death if you set this law in motion. Each time you play with sin, the cords that will bind you become stronger. He who pursues sin will be taken captive by it, and then it will execute him.