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March 29, 2019 by Jeff Jones
So churches need to try and test the character and maturity of their deacon nominees prior to their appointment by the elders, a process that requires time and familiarity. That’s the deacon’s examination....
March 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Biblical deacons, then, are to be examined by the assembly. That’s at the heart of the deacon’s nomination for office....
March 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Deacons, again, are to guard the unity of the church and the ministry of the elders from the demands of practical problems. Appreciating such problems requires the careful definition of each deacon’s role....
March 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
There is only one qualification Paul mentions to Timothy that is not found in Acts 6, and it is that qualification we now turn to examine: the deacon’s purity....
February 28, 2019 by Jeff Jones
This combination of a practical, nuts-and-bolts focus and a separation from doctrinal and pastoral oversight ministry might tempt a church to overlook the piety and conviction of a candidate. That would be a grave mistake....
February 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
The very fact that this responsibility requires dedicated attention should tell us that it may not come easily, and that not just anyone will be able to fulfill it. It’s no surprise, then, that the third qualification emphasized by the apostles in Acts 6 is wisdom......
February 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Having seen last week that the first qualification of a potential deacon is a solid reputation, we now turn to look at the second qualification found in Acts chapter 6: being “full of the Spirit.” Of all the qualifications, this one is perhaps most at risk of being misunderstood in the present day. What does “filled with the Spirit” mean?...
February 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Now that we’ve looked at the intent, mission, and objective of the New Testament deacon, it’s time to look at what kind of Christians fill this office. What are the qualifications of those called to be deacons?...
February 1, 2019 by Jeff Jones
We see in Acts 6 that even in the earliest church the temptation to be distracted from this ministry is strong. The apostles put it in blunt terms: “it is not right that we should give up the preaching of the Word of God to serve tables.”...
February 19, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Category: Devotionals | Tags: Calvary Grace Church, Building, Prayer, offering, Sovereignty, King David, Temple, Worship
We can’t understand the amazing prayer offered in First Chronicles 29 unless we first understand the man who offered it. In this article, we’re going to look at King David, a "man on a mission." We’ll review what brought him to that moment, in order to help us grasp why he prayed the way he did....
Keep ReadingJanuary 5, 2018 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Prayer, Application, Word, Ministry, sharing
We’ll wrap up this newsletter series by introducing three new e-book Ministry Guides you can download to help you with this ministry, along with providing (all in one place) the links to the Study Outlines introduced over the past month...
Keep ReadingDecember 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Application, Context, Scripture, Reading, Meaning, observation
To get you started reading the Bible one-to-one, what follows is a simple method of Bible study called the COMA method. COMA studies a Bible passage in four steps: Context, Observation, Meaning, and Application....
Keep ReadingDecember 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Prayer, God's Word, Belive
ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. When gathering one-to-one for prayer, you simply take turns, each praying a prayer of adoration, then each praying a prayer of confession, and so on....
Keep ReadingDecember 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Prayer, Application, Listen
Sermon listening is a central part of the Christian life, and so why not learn more about it? Christopher Ash has written a very short but very useful booklet called Listen Up! A practical guide to listening to sermons, filled with useful tips and challenging questions that will help you “take care…how you hear” (Luke 8:18). After getting started with Gathering One2O...
Keep ReadingDecember 2, 2017 by Jeff Jones | Category: Life Application
Here’s some steps to follow, both before the first meeting, and at that first meeting together....
Keep ReadingNovember 25, 2017 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: Remembrance, today, cross, Revival
When it comes to the Protestant Reformation, let’s not be like the forgetful people after the ‘celebration of life’. Instead let’s pray like the Psalmist did, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11)....
Keep ReadingNovember 25, 2017 by Jeff Jones | Tags: Word, Growth, body
Try to build up one another, and build up the church, by building fellowship across the whole congregation one-to-one around God’s Word!...
Keep ReadingNovember 10, 2017 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: Revival, Word of God, United, Joy, Calgary
Revival is a special season when God does intensely the things he does regularly. He saves sinners all the time. When many pay attention to God in a new way at the same time, that is a revival....
Keep ReadingNovember 10, 2017 by Clint Humfrey | Tags: Sacrifices, Jesus, saviour
Death is a big problem for religion. How can a guru, saviour, or priest hope to provide any kind of lasting salvation if they die?...
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