"What God has cleansed, that call not unclean"
by Rev. Dr. D. M. Hoffmann, B.Th., M.Th., Ph.D., Ord./IAOGI, (CNC).
I don't think the newspaper which chose not to run the article of this preacher (hereforth called "PFR")had so much a problem with the scriptures quoted in the article (as the author/preacher said on his program), but, rather, it is the way the article was written that caused the refusal. No one can argue quotes from the scriptures. This preacher (as many others unfortunately) does not put his exegesis training to this subject as he does to others he deciphers and dissects to prove the truths of the Gospel -- such as the issues of Sunday vs Saturday as the day of rest, the King James Bible vs other translations, Religion vs Salvation, etc. A careful and fearful approach should be given to the interpretation of all passages of Scripture that deal with important issues -- not just a biased opinion. In between the scriptures quoted, the article in question from PFR on women preachers in the church is a collection of personal opinions that women should "never" do this and "never" do that and the Bible "never" said this and "never" said that. It gives no attention to the context of the scriptures and to the problems that gave occasion for the biblical statements. Unfortunately, the article and writer are representatives of many others in the Church and of the common teachings that has been going on in Christendom on the subject of women preachers. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-39, it is clear that the issue was the speaking in tongues of everybody in a disorderly manner (as well as other utterances). So Paul explained how it should be done and how the responsibility should be given to the men in charge rather than to everyone in the congregation. If there was no interpreter even the men are told to keep silence (v.28). And then they should only speak two or three while the others judged (v.29). The word "speak" in verse 35 -- "And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church" - in the Greek means "extended" or "random" talk. The point was that those women who did not understand what was going on should wait until they get home and ask their husbands there about it -- rather than going on an on asking in the church service. Paul says in the same statement, verse 36: "What? Came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order." (to v. 40). That is the full context of that scripture passage which has kept women in bondage because of its out-of-context interpretations! I've seen many churches where male pastors are "pushing" tongues and are "instructing" their members to "pray in the Spirit" at whatever time they please, letting everybody in the whole congregation "speak in tongues" at once. That is done in the flesh and is not of God. I remember attending a church where a woman, Sunday after Sunday would explode into an uncontrollable "speaking in tongues". The pastor had to tell her to "please hold that". Paul discusses this subject of tongues further in chapter 13 of the first letter to the Corinthians. On the matter of Ephesians 5:22-33; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1-7, PFR's article says, "the Scripture makes clear that woman was originally made as a helpmeet, an assistant, and never as a ruler over men. Women are not on an equality with men in executive and ruling gifts. The way God made woman, according to the Bible, disqualifies her for leadership in the church." Wow! "The way God made woman..." what is he referring to? All his own interpretation and opinion. The reference that "woman was originally made as a helpmeet......and "never as a ruler over men" is totally wrong and out of context. "Help meet" (two words) does not mean helpmate nor helper as too many preachers have picked-up abusively and misquoted. This term is used in many other scriptures, for example: it is used in Exodus 18:4 "...for the God of my father... was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh...". Same Hebrew word. It is also used of God being a help to Israel... it does not mean God is a helpmate (or soul mate as many have used also) or an assistant. The word has nothing to do with helpmate. This word, ('ęzer from 'âzer, used for both "help" and "meet") means "to come to the deliverance of a situation". In Luke 15:32, "It was meet that we should make merry... same Hebrew words again which means here "appropriate". In Genesis, the woman was "appropriate to the deliverance of man's loneliness". First the animals were brought to Adam as "helpmeet" (Gen. 2:19) -- same word. Does that mean the animals were Adam's helpmates and assistants? But they didn't deliver him of his loneliness, so God then made woman from the side of the man to be of the same "species". And how could God use the same meaning for animal as for woman! There is no such word in the Bible as "helpmate". It is purely fabricated. Search the Scripture! The man does indeed have leadership (responsibility) because he was made first. After the Fall, Adam was given the position of responsibility -- not authority -- he was now accountable for both of them, not just himself. And he failed at it miserably, as did Israel later on in her role of leadership and example to the world. "To whom much is given, much is required. The greater is to be the servant." If a man is not