HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

Bat For Lashes asked the question, “What’s a Girl To Do.” Obviously BLF was not satisfied with previous suggestions to women as to the answer to that burning question. It cannot be forgotten that Helen Reddy said, “I am woman hear me roar.” It has to also be remembered that Cyndi Lauper said, “Girls just wanna have fun.” While in ages past Connie Francis vowed to be “Where the Boys are,” and Tammy Wynnette had pledged to “Stand by [her] Man.” The question of women’s roles is not just a question limited to society where the roles of man and woman have become blurred in recent years, the question is one that has been and is still being tackled in our churches. While various social programs and laws offer solutions to the question in society at large, for the Christian the Bible is the place that holds the answer.

Moses recorded that God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). The question that has to be answered is what kind of helper is the woman to be in the New Testament church? Are the churches to adopt a complimentarian or an egalitarian stance with regards to role of women in the church?  According to John Piper “Confusion over the meaning of sexual personhood today is epidemic.”[1] Piper went on to say, “it is a remarkable and telling observation that contemporary Christian feminists devote little attention to the definition of femininity and masculinity.”[2] The roles of man and woman are set in place by the Bible.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:12).  In recent years this verse has come under attack by those who claim the verse deals with a problem specific to Ephesus, yet the Apostle Paul seems to have taken that out of the equation when he ties this teaching to the created order of Genesis 1 and 2: For Adam was formed first, then Eve (1 Timothy 2:13).  Paul does not address a problem in Ephesus; He simply relies on Gods original creation. While Orthund writes, “Moses doubtless intends to imply the equality of the sexes, for both male and female display the glory of God’s image with equal brilliance: “. . . in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them,”[3] G.C Steele writes:

The pattern of behavior advocated in the letters is not opposed to society so much as to individual desire; self-control is inculcated as the way for the church to survive as a corporate institution, and therefore it is understood as submission to the communal rules rather than to a personal ideal of conduct. The asceticism that is advocated is not in regard to food, drink, sexual activity, and family life, but rather subjection to the life of the community in which each person has their proper place.[4]

Can they be equals and have their ‘proper place’ at the same time?

Writing to the church in Corinth concerning Spiritual Gifts, the Apostle Paul wrote, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose” (1 Corinthians 12:18).  He went on to write, “On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:22). If a part is indispensible it must then be equal to other parts that are indispensible, yet at the same time have its proper place for it wouldn’t be the part that it is if it were not in its proper place: A kidney placed in the middle of a chest cannot function as a heart, yet it is equal to the heart in that the body couldn’t function as a whole if the kidney was not in its proper place. Equality and proper place can and do operate as one in the sense of the body as well as the Body of Christ.

Paul has set up a scenario where men are the head, women can’t teach men, but women can teach women and children (this last point is implied in 1 Timothy 2:12). Whereas Genesis 1 and 2 makes the case for equality, Paul puts the equality in its ‘proper place’.  Wayne Grudem puts the restrictions on a woman’s role in the church into three categories: (1) Governing authority, (2) Bible teaching, and (3) public recognition.[5] Grudem writes, “In fact, all the questions of application pertain to at least one of these areas.”[6]

In chapter 3 of his first letter to Timothy, Paul gives qualifications for the leadership of a church.  Paul says that an overseer should be “husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2). It seems that If the office of overseer (what we now call an elder) could be a woman we would have some type of charge to the women in this context. Yet, it is missing. Hendriksen and Kistemaker wrote, “Accordingly, the meaning of our present passage (I Tim. 3:2) is simply this, that an overseer or elder must be a man of unquestioned morality, one who is entirely true and faithful to his one and only wife; one who, being married, does not in pagan fashion enter into an immoral relationship with another woman” (emphasis mine).^[7]

Paul then moves his discussion in 1^st Timothy 3 to the qualifications of deacons. Paul starts his discussion on deacons in 1^st  Timothy 3:8 and concludes it in verse 13. In verse 12 he uses the same wording for deacons that he uses for elders: Husband of one wife. What is interesting is that in his discussion about deacons, in verse 11 he writes, “Their wives likewise must be dignified” (ESV). The New American Stand Bible translates it this way: Women must likewise be dignified. Either translation is a good translation of the Greek. Why in the middle of a discussion on deacons- who have to be the husband of one wife- would Paul insert instructions to women? Could it be that the early church had female deacons?

