COGIC - Church of God In Christ

Comment

Comment by Mark H. Stevens, Th.D on April 19, 2009 at 9:17pm

The Duties of an Elder

1. The Term "Elder"
1. PRESBUTEROS - elder, an old man, a leader in the church.
The term is used
1. of the elder of two persons (Luke 15:25, or more,
John 8:9).
2. of a person advanced in age (Acts 2:17; in Heb.
11:2).
3. of the forefathers in Israel (Matt. 15:2; Mark
7:3,5).
4. of members of the Sanhedrin (Matt. 16:21; 26:47).
5. of those who managed public affairs in the various
cities (Luke 7:3).
6. of those who were the heads or leaders of the tribes
and families, as of the seventy who helped Moses (Num. 11:16; Deut.
27:1). This included:
1. acting as judges in apprehending murderers
(Deut. 19:12).
2. conducting inquests (Deut. 21:2).
3. settling matrimonial disputes (Deut. 22:15;
25:7).
4. If theirs was a city of refuge they also heard
pleas for asylum (Joshua 20:4).
7. of those qualified by the Holy Spirit who exercised
spiritual care and oversight of the local congregation.
2. EPISKOPOI - overseers, bishops
1. Titus equates bishop and elder in Titus 1:5-9.
2. Regarding the Office:
1. The office of Elder is a divinely appointed office as
defined in the Pastoral Epistles.
2. Elders are apparently appointed by the laying on of hands
(1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6).
3. Should receive double honor in the church (1 Tim. 5:17).
4. The pastor is an elder (1 Peter 5:1-3).
5. The pastor is an elder who preaches and/or teaches (1 Tim.
5:17).
1. The pastor (elder) is to equip the body of Christ
(Eph. 4:11-13).
6. Must be a man (1 Tim. 2:9-13).
1. All uses of "elder" are in the masculine except for
1 Tim. 5:2 where it means older women.
3. The Responsibilities of Elders in the NT Church:
1. Must shepherd the flock (1 Peter 5:2).
2. Must voluntarily exercise oversight upon the flock (1
Peter 5:2).
3. Must live as examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3).
4. Anoint and pray for the sick (James 5:14).
5. They have the tasks of teaching (1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5,9).
6. They have the tasks of acting as judges (Acts
15:2,6,22-29; 16:4).
4. Qualifications for an elder
1. Must be above reproach (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2)
2. Husband of one wife (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2).
3. Household must be in order with children who believe
(Titus 1:6 ;1 Tim. 3:4).
4. Not a new convert (1 Tim. 3:6).
5. Self controlled and temperate (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim. 3:2).
6. Honorable, hospitable, seeking good (Titus 1:7).
7. Have a good reputation (1 Tim. 3:7).
8. Not addicted to wine (1 Tim. 3:3).
9. Not greedy (1 Tim. 3:3).
10. Able to exhort (teach) sound doctrine (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim.
3:2).
11. Able to refute false teaching (Titus 1:9).
12. They must be ready to earn their own living if necessary
(Acts 20:17, 33-35).

Comment by DR.Timothy And Nicole Trent on April 19, 2009 at 9:14pm

thank you man of God i am on the 9pm

Comment by Minister Lonnie D. Hampton on April 19, 2009 at 6:43pm

God bless you, all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to invite you to join us, The Bringing Back God’s Glory conference call partners, for our daily prayers. I’m excited about what God is doing and how He's opening doors, saving the lost, healing the sick, providing jobs for people who are looking for work and all the other wonderful things that He's doing. If you can’t start your day off with us, I'm encouraging you not to let it end without joining us on one of these calls. Feel free to pray with us or just listen in. We have several times throughout the day or evening for your convenience.
Daily
6:00 am & 12 noon Central Time 218-844-8230 Pin code 479603#
9:00 pm Central Time 641-715-3630 pin code 287745#
10:00 pm Central Time 712-432-0075 pin code 722823#
Saturday Mornings
9:00 am Central Time 712-432-0075 pin code 701273#
To be placed on our prayer request list, please email your name and request to cogic_preacher2006@yahoo.com Our prayer warriors will take your request to God in prayer.
Please write PRAYER REQUEST in the subject bar of your email.
Help us spread the word about this prayer call by emailing all your contact, telling your neighbors, friends, family, church members and co-workers.

