wants to start a youth Bible study
at his home. He is 22 years old,
and is living with his girlfriend.
My question is do you believe he
should start the Bible study or
should he wait until he gets
married?
look for perfection in those who are
allowed to be in ministry in our corps
or churches, there are certain stan-
dards that should be insisted on. And
those standards should be high with
regards to persons who will be teach-
ing others about the Word of God.
The teaching of Scripture is a great
responsibility, and can deeply influ-
ence others with regards to their own
walk with God.
that we shall receive heavier judg-
ment" (James 3:1). Those teaching
will be judged more strictly.
gard for the Bible. One way that re-
gard is demonstrated is by obedience
to its teaching. Choosing which bibli-
cal principles one will follow, while
ignoring others, shows a lack of re-
spect for the Bible, and ultimately
a lack of respect for God.
pians 1:27 tells us to
of Christ."
� Demonstrate a commitment to a
corps/church membership.
principles of God's Word.
this Bible study.
If the prospective teacher is already
teachings of the Bible, he should not
be considered for teaching until he
has brought the questionable circum-
stances in line with Biblical teach-
ings, and has demonstrated an ability
to live with these changes.
marry the young lady, or stop living
with her. Implicit in this is the cessa-
tion of sexual relations with her or ex-
tramarital relations with anyone else.
A prescribed amount of time should
be given to allow the man to demon-
strate that this change of circum-
stances will be permanent, before he
is considered for such a responsibility
in the future.
been victims of corps cliques. We
have gone to Corps functions
(practices, small group meetings,
etc.) and ended up sitting by our-
selves while the rest of the group is
together. It's like being at these
events alone.
large corps families, so there never
ers of the church to have a chance
to mingle or get to know their min-
isters. How do we deal with this?
too common in quite a few corps and
churches today. On the whole, cliques
develop quite innocently and without
intention. Those coming together for
youth meetings, ladies' fellowships,
men's gatherings, corps dinners, even
Sunday worship meetings are natu-
rally drawn to people they are com-
fortable with.
difficulty comes when those small
groups of friends become closed to
others, not allowing new people to
enter in. This is especially difficult
when it occurs in the Christian com-
munity, where it is taught that we
are all one in Christ, and as such are
encouraged to maintain unity.
When visitors come, if people are so
busy greeting and catching up with
only those they know, the church can
feel unwelcoming, uninviting.
Always begin by seeking the Lord's
guidance. Make sure that you are not
contributing to the problem.
ple, might be mistaken for being aloof.
groups, look for one other person to
reach out to and develop a friendship
with. Don't write off the people in the
cliques--continue to display kindness
and warmth. Give an occasional
greeting, compliment or word of en-
couragement. Remember the words
of Scripture: "A man who has friends
must be a friend" (Proverbs 18:24).
ing. Before you know it, instead of
feeling alone--or unknown--at your
own corps, you will have increased
friendships and fulfillment in your
church experience.
free personal advice and opinion
on a variety of subjects. Need
help with relationship problems,
spiritual questions, parenting
situations? Ask Aunt Sally!
comments to Aunt Sally at
[email protected].
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