already there doing a job, a woman can take leadership as long as it is led of God. God doesn't mind women preachers to save perishing souls. Even in political arenas... look at Deborah. She was at the right place at the right time in God's will. I even heard another preacher on the radio concoct -- to try and prove his erroneous point -- that a woman got in at that time because the nation of Israel was at an all-time low of depravity, when they dared turn to a woman to lead them. This is not true. Read the Book... That time of the Judges spanning some 350 years-plus was a complete generational roller-coaster of ups and downs; every two or three generations the people would turn to God, then fall into sin, be stripped of their spiritual guards, be oppressed by the enemy, then cry out to God, and God would, in His mercy, send a deliverer. This scene repeats itself throughout the historical periods of the Judges (and beyond), each time dropping into their own generation's all-time low. These deliverers were the judges who were political as well as spiritual leaders. They were magistrates or heads of state. They would be men of war (women in the case of Deborah). When Deborah was raised of God, it was not at "the" lowest level of the people's depravity any more than at the time of the rest of the other Judges; she was about the fourth of some fifteen judges - every one coming in at a low point in the national life of the Israelites. If this was not of God, she would not have lasted to bring the land "rest forty years" (Judges 5:31). The scriptures in the Bible are specific to situations. These situations apply today as well, but the circumstances might be different. God does not mind women preachers sharing the word of God in a church (a church is not a building, it is an assembly of believers or a location where ministry takes place), or anywhere else as long as it is in the proper order and under the leading of the Holy Spirit. The key words here are "in the proper order". In a Christian newspaper some time ago, there was a story of a woman pastor who runs a kitchen to feed the needy. The story said that the pastor always precedes her full-course home-cooked dinners with a service of praise, worship and Biblical teaching. She gets personally involved with the people who show up most week nights, counseling them spiritually and practically. How can any one say that there cannot be women preachers in the Church and that "women are never to preach in church"? This kitchen is church. These people are men and women being taught the things of God and the Bible by a woman. The story gave the example of one man who was at that time winning his battle with depression and was getting ready to look for a job, because of this woman preacher's ministry. I know of another woman who felt the call of God but no church would let her preach in their midst. So she went to the park and preached under a tree. Many years later, a young man who now plays guitar and sings for the Lord gave his testimony that "a woman who preached in the park under a tree led him to the Lord". Regarding the comment by the preacher in question, about the twelve apostles not including "a single woman" as being "evidence" that "no woman is ever in her right place to be a pastor", for one thing apostle does not equal pastor; pastors came afterward. God is a practical God; it would not be right to have chosen women among the twelve because, first of all, the leadership to spread the initial message of the Gospel was given to men (although the very "initial" message was spread by women from the empty tomb to the apostles - how ironic), secondly, because these men were working together, living together, sleeping together in the fields, hills and barns as they travelled across the land with the Lord. But the Bible tells us that many women followed them and supported the ministry financially. That should continue to be so throughout the ages. There are areas wherein women just don't fit - like in co-ed dormitories of schools and universities, or even classes for that matter, in jobs that place men and women together alone for hours or days -- even in supposedly "ministry" work. There shouldn't be women cohabitating in army boot-camps or in combat, or at West Point, nor should women usurp or bring down the standards of these traditionally male places. However this does not mean that women couldn't do certain appropriate jobs that have been traditionally male oriented. Nor did the omission of women within the original apostle group mean that women could or would "never" preach salvation to unsaved people, or to exalt Christians who need encouragement in their lives. The twelve were the beginning -- not the end of things to come. Especially today, when the field is white to harvest like never before and where there are indeed not enough workers, all hands have been called on deck for the final assault. Some day, things will be the way "they should be". But we need to teach the body of Christ to do the work in its proper place and time and in an orderly fashion. Let's teach how to do it right and not how to not do it at all. Let's teach that there can be women preachers providing it is done right and led of the Holy Spirit. There were many women doing all kinds of work in Jesus' time, not only "giving prophecy to one individual" as PFR's article says. But