For the early churches in the Restoration Movement there were female deacons. Dr. Bobby Valentine records, “In 1835 Campbell wrote, ‘From Rom 16:1 as well as from 1 Tm 3:11 it appears that females were constituted deaconesses in the primitive church. Duties to females as well as to males demand this’ (“Order”, MH 1835, p. 507). He would write 18 years later, ‘The primitive church had also deacons. Such was Phoebe, of Cenchrea’ (“Church Organization #2″ MH 1853, p. 185).”[8] On the office of deacons, D.K. Pendleton asserted, “Besides Deacons, every church should have Deaconesses, whose duty it is to perform such offices as cannot be so well performed by deacons, and especially such to females, as could not with delicacy and propriety be laid upon the deacons. This both Scripture and decency require.”[9] Was Paul suggesting there was an official office of deaconess?

While both women as well as wives are acceptable translations of the Greek word ????????, it is a safe assumption that Paul was not speaking of an official office, but the conduct of the wives of deacons. It can be deduced from Paul’s writing ‘husband of one wife’ and no instruction to the women to be the ‘wife of one husband,’ that he was not giving instructions for an official office. It seems only logical that there would be times when a woman may have some type of problem that she was more comfortable with another female helping with.  Who better than a deacons wife to serve in this capacity? But, if Campbell and Pendleton were right, it has to be remembered that the role of a deacon is one of serving. Paul’s instruction were that a women could not have authority over a man: A servant rarely has authority over those he serves.

There can be no denying that in the churches today women serve. Granted, it might not be in an official capacity, but they serve. They teach our children. They minister to other ladies (as well as teaching them). While there is a Biblical prohibition due to the order of creation placed on women having an official office, our women serve. The Bible takes a stance that there is equality between man and woman while at the same time asserting there are differences in the roles they fill.

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon

The Tribe Of Jesus

North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

Why is a great question to ask. I don’t really know why, but I would venture to guess it is the most often asked of questions. And, in the realms of Christianity “why” is oh so popular! Why do bad things happen to good people? I mean, think about it, we hear all the “health and wealth” gospels. No one, Christian or otherwise, has escaped without at least hearing someone mention the prosperity gospel. If “health and wealth” and “prosperity” gospels are the biblical way, why do bad things happen to good people?

It could be argued that even while he was a Pharisee, the Apostle was a man after God’s own heart. But, after his conversion to Christianity and becoming an Apostle look what he says about his life:       Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). The fact is bad things happened to this good man his entire ministry ending with a beheading in Rome.

Christians suffer because we live in a fallen world. We suffer the same things that those who aren’t Christians suffer, again as a result of living in a fallen world. The fact is there is evil in our world and as Christians we are not immune to its affects.  Each of us will die of something, be it a disease, an accident, a heinous crime, or whatever event. All of the health and wealth gospels combined cannot get around the simple fact that, “it is appointed for man to die once…” (Hebrews 9:27).

Christians suffer bad things in this word because they are Christians.  In fact Jesus said in Matthew 10:22, “you will be hated by all for [His] name’s sake.”  The Apostle Paul’s life is a testimony to this fact. God’s only Son, Jesus, lived a life that speaks volumes to the fact that as Christians we will suffer.

Our hope then is not built on the luxuries of this world, but it is our eternal hope of being with God the Father eternally in Heaven.  Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare us a place where never again will we suffer.

So the next time you are asked, “Why?” Give the best of answers, “Why not?”

If you are in the area come visit us at the Manteo Church of Christ.

