Dr. Brown Answers Your Toughest Bible Questions

The following program is recorded content created by the Truth Network spirit phone lines are open more questions. We've got answers for the light a fire with your host Google scholar and cultural commentator Dr. Michael Brown your voice for more sanity and spiritual clarity called 866-34-TRUTH to get on the line of fire and now there's your host Dr. Michael Brown Brown delighted to be with you as we do every Friday. Symptoms do social media questions, but most Fridays you got questions, we've got answers phone lines are wide open any question of any kind that relates in any way to anything we ever touch on a lot of fire to anything ever write about talk about publish on anything do an interview on guest on anything that touches anything related to the line of fire. Give us a call 8663 freight 784. Also, I've extended this invitation.

Countless times hardly ever ever get anyone willing to take me up on it. But if your critic if you're one of those that speaks against me online post on social media puts up videos against me post articles has websites against me. Give me call. Let's talk about why 86634 with that. Let's start in since Julia Washington.

Not sure if I pronounce that correctly. Jonathan, welcome to the line of fire, Dr. Brown, can you hear me okay mom clears her all right cool retarded question about the canonization of Scripture.

So I would. I'm reading this I will I read this book was from God to us by Norman Geisler and William next and they were arguing that how we knew that a book was inspired by God, is that it was written by a confirmed prophet or or confirmed apostle and so I was wondering how exactly does that work with Wychwood with Kara's charismatic as well and in any you know we we teach that there are still prophets and apostles today, though obviously not the same kind of a prophet or apostle, but if a prophet or apostle today right a book. It's obviously not to be a part of the canon so so how does Cutter's that work exactly right was his first thing the stage for 2 billion scholars into excellent work and have a lot of justification for their positions under skin respond in a totally separate way and say it's clear that not every book in the Bible was written by confirmed prophet or apostle of Fort for example, the gospel of Mark, written by Mark even though we understand that Peter was a key source for Mark. There's no evidence that that mark was what it was about a possible one of the 12 okay don't mean others in the New Testament like Barnabas were called apostles or people through history that operated apostolate ministry right up until today. Okay which about the 12 apostles, but that the author of Jacob James was not one of the apostles.

So it's not true that every book was recognized because it was written by an apostle or a prophet like I could do the same with Old Testament books.

We don't know who wrote Job, for example, we we we honestly don't know what little commentary on it and we simply do not know who wrote we don't know who wrote Hebrews, but there's no evidence that in the ancient Jewish world that it was fully understood that Job was written by a prophet. So there other ways by which scripture was recognized and generally speaking, in the providence and wisdom of God that books were written that were then received and welcomed and recognized by a faith community so that what Protestant Christians and religious Jews have in common is we both agree that we call we call the Old Testament tradition.

Physical Tanakh installs. Recall the Hebrew Bible, we agree that's canonical and then we look to Jesus in the New Testament for confirmation of that which of course we have and then we look to the earliest believers in the community of believers that was under the apostles and what they welcomed and considered a sacred Scripture, so almost all the books that we recognize in the New Testament fairly early on recognized and there is dispute about some if you're Catholic you look at church tradition. If your traditional Jews either to Jewish tradition of four. For those of us who are not Catholics or traditional Jews were to be the bulk of our listeners. Oh, we look to other means of affirming, but we still recognize that God acted in history that a community believers recognize this Scripture and then the Scripture self affirming the Bible stands unique in and of itself.

There were all kinds of prophecies in New Testament times.

We know that the gift of prophecy was very prevalent not just in it in the first century, but thereafter for some time and on and off to church history.

We know there are many prophecies in Old Testament times, but unless they were recorded in Scripture do not. The Bible so the Bible is uniquely God's word stands alone.

We are tested by we do not tested everything is tested and evaluated based on the word. If right now. The spirit moved on me and I said Jonathan I have a word for you.

Pray about this. I believe this is from the Lord, and you know yes you're supposed to quit this job and go to seminary and work as a pastor, the inner city are like wow I've been praying about that, and that's exactly what I feel the Lord will say okay, that is, at best, an individual word from the Lord for an individual has nothing to do with being the Bible, which is God's authoritative truth for all people for all times. So even if there were a million apostles in a million prophets today. Nobody can add a syllable to the Bible. All right, so where Soper sorcerers like a book or two that you would recommend to read more about the subject. Yet Jonathan just on the canon of Scripture itself, there is this a book written P respect by FF Bruce that remains valuable FF Bruce the canon of Scripture.