most of the work that women began to do came later. The Bible does not "so many times forbid that kind of thing", as stated in his article. It all came within a context of instructions to the Church within particular problems that arose. It is up to us to "search the scripture" and to "study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman(woman) that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth", letting the Holy Spirit guide us. Jesus said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." (John 16:12-13). That was addressed to all human beings. Some women in the secular world complain that the Bible was written to men and thus they want to change the "gender" of words. The reason it was written to men is because they need it most ! So why should women take offence? Men need it most because they were given the responsibility to begin with - and they've dropped the ball in many areas ! I do agree that, too often, we see women in totally inappropriate situations. It seems too often that the call for ministry is a call for fashion or cosmetic shows. One of the most provocative sights is the heavy lipsticks on some women preachers, or gospel singers -- especially on television because of the close-ups of the cameras. The Word of God comes out of the mouths of preachers -- they should be kept undefiled before God. What is lipstick all about? It's about sex. Let's face the facts. Women have to drop the minis, the frillies and the danglies (earrings) because these distract from the work of God, they have no place in it and the Word of God says so quite clearly. (See my special report "Billion Dollar Pawn" I do not agree that women have been "the cause of all unrestrained emotions, hysterics, unseemly confusion" as PFR's article grossly overstates. At a particular place in Toronto, for example, it is a male pastor who has lost control at times of his congregation, and who is encouraging the controversial things that are going on. When "strange" things happened in John Wesley's services, they were people falling and groaning under the conviction of sin -- not emotion -- and they did not bark and giggle and have their teeth filled with gold. They groaned for mercy and salvation! And contrary to quotes by so many preachers, these particular Weslian services were rare. Read John Wesley's log. PFR's statement that the "overwhelming majority of women preachers are in the Pentecostal movement" is untrue. There are only a few churches here and there that have a woman preacher/pastor which only accounts for less than 4% -- 4 per 100, and not 51% which would constitute "the majority". There may be more women active in some areas of this particular denomination, but not as preachers or pastors of churches. This comment in the article displays another great personal negative biased opinion. Jesus said "For he that is not against us is for us". So how can we say anything against an entire work of God because of some personal misguided opinion? Where there is confusion it is because of the lack of proper teaching and leading on the part of mostly-male Church leadership. Some have given in to pressure and are afraid of even speaking about hot issues which is the reason for a lot of the falling away and compromising going on amidst the flock today. Speaking about women issues is often not of interest to male pastors, ministers or leaders. I recall patronizing a Christian bookstore for a short time. One day, I picked up a home-made booklet called "The Covering of Head" written by some unknown "pastor". The title attracted my attention because I was doing some research on the subject. As I began to read it, I came across multitudes of gross typing errors, out of sequence pages, out of context teaching, exaggerated and out of exegesis chauvinistic opinions - placing the poor women of his congregation under complete legalistic bondage and untruth. And now he was trying to publish his misleading message to more vulnerable people at large. I called the owner of the bookstore and pointed these errors out. He was amazed and said he would take the book off his shelf. I asked him how this book got in his store for sale in the first place, it was so bad. Does he not check out the work of unknown writers? He said, "I didn't look at it, because I don't have any interest in the subject". THAT'S THE PROBLEM. Men have "no interest in issues that concern women" - except when it comes to keeping them down. This is a big mistake at the cost of half of the population in churches today. (But I console myself in the scripture that the "first will be last and the last will be first"). Actually, most people in the church congregations today are women ! And those who erroneously write or preach against women preachers or women in ministry are those who want their influence to be compacted to keep women even more under their male insecurities. On the other hand, when a man does tackle the topic on the positive side, it is presented in a general or superfluous manner without proper study into the Word of God, as they would on other subjects for the powerful truths that change and turn the world upside down. In this passage of the "covering of women" in 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, Paul spends enormous efforts to explain the traditional reasons for the covering and uncovering of the heads of both