 
Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon

Minister, Manteo Church of Christ

North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

Psalm 63:1

Hurricane Irene recently paid a visit to coastal Northeastern North Carolina. While the winds were heavy, they didn’t bring the destruction for which the coast had braced. Yet, widespread devastation and destruction was present. Flood waters from the winds blowing water in, out and around the sounds produced flooding that people had not seen in their life time and only rarely had heard about in history. For people who use personal wells and water pumps, while their land was flooded, could not get water to drink as their water pumps were inoperable due to the electricity being out. For others who were connected to county water supplies they could not get water as supplies were contaminated. Due to the lack of electricity even boiling water to make it clean was an impossible remedy. There was water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.  While we know the limits we can go without drinking water, many of us never realize that we thirst for the water the leads to real life.

Like David, we Christians are fond of proclaiming, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you” (Psalm 63:1). While we proclaim that God is our God, do we earnestly seek him? Or, do we just pay lip service to the God that has delivered us? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs lists water as one of the basics for our physical survival. And, when a storm cuts off that vital supply we thirst. We beg. We plead for that vital substance. But, can you say, like David, that for your spiritual survival, for God [your] soul thirsts for [Him]” (Psalm 1b)?

David uses the powerful imagery of thirst, the most basics of human needs, throughout the Psalms.  Is today the day that while you are in a world that seems like you are “in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1d), that you earnestly seek him? Irish poet Nahum Tate wrote in 1698:

Through all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon

Minister, Manteo Church of Christ

North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

In a land where beginnings and first are common place, it should be no surprise that another beginning has occurred. The land known as North Carolina’s Outer Banks has seen such beginnings as the first attempt at an English Colony, what has become known as the Lost Colony; the first English child born in the New World, Virginia Dare; Orville and Wilbur Wright’s First Flight.

With meager, yet eager, beginnings on Sunday 10 July 2011 another new beginning came to Roanoke Island. Meeting for the first time in a house, Manteo Church of Christ was born. This is a New Testament church. A house of worship for all people.

While we start small in number, we offer Sunday School and Bible Studies for all ages. Our services are Sunday School at 10am on Sunday morning, followed by Preaching service at 11am on Sunday mornings. On Wednesday nights beginning on 20 July we will begin our Bible Studies at 6:30.

It you are living on the outer banks and looking for a place to worship and come closer to God, come see us. If you are visiting the Outer Banks and looking for a place to worship, come see spend your Sunday and Wednesday with us.

We are currently meeting in the lounge of the College of The Albemarle Dare County Campus on Russell Twiford Road at the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and state road 345 in Manteo. We are located just minutes from The Lost Colony symphonic drama at the Historic Waterside Theatre, Fort Raleigh National Park, and the North Carolina Aquarium.

Pray for us and with us as we let God work through us in this new work. For more information email me at bobby@bobbycohoon.com

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon

Minister, Manteo Church of Christ

North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

We knew when the little man came into our lives that he had health problems. It didn’t take but a second for the little man to win our hearts and become an integral part of the family. He has born with a very serious heart murmur that couldn’t be repaired due to other birth defects in the heart. His hips were bad, along with one knee joint being bad. We knew his life would probably be shorter than average, but it was out goal to give him as “gooda” life as possible. And in two short years he was covered with love and the best of medical care. Yet, knowing that one has serious medical conditions and will live a shortened life does not prepare one for the heartbreak when that time comes. We lost the little man the first day of March.

Sadly there are many little men, and little women, in our world today that aren’t puppies but people. Yet, somehow through our busy schedules we seem to overlook them. Their plights are all but forgotten too us unless we turn on the television and catch an advertisement. I mean after all isn’t that the governments job?

Somehow in the grind of the American dream we’ve changed the Jesus of the Bible into American Jesus. What he said we should do we’ve changed to “what we want to do.” We’ve forgotten that “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

Millions of people in our world go to bed hungry each night. And when they do we need to remember the words of Jesus when he said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45).  In our lives of excess we have somehow managed to become blinded to those who are in dire need, be their need be food, or medical attention, our just a touch from someone who cares (Mark 1:41).

