1 Timothy 4: 1,6 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons…… In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, {constantly} nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

Radio News
We have been asked to participate in a debate with a Moslem cleric. We are in the process of determining the format and trying to get a cleric to agree to an academic format. Tentatively, we are planning to do this in early spring. Please be in prayer with us that the Lord will be glorified through this effort. We will let you know more as the details are known.

The last three weeks of Feb., we will be discussing house church theology. Our guest will be Steve Atkerson, the author of “Ekklesia…To the Roots of Biblical Church Life”. We will be discussing house church theology, taking phone calls from our listeners and giving away several of his books. We have Steve confirmed for the 14th and the 28th and hope to extend into the month of March. Don’t forget that you can listen live to this broadcast live every Sat. at 3:05 PM central on the internet at wsho.com or http://www.fellowshipofbelievers.org/radio.html .

Introduction to Biblical Church Life
We will be holding a series of meetings in the New Orleans and the North shore areas. These meetings will be open to all and will include handouts. A 45 minute presentation will be followed by a question and answer session. The biblical foundation of the house church movement will be presented. If you are interested in attending a meeting or if you would like Mike to come and present this to your group, please call (985-796-1602) or email mike@fellowshipofbelievers.org .

Interesting News
CHINA CRUSHES HOUSE CHURCHES-Inside sources say Red China is crushing the house church movement. It considers unregistered churches political subversives. Protestant churches can register only through the China Christian Council and its related Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Both closely cooperate with the Communist regime, which forbids worship outside state-backed official "patriotic" religious bodies (1/04 Chr. Today). Worship is allowed only in government-monitored churches, temples, and mosques. In a two-month period beginning last mid-August, authorities closed or bulldozed over 100 churches in one town. (12/23 Huntsville Times). Today, about 15 million Protestants and 10 million Catholics worship in the official churches. Millions more belong to unofficial house churches.

The International Religious Freedom Report
for 2003 has been released by the U.S. State Department (state.gov,12/18/03), and it reveals an array of religious freedom violations around the world. Only two countries (Kazakhstan and Laos) improved during the time period covered by the report, while other observed foreign governments worsened:
Burma -censors all publications, monitors and restricts religious activity in the interest of “national unity”
Belarus -prefers the Belarusian Orthodox Church over all others, rejects registration applications from Protestant denominations, attacks Protestant groups through state-owned media
Brunei -disallows proselytization by non-Muslims, prohibits the teaching of Christianity at Christian-based mission schools, requires all schools to teach Islam
China-intimidates and harasses unregistered religious groups, sends their leaders to prison or labor camps
Pakistan -ignores acts of violence against religious minorities
Saudi Arabia-pays the salaries of virulently anti-Christian Muslim clerics
Sudan-employs a policy of Islamization, hires only Muslims for government jobs
Vietnam-restricts the training of clergy, has attempted to force Christians to renounce their faith, restricts outside access to areas of special religious liberty concern

About one in twenty-five Americans
has a biblical worldview, reports George Barna (barna.org, 12/1/03). Barna queried over 2,000 adults and defined a “biblical worldview” as adherence to certain basic doctrinal beliefs, including the existence of absolute truth, the sinlessness of Christ, the accuracy of the Bible, the reality of Satan, and the necessity of evangelism. The religious group with the highest incidence of biblical thinking was nondenominational Protestantism (just 13%). Democrats as a whole (1%) edged out Roman Catholics (less than one-half of 1%), though mainline Protestants scored somewhat igher (2%). Barna also found that a biblical worldview proved to be a good predictor of positions on moral issues.

CHRISTIANS DYING IN PAKISTAN AT RATE OF DOZEN A YEAR
. Friday Church News Notes, January 23, 2004 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, fbns@wayoflife.org, http://www.wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Almost four dozen Christians have been killed in Muslim-dominated Pakistan in the last four years. The latest was Protestant Pastor Mukhtar Masih, who was shot dead on January 5, in Khanewal, northern Pakistan. Many others have been wounded in terrorist attacks against churches and Christian organizations. The latest of these was on January 15, when Muslims exploded a powerful bomb outside of the Pakistan Bible Society, wounding at least 13.

What about giving?
I wish I had a nickel for every inquiry about tithing that I have received (no pun intended). So many in the church world today preach, teach and practice the tithe. I think it is wrong, it is unbiblical and has no place in the church life of believers today.

Now that we got that out of the way, what about giving? It is obvious from scripture that the NT church often collected an offering and sent support to their ministers. What does the Bible say about this?

First to the scripture. Paul writing to Timothy in 1Tim.5:17-18 says “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." Paul to the Corinthians in 1Cor.9:9-14 “For it is written in the Law of Moses, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.” One more from 1Thess.5:12-13 “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.” These scriptures clearly indicate that the sheep are supposed to take good care of their elders, including providing they’re living through giving.

The Institutional Church(the IC) has brought these simple commands to the height of absurdity. Elders fleece their flocks for the benefit of personal gain and to sustain an indulgent lifestyle. On the other hand, there are those sheep who believe their shepherd should live poor and suffer the discipline of a life without. Both extremes are practiced in the IC to the detriment of elders and sheep alike.

Remember that the NT church is a family, specifically the family and household of God. It’s members call each other brother and sister. The church met in homes of intimate small groups where the practice of “one anothering” was the rule. They were characterized by loving one another, caring for one another, comforting one another, esteeming one another more highly then themselves. In fact and practice, the believers were known by the love they had one for another. This consideration was extended to all but especially the elder. Note one more time 1Tim.5:17-18, 1Cor.9:9-14 and 1Thess.5:12-13. “esteem them(elders) very highly in love because of their work”; “So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages”. Clearly the church family was responsible for taking care of their elders.

In addition to their elders, the church has a responsibility to lovingly care for orphans, widows, missionaries, those who are in need….all should be the beneficiaries of the people of God’s generosity and joy in giving. This giving is supposed to reflect the love that we have received from the Lord and the joy we have in sharing that love with others. It has been well said that we all have one book written about us that truly reflects our hearts. That book of course is our checkbook! In its pages we will find a written and accurate record of our understanding of God’s great love. John 3:16 says in part “That God so loved….that He gave!” May your “book” also read “ that you loved so much….that you gave!”