You can also look for writings by Roger Beck with that may be a little bit more technical so that's BEC K WI TH Robert Beck with his writings on canon are also excellent, and then for more of a Jewish perspective Sid Lyman LDI M a and he's he's got a widely respected book on canon as well. He thank you for the call. Very much appreciated. 866-34-TRUTH of let's go to Daniel in Bellevue, Nebraska. Walking to the line of fire. Thank you so much. I had a quick question. I thought I heard you say that the next time run for president that you would not support it because of all the damage I thought he did a lot of great thing, but what was the damage that the quick can you handle sure at 2024 is a long ways off. My hope is that will have a different candidate income for the truck himself will become a different man. So we just really quickly give my evolution of thinking with Crump during the primaries and entrustment all I never thought he would do all the good that he did and keep his word on some of the platforms I prefer to cruise, but I would've taken basically any of the other candidates before company. The root of the Republicans.

I kept saying though that if he gets the nomination and its inverse is called Hillary that will reevaluate so I cautiously began to support him because of the life-and-death issues where I I said okay if he does what he says instantly better than than Hillary, but I had concerns all the time because of the type of person that he was, as you can have good done with a lot of collateral damage.

You can be a businessman and you work 80 hours a week and you become a multimillionaire in the process. Your wife and kids leave because in the receive rights away with everything in life there.

There can be a positive and negative and has to be evaluated. So I was cautious. I voted for him in 2016 and was pleasantly surprised, amazingly surprised at what he did at the promises that he kept I kept getting grieved because the kind of person that he was, but I thought okay I can do damage control for that I can say that's not me that's not who I am but I did support him and then come 2020. I I voted for him. Really, without hesitation, seeing that the options with Biden and what happened is this I was concerned all along with his recklessness. I was concerned with his general divisiveness and the effect that that was having on the church. I was concerned that I saw more and more Christians getting more and more carnal, more and more Christians mistaking the gospel for for magna more more Christians wrapping the message of Jesus in the American flags of the two were one.

I kept getting grieved when he difficult people, dogs, and throw people into the bus, but I thought okay weighing out if it's in a 6040 or 73rd whatever up, he still gets my vote without hesitation original by in the immediate aftermath of the elections. When I saw his in my view complete reckless speech and what was stirring up across the country. When I watched how Christians were flipping out all know know know and forget whether it was stolen up with election stolen up the reaction, the response it was as if they're the hope of all hopes of diet.

It's over in people were flipping out. It and when I saw the combination of this III realized that things were worse than I had known, so I appreciate all the good he did.

Perhaps Roe V Wade be wonderful glorious to see it overturned this year and that would be very specifically because the three Donald Trump appointees Abraham accords and is mean so much so much good was done undoubtedly but I believe so much damage was done to the church are witness to the nation was hurt terribly.

I've heard from so many pastors have lost so many people and interact with so many don't want to talk to anymore because of the church tarnished its witness identification with Donald Trump when I saw his recklessness right up to January 6 throwing Mike pence under the bus that day is that II cannot in good conscience support someone like this again in 2024 is a long way off, he can change, but in less there was a real real change in the church in our attitude and our posture and a change in him that if it was him versus someone else stopped speaking now from at at present things to be different. 2024 for my present vantage point, I would say more harm than good and in conscience I couldn't support someone they could do that much demonstrate so it just wouldn't do.

Daniel on this of the break.

If you want to respond briefly. You'll be able to do that in the US for my perspective, but you may want to probe further respond briefly and then got a bunch of the calls. Looking at the subjects they look great.

Want to talk to every single one of you I'm sure will be able to get to you. 866-348-7884 is number all my friends let's rise up together. Stand tall and strong. Jesus is the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get on the line of fire by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. You live in the friends at skillet you hear the music now every day. The resistance of the or the featured band at Winter jam February 6 yeah that effective thing to be there did spend some time with them so they were there greater Charlotte check it out.

