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You You You You You Well good morning everyone welcome to Mountain Baptist Church take your song books and turn to song 182 Song 182 we'll sing Wonderful Story of Love if you would stand We'll sing song 182 Wonderful story of love Tell it to me again Wonderful story of love Wake the immortal strain Angels with rapture announcement chapters with wonder receive it Sinner won't you believe it? Wonderful story of love Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful story of love Wonderful story of love Though you are far away Wonderful story of love Still he doth call today Calling from Calvary's mountain down from the crystal bright fountain eaten from dawn of creation Wonderful story of love Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful story of love Wonderful story of love Jesus provides a rest Wonderful Wonderful story of love For all the pure and blessed Rest in those mansions above us with those who've gone on before us Singing the rapture us for us wonderful story of love Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful story of love Let's pray heavenly follower. We just want to thank you God for today I pray Lord that you would just bless the service everything. It's said and done helping to be for your honor and glory in Jesus All right, if you would take your song books and turn to song 180 We'll sing a song that I know I will sing isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful song 180 There will never be a sweeter story Story of the Savior's love divine Love that brought him from the realms of glory Just to save a sinful soul like mine Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful Wonderful though, isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful it is to me Boundless as the universe around me reaching to the furthest soul away Saving keeping love it was that found me. That is why my heart can truly say Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful wonderful Oh, isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful it is to me Love beyond our human Comprehending love of God and Christ. How can it be? This will be my theme and Never-ending great redeeming love of Calvary Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful Wonderful, oh, isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful Wonderful it is to me Amen welcome to Mount Baptist Church on this Sunday morning. It's a little rainy today, but it's okay Just some general church announcements here We have all the service times are the same or what's listed on the bulletin there. So nothing different there. We have The offering box in the back there. We had the mother-baby room behind the bookshelf there That's the main mother-baby room And then just for overflow purposes the other room that has the windows the one on the all the way on the right is Also a mother-baby room. So we want to keep that for the mothers and babies only You know just for if it gets really crowded in that one room We have that other room there, too And just some announcements. We have the new church building secured. We have the keys They're gonna be starting to work on the renovation portion of it this week So the plan is August. It should be August October 1st. It should be ready to go Hopefully maybe a little before that But but that being said, you know, we're gonna move all that stuff over there and everything So I think it's gonna work out nicely And so we're excited about it But obviously when we get to that point, we'll put out a message there if anybody wants to help Moving stuff or whatever the case may be That would be much appreciated And then the big announcement is we have brother Dave's ordination service today. So So he's a little nervous. I want you to keep I just keep your eyes on him and make him feel even more nervous No, but we're excited about all joking aside. So I'm gonna be preaching on the office of a deacon and And then we're I'm gonna lay hands on brother Dave and he's gonna be officially the deacon of Mountain Baptist Church. And so And Our chapter memory for the month is now Galatians 5. So we've gone into September here and September is a busy month So as you can see on the list there, we have a lot of stuff coming up 1st John 5 4 is our memory verse for the week Whatsoever is born of God ever cometh the world and this is the victory that ever cometh the world even our faith I know we've had this one on the list before but this can be pertinent as we're getting into the seven churches of Asia that you know that verse and who is Who is he that ever cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, that's the next verse so Maybe we'll put that one on next week or something like that But that being said these are good verses that memorize especially when you're looking at these churches Because it's very important to know what it means to overcome And that is that you believed on Christ and that you are saved by faith now Upcoming events on September here. Obviously, we have brother Dave's ordination today Next this coming Saturday. We have the soul winning marathon. So I Call Panera, they're gonna have some bagels ready to go But we're gonna be meeting at that St. Panera. We always meet at and at Cabela's Drive there and so We'll be meeting there around 9 9 30 and then we're gonna be traveling down to Moundsville so try to get there if you can around 9 9 30 because Getting to Moundsville is gonna it's not like right down the road It's in the vicinity of Wheeling, but it's south of it. So it's gonna take us a little bit to get there. So You know, it should be good if we left if we left the Panera from 9 30 or 10 We definitely have you know, people should be awake at that point to go soul winning But be in prayer for that and then our anniversary service is that next Sunday. So this coming Sunday We have our anniversary service so for years we're celebrating here at Mount Baptist Church and we're gonna have a fellowship in between as far as I know and no one has Said anything against my Papa John's idea But if anybody has any Other catering type things that they think would be better or whatever. Let me know but on that anniversary Fellowship in between you're more than welcome to bring any type of dessert you want It will not be rejected as long as it's You know doesn't have alcohol or something like that and obviously we'll reject that but you know what I mean, so And then our retreat is at the end of the month here so Yeah, so a lot going on this month and if you have any questions about the retreat or anything like that, let me know but same as everybody that's been there before You know, you know, what's up, you know what you're gonna do Or as far as where you need to go and all that stuff But anybody that has not been there If you have any questions as far as where you need to go where you need to meet up first all that stuff Let me know I'll Lead you in the right direction there and then on the back of your bulletin there we had the birthdays and so the Morris's are out this week, but Kenji's birthday is this week and Clara's birthday is this week. So Clara is turning. How are you gonna be Clara? six so this Friday, so it's gonna be Claire's birthday, so she's gonna be six years old and Next week. We've got all the candies that are The gandy birthday. It's on there. I Say all but it's three but you know, there's like five other ones later on or whatever. No What's that That's accurate Probably not Well, that leads me into the next point which is pregnancies We in prayer for all the ladies on the pregnancy list as you can see we now have the due months on here so you kind of see who's kind of Ready to to go and who's still got more time. So But that being said Miss Tabby obviously her she's Straight go while brother Dave's ready. So I think brother Dave's more anxious about it and wanting it to happen then than Tabby so but But that's awesome. But anyway at that being said being prayer for Miss Tabby and the gandy family there And then all these other ladies on the list here Joyce Amanda Jennifer Anastasia and rude Just being prayer for all these ladies And That's what I got so many times we have our main sewing time this afternoon So obviously we're gonna try to find somewhere indoors or something covered because it's raining but As you can see on here the soul winning regional sewing times instead of Monday and Tuesday We have Tuesday and Wednesday So we moved the Monday time to the Wednesday that's been working out better For the guys that go out on Monday to do it on Wednesday. And so that's changed on there Besides that that's about all I got for announcements this morning Yeah So brother Dave's gonna sing one more song and I think brother Joseph's gonna be reading Acts chapter 6 for us So Acts chapter 6 after we sing one more song and but before we do that, we gotta sing. Happy birthday to Clara All Right, take your songbooks and turn to song 183 song 183 will sing Oh how I love Jesus But before we do that, we'll sing happy birthday. Happy birthday to Clara She's gonna be six. Do you want to stand up on your chair? Nope All right, we'll sing happy birthday to Clara ready Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday God bless you Happy birthday to you All Right, we'll sing song 183 There is a name I love to hear I love to sing it's worth It sounds like music and my near the sweetest name on earth. Oh How I love Jesus oh how I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Because he first loved me It tells me of a Savior's love who died to set me free It tells me of his precious blood the sinners perfect plea Oh How I love Jesus Oh How I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Because he first loved me It tells me what my father hath in store for every day And though I tread a darksome path yield sunshine all the way Oh How I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Because he first loved me It tells of one whose loving heart can feel my deepest. Whoa Who in each sorrow bears a part that none can bear below? Oh How I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Oh how I love Jesus Because he first loved me All right, take your Bibles and turn to Acts chapter number six acts six. We'll have brother Joseph read that for us Acts chapter six And If you found your place there if you'll say amen And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied There rose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and Said it is not reason that we should leave the world of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren look ye out among ye you Seven men of honest report for the Holy Ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over the this business But we but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word And the saying please the whole multitude and they chose Stephen man full of faith and the Holy Ghost and Philip and