Jesus told us that “whatever [we] did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, [we] did for [Him]” (Matthew 25:40). Yet, for many Christians we have decided this is the job of the governments. We have become content with letting government programs do what God called us to do. We allow our pets to live more luxurious lives than many people throughout our world. There is nothing wrong with letting our pets live good lives, we are called to be good stewards over creation, but shouldn’t we elevate our fellow man also?

Pray for those in our world that are without.

I miss you my Little Man!

Please continue praying for the Mid Atlantic Christian University family.

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon

Minister, Roanoke Acres Church of Christ

North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

I love March Madness. All the excitement of seeing which college basketball team will end up being the best in the nation. John wrote, “There is a sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16). And to this day I can’t say for certain that pulling for Duke is not that sin! But the real reason I like March madness isn’t because of any college basketball team; it is because I know that when March Madness comes baseball season is just around the corner. And, what better place for a little Theology than the baseball diamond?

Curt Simmons said, “Trying to throw a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster.”  You know there are people, Christians mind you, that believe they can sneak their sin past God. That somehow they can sin in secret and God won’t know. You may sin and the person next to you in church have no idea, but I can promise you that God knows. In discussing prayer Jesus said this of the Father, “your Father, who sees what is done in secret” (Matthew 6:6). Whatever you do the Father sees. If you are fast enough, and I mean really fast, you might sneak a fast ball past Hammerin’ Hank. Or you might cover a rooster’s eyes and a sneak a sunrise in. But, you cannot sneak sin past God.

“No matter how good you are, you’re going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you’re going to win one-third of your games. It’s the other third that makes the difference,” said Tommy Lasorda. Our spiritual lives are no different. We know there are going to be some spiritual battles that we are going to win: Praise God! But, there are some that we will lose.  There will be times when we fall to the temptation of sin. And it is in those times that we have to know that we have a savior waiting to help us. We have to call on our spiritual bullpen. John wrote, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  But, what about the third of the equation? John wrote in 1 John 5:16 that there is sin that leads to death. When we live in habitual sin we are going down a baseline that will not lead us to score. These habitual sins are not repented of. We are not forgiven nor cleansed form the unrighteousness. And it most cases it is these habitual sins that we are trying to sneak past God!

Casey Stengel said of former Yankee Catcher Yogi Berra, “He’d fall in a sewer and come up with a gold watch.” That is exactly what we do with Christ. Apart from Christ our lives are down in the sewer.  Sin has made us as filthy as anything that you find in a sewer: it has separated us from God. But when we come to Christ and we repent of our sin we become new creatures. Paul wrote, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). We go down in that water like something that was in a sewer and come up like a gold watch! Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Nothing could be better than a day at the ball park: Baseball; Hot dogs; and God! Tommy Lasorda said, “”There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happens.” Which type of spiritual player are you?

Please continue praying for the Mid Atlantic Christian University family.

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
bobby@bobbycohoon.com

I must be the most blessed of the blessed. I was fortunate enough to have a grandmother for 51.  The world was graced by her presence for 96 years. But, being able to say I had a grandmother for 51 years is a little thing; what she taught me in those years were the big things. A Christian woman for all of her life, I don’t recall her quoting scriptures. And, while I never heard her quote Matthew 25:35-36, she must have read it many times. You see instead of reading it or quoting it she chose to live it: For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

My earliest memories of her were going to her house after church on Sundays. She was quite the cook. But, as soon as my meal was finished- and oft times before I would eat- I had to go through the neighborhood and deliver dinners to people who, for whatever  reason, couldn’t cook or buy food.  The reason why they couldn’t get their own meal was never something I was told.  You see, it wasn’t important. What was important was that they get something to eat.

She ran a rest home. And my memory recalls a certain woman who was there and was willed a piece of property that was to small to even sell (zoning laws in the county she was from were very weird). The state said because of that piece of property now being own by a woman who didn’t want it and couldn’t sell it they could no longer pay for her to stay at the home. But, she was never put out. It was the opinion of my grandmother that the home that she had was also the lady’s home and if one person in the home ate they would all eat. If one had a bed the lady who the state would no longer pay for would have a bed. You see she recognized the stranger and took her in. The lady never again had to pay money for her stay.