866-348-7884. You've got questions, we've got answers so Daniel in Bellevue, Nebraska, just wanted to give you an opportunity to get on the telling anyone else to do just answering questions honestly if you had a follow-up for me or just wanted to give a brief response know I appreciate your baby read over that and you know I too like, but out of wood and thought, oh, but if it came down between Biden and Trout are bonobo, but anyway I wanted to understand. Thank you. Yeah so thanks for holding through the brakes are fully understood. I get I told to get drunk twice right I get it and and we don't divide over this. Let me just say this though and I'm I'm sure everyone of you will agree with me. If you follow Jesus. Let our identification with Jesus be far, far louder hundred times louder than our identification with a politician or political party. In other words, let us push be far more known as Jesus people then trump people or Republicans or Biden people and Democrats.

Let us all agree on that. A man all right let us go over to Vicki and Winston-Salem North Carolina.

Thanks for calling the line of fire. Hey there). Chair fire yes and made by I have proper name right ~yes ~actually the just say like regulates ~you are on our state at that word. You know, basically, Diane P. But we know he did. He went up again, and an agent even know he was told. I have nothing to do with you. You don't need to be doing next ounce I have bright went hand and he and he did not. Diane PI know my class in it that that God doesn't always necessarily get involved with the affairs of man even though he is God gave us pretty well and so therefore that her prophecy had been correct, but I ticket upon him now interfere. I just want to know your thoughts on Vicki.

That's a perfectly legitimate reading of the text that God said listen terrible judgment is going to come horrific judgment is going to come because of what Manasseh did and what your people are doing now have been doing before you call them to repentance, terrible judgment is coming. It's irreversible, but I spare you to take you out of the way you write is a 57 speaks of that the righteous die and no one knows why would God took them before the trouble came before the danger came so that's what got say you like a dying divine judgment directing taken captive by the king and I can to be killed you when the when the city is is besieged, etc. and that's the word to Josiah but then he goes out metals in the situation we shouldn't so he dies prematurely, but even dying in peace. The other way to read it. Is that so see your way of reading. It is perfectly legitimate and in harmony with prophecy will find a relevant principal in Jeremiah 18 okay. Jeremiah 10 you'll find a very very relevant principal prophecy were God says if I promise to bless nation and then they do the opposite sent a blessing or curse, and the reverse right so he can Selma do this.

Here the prophecy and in Nineveh by Jonah in 40 days Nineveh will be destroyed. That was the word right, they repented back into it so your way of reading. It is better all right, but I was subsequently been other words, God didn't do it for some time after that because they did repent the other way of reading it, Vicki, is that it simply means not that you'll die laying in bed one night, you know, just of natural causes is an old man doesn't.

There's no date set on it right but it simply means dying peace you.

You are not going to die as a result of the divine judgment coming on the city you will be spared from that and he could have been spared by meddling in something he shouldn't have. It gets killed in battle in that city dies so either way is legitimate. You have to dig deeper. See how the words are used. Is there any more nuance to dying in peace but your way of reading it perfectly legit based on biblical prophecy and how God works and and how we can make a pronouncement that then we can do things that then alter what happened to the God God says through profit to Eli. I intended to bless your family I said I would, that he was that I said I would but you did this far be it for me to honor those who dishonor me hate. Thanks for the call. Vicki appreciated your very welcome.

If these are great questions. We dig in the word. These come up that's that's why we do the show, 86634.

Let's go over to Josh in Kansas City, Missouri. Welcome to the line of fire how you doing Dr. Brown I am. I am really truly blessed truly thank you.

Sorry about the background noise of the commercial truck. Actually I don't I don't hear it maybe others do, but I don't so were really good. Oh okay. Anyway, I actually wanted to make a comment on something you had a few shows ago you mentioned the thing about religious pushback, and I was wondering if I can actually talk a little bit about what I do.

Yes, your okay so I actually have called in a couple other times before I went.

By logical question for a while and now I actually make music because you're mad, I give a little back story. It just to be quick, just as we have lots of calls and try to be fair to the way you basically over the years I've seen a lot of family and friends being negatively affected by things like drug and then in 2019, a friend of mine was murdered because he was involved in it and then after that I finally had enough and so I use my music basically say like this, I can't have my own version of pushback in my because I wrote a track to a guy named H… You who writes about drug to make the multiple big big thing like if you guys don't want to do good with your platform, then maybe you shouldn't have it all and I think that's a way of showing that I think that would be a good way of pushback as well showing you know eight were not got a stamp or knocking let you push people around alive that needs to stop you anything you Josh, you look when I talk about pushing back every day on America or on the world. The followers of Jesus who are swimming against the tide and going against the grain of the side that's given every single day sharing the gospel. Standing up for what's right fight against injustice rescuing those were being hurt this happening every day in the battle will continue until Jesus comes. Many times we we get worn out many times we to sit on the sidelines.