Prochorus and night Kenor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch Whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them and the Word of God increased in the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith and Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people then there arose certain of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and the Cyrenians and the Alexandrians and them of the Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Stephen They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake then they They Subborn men which said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God They stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the council and set up false witnesses which said this man sees that not to speak blasphemous words against the holy peace place and The law For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the customs Which Moses delivered us and all that sat in the council looking steadfastly on him Saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Let's pray Lord father. Thank you for this time. We're able to gather today today Lord, thank you for this pure and holy word. You've given to us Lord I ask you be with Pastor Robinson edifies and be with Pastor Dave or Pastor Dave Brother Dave During laying of hands in Jesus name. Amen Not yet So you're there in Acts chapter 6 and obviously this is an exciting sermon to preach because we're gonna be ordaining brother Dave for to be the deacon of the church and I'm excited about it. I've known brother Dave right close to a decade now So and I met him actually the first time I ever met him we went souling together so that's kind of like how our friendship started, but been friends with him for a long time and So I have the utmost confidence in brother Dave as far as I know. No one has brought any dissenting opinions to me I mean, I haven't seen him anyway, but but that being said that I'm excited To have him, you know, basically join into the work and all that of the church and obviously everybody here does work in the church But I'm getting into what a deacon is what the opposite of deacon is What the purpose of that is and I believe Acts chapter 6 really hits on the reason why a church would have deacons And I think of there's not many places that deacon is mentioned Actually in this passage deacon isn't mentioned that term deacon is not mentioned Deacon is is literally a word that was transliterated into our language, okay, so And it basically just means servant or minister. Okay, so this is something that You know, obviously you can look up and look at the etymology and say that but you know reading through the Greek New Testament this word is used a lot and one of the times it just sticks out in my mind is actually when when Peter's wife gets sick and Jesus heals his wife and then it says she ministered unto them and This word is used and it's kind of like it's just a term to mean like a cert to serve or to minister unto Okay, so it's very simple. It's not like Just like you know, the word bishop means overseer, you know, there's a there's a reason why what that word even means What what the what's the purpose of it? But let's look at why What's the purpose why why would we ordain someone to be a deacon of the church what's the reasoning behind it in verse 1 There it says and in those days When the number of the disciples were multiplied there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected neglected in the daily ministration then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and Said it is not reason that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom Whom we may appoint over this business And but we will give ourselves continually to prayer into the ministry of the word Okay, so you have the twelve apostles now, obviously, this isn't like a perfect You know allegory of a pastor to deacon kind of relationship because obviously I'm not an apostle Okay, if I was you should go out those doors if I said that because Obviously, there's no more apostles. But at the same time I am the bishop of the church. I am the the pastor of the church and What it comes down to is that there's no there's no Neglecting of the daily ministration going on right now. Okay, and I don't believe that needs to happen before you get a deacon Right. So I think that you should do that before that happens This is just a case where basically there was stuff that needed done and stuff wasn't getting done because there just wasn't enough manpower To get it done. And what you notice there is that it talks about the disciples were multiplied. So As our church has grown Obviously, there's more needs there's more things we need to do and so This is the need for having more people on staff or more people and leadership positions at the church And so there's a need for that and notice that it says that Whom we may appoint over this business in verse 3 and a lot of people like oh you can't you're calling a church a business Well, Jesus said I must be about my father's business And you know what it's talking about ordaining these seven men that they're gonna ordain over this business Okay, so that being said yes Yes, it is a business to to go out and win souls. It is a business to Deal with church things. Okay, and here's thing You know what? They didn't just say okay. We need someone to serve tables. So let's just pick anybody. It doesn't matter Right. No, these are high qualifications for this position Okay, now it doesn't say Deacon here, but it's it when you look at You know all the the qualifications for a Deacon which I'm gonna get to You know, it's basically the same thing that's being said here honest report you think about how the Bible talks about being a good report It talks about being full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom and obviously not being a novice but being you know spiritually wise and all that but that being said is that this is the reason okay is because The reason that it's gonna be nice. Okay, and here's thing. It's not just so I can kick back and relax Okay, that's not what I'm what I'm why I want to order him for the day to be the deacon of the church It's because I could put more time To the ministry of the word. Okay to prayer and ministry of the word meaning this is that if if a lot of these things like church administration type stuff or Even just and not of us all of it's gonna be like taxes and like, you know And offering and all that stuff. It's not gonna all be that it's gonna be spiritual stuff, too But if I can put that on You know someone else then I can focus on these other things and not even worry about that Okay, and there's there's the idea of like hey, hopefully and here's thing. I'm hoping that my sermons get better I hope I can learn more I can read more I can study more I can have some more you know exciting material to give to you because I have just more time to Dedicate to study and to reading and all that. Okay, and so That is what the Apostles are saying saying. Hey, they're not saying like they're beneath it's beneath them to serve tables Okay, it's just the fact that obviously if you're doing other things it takes away from the time You only have so much time right? We're redeeming the time because the days are evil And so we only have so much time and so if you can allocate that work out Then it's gonna give you more time to do other things. Okay, so let's keep reading there because it says verse 5 It says in the saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Stephen a man full of faith into the Holy Ghost Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenea Parmenas and Nicholas the proselyte of Antioch whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed They laid their hands on them and the Word of God increased and a number of the disciples Multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great multitude of the priests were obedient to the faith. So there was a great outcome for Ordaining these seven men now. We're not ordaining seven Deacons today, but at the same time like our church isn't like running thousands of people Okay, but at the same time when you when you grow as a church Yeah, I mean it makes sense that you need more people either deacons and and I'm not even against like having You know multiple elders, you know, I think the Bible teaches and in Ephesus they had multiple elders I think that we're nowhere near that size to where we would ever need that Yeah, I mean, I think you're gonna need to be running thousands of people before you start meeting like multiple pastors And I just you know, I don't think that's something that I'm even gonna be worrying about in the future, but you never know But in the end when you have multiple elders you would have a senior Elder meaning you'd have someone that's calling the shots, you know kind of like James and the Church of Jerusalem where they had the elders of the church coming together, but Ultimately, there's one man that's making the decision calling the shots Okay Now go to 1st Timothy chapter 3 1st Timothy chapter 3 and let's look at the qualifications here The qualifications for a deacon are very similar. If not pretty much the same as a pastor. Okay, and And I'll say this this is an office. This is a position of authority Okay, so but they will obviously not be the pastor he's not he's not the Ultimate, you know leader of the church, but he's right underneath of me when it comes to leadership position Okay, meaning that that this is an office. This is a position that's ordained obviously by God and So in the qualifications make it so that that makes sense. Okay, meaning like we're not just Ordaining someone to be a staff member. Okay, though. He is gonna be a staff member, but at the same time This is a position that God recognized actually There's only two that even say office meaning that you have the office of a bishop and you have the office of a deacon Now, you know when it comes to evangelist, I think that there is an office for that It doesn't use that term office of an evangelist But I do think that that's another position because talks about pastors teachers evangelists and it talks about those type of things but This is specifically saying here's the qualification for these two offices here in verse 1 here I just want to go through the pastors or the the bishop Qualifications and then just go straight into the deacons because it's basically kind of leaning on the deacon the pastors qualifications But notice what it says in verse 1 it says this is a true saying if a man desired the office of a bishop He desired the good work a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife Vigilant sober of good behavior given the hospitality apt to teach not given the wine No striker not greedy filthy lucre, but patient not a brawler Not covetous one that rules well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity But if a man know not how to rule his own house How shall he take care of the Church of God not a novice less being lifted up with pride He fall into condemnation of the devil Moreover he must be must have a good report of them which are without Lest he fall into the content. I'm sorry. He fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil now That's the qualifications for a bishop Okay, now you could see things that are very similar, you know with what was said in Acts chapter 6, you know Honest report good report And the idea here is that obviously a pastor, you know, I think is going to have Just one step up from a deacon as far as like Expectations. Okay, but it's not that far off from the position of a pastor. Okay now This isn't a sermon about the qualifications for a pastor, but as you can see here There's a lot of different things that are involved now notice what it says here in verse 8 likewise Must the deacons be grave. So notice how it says likewise meaning like this isn't like two separate qualifications here. I Do believe that there's a higher level of qualifications for the bishop, but at the same time it's like it's very similar It's like it. Okay, it's very much like it and it says likewise must the deacons be grave now, what's grave mean? basically if you think of Something that's grave like a matter that's grave is something that's serious, right? And you think about in the Old Testament talk about light and treacherous persons, you know, or people and talks about basically You know having gravity, you know, basically you're not just You know you think about I think in Proverbs it talks about where you you're basically I Forget what it says exactly about what you're doing to your neighbor, but it basically says, you know, am I not in sport? You know and it's kind of like the idea of like you're kind of you know I forget what it says exactly, but it's basically like you're You're you're contentious or you're you know, basically Bad-mouthing or even lying about your neighbor. You're like, oh, I was just joking about that Okay, and the idea is that you're you're you're grave. You're you have a sense of gravity, right and That is just like a pastor needs to be that way. So does the deacon not double-tongued Okay, so you think about someone that speaks out of both sides of their mouth, okay So you need somebody that's going to say the same things that he's supposed to be saying, right? And you don't want a pastor that way do you you don't want someone to be like I'm saying this over here and then in the next breath I'm saying this over here and There's pastors that are like that where they're just double-tongued They'll like preach this whole thing over here and then they'll just contradict themselves and say something completely opposite over here And so you don't want you don't want a deacon that's double-tongued and It says not given the much wine not greedy of filthy lucre Holding and I'm gonna get to that point right there here in a second Okay, but it says holding the mystery of the faith and pure conscience And it says and let these also first be proved then let them use the opposite of deacon being found blameless Even so must their wives be grave not slander sober faithful in all things Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife Ruling their children in their own house as well for they that have used the opposite of deacon Well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus So this is a great position to have. Okay. This is a this is an honor to be in this position of being a deacon and Go to Acts chapter 21 because the one thing I want to show you here is that you had yes Steven I think Steven's like the most well-known of the seven, right and Because obviously he was martyred and I'm gonna get to Steven in a little bit, but how about Philip? okay, so you had Steven and he was full of faith and but then it talks about You know Philip and knows what says in Acts chapter 21 now, I personally believe Acts chapter 8 is filled with the evangelists I believe that's Philip from the seven. Okay, and You know you had that whole story with the Ethiopian eunuch and just Philip doing great things for God And notice what it says here in Acts 21 in verse 8 dealing with the fact that you know Rolling your house well and having faithful children notice what it says in verse 8 is in the next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came into Caesarea and We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist which was one of the seven So it's very clear that you're talking about that Philip that was in Acts chapter 6 He's one of the seven and abode with him. So he's called Philip the evangelist now obviously Paul You know do it talks to Timothy saying, you know do the work of an evangelist So, you know if you're out preaching the gospel, you're technically an evangelist. Okay now He could basically be taking that as a position in the church where he's an evangelist going out and being you know on staff of A church that could very well be the case But notice what it says here in verse 9 and the same man had four daughters virgins which did prophesy so you had this man, you know who was ordained as a deacon and He has four daughters that are pure and they're prophesying now. These aren't pastors. Okay. They're not like Joyce Meyer's running around We're talking about preaching the gospel. Okay, so he has four daughters and they're all preaching the gospel They're all doing what he's doing. He's called the Philip the evangelist. So what are they doing? They're doing what he's doing Okay, so that's a good example of ruling your house well having faithful children and All that now I always joke with brother Dave because you know when when we had Clara You know, he had Avery and then he had four daughters and I said, you know what right now you're Philip evangelist One more daughter and you're gonna be Zalopahad Okay, so and if you know the story is a Zalopahad in the Old Testament They had five daughters and Zalopahad died for sins in the wilderness And there's this whole story about how they're gonna get the land, you know Like how they're gonna get their inheritance because they're women and they're not men and obviously they end up getting an inheritance But I always was joking with them and then he had Henry so kind of you know but you're having another girl, so I don't know what we have to say about that, but Now obviously I'm joking but the thing is is that You know That is something that we need to look at when it comes to these qualifications And here's another thing to think about these qualifications don't end when you're ordained Okay, when I was ordained to be a pastor, it's not like it's just like alright Well, I met the qualifications when I was ordained Don't have to worry about those anymore. Okay, these are ongoing qualifications Okay, so if you see that, you know that I am NOT, you know Given the hospitality, I'm not vigilant. I'm not, you know blameless or whatever the case may be Or I'm not ruling my house. Well, or what what what have you then? That's something that you can bring to my attention and you can basically You know if the church were to deem the fact Are you going to the bathroom? Okay They're having a conference together speaking of ruling my house. Well, yeah But that being said is that You know, obviously the church could come to me and say you know what? we don't believe you're qualified anymore because of this this and this and you guys could just be like you're not our pastor anymore and That would be completely legitimate. Okay? Now obviously you should be going toward the Bible right if the Bible is not stating that and you're it's just your opinion. Okay? But if they're just blatant things that you're just like hey this you you got a divorce You know like you're obviously not qualified if you can't, you know, keep your marriage together Then you're not going to be qualified to roll over the house of God or if your kids are just like these unruly Vagabonds that are you know, just hanging from the chandeliers all the time We don't have chandeliers, but if we did, you know, like just that idea of you know And in a lot of times when it's kind of talking about children that unruly You think about Eli, you know and his children that were literally sons of Belial That were like sleeping with women that came to the house of God and all this stuff. Okay, so You know that would definitely I mean if you have kids that are like doing sins like that Then you're not qualified Okay now if your kids like scream in church or you know, you have toddlers that are running around and you know They take off their diaper and run around the church naked or something like that Obviously that that's silly to like say well, you're not rolling your house Well, they should be sitting over there and you know being obedient, you know It's like you gotta have you gotta have some understanding on how kids are. Okay, but at the same time you know this something this something that we always need to keep in check or something that essentially is Ongoing, okay So if if I or brother Dave work to be lacking in these or there's some point where it's just obviously We are breaking that type of qualification then that's what needs to be reassessed Okay, so this idea is like well, I was called to be a pastor and you know bless God I'm called until I die and there's nothing you can do about it That's ridiculous. Okay, that is just insanity. I'm anointed. Okay. I've been anointed by God to be the pastor touch Not God's anointed. It's like you know what? So was Saul but then but you know what the Holy Spirit departed from him, you know And it basically, you know All the blessings were taking off of him and he saw the man after his own heart and David was taking his place Okay, so don't give me this anointed Stuff where it's like well, you know I was ordained and there's nothing you can do about it Listen if I were to get off into sin and I was get off of these qualifications and brother Dave He was to get off on his qualifications as being a deacon. Listen it's cut off and That's the way it should be now Go to Titus chapter 7. I'm sorry Titus 1 verse 7. There is no Titus 7 You're like you've lost your qualifications You're adding chapters to the Bible but in Titus, I want to hit on a point here because there's an interesting difference between Bishop and a deacon. Okay, because when you look at these qualifications, there's really only one that you're just like what's the why does it use that language and that is the Being given to wine and given to much wine. Okay, you're like, what is it talking about? So brother Dave can drink a little bit But I can't drink at all, right and that's not what I believe that's talking about. Okay, but the thing is is that notice that it says given to it doesn't say like cannot drink or Whatever and wine obviously