What churches did the apostle Paul plant?  And approximately when were they planted?

Sincerely,
Church Farmer

Dear Church Farmer,

Here is a rough timeline for when the apostle Paul started various congregations (all dates are approximate):

1. Various congregations in Cyprus – 48 AD (Acts 13:5-12)
2. Churches in the cities of Antioch Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe – 48 AD (Acts 13:14 – Acts 14:24)
3. Philippi – 51 AD (Acts 16:12-40)
4. Thessalonica – 51 AD (Acts 17:1-10)
5. Berea – 51 AD (Acts 17:10-14)
6. Corinth – 51-53 AD (Acts 18:1-17)
7. Ephesus – 53 AD (Acts 18:19-20)

Paul may very well have started other congregations, but those are the ones we can specifically attribute to Paul’s labors.

     I am happy to write to you.  I am wanting to know how you conduct your worship on Sundays.

God bless you.

Sincerely,
Looking For Order

Dear Looking For Order,

The Bible gives us examples and commands for five different elements to the public worship.

1. Teaching/Preaching (1 Cor 4:17)
2. Singing (Eph 5:19)
3. Prayer (Acts 12:5)
4. Taking A Collection – Sunday only (1 Cor 16:1-2)
5. Lord’s Supper – Sunday only (Acts 20:7)

Of these five elements, two of them are specifically allowed only on Sundays.  The others can be done any time the brethren get together.  The congregation here in Monroe, WA is a simple New Testament congregation, and our worship is just what you find in the Bible.

      Why is there a New Testament if God never changes?

Sincerely,
Traditionalist

Dear Traditionalist,

God never changes, but humans do, and mankind wasn’t ready for Christ’s law in the beginning.  Gal 3:24 says that the Old Testament law was a tutor to lead people to Christ.  Just like beginning arithmetic must be taught before you dive into calculus, the Old Law prepared people for a greater and more perfect law.  The Old Testament taught people about sin (Rom 3:20), and it showed that all mankind had sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23).  The Old Testament law was added because of sin and as a preparation for Jesus’ entrance into the world (Gal 3:19).  The Old Law could never save people because all a law can do is condemn the law-breaker – only the gift of Christ’s blood can provide forgiveness for the sinner (Gal 3:13).  The New Testament combines God’s laws with a plan to provide forgiveness for those who break those laws.

     I believe, or should say I want to believe, I am love and called for something more, but have yet to feel the full presence of God.  But tonight, in a very real time of doubt, I was called to a non-existent verse, yet it led me straight to a passage that read, "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;” (Mk 16:17)

Please tell me this is not false faith?  Am I not just as important as Moses, Noah, Job, or other "men" of faith?

Sincerely,
Hoping For Spirituality

Dear Hoping For Spirituality,

We are all equally important in God's eyes, but that doesn't mean that we all are called for the same purpose or that we all should receive miraculous abilities to prophecy, speak in tongues, or cast out demons.  Miraculous gifts are no longer present in the church.  They are no longer needed because we have the complete and perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-10).  For further details on this, read “Speaking in Tongues”, “The Lost Art of Prophecy”, and “Spoken Like A True Friend”.

Mark 16:17 is not referring to all Christians, but instead it is referring to the “signs that would accompany” Christianity.  As the gospel first spread, God used miracles to attest to the authenticity of the apostles’ claims that Jesus was the Son of God (Mk 16:20).  These signs and wonders were God’s way of supernaturally bearing witness to the preaching (Heb 2:2-4).  Miracles do not make you a Christian; obedience to the will of God does (Rom 12:2).  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to understand, verse-by-verse, what it takes to become a Christian.  Do not accept anything but the Scriptures.  Only God’s Word holds the answers to our salvation (Rom 1:16).

     I was in a low place, and I made a promise to God that if He would help me with the situation, I would give up something.  I have stayed in the right for a few months now, but I am not sure that I can keep the promise for a lifetime.

I know it is best not to promise if we cannot keep it, but I did make the promise, and I’m conflicted.

Any advice?  Will the Lord forgive me?

Sincerely,
Promise Keeper

Dear Promise Keeper,

Jesus tells us that our word is binding and that our ‘yes’ should mean ‘yes’ and our ‘no’ should mean ‘no’ (Matt 5:37).  We are warned that we should perform our vows to the Lord (Ps 76:11).  Eccl 5:4-5 makes it clear that if we make a promise before God – we need to stick with it.  Can you be forgiven if you made a promise and then failed? Yes (1 Jn 1:9), but if you made a promise to God and now simply want out of it because it is more difficult than you thought it would be… that’s a different story.  God takes our promises seriously, and we need to as well.