B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #71
B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #71
March 31, 2006
I Cor. 16:9 For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
News from the Brothers in Africa NCLC – Nigeria – There are two new students this year in the Bible Institute. LCEA – Pastor Malyi who preaches at Mamba and Meru and Pastor Msuya who preaches at Dodama area have joined the church with their members leaving the large ELCT (Lutheran) church which has become more liberal. Also Pastor Mduma of Arusha has joined through colloquoy from the African Inland Mission.
CLCEA – A new parish was started at Nenchumpi among the Masai. A new evangelist by name Mushi is joining also going over our teachings.
CLCK Nairobi – Kenya – While going through our teachings, it appears that a couple pastors do not accept infant baptism. Unless there is agreement, we cannot work together. Sixteen children were baptized at Ngong, 8 at Nyahururu and 11 at Muranga. Registration is complete for the church with the government.
CLCK Etago – Kenya – They are making plans to host the two day pastoral conference this fall. Work on the third classroom in the aids/orphan school has started.
EELCT – Togo – Roofing is going forward on the church site at Segbe. It appears that one preacher who was going through our teachings is disappointed in no salary and may not be with us.
Thumbnail Sketches – I Corinthians Corinth received a relatively lot of Paul’s attention with several visits and several letters. One of his letters was not inspired and so is not available anymore. He first visited Corinth on his second journey and spent 18 months there. Acts 18:11 At the conclusion of his third journey he visited there for three months. Acts 20:2-3 As far as we know the only other place that received more of his time on his journeys was the Ephesus region. In spending this much time and writing so much there was on the one hand a harvest to be had there and on the other a multitude of problems to be dealt with. This big port city was a center of commerce, wealth and sin. It was the center of Achaia, southern Greece. In reading through the epistle we see how Paul addressed the problems such as immorality and factionalism, only two among many. In these chapters we have a lot of practical Bible advice such as in chapter 7 on marriage. In dealing with errors on the resurrection Paul penned that great chapter 15 on the resurrection that has so much to say on this key teaching.
Outline I Introduction – l:l-9 II Factions – l:10-4:21 III Sexual Morality – 5:1-7:40 IV Christian Liberty – 8:1-11:1 V Public Worship – 11:2-14:40 VI The Resurrection – 15:1-58 VII Personal Matters – 16:1-24
Thumbnail Sketches – II Corinthians This is the great letter that has so much to say on the ministry. So to consider this letter I have picked out a passage for each chapter that speaks to the public ministry. 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy… – The pastor is the servant not the boss of the congregation with the goal of joy in Christ. 2:14;17 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. –This is the ministry of the Word as it is being carried out as to its results. 3:6 Who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life. – We are above all Gospel preachers. 4:13-15 Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence, – We are speakers of what we firmly believe in order to be in the resurrected glory with the hearers. 5:9 …we make it our aim to please Him. – Men pleasers are all over the place, but God pleasers are far fewer. As pastors we are to set the example. 6:l “Working together with Him, then, we entreat you… – We are co-workers with God and through us He works. What greater glory here can there be? 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. – Repentance, sorrow over sin, will be replaced with joy because of the Savior from sin, that we proclaim. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich. – A beautiful way of stating the Gospel! 9:6-7 The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully…God loves a cheerful giver. – In the ministry this applies as well as in all facets of life. 10: 3-5 For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, – We wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and through that the Spirit conquers. 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. – The power is God’s and it is through the indwelling Spirit with Christ on the throne of my heart that things happen. 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. – Dedication to Him and His people is required in the ministry and should be done in joy. 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – God’s blessing rests on the ministry of the Word. If you haven’t yet, why not memorize these passages to carry them in your mind and heart as you serve Him. Pastor David Koenig