In Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary, there is no meaning of the word culture as it can be used at times today. The 1828 meaning basically defines it as any labor for improvement or growth. When did this word change its meaning? The reason I was thinking about this is because some people who call themselves Christian refer to the Bible's "culture" at the time. Someone has told me that in the culture at the time of the Bible women couldn't be a pastor. I have heard others refer to a "Southern" culture or a "Northern" culture. In these times when diversity and tolerance is stressed in and outside of the "church", this word is used (or misused) frequently. Another phrase used is "culturally relevant". It may be culturally relevant at one time but not another. Of course it is comforting to know that the Bible transcends all so-called "cultures"!
My first question concerns the epistles of Timothy and Titus. Why is it that these are called, pastoral epistles? Seeing that the only church authority and responsibility that Paul discusses are the eldership positions of the Bishop and Deacon. Paul never writes or speaks using the word pastor. So I have never been able to find a link between the eldership roles and that of pastor.
Please explain the difference between a licensed preacher & an ordained preacher. Can a licensed preacher do weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc? The man I am referring to is an ordained deacon, but has only been licensed to preach.
I am having a little disagreement with a couple of people, and I am hoping you can settle it. Is it ok for a pastor to use a sermon that he found off the internet? Some people think it is stealing, and makes the pastor look lazy. I think it is NOT stealing because a sermon is about God's word. God's word is not copyrighted, nor is the King James Bible. It was given to us freely, and a man's sermon is worthless without God's word. The people who were disagreed treat God as business. I just think that if the pastor had someone dear to him passed away, I think it is ok for him to get a sermon off the internet as long as he tells his members he found a sermon off the internet that he wanted to share to them and tell them where he got it from, or repeat some of his old sermons. What is your opinion on this?
Do Christians require anointing oil, i.e. olive oil, to heal the sick, as instructed in James?
My question comes from Hebrews 1:14. It says Angels are God spirits sent to protect Christians. I do not have problem with this scripture. My problem is, do we still have Angels TODAY doing this work? If yes, how do we identify them as not to grief them and what forms are they?
