The Bible clearly talks about marriage and divorce, but what, if anything, does it say about "annulment"?  Is this a man-made concept, and if so, does God recognize it?

Sincerely,
Technical Details

Dear Technical Details,

Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void.  Unlike divorce, it is considered to be retroactive: an annulled marriage is considered never to have existed.  That is all legal jargon, but ultimately, it is the same thing – an annulment is just another type of divorce.  God never makes any distinction between the two.  Once you are married – you are married.  It is as simple as that.  Mankind often tries to circumvent God’s laws by changing the language and using “lawyerly” language, but God will not be deceived (Gal 6:7).

I have been feeling called to minister.  I have read 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus several times, and they are pulling me in that direction.  I am a man with no money for Bible college, and I was wondering: is it possible to become ordained without the schooling?  I am so lost; please help.  I know I will need training, but can I not get it from the church I attend, or must I go to college to become a minister and get ordained?

Sincerely,
Un-ordain-ary Fellow

Dear Un-ordain-ary Fellow,

If you are a part of a religious group that says that you have to be ordained by a “Bible college” in order to preach – then you need to find another church.  The books 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus are letters sent by Paul to men that had studied under him (we might use the term ‘apprenticed’ nowadays) and worked with him over the years.  These men were educated in the Scriptures through practice and individual study (2 Tim 3:15-17).  Paul had a father/son relationship with Timothy, and that is how that Timothy progressed as a preacher (1 Tim 1:2).

There are no examples of Bible colleges having authority within God’s church, and no one was ever expected to have a college degree in order to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In fact, the apostles were often noted as being uneducated (Acts 4:13).

Teachers incur a stricter judgment (Jas 3:1); preaching needs to be Biblically accurate, or you will be condemned as a false teacher.  You will need to find a Biblically correct congregation that teaches only the pure and undefiled Gospel of Jesus Christ if you are going to study to become a preacher.  If you would like to find a congregation in your area that can faithfully guide you in those teachings, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.  We cannot emphasize enough that what church you learn to preach from will make all the difference between serving God and being accursed (Gal 1:8).

Can an instrument be in a church, or is it a sin?

Sincerely,
Open Mic

Dear Open Mic,

God has given us instruments to use for worshipping Him – our hearts (Eph 5:19).  In the New Testament, God tells us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to Him.  He wants the only melody He hears to come from our hearts.  Instrumental music wasn’t introduced into the church until over three hundred years after Christ.  In fact, ‘a cappella’ singing (singing without instruments) literally means ‘as the church’.  There are no examples of the church using instruments to worship God in the New Testament.  If we start using them, we are adding something to God’s Word (Rev 22:18-19).  All we are ever told to do is “sing and make melody in our hearts”… pluck your heartstrings as you sing to God, and you will make God happy.

Is a woman actually supposed to submit her husband, or is that a different religion?

Sincerely,
Ladies First

Dear Ladies First,

The Scriptures do say that a woman needs to submit to her husband (Eph 5:33), but that doesn’t mean she has to submit to all men – just the man that she chooses to trust and spend the rest of her life with.  Furthermore, just as a wife has certain responsibilities to her husband, a husband is a servant to his wife.  A godly husband must love his wife as his own body (Eph 5:28).  He must also serve her with a sacrificial love, the same type of love that drove Christ to give Himself up for the church (Eph 5:25).  Marriages are built upon love and respect; they cannot function properly without a husband receiving the respect his soul desires and a wife receiving the love that her soul yearns for.  That is why it is so important that men and women marry people who will serve God and commit themselves to a Bible-guided marriage.

Why can't women be popes or nuns or whatever?

Sincerely,
Women’s Rights

Dear Women’s Rights,

Women can be nuns, but nuns are Catholic – not christian (the pope is also not a christian, but a Catholic).  In the church, the leadership is made up only of men.  Elders, deacons, and preachers are all men (1 Tim 3:1, 1 Tim 3:12, 1 Cor 14:34).  This isn't because men are better than women; it is because men and women have different responsibilities.  Being an elder, deacon, or preacher does come with honor, but it also comes with a stricter judgment (Jas 3:1, Heb 13:17).  We all have roles to fulfill in the church, and each role is different.