here. I believe it's talking about actual just grape juice like juice that comes from like a drink that comes from the vine We're not talking about fermented wine here. Okay, but at the same time I want you to look at Titus 1 7 and notice what it says At the beginning here it says for a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God not self-willed not soon angry not given the Wine, no striker not given the filthy lucre. Now you say what's the point that you're making here? Look notice that it says not given the filthy lucre go back to First Timothy chapter 3 So I'm going to turn there myself because First Timothy chapter 3 Notice what it says when it's talking about Lucre, okay, because it says in Titus 1 7 not given to filthy lucre, but then when you look at verse 3 of First Timothy chapter 3 verse 3 it says not given to wine no striker not greedy a filthy lucre Now when it's talking about given to I believe what you're talking about is basically you have a proclivity to it Okay, meaning this is that when you think of wine, especially in the Bible a wine is a sign of like basically wealth Okay is like having like like today you go down we go down and get Welch's grape juice. It's no big deal Back then that was a luxury. Okay, and still and most in a lot of countries. It's a luxury It's a luxury even have milk in a lot of cases in some countries. Okay, I mean think about like Cuba right now or Puerto Rico. I'm sorry, not Cuba, Puerto Rico, right? they basically they're all like just Completely getting you know annihilated when it comes to like famine and and just they don't have anything They don't have any food they come to America and they're just like weeping and all the food they see in the stores and So there's countries even today that if you told them about grape juice to be like grape juice. We're just like they have water Okay, so when it comes to this, I believe what you're dealing with is basically being greedy or given to to luxury Okay. Now this kind of couples with Covetousness. Okay, so you don't want to be a covetous person someone that's just all about money all about material things And the thing is is that given to wine meaning this is that a Pasture shouldn't be given to luxury pretty much at all a deacon shouldn't be given to much luxury. Okay, so meaning that having like Luxurious type things and and obviously that's something that's that's given to Subjection right, you know, what do you deem as luxury? Okay, and I don't know why I was thinking about this, but I was just thinking about the fact of like, okay You know what makes someone rich and what makes someone wealthy Right and I think about if you have a maid that lives in your house, or if you have a butler you're wealthy Okay, like you think of people that maid servants and man servants and like, you know all that stuff and and it's it's it's not necessarily bad that even a pastor had that But the idea is are you greedy of it? Are you given to it? Is it something that like you must have that right? I must have the nicest things I must have you know, all these like luxurious things if I don't have it I'm not happy you don't want someone like that as being your pastor because you know what they're gonna do and they're gonna be dipping into The church funds they're gonna be you know, basically stealing from it I'm just saying that the reason that these are set up this way is to keep that from happening to keep like Nefarious things from happening because if someone is just given to that lifestyle and they're just like given to this high-end lifestyle Then they can end up, you know, basically taking advantage of the church because of it Okay, that's why you don't want to be greedy a filthy lucre, right? So I believe that given a wine greedy filthy lucre or given the filthy lucre are kind of like saying the same thing in different Manners, okay, because you think it's just money in general, but then you think of like just a luxurious type of life, right? I want I want a servant to feed me grapes while I'm like laying on a pillow and they're fanning me You know, you know that kind of like Lifestyle it's like you're supposed to be a servant, you know, like so and So when it comes to that that's the difference I see I don't think it's like well I can't drink alcohol, but brother Dave you can have a little bit. Okay now just to show you that drinking wine, you know like grape juice wasn't forbidden for a pastor because you could say like That's ridiculous to say like the deacon can drink alcohol just not a lot Okay, now this is where the Reformed Baptist would come in maybe and be like hey, you know We can drink a little bit, you know, just don't get drunk Well, the Bible says that wine is a mock or strong drink is raging and who serve is deceived Thereby is not wise and look not on the wine when it is red when they give it that's covering the color in the cup When it moves itself, right, you know the idea is that we're not you supposed to look at it. It's a mocker it you know, you're not wise and The thing is is that? This I believe is talking about grape juice. I don't believe it's talking about some kind of you know drink from the vine go to first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 because Paul is gonna say to Timothy that a bishop is not given the wine, but then he tells them to drink some wine Okay, so this is where you can't you can't you have your interpretation of what this is saying has to be consistent Okay, and this is in the same book by the way the same epistle the same letter he's writing to him He's saying one breath. Don't be given the wine and Timothy's a pastor by the way and Then he says all right, you can drink drink a little wine though. Okay. Now notice what it says here in first Timothy 5 verse 23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine oft infirmities now Let me ask you a question if you were drinking a little bit of grape juice because and it's funny because doctors be like well You can drink a little wine. It's good for the heart And and I'm like and I remembered my doctor saying this I'm like well wouldn't grape juice do the same for you He's like, yeah, it would It's like well, why wouldn't you just tell me to drink grape juice Why are you trying to destroy my liver at the same time that I'm supposed to be like helping my heart, you know and And so that being said is that yeah, there is health reasons for like grape juice, for example And even today they'll say there's like there's healthy things for that But at the same time he's not given to it. He's not greedy of it He's you know, and so that's why I believe the interpretation of that is the fact that you must have it I must have like it's kind of like a person that must have a certain drink, you know for every type of meal Right now obviously there's the winos out there, right? They're like I must have and I don't know what the names of these wines are They're like you don't even know the difference. Yeah, I don't okay, but they'll be like I want white wine red wine They'll be like, I don't know they have different names for these stupid alcohols But the same thing is like when you're eating when you're eating dessert You must have this wine and when you're eating a steak, you need to have this wine It's like that's being given the wine obviously on an alcoholic level but at the same time like if you must like be that Ridiculous about your tastes and you must have this and I must have you know, filet mignon for every meal man Listen, I would love that Okay Meat potatoes every single meal give it to me, especially filet mignon You know, we would want to change it up a little bit But at the same time if I must have that if that's my lifestyle like you you got to feed me Like I am like King Tut or something like that You know, that's not who you want to be in the leadership position at church. Okay now notice in 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse 13 notice what the opposite of deacon does okay for the person that takes that position because there are advantages to taking this position of being a deacon meaning this is that Notice what it says in verse 13. It says for they that use that have used the office of a deacon. Well Now I want to stress that okay that use it well So you're not just taking an office of a deacon and then you're just automatically gonna get all these benefits to it You use it. Well, meaning that you're a good servant your work hard. You're doing what you should be doing those that use the office of the deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and Great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus so first of all, you know when you think about Now brother Dave did I actually go to Bible college, but listen that is not a qualification in the Bible. Okay And listen if someone wants to be a pastor in our church that that wants to learn to be a pastor brother day wants To be a pastor. Listen, it's not about like well, did you get a pastoral degree? I don't know what your degree was in but But but what did you get your degree in, you know, I'm gonna have to send you back, you know to get that degree In whatever the case may be and No, you know what? The Bible says it says that if you use the office of the deacon Well, you purchase to yourself a good degree Okay, so to me, you know if if you're wanting to be a pastor, you know what? I'm not saying that you have to go through that line of like being a deacon then pastor That's the way it has to be. Listen, if you're a deacon of a church and you're doing it. Well, listen You've earned a good degree. You know what? That is that's gonna be better than any like Bible College degree or any college degree for that matter when it comes to like knowing that you're ready for the job Okay, because I've seen you work. I just been proved like I know You know what you're capable of, you know, and but then it says great boldness in the faith now I don't want you to read over this because I believe that that brother Dave if he uses the office of the deacon well We'll get more boldness I'm not saying he's not bold, you know when it comes to soul winning or anything like that But listen, I believe he'll even have more boldness You know after being a deacon being in that position doing that work God will bless him with boldness the Bible talks about the disciples praying for boldness and the Holy Ghost gave them boldness and so this is something that there is there is basically benefits to taking this position to doing this work because God sees that and Will increase that boldness Okay, now to give you an example that look at Stephen go to Acts chapter 6 Acts chapter 6 and verse 8 So Stephen, you know obviously was a man full of the Holy Ghost and a wisdom, you know before he was a deacon But look what he did after he became a deacon You know, I'm not gonna read all back seven just say You know, but at the same time in