the men and the women, because the members of the congregation were arguing about it and creating serious divisions. Trying to give a positive sermon on the subject, a radio preacher, following his reading of this passage of scripture, commented, "Paul was concerned about the subject matter". Paul was not concerned about the matter, he was concerned about the problem of legalism. He was trying to settle the argument in response to the congregation's questions. He made it clear that this was only "men's traditions". He ends by saying that if this was going to bring on quarrels, they should forget about it, "for there is no such law in the churches of God"! The church was arguing about man's traditions again - just like circumcision or the keeping of the law. But these things are done away with in the new covenant. And here are modern-day "pastors" who continue to inflict the law on the over half of their congregations! When Jesus went to Martha's home (Luke 10:38-42), he defended Mary's choice to sit at Jesus' feet to hear his word. Dr. Luke records: "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Jesus did not say: "Yea, Mary, go on, your place is in the kitchen." Quite on the contrary. When we receive, we must go and give it to others. And we will give it in various ways, depending on our circumstances, personalities, skills and abilities. However, women need to know where to draw the line. Not everything that men do can be done by women as we've discussed earlier. I doubt that "the Cross and the Switchblade" story could have been carried out by a woman preacher. However, even here we can't underestimate God's power... He would have done it if a man had not been available. It was a very sad thing to see and hear what took place at a Southern Baptist convention a few years ago, when some women gathered and stood vigilant in the boardroom, defiantly singing hymns -- out of context -- while the male leaders passed by the doorway to leave the meeting, right before the watchful eyes of the TV cameras. This was not right. This was degrading to the men. This was not in any way, shape or form going about God's business. If any woman is truly called of God, God will make a way. There is no need to take up carnal arms. (At the same time, we must remember that if women had not stood up against political chauvinism in the early 1900's, women would still be mere chattels today.) And more recently again, at another Southern Baptist Convention, men heralded the scripture that women are to be "subject unto their husbands". This intensified uproars and schisms in the church again. We forget to explain that this scripture is addressed to those who need to hear it. Obviously, if a wife is already subject to God and consequently to her husband, that statement is not for her. But there are women who are rebellious and are not subject to their husbands and are not taking their rightful place in the home and family -- this message of the Bible is for them. The Bible is still true today when it comes to God's organizational laws. But the scripture says "to their husbands" not to men. The problem is that we shout these scriptures without attaching to them their proper explanations -- we shout them out-of-context. We cannot proclaim these quotes in sweeping declarations, toward all women. We could do the same to men, calling all men deadbeats, because of what Paul said about some men who didn't work and waited for the Lord's return. As we all study at Jesus' feet, we grow and mature so that we can then minister to others. The key is to minister where God sends us, not where we think we want to minister, and that, only when we are properly trained and personally mature. The fact that Paul said to that group of women to be silent in the church does not mean it was for all women of his time and for all generations. We know that from Deborah's story in the Old Testament. And there are plenty of women in the New Testament who were deaconesses and prophetesses and who ministered to their communities. Unlike PFR's article says, they did not prophecy to "one individual" only. In the letters to the Corinthians, Paul was responding to a specific problem the church had with the women there. His answer was for these women who created the problem, to keep silence and to ask their husbands at home, if they had questions. A vivid picture of this came to me one day as I watched television news clips of the liberation of an Arab country by Americans just a few years ago. The local men and women rejoiced in their streets over the victory, but the women did hysterical shoutings, overpowering the men's normal shouts of joy. And I thought, imagine this hysterical carryings-on in the church of Paul's time! No wonder he had to address it. Let's face it, women are more emotional and talkative - unless trained otherwise. Let's admit it and follow God's teaching that says "he that refraineth his lips is wise", "He that hath knowledge spareth his words", "He that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding". Interesting that these scriptures are addressed to "he". Does that mean it is not applicable to women? Then are we ready for ministry. If a woman is truly called of God, she will sacrifice herself to becoming holy in behaviour and character. To lump all women and use strong words like "women are never to preach and are always