I have been trying to get into the kingdom since I was five-years-old; I am now fifty-five.  My question is: am I wasting my time?  Can everyone get into God's kingdom, or do you have to be pre-selected by God?

Sincerely,
Seeking Citizenship

Dear Seeking Citizenship,

Anyone can get into the kingdom of Christ – it happens when you become a christian.  Paul says that all christians have been transferred into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13).  ‘Kingdom’ is another name for the church.  Jesus’ church is called His body (Col 1:18), the house of God (1 Tim 3:15), and the kingdom (Lk 17:20-21).  Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom (Jhn 18:36), and you become a part of it when you are baptized (Gal 3:27).  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to see what it takes to become a christian and enter Christ’s kingdom.

(This question is a follow up to “Kudos To Who?”).

What I am talking about is a certain day that the church sets aside for the pastor.  Right now, we are asked to give one thousand dollars to the pastor for pastor appreciation, but in this particular church, you pay for everything that is done, and the leadership caters to groups who give that money, and others are left out.  I wanted to be a greeter in this church and was told that I couldn’t because I didn’t sign some type of contract and pledge to give every time they ask for something.  A thousand dollars is a lot of money for some, and I really don’t think that they are understanding what Christ's church is all about.  If you have heard this before, then believe it because it is happening, and these people think they are right, and it saddens me to see people doing it, and nobody is doing anything about it.

Sincerely,
Hand On My Wallet

Dear Hand On My Wallet,

Wow!  Apparently there is big money in pastor “appreciation” day.  If only we all could get a thousand dollar gift from our friends and neighbors.  This sort of money-grubbing worldliness makes us sick… and it sickened Jesus too (Mk 12:38-40).  Heb 13:5 teaches that everyone, and that includes church leaders, should be free from the love of money.  All sorts of evil comes from the love of money (1 Tim 6:10), and a pastor is specifically forbidden to be a man who is a lover of money (1 Tim 3:2-3).

The church you are describing is a false church, and the best thing you can do is leave.  They are using the Gospel as a means of financial gain and power – a deplorable misuse of Christ’s message.  These wolves in sheep’s clothing have perverted the Bible for their own wicked gain (Acts 20:29-30).  We recommend you read “Finding The Church” and start looking for a faithful congregation.  If you would like our help, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will happily point you toward a faithful congregation in your area.

What does the Bible say about "pastor appreciation"?  Is there such a thing, or is it a man-made tradition that churches practice?

Sincerely,
A Little Too Much Gratitude

Dear A Little Too Much Gratitude,

We aren’t completely sure what you mean by “pastor appreciation”.  If you mean a certain day or month to commemorate those who serve as elders in the church… there is no Bible precedent for that.  The Bible never sets aside a specific way or time to show kindness to the eldership.  Heb 13:7 says that we should remember and imitate those who are over us in the church.  Heb 13:17 says that we should submit to the eldership, so their work can be a joy instead of a grief.

Elders have some of the loneliest and most difficult jobs on the planet.  The church eldership has the responsibility to watch over every soul in the congregation.  Elders see every problem, trouble, travail, and heartache that a church faces.  It is the least we can do to humbly show our appreciation for the work they have committed their lives to.  The Bible doesn’t tell us to set a day aside; it tells us to have an attitude of gratitude.

My wife is a member of a Baptist church.  I have never been a member at any church.  I hardly ever went, and if I did it was a different church every so often.  Her father is the pastor there.  I asked her the other day if maybe we could visit a different church and listen to some different preaching other than her father’s sometime.  I only asked if we could do this like once every three months or so.  She bluntly said, “NO!”  I asked why, and she said, “I’m a member of my church, and I won’t go anywhere else.”  I have to admit, this made me sort of upset.  What’s the Bible’s take on this????

Sincerely,
The Un-Baptist Son-In-Law

Dear The Un-Baptist Son-In-Law,

The Bible says that you must work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12).  Regardless of your wife’s choices, you must make it a point to seek out and find the truth.  Not all churches are equal.  As we have said to people in other posts, denominationalism is wrong.  Baptist churches make Baptists, Lutheran churches make Lutherans, Catholic churches make Catholics, etc.  You want to find a church that teaches the Bible, not manmade doctrines.  There were no Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, etc. in Christ’s day… and that should stand as a warning to us about the dangers of adding things that Christ never intended.  We shouldn’t add to God’s law nor subtract from it (Rev 22:18-19).  We recommend you read “All For One” for more information about the blight of denominationalism.

You are right to want to look around and search for the truth (Lk 11:9).  It is important that we worship God in a way that is both zealous and obedient to the truth (Jhn 4:24).  Visit around, ask questions, and test the preaching of various congregations (1 Jn 4:1).  Make it your goal to find the truth… not simply a congregation that is enjoyable to visit.  Feel free to read “Finding A Church” and “Preacher Interrogation” to help arm yourself to ask the right questions and find a faithful congregation in your area.

The Bible says in the New Testament that a deacon or pastor should be the husband of one wife.  I attend a Baptist church that does not allow a man to be a deacon or pastor unless he has only been married once in his lifetime.  I do not disagree with this and I believe this to be true, but my question is if the pastor or a deacon in my church has had sexual relationships prior to meeting and marrying their first and only wife, would this not disqualify them from their office of pastor or deacon?

Sincerely,
Double-Checking

Dear Double-Checking,

The qualifications you are referring to occur in 1 Tim 3:2, 1 Tim 3:12, and Tit 1:6.  The term ‘husband of one wife’ literally means ‘a one woman man’ in the original Greek.  In order to be a deacon or a pastor, a man must have shown himself to be dedicated to one woman and committed to monogamy.  Previous relationships before marriage would not necessarily disqualify a man from serving, but all those details must be considered before appointing a man to the position of deacon or elder.  The question is simply, “Is this man a dedicated one-woman man?”  Answer that question, and you will know whether he is qualified.