Acts chapter 6 and verse 8 It says in Stephen full of the faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people So this is after they'd laid hands on the seven and he was already full of faith and the Holy Ghost, right? But now he's doing like these great Wonders and miracles among the people then there there says then there arose certain of the synagogue Which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and of Asia Disputing with Stephen notice this and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake You know, I do believe that God blesses that meaning that you know, you know as a pastor of the church and Preaching sermons week in week out and trying to serve the church and all that. I do believe God Gives me a little extra boldness because of that almost because I I think I need that extra boldness To be able to lead and do what I need to do to be in that front position if you will persecution or just Listen, you know, I know I know our church isn't a church of like just babes in Christ But in the end, I do believe our church leans on the leadership to basically know what they're talking about to defend the doctrines Basically if someone came in here started spitting out false doctrine, I think you're all gonna be like We're gonna let pastor just rip, you know do his job You know, I mean like if I'm here and I'm standing here and someone's just start spewing out something false Don't you expect me to be the one to step in and be like, alright, let me just show you what's up and I'd be like, I don't want to really handle this someone else handle this right and Listen, I think that a lot of people could handle that But in the end it's my job To fend off the wolves. It's my job to deal with false doctrine It's my job to have that boldness to be like, you know what? I'll handle this everybody and just you know deal with the situation Okay, and you guys just sit back. I'll take care of this. I'm your leader. I'm your pastor You know, that's the way it's gonna be but the deacon is In that same line as well where the deacon is gonna have that type of position where there's this boldness That's gonna be added there because he's stepping into the light if you will of Persecution, you know when people look at a church Listen, a lot of times they're looking at the leader of that church. Okay, they're coming after the leader I'm not saying they won't come after anybody else in the church. Okay, but they're gonna come after the leadership They're gonna come after those that have their face out in front to say Hey, we're the ones that are that are leading this charge and brother Dave's gonna be in that group. Okay, whether he likes it or not But meaning that Persecution comes at our church. Listen, they're gonna be coming after me, but they're also gonna be coming after brother Dave You know because he's in that position of authority and listen when it comes to these churches in Asia that we're gonna be going through in Revelation who is Jesus talking to He's talking to the angel of those churches meaning the the leader The messenger of that church and he's talking to the pastor of that church meaning that the buck stops at me when it comes to Why we rise or fall? I am responsible for that But also when you think about it in Philippians it talks about the fact that you know He's writing unto all the saints which are in Christ Jesus to the bishops and deacons Okay, there's not many times that says deacon But it does say the bishops and deacons there in Philippi meaning that who's he addressing this to to the leadership Okay. Now obviously Philippians is a great book. There's not there's not really rebukes going on in there It's more so like you're doing great. Keep going But at the same time you take the good with the bad, right When when you when you when everything goes well, and you're doing great things for God Yeah, I mean you kind of get that reward of like hey, you know We're the leaders of this charge that's going forward But at the same time if everything starts falling apart or there's there's things that are going wrong The buck stops at us, you know, and so that being said You get great boldness in the faith and if you look at Acts chapter 7 just to show you You know the end of his sermon that when he when he's going up against all the all the Jews that that want to destroy him When you think about boldness think about this verse 51 he stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears You do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the just one of whom ye have been now the Betrayers and murderers who have received the law by the dispensation of angels and have not kept it That's Stephen. Okay now I believe he was you know You know had boldness before this but I believe having that position of being one of the seven there being one of the seven deacons I mean read chapter 7 and in your free time and then tell me that he didn't have boldness When he's he just and and knowledge, okay, he didn't I don't believe he had a scroll out here be like, alright Let me let me talk to you about all this stuff. Okay he's literally from memory given from Abraham all the way down to where they're at as far as the history of the Bible and Just filling it all in quoting verses and quoting passages and then at the end he rips their face off Okay, and he ends up dying for it, okay, but at the same time That is great boldness right there. Now go to go to 1st Corinthians chapter 9 1st Corinthians chapter 9 so Like I said, this isn't like necessarily an all-inclusive List of like just everything that's in the list of being a deacon. Okay Meaning that you know, I kind of went through it briefly But a lot of it's self-explanatory Okay, husband of one wife. He doesn't have multiple wives Okay He's got one wife. He's got children that are faithful. They're not Rolie. They're They're not unruly They're not unruly. They're not like riotous, you know and that you know those things are definitely they need to be there and you know when it comes to deacons talk about deacons being You know not slanderers, you know, not double-tongued all that stuff and I can't think of you know Like Miss Tabby, for example, I can't think of her ever saying Anything cross besides maybe it's the brother Dave, you know when they're playing foosball I'm just kidding. Actually. She's very sweet even when she's dominating you at foosball No, but she's she's very submissive wife She's very you know, like she like I never hear talking bad about any other person or anything like that That's that's never like anything that's ever Ever like if I heard someone say Miss Tabby's slandering this person I'd be like you're lying There's no way like off the cuff and be like no, there's just no way that's that's going on And then if someone else brings it and everybody comes to the church and brings him in I'd maybe have to believe it obviously, you know because under the mouth of two or three witnesses But that would just be so crazy to me to even think about it Okay so when I think about the fact that the wife obviously the deacon and the pastor need to meet these Qualifications then you know what? That's not even like it's not even something I had to be like Let me let me think about Miss Tabby for a second and think she qualify You know, it's just like not even like I thought it was just like yeah, of course So but the thing I want to get into Here on first Corinthians chapter 9 is the fact that that church leaders or staff members in the church It is biblical for them to be paid full time Okay, so brother Dave is actually going to be taking a full-time position we're gonna pay him full time So this is gonna be something that he's gonna do. This is his job Okay, and I want to get into the fact of how the fact that that's biblical First of all, because a lot of people like oh, you know, you're working for the church, you know You're just you know, he's gonna be working for it. Okay this idea that you know, you're just like Milking the church for money or something like that. It's ridiculous. Okay, he's gonna be working harder than most people In America were okay. I'm not that's not saying much You don't have this high board, I'm just kidding but that being said obviously this is ridiculous And and that's what it says in verse 6 here. Okay, so Paul's obviously writing this letter to the grantee And it says or I only in Barnabas have not we power to forbear working now What he's going to be talking about here is talking about working outside like secularly Right basically making money outside of like working for the church Okay, and he's basically saying this is a rhetorical question meaning that we do have power We do have power to not have to work secularly or being bivocational, okay Now notice in verse 7 here says who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges who plants at the vineyard And eateth not of the fruit thereof Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock. See what's going on here Okay, meaning that they're working the field they're working the vineyard they're eating it They're you know working with the cattle or obviously with the sheep here But you're basically eating of that work that you're doing. Okay. Notice it says keep reading here in verse 8 Say I these things as a man or seth not the law the same also So he's basically saying I'm saying this but doesn't the law say this and it says in verse 9 here For it is written in the law of Moses thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn Doth God take care for oxen? Now all the the PETA people are Actually, they don't believe in God anyway have time but you know, they're just like yes he does Keep reading there. It says or seth he it all together For our sakes, okay, these are rhetorical questions meaning that you know what this is gonna say here This is gonna say that it wasn't written for oxen at all Okay, this is not why he didn't care But the oxen like ate some of the corn while I was treading it out. Okay, he's really the reason he's doing this He doesn't he doesn't care about that He cares about the fact that what this applies to now obviously it's smart to do that because the ox is gonna work harder and you know, there's there's there's obviously like Wisdom there as far as working with your your animals and how you do that Okay, but at the same time it says in verse 9 or verse 10 there Or seth he it all together for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written That he that ploweth shall plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope shall be partaker of his hope If we have sown unto you spiritual things Is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? You see what he's saying here? He's basically saying I'm giving you all the spiritual matter. Like I'm preaching you the gospel. I'm coming and preaching you like sermons I'm giving you all this knowledge and wisdom and working with