So, what did Jesus really say about his Church?
…yes, it’s another article about “Ekklesia” but this one’s really good!
So, what did Jesus really have to say about his Church? Or, maybe more important, what did his disciples hear him say? I think we all could agree that at times, they aren’t the same thing. To get to the bottom of these pressing questions, let’s take a moment and eavesdrop on a conversation between Jesus and his disciples, shall we? In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, we find a record of one of those “teaching moments” Jesus is so famous for. While his words were instructive for his disciples then, and continue to be now some two millennia later, the context for the conversation makes his words all the more important.
As we lean in to listen a little closer, we should take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the cultural, civic and spiritual climate of the day. These contextual realities shape Jesus’ decisions when he is selecting his words. Understanding Jesus’ very meticulously chosen phraseology is vital in order to arrive at a full embrace of his teaching. As we turn our attention to this conversation, listen in with the following questions attached like filters to your spiritual ears:
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Jon Spellman
Jon and his family reside in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. In 2009, Jon completed work at King’s Seminary (Van Nuys, CA) with a Masters degree in Practical Theology and is presently engaged in Doctoral studies in Leadership and Global Perspectives at George Fox University. As an ordained minister of the Foursquare Gospel, Jon has 24 years of pastoral ministry with nearly 20 of those years spent serving as Senior pastor or Co-Senior pastor. Read more about Jon Spellman
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