Comment by Mark H. Stevens, Th.D on April 17, 2009 at 9:55pm

Johannesburg & capetown, Africa
Short-Term Missions Trip


This summer the National C.O.G.I.C. Youth On A Mission (Y.O.A.M.), short-term missions team, have a group scheduled to minister in AFRICA. YOAM is an auxiliary of the Department of Missions for the Church Of God In Christ, Inc. under Bishop Carlis Moody. Missionary Stephanie R. Stevens, a YOAM team member since 2002, will travel with them to Johannesburg & Capetown this July.

During the 2 weeks of ministry, the team’s activities include Vacation Bible School (VBS), puppet & clown ministry, street outreach, evangelistic services, feeding ministry, workshops, construction projects, medical ministry / health clinics, visits to schools, orphanages, nursing homes or prisons and more!

Please consider being a part of this mission ministry with your prayer support and a financial donation.

Please send donations by April 21st or sooner
(Make Checks or MOs Payable to)
Stephanie R. Stevens
PO Box 1497
Browns Mills, NJ 08015
Email: stephanierstevens@yahoo.com
Phone: 609-321-6043

Comment by Elder Kelly Maurice Stevens on April 15, 2009 at 8:14am

good mornin my brothers and sisters

Comment by Mark H. Stevens, Th.D on April 13, 2009 at 9:43am

YOU CAN PURCHASE THIS BOOK ON AMAZON.COM

Comment by LASHAWN JOHNSON (HOLY1OF GOD) on April 13, 2009 at 12:02am

I WILL SURELY KEEP THEM IN PRAYER

Comment by Minister Lonnie D. Hampton on April 12, 2009 at 10:31pm

The Church of God In Christ mourns the loss of another great Bishop. Bishop W. L. Porter went home to be with the Lord
Take the time out to keep Pastor Brandon B. Porter and the whole Porter family in your prayers.
Bishop Porter was the Prelate of TENNESSEE CENTRAL JURISDICTION.
This is another great loss to our national church.

Comment by karen d washington on April 11, 2009 at 2:40pm

Wednesday night (04/08/2009) I had a vision and in the vision it was about 6:00pm, evening time. I was standing on the top of a hill which was hidden by the trees. The trees was tall with short branches and covered with pine needles on the upper area of the tree. I heard a call within my spirit to turn to the east and as I turned to the east, I looked up towards the sky. Darkness began to cover the earth and a tornado began to form in the sky and it hit the ground, coming through the trees. I could not move but stood upon the hill as it passed by. Then another one came as the first it passed over me without harming me. I remember feeling the strong breeze of the tornado passing over me. The spirit of the Lord led me out into the field continually looking into the east.

There were people standing in the field unaware of what was about to take place or what is even happening now. As the tornados began to form and touch the earth, I began to guide the people away from the storm. I can feel the way to overcome the storm is to watch and pray, never try to direct the storm but allow it to pass over.

As I was standing my grandson walked up to me and we began to face each other face to face. The darkness was deeper than before. He began to speak words to me but I did not understand what he was saying; however, I felt what he said. He said, "Grandma, look to the east." Both of us looked to the east and there was a great tornado, bigger than all of the others. It covered the earth and there was no time to run. We continued to stand face to face, staring one another in the eyes, giving power to each other. The storm passed over without harmining a hair on our head because we stood together.

Saints of God, it is time to make a stand together in the Lord, for the storms that are about to take place in this world we will need each other. People who know the way it is time to teach others the way. Lead the people to Christ because Christ is ready to receive them as his own. The harvest is plenty but the labors are few, gather the harvest before God throw in the sickle.