you, you know, soul winning, you know He won a lot of these people to Christ and he's saying You know if I've given you all if we sown all to this spiritual stuff to you is it is it this crazy thing if we reap carnal things meaning like food and Housing and like things like that right a wage. Okay now keep reading there It says if others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather he's saying other people do this Okay, other people are doing this and no one thinks anything of it because it's right it's actually biblical It's according to the law actually nevertheless. We have not used this power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple and they which wait at the altar Are partakers with the altar Even so hath the Lord ordained That they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel But I have used none of these things neither have I written these things that it should be done So done unto me for it were better for me to die than that. Any man should make my glory void I'm gonna get to those points what he's making. Okay. Okay, so he's not saying he's basing we could do this And it would be completely right completely biblical nothing wrong with this and he's saying that you know Those that ministered at the temple did they not live with a temple by the way, the Levites were that way Okay, you had the priests then you had the Levites in general, you know And they didn't have an inheritance as far as like land, but they were basically given the tithe of the land Okay so the tithe went to the priests and the Levites to basically feed them to do all the the manner the the the tabernacle and it says that those that Served or minister about holy things live of the things of the temple So when you say that the pastor and the deacon and those that are ministering over holy things in the house of God by The way, you're like, well, it's the temple Yeah because the church of God or the the house of God which is the church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the Truth which is first is in first Timothy chapter 3, by the way So when you're talking about the temple in the Old Testament, you're talking about the house of God What's the house of God today the local New Testament Church? That's the house of God and those that are the the you know, we're not we're all kings and priests Okay, right. So we're the priesthood of the believer, but at the same time, you know those that are the leaders That are are Ministering about the holy things. He's basically stating that it's ordained by the Lord that they live of those things. Okay So brother Dave is going to be full-time. We're gonna pay him, you know a salary that is a livable You know salary and I don't believe in and basically people of the church that are working for the church Just like basically getting peanuts for their work. Okay, so And and you know, I'll divulge that if anybody wants to know what we're gonna pay brother Dave, but you know what? We're gonna do it. So and if you have if you have issues listen, I am the leader of this church Okay, I will you know, if you have any grievances about what we're gonna do or anything like that You can bring it to me. You know, I'll show you all the books. I'll show you all the receipts I'll show you everything I don't care and actually you're gonna have to go to brother Dave after this because I don't want to deal with any of But here's the thing though and I want to say this too you say why did you pick brother Dave? Because yes, there are other people in a church But here I'll say this No one has ever approached me besides like some people have approached me about it that I think Could end up taking those positions and could get into those positions But as far as those that I would believe would be ready for that position No one else has really come up to me about it but at the same time brother Dave actually was the assistant pastor of the church that I was sent out from and he actually has a lot of experience with Taxes with you know payroll with all this stuff and you know what that means. I don't deal with it I don't have to figure this out. Okay. He already knows all that stuff now I know a little bit enough to be dangerous if you will as far as like how to deal with W-2s and all this other stuff at the same time like he already has all that in his wheelhouse He already knows all that stuff. He's dealt with that stuff at another church already So it's basically it's a no-brainer as far as the work part of that portion of it of why that would make sense But that being said is that yes, we are going to be he's gonna be full-time. He's gonna be paid by the church and You know what? I think it's gonna be awesome. Okay, just to be honest with you I think that we're gonna our church is already growing But I think that this is just gonna make it grow even more, you know as it talks about in Acts chapter 6 You know, they were already multiplying weren't they and that was kind of the issue, right? They were multiplying they needed more help and then when they got the help they grew even more Because you may look at it be like, oh, you know, what are our finances gonna be? Like first of all, they're fine Okay, but at the same time You know what? and I and I even sought counsel about this as far as you know, because I've never obviously put anybody on staff or done anything like that as far as You know, we obviously want to do missions trips We we have a retreat that we're doing and I don't believe this is gonna affect that at all to be honest with you But let's say it did. Okay, let's say instead of doing two mission trips a year. We do one. Okay, I Think that's only gonna be temporary Okay meaning that if you took a step back a little bit from like maybe the the stuff that we do like as far as events like You know and I'm not necessarily talking about sowing marathons and stuff like that But maybe like even the retreat right? Let's say the next year. We couldn't do the retreat I'm not saying that we are I'm just saying let's say we didn't do the retreat. Okay If you think about all the extra work that's gonna be done and how much our church will grow from that extra work That would probably be one year that maybe that would even happen I don't think it's gonna happen But let's say it did that our church will even grow the finances will grow even more and God will bless the work That's being done. And you know what the Bible teaches that that's what happens. Okay And that being said I think more people gonna get saved I think we're gonna be more efficient I think we're gonna you know You know smooth out the rough edges when it comes to like the soul winning like getting everything prepared Like there's a lot of things that I have in mind as far as what is how things are gonna get better. Okay Give me another verse on the fact that it is it is biblical to be paid To be on staff at church go to 1st Timothy chapter 5 1st Timothy chapter 5 So obviously you could tell that 1st Timothy is written to a bishop right it's written to a pastor It's dealing with a lot of these issues. Okay, but in verse 17 here Verse 17 it says let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine For the scripture said thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn and the laborer is worthy of his hire So we saw where it used that same scripture in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 But here it's using that same scripture and saying the labor is worthy of his high I'm sorry worthy of his reward now another place. It does say worthy of his hire. Okay, so sorry but there is basically the idea here is that He's worthy of it. It's not it's not that like all right, we're gonna gift this money to you, right? This is charity that we're giving. No, it's not we will owe him Money for his work. Okay, and it's very biblical. He's worthy of it, right? Now the thing I want to get into is that you say well, why? Why don't I go full-time first and then we do a deacon later? And I actually sought counsel about this as far as like how you know, why or the reasoning and all this stuff And here's the thing when it comes to all of this I want to be the most efficient and for it to make the most sense Okay Meaning this is that a lot of the stuff that I deal with that that kind of overwhelms me or just basically Is something that it is not writing sermons It's not studying the Bible It's not doing pastoral things as far as like talking to people about and Maybe it's this is just because our church is awesome, and I don't have to like deal with a lot of like crazy bickering and and and What's the term I want to look for Nonsense I don't know but basically Drama, that's it. We don't have a drama filled church And we don't have a church where everybody's just their life's falling apart Besides trying to build a house, you know, it seems like that is the one thing like getting a house just like anyway, that being said though like my pastoral duties That's not what like puts me down. Okay, or it makes me feel stressed or anything like that. Listen, I love writing sermons I was going through first Corinthians. We're doing first Corinthians chapter 1 and You know, I know it sounds silly, but I'm just like sitting there writing the sermon like I just love this Like I love doing this and it's silly I know but there's something there's something comforting about it. There's something exciting about it. I love writing sermons Okay, and maybe it's just a selfish reason because I just you know love learning about what the Bible has to say or just kind of finding new things or finding like Little nuggets of truth and stuff like that and I not only do I like finding that I love telling people about it Okay, if I find something cool, I'm like I want everybody else to see it. Hopefully they think it's cool Sometimes you do sometimes you don't sometimes I think that things that everybody knows they're like, man, that was cool I'm like, I thought everybody knew that already but and then but that being said is that I really enjoy it It's not something that is You know, like when I'm like man, I really just need more time for that Okay, I'll say this though if I have a lot of these other things and this may seem silly to you, but just things like all right, we got to renew our Our our status with the state nonprofit organization Okay, every February or like January February. We got to renew that It's not hard. Okay, you literally just hit like You know submit and there's like a little fee and it's not hard. Okay paying the bills You know paying the electric paying the gas right paying the trash It's not hard. Okay, but it's still in the back Of my mind all the time like did I pay that did I do that? Did I pay the rent? Did I pay that did I do that? You know when it comes to setting up things, you know, even getting this Panera thing set up, you know, not hard Okay, it took literally two minutes for me