The church is the main theme of Paul’s message in 1 Timothy. Through the course of the book he addresses 5 main topics: the message of the church (1:1-20), the membership of the church (2:1-15), the management of the church (3:1-13), the minister of the church (3:14-16, 4:1-16), and the ministrations of the church (5:1-25, 6:1-21).

The message of the church should be marked by sound teaching that conforms to the glorious Gospel (v.11). There’s something wholesome and wonderful about the Gospel. It moved Paul, as it should move us, from unbelief to belief in Christ (vv.12-14), and from deserving God’s wrath to receiving His grace and mercy (vv.14, 16).

There’s nowhere in the Bible that says we need to sign a document, attend membership classes, make a pledge, or agree to a covenant to be a member of a local church. But that’s not to say that right belief and practice isn’t the responsibility of everyone who attends a local church.

For the church to effectively proclaim the message of the Gospel and coordinate the activities of the members, there needs to be good management. That is, there needs to be a church official (vv.1-7) and officers (vv.8-13), literally “overseer” or “bishop” (v.1) and “servants” or “deacons” (v.8) to facilitate the work of evangelism …

Having established the qualities we should look for in a church official (vv.1-7), Paul continues by identifying the qualities we should look for in church officers (vv.8-13). In order for the church to proclaim the message of the Gospel and coordinate the activities of the members, there needs to be suitable church officials and officers.

Do you regularly take time to stop and thank God for His answered prayers in your life? I don’t mean now and again when you feel a spark, but as a regular discipline regardless of what is going on in your day to day.

My wife and I often play a game we call “21 Praises”.

What keeps us from telling the truth? Most often it is fear of what others will think, fear of rejection. These things come from a deep seated insecurity.

When I left university after discarding my goal of becoming a journalist, I had no idea what to do or where to go.