I was in prison and you came to me. Once when a family member had stolen from my grandmother and her sister after many attempts to help him they pressed charges which sent him to jail. But, instead of leaving in jail without family, they sent him things he needed while he was there. They visited him has often as possible. He was never abandoned during his darkest hours.

While I am fortunate to have had a grandmother as long as I did, my true blessing is being able to witness the life that she led. It is my hope that in this day in age when we pray for more workers to be sent into the field, that we live lives that show His love to hurting world and inspire others to spring up and help with the harvest. Enjoy the Sabbath Rest Granny.

20 May 1914 – 18 November 2010

Please continue praying for the Mid Atlantic Christian University family.

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

We all remember the old song we learned as kids, “The wheels on the bus go round and round……”  And, in America today we have laws that make sure the wheels on the bus go round and round to get children to school. But, while we worry about their education, what about their Spiritual life? Do we really care if the wheels on the bus go round and round to get them to church?

For the most part gone are the days of the local neighborhood churches. Now, people sometimes travel many miles to get to church. And, that means if you are underage, or can’t afford a car, you are dependent on someone else for that ride. The kids of Homestead Church of Christ know this all  too well. Paula Harrington writes, “Up until this quarter, I taught the Wednesday night Bible class for several years. I am currently teaching Sunday morning and have to say that being in a classroom with children and seeing them learn the Word of God is one of the greatest, most rewarding experiences in my life. So when I heard about the following need, it caught my heart. The thought of kids wanting to attend Wednesday night class and not being able to is a problem that we have the power to fix. Please pray for this situation and help us find that bus.”

I ask you to please pray for this situation. There are a good many children wanting to go to church but yet don’t have a ride. If you can help please see the address below:

Donations can be mailed to:

Calvert City Church of Christ
ATTN: Paula Harrington
(Please specify money for is Homestead Bus)
PO Box 466
Calvert City, KY 42029

Please continue praying for the Mid Atlantic Christian University family.

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

While no one could have seen the events of last week coming, and come they did, bringing a death not easily understood or accepted by anyone, blocking the mental facilities from being able to wrap one’s mind around the events at hand, we live in a world, a fallen world, where tragedies happen all the time and any sin that can be imagined is part of the world today, as it has been since Genesis chapter three.

While the influence of evil runs amuck in our world, growing and growing from generation to generation, and seemingly being accepted by a majority of people, rearing its ugly head in the prettiest of places, capturing the hearts and minds of a multitude, loving the rich and nurturing the poor, hugging the old and fascinating the young, grasping the very heart and promising the joys and riches of a fallen world, we hold that there is rest for the weary (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:1).

While the preacher cried that it was “Meaningless,” (Ecclesiastes 1:1), the seers asked “How long” (Habakkuk 1:2), as well as others asking “Why,” the poet, with pen in hand, attempting to soothe, knowing the depths from which he had been delivered, in an attempt to keep others from those depths as well as to pull those out who had slipped, wrote the calming words to a generation past, as well as to the ages of generations to come, “Thou art with me, Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

While we long to be clothed in our Heavenly dwelling (2 Corinthians 5:2), knowing that being absent from the body is to be in the presence of the LORD (2 Corinthians 5:8), we are called to live in a land that is not the land of citizenship (Philippians 3:20 ),  and are told that our lights must shine among men (Matthew 5:16) ), that our lights may guide them to the truth (Matthew 28:) with the hope that as we enter the rest others may find the way to the true rest through our sufferings which are blessings that strengthen our desire, to do his work and to be with the LORD on our last day.

Continue to pray for healing all over our sin ravaged world.

If you are in the area come see me at the ROANOKE ACRES CHURCH OF CHRIST

Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y’all!

Rest in Peace Jonathan Schipper

You Will Be Remembered