to do the call up Panera and be like, hey, you know what? We're gonna be there at nine o'clock and we have like, you know a couple dozen bagels ready to go You know just to give you a heads up so that's ready to go not hard But it's in the back of my mind and a lot of times I don't get to it till later and it literally Stresses me out. Okay, meaning that these things that you may think are Insanificant will be extremely easy for brother David to do because like he's here. That's his mindset, right? his mindset is like alright, we got to get this this this this done and that's not the only thing he's gonna be doing obviously is like Miscellaneous miscellaneous things like that, but just having that just what I just mentioned right there off my plate is Is Gonna be amazing. Okay, so that'd be worth everything right there Just that and you know brother Dave's already been helping out with with the offering stuff and getting you know Like the where we do the the statements out to everybody at the end of the year or the beginning of the year I guess for tax purposes and stuff like that You may think that's simple. It is okay Because we put it all in an Excel sheet and but at the same time you got a you got to put it all on paper You got a I got to put their name on it I got to do all this stuff and do do all this it may seem insignificant. It may seem easy Okay, it still takes time. It still takes thought process and those type of things well being outside of my Sphere if you will work is going to pay dividends in my study Okay, it's gonna pay dividends in and my time that I can Dedicates to the prayer into the word. Okay, and and you say well Are you reading or not? Yeah, of course I am right. Of course. I'm reading the Bible. Of course I'm studying but listen, what if I could do it more? What if I can focus on that more? What if we just have more time, you know, there's there's so many things to be said about this But I want to get into working bike by vocational. That's a term that's used meaning that you have two occupations, right? meaning I work full-time in like in a secular job, but I also Work full-time as a pastor, right? I'm and and here's thing go to go to second Thessalonians chapter 3 And here's thing if I deem that this is the most profitable way to deal with the situation That's the way I'm gonna deal with it. Meaning like if I decide that hey, you know what? It just doesn't make sense for me to go full-time then I'm not gonna do it. Okay I'm not just gonna go full-time to go full-time. Okay, we have the finances and I'm just like, you know what? I could go full-time. I'm not gonna do it just to do it Okay, but if it makes sense and it's just like I have all this stuff that I'm like, man I can't accomplish all this stuff if I just have more time then yeah, of course, you know that makes sense, but You know, I'm gonna work more efficiently. I'm gonna work smarter as far as that goes and You know as far as the funds go we could put it to other things and the way that I want to do it Is that you know what? We're getting the best bang for the buck if you will like the church money is not my money Okay, it's all of ours, okay, and I want it to be efficient I want it to basically streamline I don't want anything to be wasted. I don't want it to be like, all right We got a full-time pastor and you're paying me and I'm just like Reading the Bible like eight hours a day or something like that. It's like granted. I Listen, I obviously there's nothing I'm nothing against reading the Bible. But listen, I should have a lot of other things I should be doing at the same time and for that to make sense. Okay, not to mention When it comes to me I Work better under pressure meaning like I if I have a lot of things that I have to do I end up getting more accomplished if you just sat me in here and said, all right You're the pastor full-time and then I don't have all this stuff set up for me to do. I'm gonna waste time I'm not gonna be efficient. I'm not gonna do what I should be doing I'm gonna get on like YouTube and watch like, you know how to fix like a diesel engine for no reason at all like Like It's it's just you go down these rabbit holes and you just waste time Okay, and so I'm gonna be working efficient, but I want to say this is that Paul did this okay The Apostle Paul did this the Apostle Paul is a great example for many reasons one He was single. Okay, because I feel like well you married the only way to be okay being married and having children Okay, well listen obviously most cases that's that's true right and that's that works out Well, listen Paul was single and he said it was better for these these other reasons, right? But a lot of people were were paid full-time and were paid, you know, and it's very biblical But Paul's basically stepped out of that and said, you know what? I'm not gonna do that for this reason and I'll show you the reason 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6 now We command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly And not after the tradition which he received of us for yourselves Know how you ought to follow us for we behave not ourselves disorderly among you neither did we eat any man's bread for naught but wrought with our with labor and Forveil night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you now This is a different group of people right we were in Corinthians right then he's saying we You know, we didn't do this to you. We didn't take anything of you now. He's writing to the Thessalonians And he's not writing this To rebuke them right? So first Corinthians he's rebuking them, right? But in and and Thessalonians, he's not rebuking them He's basically just saying we did this so that we wouldn't be charged one to you Notice what it says in verse 9 not because we have not power So he's not saying like not that we couldn't do this because we could and it'd be biblical But to make ourselves and sample unto you to follow us For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work neither should he eat For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly walking not at all, but our busy bodies Now then that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread But ye brethren be not weary in well doing So you say well, why? What's the purpose of being by by vocational one? It doesn't put a strain on the finances to to support you know another family now listen, obviously brother is going to be full time and You know what if it made sense later on for me to do it. I'm not against it Okay, but at the same time this makes more sense. Okay, it makes more sense for brother Dave because There's a there's a lot of work that he could do That will take that pressure off of me that I can focus on other things if I was full-time I'd have to I'd still have all those pressures on me, right? Even though I'm full-time I still have all those pressures and all those different things that are not Dealing with like just reading the Bible studying the Bible doing pastoral type things, right? But that being said is that you know, another reason why I want to be by by vocational at least right now is To be an example Okay, because if anybody looks at the pastor and says hey, you know what well, you know It's easy for him to say that it's easy for him to do that, you know He doesn't have a job that he's working at right because Listen to me if it comes to persecution you could say well You know the pastor he works for the church. He doesn't have to worry about losing his job Well, yeah, I do actually now here think There's pros and cons to all this but that being said is that when you look at me you say you know what? He's doing what I'm doing week in week out. He's still coming to church. He's preaching the sermon. He's doing all this Why can't I? Right, and the reason is for an example to say, you know what? I'm doing what you're doing and and doing this and and you know what? There's no excuse. Okay? It's not to negate either one. Okay. I'm not saying one is Better than the other does that make sense? like there's different pros and cons like obviously it's there's a pro to being full-time because I could just dedicate a lot more to spiritual things and not worry about the world and I could not worry about Necessarily losing my job or whatever the case for what I preach But here's thing though. How about I'm not worried about losing my job for what I preach Right because I'm not worried about whether the half the church leaves for my preaching Okay, and I'm not saying that that's a reason not to go full-time But I'll say this It's not something I worry about Okay, obviously I care about you. I want everybody to leave. Okay at the same time I don't worry about that brother Dave might worry about it but but I don't worry about that because if everybody left I'd be like I'm still I'm still alive. I'm still provided for my family. Like I don't have to worry about it Okay, there's pros and cons to it. Okay, meaning this is that I Personally am in a good routine with the job I have and It's working Okay, it's working. I feel good about it. I'm getting what I need to get done when it comes to preaching sermons I think this will just make it better. I think this will make it ten times better and That being said is that I don't want to revert to something that's gonna be less effective Just because it's less work Okay I'd rather work more and be more effective than work less and then end up being less effective because of it even though I have more time. Okay. Now notice what says 1st Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 12 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 12 And the reason I'm bringing this up because many of you may have that question, right you say well why not have the pastor be the first person to be to go on staff to go full-time and To be honest with you a lot of times what I've seen at least with my pastor friends is they put other people on staff Before they ever went on staff, right either as an evangelist as like a staff member, you know Just in general a staff member, you know where they put them on staff before they ever go So this isn't something out of the ordinary, but I do want to address it Be like well, you know what is it just because you won't be making as much money Well, I'll say this I will not I will not make my family eat beans and rice Okay, I'm just gonna tell you that I'm not gonna make my family live like poppers to be full-time Okay when I'm doing my job that I'm doing okay, meaning this is that I'm not gonna make brother Dave live like a popper either. Okay, that's my stance on this I believe that people that are on staff can make and I'm not saying that if I went on staff I'd live like a popper but I'm saying this is that You know what? I I want to provide for my family and you know what as a pastor That is my if I don't provide for my family and I'm not qualified. Okay, and And