Some have tried to justify the appointment of women as deacons in the church (a.k.a. “deaconesses”) by referencing Phoebe in Romans 16:1. In fact some versions of the Bible translate the Greek word in this verse as “deaconess.” Is that not correct? The Greek word used in Romans 16:1 is diakonos. It is found 30 times in the Greek New Testament. It…

You can’t go anywhere (it seems) without hearing some sort of profanity. It’s in our schools, workplaces and recreational centers, and is as accepted (and expected) as running water and air conditioning. Too often, sadly, children of God allow it to seep into our own vocabulary. In his article on “The Plague of Profanity” (on ChristianCourier.com), Wayne Jackson drew this convincing conclusion:…

The following conversation was overheard in a men’s restroom on a Sunday afternoon in another state: Little boy to his father: “Dad, why is everybody so fancy here?” Father doesn’t respond to the question. Little boy to his father: “Dad, why is everybody so fancy here?” Father: “Because they went to church this morning and dressed up for it.” Little boy: “Oh.”…

It is not a new revelation to you that college is an expensive venture. It takes a significant sum of savings to pay for all that is involved: tuition, room, board, textbooks, labs, supplies, activities, clothes, transportation, etc., etc. It can cost an arm and a leg to get a degree these days! But, for the moment, put all of that aside.…

When my wife became pregnant with our first child, my prayers increased, and in a very specific way. When our girls were born, the prayers stepped up to another level. As they grew older and experienced life (including the teenage years), prayer seemed to reach an all-time high. My prayers could not (or so I thought) reach a level much higher. But,…

Imagine for a moment what it will be like for Paul and those around him when he enters through heaven’s gate of pearl and walks down the street of gold. First, think about the exuberant joy that is going to fill his heart and, no doubt, pour forth from his every essence. Next, think about the thousands of souls who heard the…

When people walk into your home, what is the first thing they notice? Is it the air temperature–a bit cold or a little warm? Is it the scent of the air–maybe some potpourri or musky laundry? Is it the orderliness of the home–everything in its place or the aftermath of some mini-tornadoes? What is the first thing that “hits them”? Our homes…

In order to become a Christian, one must “confess” his faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). Of course, a Christian must continue to “confess” Christ (1 John 4:15). When a child of God sins, God calls upon him to “confess” his sins to our Father in heaven (1 John 1:9). The Greek word for “confess” is homologeo, which is a compound word,…