To Break Bread

Acts 20:7-11 records Paul’s visit to Troas. In this short section Luke writes of breaking bread twice, in verses 7 and 11. We would like to explore several questions here:

Are these two bread-breakings a reference to the same thing (namely, the Lord’s Supper or a common meal), or two different events (one the Lord’s Supper and the other a common meal)? Whatever your response please explain how you reached your conclusion.

Did the second bread-breaking occur on the first day of the week or the second day of the week? Again, please explain your conclusion.

What lessons, if any, can we learn from this text about the Lord’s Supper and/or the use of “break bread” in Scripture?

(Thanks to Jason S for suggesting this discussion)

Church Planting Movement

Credit to Brian for this new question; should be a good discussion:

I want to know if you guys have had any contact with the idea of “church planting movements.”

If not, you can go to this web-link and listen to the 4 videos about it. They are called “CPM Awareness – Parts 1-4″

http://www.cpmtr.org/

If you have seen these, what do you think about them? Is it what the Bible teaches about spreading the gospel? Is there anything missing in the model?

Apocryphal Books

Merry Christmas, everyone. You may be busy and you may not want to address this question right away. But, it will be here waiting for you when you get back…

Why aren’t the apocryphal books included in our Bible? What about the fact that Jude references Enoch? Shouldn’t the book of Enoch, then, be part of the canon? Why do we include some books, but exclude other Christian/Jewish writings of the same time periods?

Questions submitted by Creek.

Head Coverings

Does Paul teach in 1 Cor. 11:3-16 that women must wear a head covering when they are “praying in worship” or not? Please prove by sound exegesis.

Submitted by Brian.

Elements of the Lord’s Supper

“Where do we get the authority to change the bread and the wine, to matsa bread (crackers) and grape juice?”

Suggested by Johnny B…

Wholly Blameless

Paul writes in 1Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV):
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

What does he mean by “completely sanctified”? Can one be partly sanctified? How does God keep our “whole spirit and soul and body…blameless”? How can our spirit and soul become guilty (rather than blameless)? What is the difference between the soul and the spirit?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

My thanks to David for suggesting a very good topic for our discussion board concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The three synoptic gospels record the words of Jesus concerning this: Matt 12.31-32; Mark 3.28-30; Luke 12.10. When you read these passages, it is clear the matter of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a serious thing.

So this brings up some questions: what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? What is not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Why can it not be forgiven? Is this something people can still do today? Have at it!

Equipping the Saints

Practically, how can we help the members of the Lord’s body where we’re serving to discover & employ their own spiritual giftedness?  (Emphasis on discovery)  I am just wondering what you guys are all trying and what’s working and what’s not.  (question from Brian King)

Baptizing Disciples

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says to make disciples and then to baptize those disciples…
So my question is: what must a disciple be “made” to know & practice before he is ready to become a baptized believer? (question from Brian King)

Election ‘08 Reactions

So, what do you think of Barak Obama’s “historic” win?
How will his administration affect our country?
More importantly, how will his administration affect God’s Kingdom?