Craig

Q1. (5:13-14) According to verse 14, who is to initiate prayer for healing? Why might this be important? The person with the need is to initiate prayer for healing. It is important because it shows the faith of the person requesting prayer.

Q4. (4:11-12) In what way does bad-mouthing a neighbor cause you to be a judge of the law? Why is it tempting to bad-mouth others, do you think? When we slander others we are giving ourselves the authority to be a judge or to judge others. We are not qualified to be judges. In fact, by slandering others we are breaking the royal law of loving our neighbor as ourselves as well as violating God's command against slander found in Lev. 19. Slander is listed as one of the behaviors God hates in Proverbs 6. Slander is tempting because it comes naturally to human-beings. People like to slander other people for a myriad of reasons -- from amusement to hatred.

Q3. (4:6-10) Verses 7-10 contain 10 different commands. Why are these actions so vital? In what way do they go against our nature? Which of these commands is most difficult for you? These actions are vital because they draw a person close to God. These actions remove any walls between a person and God. Humbling ourselves before God; resisting the devil; coming close to God; washing our hands of sin; purifying our hearts; mourning and grieving over sin are not something people naturally do. The satanic world system encourages personal independence and self-indulgence as well as ignoring God. Submitting our wills to anyone let alone God is the hardest thing for human-beings to do. We are wild and lawless creatures. The most difficult command for me is submitting my will to God in all situations.

Q1. (5:7) According to this verse what should you do with your fears? What reason is given why you should do this? In what manner should you do it. How will you apply this verse's instruction in your own life? Peter encourages us to cast our anxieties, cares, and fears to God because He cares for us. I am going to apply this verse to my life by trusting God with my life, through prayer, and by giving God my cares and being about the Kingdom of God first and foremost.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 3:6a) Why is a Christian’s spiritual health so closely related to his or her involvement in ministry? What are the consequences of dropping out of church – for the believer? For Christ’s Kingdom? Every follower of Christ is called into some area of the Gospel ministry. Each Christian has a role to play in the mission of the church that is Holy Spirit given and directed. A spiritually healthy Christian is serving the Lord in word and deed and is taking an active role in the church. When you drop out of church you drop out of the Body of Christ. God is reaching out to the world through the church. The church is the means by which God is drawing people to Him. To be a Christian and not be a part of the church is very problematic. The Apostles taught to encourage one another, pray for one another, pray together, serve together, conduct the Lord's Supper together, etc. A Christian cannot do these things without being a part of a fellowship of believers.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6) What is the balance between the need for training in ministry (either in the local church or in schools) and personal submission to the Spirit of God? Are you able to “listen to the Spirit’s voice” in your own life? Why would this ability be so important in being a competent minister? The balance is that training in ministry is part of a minister's spiritual development and should be motivated by the Holy Spirit. In any given environment, be in the classroom or in the field, Christians must personally submit themselves to the Spirit of God. Yes I am able to listen to the Spirit's voice and a competent minister is Holy-Spirit filled and led. You cannot do the effective work of the Lord without the Holy Spirit.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) In what sense are we “living letters”? In what way can people “read us”? Why is it so important to be authentic, not phony, in our lives? What happens when people “read” something in you that they admire and mention it to you? How might you respond appropriately? The way we live tells the world who we are and what we believe without saying a word. Actions speak louder than words and people read our actions. When we are phony we have no credibility with others. If we, as Christians, are not authentic we have nothing to offer God or others that is real or meaningful. Right actions that inspire others serves as a witness for Jesus Christ that is real. That real witness might be the thing that changes another persons life for eternity.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16a) In what sense is knowing God fragrant to people who are open to God? In what way is this fragrance repugnant to people who are closed to God? Have you suppressed your “fragrance” because some people are allergic to Christian perfume? If so, how can you regain the fragrance of Christ’s gospel? The fragrance of knowing God to people who are open to Him is the sweet message of forgiveness, involvement, and the hope of eternal life with God in His presence. On the other hand, the gospel is repugnant to those who only see the gospel as restrictive to sinful lifestyles. I preach and teach the gospel to others and do not let their attitudes affect mine. I strive to love and honor God and encourage others to do the same. I do not let other people's attitude regarding God affect my own.

Q4. (5:5-6) What acts of humility are appropriate for church leaders? How can we discern a person's humility before putting him or her in a place of leadership in the church? What happens when we fail to do this? Humility begins with church leaders submitting their wills to God; applying Biblical principles to their lives; and treating all congregation members with dignity and respect. The church leader providing leadership for the church also places the needs of others before himself. He applies the principles of 1 Cor. 13 to all his relationships. A person's humility can be discerned by the testimony; the witness of others he has ministered to or is currently ministering to; and the evaluation of past leadership positions held. When past leadership performance is not reviewed the success of the leader's performance in the pending position is chancey at best. The Pastor and the church really don't know what they are getting by way of leadership.

