The authoritative preaching and pastoral office in the gathered church is assigned to qualified men in Scripture. This pattern is stated in New Testament teaching, modeled by Jesus and the apostles, and rooted in the created order rather than in a temporary cultural preference. Titus 2:15 describes pastoral proclamation as declaring, exhorting, and rebuking with …
The New Testament supports both a plurality of qualified elders and recognizable leadership among those elders. “Elder,” “overseer,” and “pastor” describe the same church office, and every man holding that office must be able to teach and defend sound doctrine. Equality of office does not require rotating or leaderless administration. Timothy in Ephesus and Titus …
Pastor Mike strongly advises against using someone whose only ministerial credential is an instant internet ordination. A Christian wedding solemnizes a serious covenant before God, and the officiant should understand Scripture, marriage, pastoral responsibility, and the meaning of the vows. Online credentials do not demonstrate theological training, recognized character, accountability to a church, or qualification …
The New Testament uses the word “member” for a part of a physical body and metaphorically for a participant in a church fellowship. A committed Christian should function as part of a local body through regular attendance, meaningful relationships, service, giving, pastoral care, and submission to biblical oversight. Modern membership classes, forms, interviews, and official …
Pastor Mike advises finding another church when its leadership knowingly rejects the New Testament’s qualifications for pastors and elders. The concern is larger than one ministry policy: it reveals how the leaders interpret and apply clear biblical teaching rooted in creation. Christians can remain in fellowship despite disagreements about secondary issues such as end-times chronology …
A husband is already called by God to love his wife. Ephesians 5 commands sacrificial marital love, and the Song of Solomon celebrates the affection and connection of marriage. Seeking God does not eliminate the responsibility or desire for loving closeness between spouses. Ask your church’s pastors for help and request a meeting with your …
Pastor Mike advises against pursuing a serious dating relationship with someone committed to a liberal or progressive church led by female pastors. The concern is not merely a secondary disagreement about baptism or end-times chronology; it reflects a fundamentally different approach to biblical authority and interpretation. A Christian considering marriage should look for a spouse …
Pastor Mike and John MacArthur shared the same basic theological convictions on most major doctrines. Both came from conservative Baptist settings and reached similar conclusions about the gospel, including opposition to versions of “free grace” teaching that weaken the biblical relationship between genuine faith and a changed life. Their agreement was substantial enough that Pastor …
Churches should actively help members resolve conflict, but a separate reconciliation department may not be the most useful structure. Conflicts differ widely—between spouses, relatives, ministry teams, neighbors, or other members—so one standardized program can be too narrow. Reconciliation should be woven throughout the church’s ordinary ministries: biblical preaching, pastoral care, small groups, sub-congregations, and especially …
Second Peter 2:3 describes greedy false teachers exploiting people with deceptive words. Older language about “making merchandise” means treating followers as goods to be used for the teacher’s own advantage. Money is an obvious example. A preacher may tell people what they want to hear, soften biblical commands, and continually solicit funds so that the …
The “super-apostles” were false teachers troubling the Corinthian church and presenting themselves as superior to Paul. The expression is sarcastic; Paul was not praising a higher class of genuine apostles. They criticized Paul as unimpressive and lacking eloquence, while exploiting the Greco-Roman expectation that prominent teachers would be supported by wealthy patrons. Paul’s refusal to …
First Timothy 3 requires an overseer to manage his household well and keep his children under control. Titus also says an elder’s children must not be open to a charge of serious rebellion. These standards matter because a man’s leadership at home bears directly on his qualification to lead the church. An adopted child’s traumatic …
In the New Testament, pastor, elder, and overseer describe the same church office. Churches should not create a biblical distinction between these terms. Every man serving in that office should meet the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Pastors or elders should appoint other pastors or elders. Existing qualified leaders are responsible …
Pastor Mike explains why Christians still need the local church after experiencing repeated hurt from church leaders or members.