Many times we become discouraged. We have a theology of pessimism, so I'm costly trying to encourage build up strength and say hate together in Jesus, we can make a difference, but the drug epidemic is is horrific. It's not something that God specifically has laid on my heart.

Over the years to really focus on in a major way. God set me free wonderfully from from heavy drug use. When I got saved in the end of 1971, but it is is a massive crisis in America destroying so so many lives. So whatever we can do to make a difference to expose laws to say hey it's not the way you think it is to tell the truth about the people whose lives would be destroyed to mention someone colleague of yours friend getting murdered because of try to get involved here. We need to tell the stories and we need to pushback with truth. Never try to intimidate or bully as followers of Jesus, as if that's our way to bring about change. All that'll do is just create more bullies on the other side of the battle get in the flesh, but there's so many things we can do and in Josh using music is one of the most powerful tools available. Thank you for the call and keep up the good work 866-34-TRUTH I tell you what I don't want to rush your question so the other side of the break. Let's just see Peggy Mann tell Mark Henry others I'll be getting your way. Just my question I asked old every few days. Have you visited vitamin mission.com. I have been so excited to partner with Dr. Mark's thing is my personal physician as well. A personal doctor. He lives in California were in regular contact in and he's always there to help but he's developed such wonderful health supplements their number them. I've taken every day for years and I highly recommend them when he suggested we partner together as a way to bless our ministry.

I was thrilled because I know you'll get good things and really benefit you, help you as you seek to live a healthy life. These are great supplements that can help in so many other ways and you get a discount on all your orders even if it's a lifetime subscription to some things keep getting get the same discount conduct sale in turn makes a donation to our ministry so it's it's win-win for everyone.

And I believe you'll be blessed and will get to reach more people. So go to vitamin mission.com don't forget to do that since we come back I'm going straight back to your calls, 866-34-TRUTH you've got questions within our best solid asked if the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get on the line of fire by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown thank you for joining us. Got questions, got answers always remember that we have thousands of dollars in free resources on our website. Ask Dr. Brown.org SK DR Brown.org just waiting for you to dive in and you can search for all the subjects interested in your file may have a bunch articles on it maybe did some videos on it. Maybe have debate on it modifier broadcast on it, so be sure to go there regularly check things out. If you're not on my email list all you want to be yet will don't be a wannabe do it Esther to Brown.org just click on you see the link for the email. Just put your first name last name address.

If you want us to have it in your email address. Of course, and will immediately send you a really neat many e-book seven secrets of the real Messiah will share more about my testimony. Background what our ministry is doing and how we can be a blessing to you and then every week let you know about latest video's latest article, special resources, so Esther to Brown.org sign up for the emails right we go back to the phones, Peggy in Dallas, Texas. Welcome to the line of fire. Dr. Brown hey Hom I have a question that I need to know what your interpretation of the Scripture of departing for me. I never you fared.

I have a friend who left our church and that that that with the Scripture that she was brought to our not knowing who Jesus really was and she left the church and going to a Jewish home group so I just needed to. I wanted to call to find out what your thoughts on that one subject just to be clear, you say Jewish home group to mean messianic Jewish that you choose to believe in Jesus or more traditional Jew that does not believe Jesus is the Messiah. I believe the mechanic when I was there I visited one time and only they went through Scripture. She told me that they believe in spirit filled baptism.

That type of thing. Okay, so she's just as with other Jewish believers is supposed to be in a church okay. The words I never knew you are spoken to people who don't belong to the Lord right they claim we did all these miracles and all the stuff and he says I never knew you.

