"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
Matthew Ch.28 vs 19 - 20
Every Wednesday we hold our weekly Discipleship Classes. These are approximately of one hour’s duration and printed notes are distributed to all those in attendance. The focus is upon good, deep, challenging teaching and instruction, and over the years our topics have covered a wide variety of subjects pertaining to the Christian Faith, including early and late period Church History, The English Reformation, The Hymn Writers (Inspirational stories behind the lives of these composers and their Hymns), Eschatology (the End Times), Spiritual Warfare, The Ministry of Angels, Spiritual Gifts, Healing and Prophecy, and much more. In fact, the teaching is designed to reflect the scope and level of education that might be gained in a Bible Seminary or similar Establishment.
The commonly used version of the Bible within the church is the Revised Standard Version. Although out of print since 2006, in its day it was regarded as the preferred version for accuracy, and the most commonly used in Bible Colleges and Theological Seminaries throughout the world. Whilst there may be no such thing as the perfect translation or version, there are those that are distinctly more accurate and precise; good versions and not-so-good versions, where accuracy has been compromised in favour of readability. And so, whilst the R.S.V. may not be perfect in translation, it is still one of the better versions to be preferred by those seeking the closest enhanced alternative to the original King James Version of the Bible.
The value of the R.S.V. is that it still very much retains the beauty, artistic prose, and poetry of the K.J.V. in all of its purity and simplistic style, and elegance. Its excellence has not been compromised in any way, just carried over, but with greater accuracy of translation based upon the many innovative archaeological discoveries that further enhance the formerly obscure meanings of certain Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words and phrases - information that was not available in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. A resounding quality of the R.S.V. is that it retains the distinctive pronouns in relation to the reverence and esteem for addressing the Lord, such as, 'Thy', 'Thine', and 'Thou' for whilst some versions have dispensed with such language as being outdated or irrelevant, we believe wholeheartedly that God is to be highly honoured and respected for His divinity and to be addressed accordingly and not merely on the same par as a fellow human being.
A further point of addressing the God-head more accurately, which is borne out in the R.S.V., is to dispense with the use of the name, 'Jehovah', which is inaccurate and was never a true rendition of the true name of the Lord God. The term, 'Jehovah' is of medieval origin and was concocted by adding consonants to the name of YHWH to form a plausible, pronunciation of an unfamiliar name. It stands therefore, that unlike a large number of churches that casually use the name Jehovah, as a legitimate means of addressing the Lord, here at Birches Green, we refrain from using that name or term when addressing the Lord.
Whilst the teaching is formulated to be uncompromised, precise, and definitive, it is not intended to be dogmatic or unnecessarily controversial, or divisive. The Pastor graduated from Bible College in 1986 and holds a Diploma in Theology. However, the true spiritual aptitudes that define a true pastor and teacher are not necessarily authenticated by any educational qualifications alone. Nevertheless, the concept of a good Bible College background with all of its inherent disciplines and training cannot be disregarded. Members of the church will be able to benefit from ministry and teaching that is informative, intelligent, and educational; it will prove to be comprehensive and soundly balanced in order to develop the spiritual potential in every true believer, by bringing them into the deeper realm of discipleship - of true spiritual growth and maturity.
It does not matter how good a church professes to be, how socially inclusive it is, how friendly, warm or welcoming, or how many inviting activities and programming it may have to offer - without the true level of teaching, it is going nowhere. On the Day of Pentecost when the early church was birthed, it is said of the three thousand souls that had been saved, first and foremost, that they devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching. All that came after, the fellowship, the Breaking of Bread, and Prayer, would have been a natural progression following on from their devotion to the truth, for the true unity of the Spirit is brought about only when we fully understand and accept that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Our discipleship classes are intended to bring us all into the true unity and fellowship of the Faith. All that we need is humility and meekness and a real desire to want to learn and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The true pathway of Christian discipleship is by no means easy, as the Bible attests. It will present all of us with challenges and demands that we may not ordinarily have been accustomed to in previous churches. However, to those that are discerning and are searching for the fulness of the Christian life and ministry, the teaching should prove to be enlightening and encouraging, and provide a much higher level of insight and understanding, of spiritual discernment and awareness, and ultimately draw all those who are seeking for it, into a closer and more consecrated walk and fellowship with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - True unity and true fellowship in the light, one with another and at one in the Lord. The divine commission of the Lord Jesus to his chosen disciples was to make disciples and not mere believers, followers, or 'good', sincere, and well-meaning individuals. Churches were never purposed to be 'social clubs', or to offer worldly allures and incentives to draw in the crowds. The ultimate call is to one and all, to receive God's gift of salvation and to then embark upon the true pathway of discipleship, learning to deny ones self, to forsake all other loves and desires, and to take up the cross of sacrificial surrender daily, in order to follow Christ.