Comment by Mark H. Stevens, Th.D on April 10, 2009 at 12:09pm

Philippians 2:1 "If [there be]
therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,"

This is as if he is asking them if their experience with Christ
was real or not. Are you trusting in Christ? Is His love real to you?
Do you fellowship with Him in your Spirit? Do you really believe in
the mercy of God? Were you really baptized in the Holy Spirit?

Philippians 2:2 "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having
the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind."

Then, Paul says, if you answered yes in the verses above, conduct
your life like a Christian. Agree with your Christian brothers and
sisters and make me very happy. Love each other and get along. Be of
one mind in the things of God. Let there be unity in your spirits.

Philippians 2:3 "[Let] nothing [be done] through strife or
vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves."

Pride causes problems. It seems that a good bit of jealousy was
going on, and Paul speaks against that. Paul is explaining to them
that Christians consider the needs of others before themselves. Love
your neighbor as yourself. Strife and vainglory cause division in the
church. Paul is saying, do not be stubborn and demand your own way.
Think of the needs of others first.

Philippians 2:4 "Look not every man on his own things, but every
man also on the things of others."

One of the main differences in Christian's attitude and the
attitude of the world is that Christians are more thoughtful of others
than the world. A Christian desires success for his Christian brothers
and sisters, as well as his own sucess.

Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus:"

If we have taken on the mind of Christ, then our thoughts would
be the same thoughts He would have about the same thing. He was
unselfish and thoughtful of others. If we desire to be Christ like,
then we will be unselfish and thoughtful of others.

Philippians 2:6 "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God:"

Jesus was in the beginning with God, but His name, in heaven
before he came to earth, was the Word of God. It was not robbery,
because He was God the Word. I John 5:7 "For there are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one." This next Scripture really settles it. John 1:1 "In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God." When the Word of God came to the earth, He took on the form
of flesh and dwelt among us as Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was
"Emmauel", God with us. He had the flesh of man so that He could be
tempted and suffer as we do in the flesh. The Spirit within the flesh
was God the Word.

Philippians 2:7 "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"

Jesus left His title {Word of God} in heaven and took on the
lowly flesh of man. He came to this earth in the form of man to rescue
mankind from their sin. Since the problem was in the flesh of mankind,
Jesus took on flesh. His flesh was in the likeness of man, so that He
could defeat Satan as a man. In heaven, He was worshipped. He left
that to save His creation. He became a lowly servant to mankind. He
had no reputation as Jesus on the earth. His glory was in heaven as
the Word of God.

Philippians 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

He wanted to taste every aspect of the suffering on the cross for
you and me. Him being fashioned as a man, He suffered pain as you and
I would. Notice, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said, my Spirit is
willing, but my flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the
flesh [is] weak." He humbled Himself and did the will of the Father.
One must die for the sins of the people. This had to be to free
mankind from sin. Notice, also, that all of this was the will of
Jesus,
{humbled Himself}.

Philippians 2:9 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and
given him a name which is above every name:"

This, in a sense, is speaking of God the Father exalting Him.
Whether this name spoken of here is the unspeakable name in heaven, or
not, we do not know. We do know that on the earth this name is Jesus
which means Jehovah Saviour. He was exalted, because he had been
humbled. He had been exalted ruler in heaven, before He came to earth.
This just puts Him in the exalted position He had held in heaven from
the beginning.

Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under
the earth;"

This, now is speaking of His creation, whether in heaven,
earth, or under the earth. Creator God deserves all praise. We should
praise Him that we are recreated in Him at our new birth. We do know
that all prayers made to the Father must be spoken in the name of
Jesus to receive entrance to the throne of God. We do know that He has
given believers on the earth the power of attorney to use the name of
Jesus. We do know that miracles occur in the name of Jesus. There is
great power in the name of Jesus. Look, with me, at some of the other
names this Jesus is called by. Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." My own
belief is that the name {Jesus} encompasses all these names.

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