So either these were people that were always imposters and deceivers based on what she says I never knew you or they were true believers that did were used by God in reckless power, and then fell away and then Jesus usable was a Jewish formula for excommunication and said I never knew you, but either way, I'm not sure how that would tie in with why she would leave in less she thought that your church was she saying that your whole church was, not of the Lord, because you you were following messianic Jewish teachings that which we she was claiming. I don't know that I know that she hadn't really gone to a regular church anymore. She was going for a long long time and so I was your carrier when she invited me to go to their home group to feel it was all about. Yeah, I would try to find out more of what she was saying if she's just with with other believers, Jew and Gentile, who believe it's important to recover the Jewish roots of the face and then it's beautiful to celebrate the biblical calendar and they don't put that on someone else. They don't judge someone else. By that those of your church you worship on Sunday and unity celebrate Easter rather than Passover. They don't judge you for that. Well that's that's fine.

She could be in a good healthy place and just with a different bird than emphasis of still believes the basics of the gospel. If she saying that you are not saved in less you observe the Torah or that you are you are in sin because you worshiping on a Sunday.

Then she's in in serious error and you just pray that God would bring her to a place of balance. Thank you very much for the call. I appreciated 866-34-TRUTH.

Let's go to Montel in Burlington, Iowa. Welcome to the line of fire all yeah probably larger note, all yeah man, thanks for holding all first of all when the site your class or your your school to speak with me by God's will all be doing your school this year. I think the size of some online classes. Wonderful will be waiting for you of some of the questioners I watched you were since I was in high school at Graham six or seven years studied you again, Dwight and Michael Heiser know those guys. Mark my question is I'm kind of in a in a debate right now. Always just Christian brother on polygamy and not Mr. polygamy but the boy Jeremy were hard to say though the word) the more technical way of generally offer to his polygamy is so polygamy versus polygyny debate is he is a pastor. Karen, MD always you think it's okay. I also don't think it's necessarily God's purpose.

What God intended. I've been looking for some debate videos or some history, reliable history that I can park one key point in directional, some in general. Popular said certain things that are you while I don't think the scriptural necessarily consistently, but what what was your reason.

Barefoot and Michael Heiser on salute you will write the history of what you would say what would be your opinion yet sure thing and I'm just searching on my own website here swear you when I've written about polygamy. It's normally in debates about same-sex marriage and things like that. Okay, I'm unaware of a lot of Christian resources that talk about this because it's really not discussed. It's not debated most of our circles, but many just respond very very quickly. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Eve and Yvette and Yvonne right and then Jesus in Matthew 19 explicitly speaks of God's pattern of creation at the beginning. One man one woman and the two becoming one. And then this becomes an image in Ephesians 5 for Christ and the church so that the one plus one is God's ideal that was established at the creation. The Jesus reaffirms yes polygamy exists from early on in the human race. Yes, it continues to this day. In many countries around the world, it remains here and and it was even accepted under the law of, for example, the king was told not to have too many wives.

However, the Old Testament consistently teaches against polygamy by constantly showing the problems Jacob having two wives in the problems that that arise because of that the conflicts because of David's multiple wives. Obviously things get completely out of hand with Solomon so the Bible is teaching us by example that it's not a good thing it it may have just been the only way for certain peoples to survive in the midst of the ancient world and the childbirth could be so difficult in a and in different problems just to keep generations going but it was never God's ideal when you get to the New Testament. As I said, Jesus lays out one man one woman together for life is God's design and then Paul instructs. If you to be a leader in the church. You can only be married to one life. So this is now aggressively setting this forth as the norm and then the people are taught to follow the example of their leaders, which is why over and over time that and then God's heart in terms of what's best for men and women. It became eradicated from most of Christianity in in much of the world you still do have pockets of Christian faith in different parts of all the practice polygamy and what Mrs. missionaries basically determines if they lead someone to the Lord's got like six wives. The best thing to do is just leave it as is and teach the next generation with this person having to understand they could never functioning leadership so that's that's my answer to those who supported or think it's fine based on based on Scripture. Hey, appreciate the call and your years of listening since high school. 866-34-TRUTH let's go to Mark and Roz well, Arizona. Welcome to the line of fire. Thank you Dr. Brown Greg McCall and many years in your my my go to sources for "theology and doctrine. I fish out of a question for you. Are you in the Roz well with the whole alien thing is that that's a pleasant yet you for unfortunately I am gone okay, but this is your your personhood on a daily right, no, no, no, I'm not a real person. Okay God's wanted just want to clarify because I'm sure something okay just messing with you. Don't go ahead. I'm sorry okay no problem concerning the Donald Trump proxies back years ago when I was in Bible school. I got caught up in Word of Faith movement for a while in an and I believe in God, brought me out about brought me into more balanced understanding, but one of things that I remember.

