5 minutes a day 5 days a week All the New Testament in a year

I know that in many of my friends’ churches, they lift and raise their hands during worship.  Is this wrong?

Sincerely, Raising A Concern

Dear Raising A Concern,

The practice of lifting up your hands during worship is traced to 1 Tim 2:8, but unfortunately your friends’ churches misunderstand the verse. There is nothing wrong with literally lifting up your hands to God, but Paul is telling them to “lift up holy hands, without wrath and disputing”. The context is about a certain lifestyle that people were to have. It is similar to the saying, “put your hand to the plow” in Lk 9:62. ‘Lifting up holy hands’ refers to working, laboring, and serving in a godly way. Christians are to serve God faithfully, without arguing and disputing with each other. ‘Lifting up holy hands’ has nothing to do with how high your arms are raised when you pray; it has to do with the character of the life we live. Are we living holy lives where our hands serve God (1 Cor 4:12)? Raising your hands during worship has the impression of godliness, but it denies the actual power of God’s command to ‘lift up holy hands’ (2 Tim 3:5).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week All the New Testament in a year

I am considering joining a particular church, but for some reason, it doesn't have elders.  I understand that elders are being determined, but I have had contact with this place for about a year, and nothing has happened.  I like the church and the people, but I'm not sure what to think about no one being "in charge."  What does the Bible say about this?

Sincerely, Looking For Leadership

Dear Looking For Leadership,

Elders are God’s intended leadership for a congregation, but many congregations are too young or small to have men who meet the qualifications of 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. This happened in the first century churches as well. Paul and Barnabas went around helping set up elders in congregations that had already been in existence for several years - which implies that those congregations had been functioning without elders (Acts 14:23). Paul told Titus to help appoint elders in the congregations throughout the island of Crete (Tit 1:5), also implying that they didn’t have elders.

Prior to that, a congregation would have been led by the men of the congregation because, in other verses, we see that the leadership of the church was their responsibility (1 Tim 2:12, 1 Cor 14:34). That leadership would have been bound to follow the Bible just as much as an eldership. Every congregation is “commended to the Lord and His Word” (Acts 20:32). An eldership has the benefit of being a smaller group that is able to make faster, more decisive, and wiser decisions… but a congregation can hobble along without one for a time. If a congregation doesn’t have an eldership because it is unable to find qualified men to serve in that capacity, then you can feel comfortable worshipping with them. If they simply have decided they want a different leadership structure than the one God has designed (like a board of trustees, a counsel, headquarters back in Salt Lake City, etc.), that is an entirely different matter.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week All the New Testament in a year