and only to keep silence in the church" as PFR so inappropriately states, is obviously wrong. It is those who are boisterous and disobedient and who disrupt the services that are told to keep silent. And feminists who are not even born-again who want to be "priests" and "vicars" for the sake of "equality" are not doing God's will. First, you get saved, then you work for the Lord because of the burden He places on your heart to save souls from hell - not to convert them into denominational social clubs. There's a big difference. In 1 Timothy 2:11,12, the command to "not teach, nor usurp authority over the man" is for orderly organization. The woman is not to take over from the man who has been called to lead in the spiritual affairs of mankind. But if such a man gives permission to a woman to preach or to minister, then it is right. There are indeed situations in the church where a woman is best to minister. If male pastors would turn over the counseling of women to women who would be encouraged to train as pastors and counselors, there would be a lot less sexual scandals in the church today. And, there are places where the lack of a male minister opens up a right opportunity for a woman to minister. "What God has cleansed, that call not unclean" Just as the Gospel was given to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles, so it was to men first, then to women also (Acts 2:17,18). It wasn't until some eight years after Pentecost that Peter had the vision in Caesarea to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. He struggled greatly with that and doubted (Acts 10:17). Up until then, the gospel had only been preached to the Jews. The message from Jesus had been, "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:6). The Gentiles were unclean (Acts 10:14,15). Acts 10, verses 9 to 20: "On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: and he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. "And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, rise, Peter; kill, and eat. "But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. "Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, And called, and asked whether Simon which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. "While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them." Many still think today that woman is "unclean" when it comes to ministry; but God in His perfect timing has allowed women to serve in ministries. We are all servants, however we have all different offices. The important element is to know where God wants us in the work of the Kingdom. It is still true that men are first called to take up the responsibility to minister the spiritual needs of mankind. And it is true that women still have to enter the work without "usurping" authority over men. Many men "usurped" other men in the Old Testament (and it still happens today) and that was not right either. Men or women are not to usurp authority over one another. If women want to be so-called "equal", yes, let them learn in silence first, with all subjection, like Joshua did under Moses. Then move forward as the Lord calls and opens the way. As the weaker vessels women are more vulnerable - because of the Fall. The woman who is not ready to admit this and work on it, is not ready for ministry. However, if she is sure of her calling and is willing to submit herself to the Lord to prepare and learn His ways - forsaking the frills and fusses and silliness of society's Adamic diversion in the up-bringing of its women - she can be one of those handmaiden and daughters God talks about in Acts 2:17 & 18, "adorning herself in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which becometh women professing godliness with good works." (1 Tim. 2:9-10). Unfortunately, men are not willing to let God's handmaiden to the work He is calling them to do. They are interfering with His work by preaching against it. They must learn to "recognize" the genuine ones who are truly called of God and support them as they support one another. And they can't do that by ignoring the women totally and thrusting the capable ones into the corner of the women's café groups and bake sales. The article from PFR says, "A fourth evidence might be drawn from experience, and from the great harm that has come to the cause of Christ from women preachers. Remember that Christian Science, Spiritualism, Seventh-Day Adventism were founded by women preachers and teachers. When you remember the harm done by Mary Baker Eddy, Mrs. McPherson, the Fox sisters, and many others, you may be led to feel that they were out of their place. "Doubtless the greatest harm caused by women preachers is that they so debase the public's conception of the ministry that men feel no desire to enter it." Men feel no desire to enter it because they give up too easily (dropped the ball) or have lost their first love -- not because women have debased the public's conception of the ministry. And if any feel that way they do so because of their own insecurities and their low regards for women. The writer lists individuals who started cults or disgraced the Gospel in some way and/or perceived way. We could name many more men that have done the same. Just in recent years we can think of Jones, Hubbard, Koresh, the leader of the Dooms Day cult and countless others (the world doesn't know the difference