Basically the belief that God had given us the authority basically to speak things into existence. Such a long. I believe that those things were just like I have no help whatsoever. So I think sometimes concerning the property if it did not come to pass. I think a lot of people assume that the people I will.

God told me and some of them actually might have. But I think sometimes it's just a matter of their doctrinal belief that they can speak that into existence. So they were prophesying that Donald Trump would become president, he would be those and they believe that by speaking those words and authority that they would make it come to pass. The little theater… I did hear many people say it is thus saith the Lord of the Lord showed me.

I'm telling you, I guarantee it. Trump will be in Pres. Biden will not sit a single day in the White House, etc. all this talk about dreams. They had a visitation so the ones I heard definitely were claiming that God told him not to say they were wrong in the bogus play while he did win, but it was stolen. This even if it was stolen. You were telling us who was going to be in the White House and it and was going to be Donald Trump knowledgeable in suits who you were wrong and and and if you haven't publicly fix that and then privately dealt with the error you need to.

That being said, the word of faith at its of serious error in in word or faith. Teaching that you can just speak something into existence. We can speak what God says right if God says something in his word, then it's good for us to confess it and speak it and say what you say is true and takeover.

That's powerful sort of faith people do that but the idea that if I just speak the thing out. It'll it'll happen by my creative word power is a serious error. Probably some more prominent ones though seem to claim definitely playing the gospel is the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get on the line of fire by calling 866342 here again is Dr. Michael Brown fire 866-34-TRUTH right back to Mark in Roswell.

Was there something else you wanted to ask me quickly. The concerning the Hebrew writing the Bible I believe that the sovereign God of all the universe through everything) line. I do not believe that in his providence. He designed the Bible into the Bible be written in the form of the Hebrew language that was in that there is something partial about that, and not just the Canaanite of the claim, which I really believe that you and I also believe that he destined for nobody to adjourn in the New Testament were written corny Greek when it would be the language of all people be spread around the world, but I just believe it.

You know in your sovereignty.

There is there something special both about that you bring the Greek bereavement God inspired the scriptures to be written that way. In the beginning. Later course, other languages, but yeah will certainly II agree with you that that God sovereignly chose Hebrew and then some portions in Aramaic. In the Old Testament and then corny Greek New Testament. Obviously, God chose to communicate through those languages right just like coin a Greek that's common Greek it's the Greek that would be used if you do make a contract with your neighbor there get on to give you the cow was a deposit for this piece of property rights to the language itself was a sacred, but it it was the best way to communicate to the most people at that time as receiver. It is a Canaanite dialect it. In other words, my my Masters and doctoral studies were near Eastern languages and literatures so Hebrew is is very close to Phoenician and it's it's a little further removed from from Eucharistic which would be North Canaanite and then it's a sister language to Aramaic and to Arabic dilates dialogues like Moabite and Ammonite you with very limited inscriptions with sister language to those you know those are the Canaanite dialects and and it's called spot cannot on in Isaiah 19 which is literally the Lipper language of Canaan, so it was a Canaanite dialect you your fife you read these other inscriptions and and and other literature than a little bit further Acadian. The Babylonia syringe. You'll find tremendous similarities with Hebrew obstacle chosen for purpose and and he arranged everything in terms of the people, groups, etc. but don't don't look at it like a supernatural language of the Aramaic of the Bible is his regular Aramaic;. I Aramaic but it's his regular Aramaic associates we haven't used in other places. So what's most important is the nature of the words and what's communicated so just got 70 chose these for his purposes. The choosing of Hebrew as to why is less obvious, though, the choosing of the just at that moment in history when the maximum number of people could be reached through a thank you for the comments, questions, let's go to Henry and Zachary, Louisiana. Thanks for calling the line of fire. Dr. Brown, a value, I read your book, breaking from the stronghold of food and man it really blessed me and able to give somebody quick story out on Amazon and afternoon that I went to a thrift shop and I found it blind copy that was great and I seriously ordered Sweeney that would like that.

