Category: Topical Lines
As the end of the age approaches, the nation of Israel is increasingly at the center of the global situation and the subject of human opinions. As believers in Christ, our understanding of … Continue reading Realizing the Importance of Israel in God’s Economy
Over the years a number of rumors and misrepresentations have been propagated concerning the local churches. Some of these are still in circulation today, even though they have no substantive factual basis. The … Continue reading Correcting Factual Errors Regarding Our History
For someone serving the Lord in His ministry, having one’s words twisted is nothing new. Paul experienced this (2 Pet. 3:16; Rom. 3:8). So did David (Psa. 56:5). The following articles are offered … Continue reading Concerning Various Twistings of Our Teachings
In the gospel of Matthew the changing of the age was announced with the words “the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near,” spoken first by John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus, and … Continue reading Concerning Key Principles in God’s Government
God has spoken (Heb. 1:1), and His speaking is recorded in a wonderful book, the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). From one perspective the Bible speaks of many things, but from another it has … Continue reading Concerning the Bible and Its Interpretation
In Matthew 12:34 the Lord Jesus told the Pharisees that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” In other words, as Brother Nee explained, “A person’s words express his heart; … Continue reading Healthy and Unhealthy Speaking
As believers our hope is in the coming of the Lord Jesus. We are called to live in the world but not of the world (John 15:19; 17:14-16). In today’s world we face … Continue reading Our Attitude toward Social and Psychological Issues
Those of us who meet in the local churches are fully aware that we are a small minority among the Lord’s people and that those believers not meeting with us are fully our … Continue reading Our Relationship with Other Christians
(See also Problems and Turmoils in the Church) Today we realize that our living must be not only before the Lord individually but must also be for the building up of His Body. … Continue reading Living in and for the Body
(See also Living in and for the Body) We may think that the church is a place that should be free of problems. On the one hand, the church is the Body and … Continue reading Problems and Turmoils in the Church
The ministry and the work are distinct from the local churches but exist for the sake of the local churches. The following articles address particular misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the functions of two … Continue reading Clarifications regarding the Ministry and the Work
(see also Church Administration, Authority, and Leadership) While elders are responsible for the administration of a local church (Acts 14:23), those who function as apostles (i.e., the leading co-workers) labor among the churches … Continue reading Apostles and Elders
In God’s governmental arrangement the elders are responsible for the administration of a local church (Acts 14:23. Some have argued that with respect to its administration each local church is absolutely independent, or … Continue reading Avoiding Mistakes in Administering the Church
(See also Our Relationship with Other Christians) If we want to practice the church according to God’s design, we must return to the pattern in the New Testament, setting aside the current divided … Continue reading Clarifying the Ground Of Oneness
The ministry of the new covenant is a crucial factor in the building up of the churches as the Body of Christ as evidenced by the gifts to the Body in Ephesians 4:11-12 … Continue reading Knowing the Function of the Ministry