between true Christianity and cults). Do we say all men are a disgrace because of these "out of place" characters? Of the cults listed by PFR, those that grew are now mostly led by male followers of these women -- hardly his deduction that men have no desire to enter ministry because of the women in it. Obviously, it is people who have a problem to begin with, who get in trouble - whether they are men or women. In the Christian church we could name Bakker, Swaggart, Lee and many more pastors localized within various regions throughout the land, who have caused harm and disgrace. Katherine Kulhman was an outstanding woman of God. PFR does not refer to her anywhere and she was not from the Pentecostal denomination either. She led services of worship to thousands and thousands of people every week where many healings from God took place. There are bad apples in both genders of mankind. To top it all, following the response from the listeners of PFR's radio program airing his article, his reply in his monthly newsletter was to quote Revelation 2:20 "Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess to teach…." Then he says, "Now, am I not allowed to teach what Jesus said to this church in Thyatira? This is what the Bible teaches. As God's courier, my only job is to deliver God's message…" Talk about quoting scriptures "out of context". The subject is on whether or not women can preach in the church, and he culminates his negative explanations by quoting Jezebel's wickedness! It would be like saying men cannot be leaders because of Manasseh's wickedness (Israel's most wicked king). What an insult to liken women to Jezebel. Surely there is a serious problem here. The trouble is that this preacher has been airing this message on radio and publishing it on tracts all over the world, and many of his male listeners think he is teaching the truth - especially male listeners in countries where there is already a great degree of oppression and abuse upon women. This is a very serious matter, very deceiving and damaging. Not so long ago, right here on this continent a man assaulted his wife as he came home late and drunk one night, expecting her to greet him with open arms and lush. When she didn't, he quoted this very scripture of wives submitting to their husbands and began to savagely hit her. He was charged in court. The church is teaching wrongly. The Bible says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus". This refers to the spiritual blessings of Abraham's seeds as being heirs according to the promise. Spiritual freedom is what sets men and women free physically, emotionally and spiritually. Christianity is what brought civilization, and women out of bondage. Yet it took man another 1900 years to "allow" women to vote. Women were chattels to men, like cattle and things. There are some men who apparently still feel that way today. Rebellious and reprobate women are not excused from their wrong-doing. They have to heed the Word of God and repent. The instructions from Paul are guidelines to follow and to use when and where appropriate. It is not sweeping across all the female population. There are naturally more men who get into places of leadership (80/20 men/women), so men should not feel threatened. Within this ratio, respectively, some people are mature and some are not. The Bible has to be applied to both camps as needed. When Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, he said she had chosen the good things and it would not be taken away from her. When we learn at Jesus' feet, we do it as becoming disciples to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel", and what we hear from God in darkness "we shout from the rooftops" -- men and women. If we lived in a perfect world, there might be more men picking up their spiritual responsibilities. And some day, that will be so - when Jesus returns to reign over mankind. In the meantime, God needs all the workers He can get, because millions are going to hell in a handbasket - the field is white to harvest, but the labourers are few indeed! If the anointing and the burden is upon a servant of God, who are we to quench the Holy Spirit! Each one of us, man or woman, needs to be sure of God's calling. Not all are called to be in ministry or in places of leadership. Not all are ready. Research has shown that for every 1 leader, there are 99 followers. Each one of us is to examine where God wants us to focus our time and energy - within that 1% or the 99%. This comes as we commit ourselves to a regular, consistent, systematic and formal, study of the Word of God, and take God's business seriously. Christian education and the delivering of the great commission is a lifelong responsibility for every follower of Christ - men and women./dmh Dr. Diane M. Hoffmann is president of the Link School of Ministries Inc., a Christian Bible Correspondence School and Internet Theological Reading Room that can be seen at http://www.linkschool21.com . She is the author of numerous Christian seminars and theological articles, tracts, e-books and books, including "The Horizontal Chronology of the Four Gospels". (Article copyright Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without changes and including author's name and resource box). Send your comments on this article using this link
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