And right here though, got a call about my newsprint a while back hello again.okay, that's a call. We will remember. Yeah, I'm calling to me more like about the planetary Lake Charles, Louisiana. All you were going to plant a church questionnaire will be your first bike working out of our church and a pioneer in everything you get what would how would you structure your church government is very yeah so I'm I'm not a church planting expert by any means, but have been involved for so many decades with churches serving in leadership served in various capacities of church leadership and work with many church planters so that keyword is team team team team. It's never a one-man show. I do believe in, in plurality with headship. So let let me get to the government. Part and and that someone asked me for recommended books on this yesterday said I really can't recommend books on best church government structures does not like my focus and think nothing of read about, but I can't tell you my understanding so if if if I will if there was a healthy congregation right to me.

You do have an identifiable senior pastor senior leader so he is the chief elder with a team of elders together of these men of God, and they could serve with their wives, but but the primary male leadership you what you pray together you you you come to leadership decisions together, you help direct the church and shepherd the flock together. And there is a senior leader who is going to be the main visionary in the one driving this, but not a one-man show not work independence you need to have the right people mature agave that sure the vision and affirmed your leadership that's really important okay you can't be fighting about it. There has to be disharmony and after the is standing with you is as you're doing the right thing and leading the way. Okay then you may have others that teach different settings and small groups you may have other interview. Make sure the pulpit not only preach all the time you want your developing public services and in meeting together assuming are you going that model. Much as house church and and then you'll raise up specific people to serve in different capacities overseeing, be it music or or children's ministry or youth or community outreach or things like that. You got a gifted evangelist help them equip the body and leading community outreach, and then those that are under the supervision of the elders which would be the deacons who are practically serving the physical and material needs of of the body of but but again you never just want to have the whole burden that all the ministry falls on you or that you are the only one that can make authoritative decisions on the flipside, you don't want to have quote a board that that just hamstrings you all the way and their only thing there judging is how much money is coming in of it.

As far as the plan you get right team, you begin to either to reach out your community. Start small groups begin to announce meetings once a month and weekly and build from there. But others can give you better counsel on that. Hey, thank you for the question of right ON in Lexington Kentucky.

Thanks for holding time is short so please dive right in. Hi Mark all have a little bit of two-parter hope we can do it but you questionnaire, what are your thoughts on Christmas partakes of participating in religious practices like you are there some who claim that yoga is just a method of breathing and physical exercising and in and of itself, is completely neutral. I've even seen Christian yoga classes holy yoga classes advertise like that you know when you have the got a Bible in the picture and that's the claim. My dear dear super close friend Jesu partum from India who was wealthy, born and raised and spent his life in India so he knows Hinduism inside out. According to him, there is no such thing as neutral yoga. According to him it's there is something wrong with it. It's philosophy it's practice that it's not just a matter, take a deep breath. There's more to it, and that Christians should not participate in it.

So I will let his words speak for themselves. I have never studied it for three minutes. Personally I've never looked at the details of the practices and can it be totally neutral, etc. but my friend in India was also deeply spiritual man strongly counsels against it's all all that his words speak for themselves and say on my own and I have not studied sufficiently but I take his word seriously and compartment. How would you respond to one thing. A counterfeit everything God made. Therefore I can participate in it without making any significant changes will house how far you go to another words you saying that any practice that a human being comes up with must have a divine equivalent like what would be the divine equivalent of torture Laura Rice someone that receive sexual pleasure from torture or you know what I'm I'm gonna let my mind going from the recounted Doric ugly murderous horrific practice but there's all kinds of stuff that's out there here what's the divine equivalent to abortion or child sacrifice.

It look, the Israelites did things in the Old Testament God said I never intended this, this never came to my mind so there is just darkness. There is just evil.

Now, it's a totally separate question to say of like William Booth said God owns every note right so you can say will music in and of itself is not right or wrong. It's the message with it or how it's played or how it's used so you can say hey these are just breathing exercises, Hindus or others discovered them in use them for their purposes, but there just breathing exercises that would be the argument but to say just because the thing exists on the one side means there must be a holy equivalent. On the other side. Obviously, plainly not. Hey, thank you for the question so we can get everybody but we get a whole lot of folks and look forward to being with you next week.

One more reminder good asked Dr. Brown.org. If you look at my evil is all we got some important announcements sending out next week about a brand-new book yet you want to know about this.

Trust me some good asked Dr. Brown.org.

Some of her emails. Have a blessed weekend. Jesus, another program powered by the Truth Network