Q3. (5:3) How can we best keep elders and pastors from being power-mongers? From limiting a pastor's authority? What's the danger here? From testing a person before bestowing authority? How can this be difficult? How can we deal with this serious problem properly? We can best keep elders and pastors from being power-mongers by getting involved in our church. In many instances church leaders become power-mongers because church members don't want to get involved and take on responsibilities. So church leadership ends taking on that responsibility and what appears to be power-mongering. When the congregation will not and in order to get jobs done, church leadership takes care of it and it winds up dividing placing more decision-making into the hands of the few, not by choice, out of necessity. On the other hand there are some leaders who genuinely seek power for personal power sake. They need to be held accountable by the church. The job interview process should help screen this kind of leader out. However, sometimes the tendencies of people don't reveal themselves until they are placed into a position. This can be addressed by a church personnel board or council to regularly review leadership performance. This board can call attention to both effective leadership and problem areas in the leader's performance. As part of the screening process for a job the purpose of this board would be brought to the attention of the potential leader. The church as a whole must emphasize that church leadership is to be carried out in humility and servant hood. Jesus is the model.

Q2. (4:4) Why does James refer to church members as "adulteresses"? What does the adultery consist of? Who is the aggrieved husband? What is wrong with friendship with the world? James refers to church members as adulteresses because throughout the Bible the relationship between God and his people have been depicted as in a marital relationship. Israel has referred to as the wife of God and the church as the bride of Christ. A marital relationship is the most intimate relationship there is between people. So our relationship with God should be intimate and personal just as a martial relationship is. Adultery brakes trust and the intimate relationship between husband and wife. It is a form of betrayal. Vows and promises were made between the bride and bridegroom regarding fidelity. Adultery compromises those vows. God is the aggrieved husband. Friendship with the world means compromising my Christian walk. The ways of the satanic world order are at odds with the Kingdom of God. Two completely different value systems.

Q1. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? God is not against pleasure when it is within the bounds of His will for us. The problem with living to increase one's pleasure is that you are making yourself God. Living to increase one's pleasure usually is at the expense of our relationship with God and others. People who are self-centered and seeking to increase their pleasure cannot truly serve God and others because self gets in the way. We were created for God and each other not self.

Q2. (5:2) What's wrong with the common practice in churches of "twisting a person's arm" to get him or her to serve as a church leader. What damage does this do to the church? What kind of leader does it produce? The problem with twisting a person's arm to get them to serve as a church leader is that their heart usually is not in it. The position they serve suffers and God is not honored. Placing people into leadership positions they don't want nor are called by God to fill only creates problems for the church and the pastor. You want people who are Holy Spirit filled and excited about serving God to fill leadership roles and positions within the church. God is honored and the needs of the congregation are cared for in a loving way. They are a blessing to their pastor. This method of recruiting church leaders produces mediocre and passionless leaders. The church suffers for lack of example and inspiration. Again, God is not honored and the church does not get the care it needs.

Q1. (5:1-2) What do you learn about the responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer"? What stood out to you as you considered these words? All three positions/callings include watching over, protecting, shepherding, spiritual development, and taking care of the group of people God has assigned them to lead. Taking care of the congregation means both physically as well as spiritually. The responsibilities of all three also include both the needs of church as a whole as well as the individual. The responsibilities of the elders, pastor, and overseer are serious and important. The responsibility of leading a group of people or a church for Jesus Christ is a great responsibility. The responsibilities are demanding.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11) How does Satan take advantage of our unforgiveness? What are the symptoms in our own heart of unforgiveness? According to Matthew 6:14-15, how does holding unforgiveness hurt our spiritual lives? What would you have to do to really let go of your resentment and give it to God? Satan uses our unforgiveness to divide, create bitterness, and create ineffective Christians and dysfunctional churches. Unforgiveness in our hearts creates anger, resentment, and bitterness. When these characteristics dominate a Christian's life, the Christian cannot grow spiritually and certainly cannot help or encourage others to grow spiritually. Which in reality means becoming Christ-like. Jesus taught that if we don't forgive others their trespasses/sin against us, God will not forgive us our trespasses/sin. I strive to put this into practice.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 2:9) How does obedience to servant leaders help the church of Jesus Christ? How does obedience to self-serving leaders hurt the church? Are you obedient to those whom God has placed over you in the Lord? Why or why not? What is the relationship between obedience and church unity? Obedience to servant leaders in the church of Jesus Christ brings about order and unity. It brings the congregation together so that it is operating off the same page and striving for the same goals. It creates a joint vision among members of the church. Obedience to self-serving leaders hurt the church because the church isn't serving Jesus Christ. God doesn't bless self-servers. This particular kind of leader isn't meeting the needs of the church only his/her own thus hurting the congregation. Yes, I an obedient to those whom God has placed over me in the Lord. I obedient because it is my duty and responsibility as scripture directs.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 1:24) What does it mean to “lord it over” someone? What is the balance between (1) good, strong leadership, (2) micromanaging, and (3) a complete laissez-faire approach to leadership? What are the dangers of an authoritative leadership style? What are the dangers of a weak leadership style? "Lording it over someone" means to dominate them. As a pastor and father I practice leadership by example. I try to model, encourage, teach, preach, advise, and council as to how and what it means to be a follower of Christ. However, the bottom is that I cannot live other people's lives. "Lording it over someone" doesn't and wouldn't make them strong followers of Christ. I believe a strong leader leads by example modeling the Christian lifestyle. A strong leader guides, directs, and creates visions and goals for His congregation to strive to achieve. The goal being in-depth spiritual development in those the leader is leading. A weak leadership style doesn't offer much direction and spiritual development in their congregations or students.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 1:21b-22) According to this verse, what does the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives signify? How does the Spirit unite us with God? What is the promise of future blessing inherent in the Spirit’s presence? The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives signify God's anointing or commissioning as His children and identifies us as His own. Additionally, the Holy Spirit enables us to stand firm for Christ. The placing the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer serves as the first installment that guarantees everything God has promised us in His word.

