Ruination - there's a word we don't often hear...John Owen is called the Prince of the Puritans. He was Vice Chancellor of Oxford University. Wrote a massive 8 volume commentary on the book of Hebrews. Which is still published along with his 20 something volumes of other works.He calls attention here, Hebrews 12, to the fact that every saint is to be an overseer in the church. Really? Roles and responsibilities are fluid, you see. They beautifully overlap as do the watercolors on the paper of a fine artist.Just as a deacon might be an evangelist, table server, or even a civil servant.Owen goes on to say that the failure to be engaged is prevalent, disgusting, and represents the (almost) ruin

Part B, due to file size constraints at google docs. Aproximately 20 mb.

One of our very favorites. This is a big book. The chapters on overseers and servants (elders and deacons) are eye-opening. As is the Introduction.To my (limited) knowledge he was the first English writer to demonstrate that neither elders nor deacons were church officers in the modern sense. Rather, these were both common terms already in use to which certain obligations were now assigned. In other words, in the church, seniors were required to shepherd and all the saints were to be in ministry. This is summed up very well in the Introduction of the book.Truth is, Church life is so simple, one should need no books at all beyond the Scripture. Most Christian books today are written to refute

Truthful words here. Yes, needful words for these present times. Words presented in a very persuasive manner, I might add. This passage was previously published (and previously ignored) in the "Pulpit Commentary" series from the late 19 century.You, do you possess this divine excitement? If so, please share it far and wide. Your gifts and knowledge are not merely for your own edification but for the edification of all the saints.For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if

150 years ago, this interesting penny pamphlet appeared on the streets of London.There was a growing movement against Romanism and the Church of England, too. The unnamed author is urging these 'dissenting' Christians to go even further toward finding the lost truths of Scripture.Many of these 20 questions are still being asked... as they should be.

In recent years there has been renewed interest in what goes by the names of "worship and liturgy". Not to mention the mysterious and ubiquitous "worship service". What's come to light is the conclusion that eager men in the past have reverted and even changed these meanings back to their Old Testament contexts.This short but keen book addresses a similar word in these recent studies - one which has been distorted way beyond its original import: religion. Religion technically means rituals. I must confess that I have misused it repeatedly in the past.I notice the author writes anonymously, perhaps to avoid those of the status quo. Those who will quickly realize that they, the church, can do

Considered by some as the greatest English writer of all time.Here is a product of the days of yore, when the pen was mightier than the sword. Try to wade through his now antiquated language to the very end of the sonnet. He is accusing the Presbyterians, who had just made advances in the civil government, of priestcraft in the last line.But wait. Priestcraft was the same thing the Presbyterians accused the Anglicans and the Catholics of...Ultimately, priestcraft is a denial of the finished work of our Lord. Our Lord who has made all of his saints into a holy priesthood. A brotherhood without rank.This poem reminded me a rock anthem from a few decades back, one by another Englishman: We Won'

He's been called The Father of the English Bible. But greedy, self-serving, religious leaders - so called Christians - had him strangled and then they burned his body.In this excerpt, he is answering a famous Roman Catholic scholar, Sir Thomas More, who challenged him for not translating the word elder as priest. Tyndale translated it as senior. Senior was dropped in the later versions of his English translation in favor of the word elder... thus opening a world of confusion to this day.We keep bringing up this subject because it has become a stumbling block for those seeking to be a part of a simple non-traditional church.Not to mention the sad fact that multitudes of Christians seniors are

Most words can be fluid in their usage, no doubt. A child may say: Dad, why are you always preaching at me about staying out late?We allow for and we enjoy such usage, of course. Jesus himself frequently used hyperbole and exaggeration.Biblically speaking though, there is no justification for applying the word preaching to the verbal activity among the gathered saints. Much less, for using it in reference to a "sermon."The word preach is generally misunderstood. The implications are sad and they are far reaching. Harmful even, I must add. And that is an understatement.I submit: This is not a mere semantic curiosity.Several fine books have touched upon this troublesome subject but I don't see

As an amateur historian, I realized that church history could be long and tedious for many. In 2011 I compiled as much as I could condense and keep interesting as possible into this book. Printed copies can be purchased on Amazon, but I thought some on this site might be willing to use the PDF to be downloaded freely here.

This extract is from a real church history book written by a real scholar with a real D.D. As you have noticed, in today's world, unearned doctorates are given out like candy bars to unlearned clergy.This tiny pdf file (330k) - these few pages could have a great effect and actually free up 10's of billions of dollars each year if put into practice. I pray that it will happen. These words are merely echoing the teachings of scripture regarding needs-based financial assistance for those in the Christian communities.Not just the money is what is in view. Many so-called laymen must be called up for duty. A duty which they will come to love, I know. Never forget that when one person is elevated a

Can you or someone you know refute the thesis of this interesting book? I think not. But if so, please be our guest.