you say are you in are you in like? I'm just getting these questions that people may have are you in debt to the point where you couldn't go full-time? No, actually You know actually after this year, I'll have like my house payment. That's it Okay, and that's great, you know to basically not have debt and everything What I'm thinking about is okay. I'm providing for my family. This is working. I'm getting this stuff done You know, this makes more sense. This is gonna work out great. I think it's gonna be fantastic And obviously here's thing when it comes to all this You don't really know it. So you try sometimes, you know and Sometimes you just have to see well, how will this work? How does this work? And you know and just try things out. Okay, and But that being said go to first Corinthians chapter 9 verse 12 It says if others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ now He's talking to a carnal church. Okay, so when he's saying like we're not going to use the power because It would hinder things I think in this specific case with the Corinthians That was their mindset like if we take from them It's just gonna hinder things. It's just gonna make things awful. Okay, and so that's his mindset as far as this goes and Keep keep reading there It says do you not know that they which minister about holy things and it goes goes on and we already read that portion The first I want you to see is verse 15, but I have not used I'm sorry, but I have used none of these things neither Have I written these things that it should be so done unto me. So he's basically saying We didn't take anything from you. I'm not writing this so that we can take things from you I we did this because we thought this is the best course of action so that we wouldn't hinder anything But you know what later on go to go to chapter 12 later chapter 12 The thing that I want to get across here and listen, I can't change your perception on things I can only preach you what the Bible says I don't want you to look at and And I just never liked this where you look at someone that's full-time as being more of a full-time Christian than those that aren't full-time Okay Because let me ask you a question. Would you say that? I'm not a full-time Christian like before I ordained brother Dave Okay, would you say I'm not a full-time Christian? Pastoring a church, but I'm working a secular job. It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous to say any of you aren't full-time Christians Okay Does that make sense? Like I've never liked that where you're like, I'm in full-time Christian service. It's like so am I Yeah, like I always hated that term like full-time Christian service It's like aren't we all isn't that isn't that all our gold no matter where we're at in life that we're full-time Christian servants Okay, I thought that when I went to my secular boss that I'm supposed to be doing it as unto the Lord Okay So here's the thing that I want to get across here is don't despise me because I'm not taking Okay, I know it's silly because it's kind of what the Corinthians are saying, right? I don't want you to look at me lesser because I'm not full-time and I don't want you to look at brother Dave You know like like different because he is full-time listen, there's pros and cons to both these things and in the end we want to be the most efficient that we can be and it to make sense and to basically Do the best work we can for Christ. Okay, and there's pros and cons of both these But notice what it says in verse 11. It says I am become a fool in glorying Ye have compelled me for I ought to have been Commended of you for in nothing am I behind the very chief chiefest apostles though I be nothing Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience and signs and wonders and mighty deeds For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches? Except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you forgive me this wrong So he's saying that they're looking at Paul like he's nothing Because he's not taking of them like taking like offerings from them not taking money from them Do you see what's going on here is that they're looking at him as less of an apostle because he's not taking of them And they keep reading there It says behold the third time I am ready to come to you and and and I will not be burdensome to you for I seek not yours But you for the children ought not to lay up for the parents But the parents for the children and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved So I don't want either end of this spectrum to be basically come back and be like, all right, you know what? Pastor doesn't want to be full-time You know, why can't it be more like this pastor over here that went full-time and he's doing all this other stuff, right? And you could despise or look down on or say well, he's not He's a pastor, but he's not he's not like a pastor like like this person because they're full-time and they're doing it That's that's all they do Okay. Yeah, there's a lot of full-time pastors that are bad, too There's a lot of full-time pastors that use You know their time and money for for things that aren't good Okay, but at the same time is that Paul is stating here. He's like, you know what? I'm not going to do it He's like and he's saying I forgive me this wrong because he's basically stating that He's tongue-in-cheek, right? It wasn't wrong for him to do that But he's basically saying obviously you guys saw that as weakness you guys saw that as me not being an official apostle or something like that because I'm not taking of you and It's ridiculous. He's like and by the way, I'm not gonna take of you Because I'd rather be spent on you now. This is a rebuke. Okay, I'm not rebuking anybody in the church here But this is this is something that you need to be thinking about The fact is you shouldn't care who's on staff and who's full-time who's part-time or what's doing what's going on? You know what? You should care about those qualifications Is the pastor doing what you should be doing is he is he doing his office is the deacon doing what you be doing? Is he doing his office and it shouldn't matter, you know? What status we have when it comes to work and if anything you could look at the person that's by Vocational and say well, you know what I can relate to that person a little more, right? You can look at a person that's full-time. You're like man. He's just like You know in it all the time and I can come to him and you know Throw this on him or whatever the case may be. There's there's pros and cons that being said You know, I'm really excited about this and I just wanted to answer some of those questions I had other verses but you know, I ran out of time so Dealing with allocating work and how that is biblical dealing with Moses and death row and and how he allocated work and I Believe that this is going to be something that's going to cause our church to grow I believe that this is something that's going to Just streamline a lot of stuff. I know I keep saying that but I think it's going to do a lot of good and and listen. This isn't like, you know one deacon That's it. Okay. Now we're not gonna have a board of deacons that are gonna vote on what's being done. Okay, just say but listen, you know, I You know, there could be more deacons there could be a paid evangelist that literally just gets paid To go soul winning and do missions Okay, I'm not saying they have to be like actually be out in the mission field at all times but literally we could have someone that does that and I have a vision for our church that we can have people on staff people on staff that aren't even a deacon or or an evangelist that are doing things for the church and Leading up things and doing that. So, you know, I This is the beginning Okay, we're four years old, but this is the beginning and I believe our church is gonna get big You know more willing if the Lord unless the Lord comes back and that amount of time But I think that there will be a revival that will happen I think that more people are gonna want to hear the Word of God I think that it's going to grow our church is already growing But I think it's going to grow even more and you know what a lot of these dead churches around here are gonna die out and you know what the people that used to be on fire, maybe the the the Sardis is out there. Those people will want to join the fight and you know what? this is just the beginning of that but I have the utmost confidence of brother Dave and You know what? He's gonna do as a deacon And so I'm gonna have brother Dave come up and I'm gonna lay hands on him I'm not gonna like throw him onto the ground or slam him in the spirit like Benny Hinn or anything like that But if you come up come up right here, I'm just gonna lay hands on we're gonna I'm gonna pray for him and And then we'll conclude our service here. So Yes So the early father we just thank you for brother Dave here and we thank you for His desire to want to be a servant at the church here and Lord to be our deacon and Lord just pray to bless him I pray to fill him with your spirit and Lord that you would Allow him to have boldness and his job and we'll just help him to bring glory to your name and well We just love you and just and we ordain him to be sent out for this office in Jesus Christ name. Amen Congratulations, so Yeah, that's it I mean that's my fourth coordination so there's not much I don't really know exactly how it's supposed to go but obviously I'm excited and You know, if you have any questions or if you have any You know concerns or anything like that? you know bring it to me bring it by Dave and You know, yeah, but don't forget next week anniversary service and All that stuff is going on there So I sent with the word of prayer the only father we think of today and just thank you for the time That we have here at church and just thank you for The fact that we've grown to a point where we could have a deacon and Lord that we can get more accomplished I pray that you would bless brother Dave And with this new position and Lord just help him to do great things for you and great work for the church And Lord just pray to be with our church and well, we love you in prayers in Jesus Christ name Amen, where they've come and sing one more song and then we'll be dismissed I Write take your songbooks and turn the song 100 185 song 185 in your songbooks We'll sing my Savior's love you if you would stand We'll sing song 185 I I Stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene And Wonder how he could love me a sinner condemned unclean How marvelous how Wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how Wonderful is my Savior's love for me For me it was in the garden He prayed not my will but thine He had no tears for his own grief But sweat drops of blood for mine How marvelous how Wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how wonderful is my