Q4. Why is a willingness to die, if need be, essential to healthy Christianity during persecution. What happens when we aren't willing to die, when we are afraid to "take up our cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and follow Jesus? What does this have to do with "commiting ourselves to a faithful Creator"? A willingness to die for Jesus Christ if need be is an acknowledgment that life in this world is not the end all be all. It is a stand against Satan and all this world represents. If death is necessary, it is a part of our witness as believers in the Way, the truth, and the life -- Jesus Christ. Satan and the world needs to see that evil and rebellion doesn't capture and bully everyone. The world makes death a horrifying event because it has no awareness or insight into the greater reality of God Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth. The giver of life and death. The world has no insight into the nature of sin and humanity and judgment and eternity. Life is everything, to die is dreadful. There is no joy in death but sorrow. The Christian knows to dead on many levels is to live and to live eternally with God. To willingly die for Jesus Christ is the greatest honor and witness there is for the world to see.

Q3. (4:14) If we are never persecuted, what does that say about how people view us? In what way should persecution make us happy? If we are never persecuted we aren't making much of an impact for Jesus Christ. The enemy doesn't see much of Christ in us to persecute us. We are no threat to the satanic world order. Persecution for Christ, though it be uncomfortable, should make us rejoice because it indicates that others see Jesus in us and we are living out our faith in a way that impacts the world around us for the Kingdom of God.

Q2. (4:13) When you meditate on the idea of partaking of or being a sharer in Christ's sufferings, what perspective does it give you on whatever persecution you may experience? Suffering comes with the walk with Jesus and I believe true followers, because they follow, will suffer at the hands of this world in some way, shape, or form. The fact that a believer suffers for Jesus indicates the world views the believer as a follower of Christ. All believers should take joy in that. Remembering that we are not on this planet for long we must keep the long view and remember where we are headed. We must follow and serve the Lord. We are heaven bound. The world is restricting and hates God. We have been made free. Enough though we may suffer for a time, it is only for a time.

Q2. (4:13) When you meditate on the idea of partaking of or being a sharer in Christ's sufferings, what perspective does it give you on whatever persecution you may experience? Suffering comes with the walk with Jesus and I believe true followers, because they follow, will suffer at the hands of this world in some way, shape, or form. The fact that a believer suffers for Jesus indicates the world views the believer as a follower of Christ. All believers should take joy in that. Remembering that we are not on this planet for long we must keep the long view and remember where we are headed. We must follow and serve the Lord. We are heaven bound. The world is restricting and hates God. We have been made free. Enough though we may suffer for a time, it is only for a time.

Q1. (4:12) What's the danger of trying to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ? Have you ever been distracted by persecution from what you should have been doing? Have you ever observed this in other Christians? The danger of avoiding persecution and suffering for Christ is that you stop living, serving, and witnessing for Him. You stop impacting the satanic world order for Christ. You stop blessing those around you because of fear. At times persecution has made me uncomfortable and fearful, but I worked my way through it through prayer and God's Word.

Q4. (3:17-18) With what tool do peacemakers sow peace? Why does this produce a ripening crop of righteousness? In whom does this crop grow? Peacemakers sow through love, mercy, and good deeds. The production of the ripening crop of righteousness first begins in the believers who practice sowing peace and then has the potential of effecting the lives they touch. I say potential because unless a person gives their lives over to the supervision of the Holy Spirit nothing spiritual happens. In sum, this crop of peace grows in whom allow it to grow.

Q3. (3:13-16) In what ways are "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" (3:14) direct opposites of "humility" (3:13)? How does denial of "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" prevent healing? How does boasting about these prevent healing? When a life is based and centered in bitter envy and selfish ambition it excludes Godly wisdom and understanding. God's way is not the way of ego-centricsim. God's way is the way of humility and the love of others. Humanity must walk humility with God because we are prone to make ourselves gods and to live as though we are the most important person at the expense our relationship to God and of others. God's way is the way of giving and not always consuming. You cannot heal or address what you don't or wouldn't address or acknowledge in your life. Thus denial of bitter envy and selfish ambition cannot be dealt with if it is denied. Likewise, if I am boasting and taking pride in bitter envy and selfish ambition I am in another state of denial and no healing can take place.