Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | May 11, 2021
Can a church scripturally exist and operate without elders? If your congregation does not have elders, this is a question that comes up. Let’s look at Acts 1 for the answer. Judas is dead, abandoning his post. That post is called an episkopē (Acts 1:20) from which we get “overseer”. As the apostles were […]
PHall | January 23, 2020
Congregations need elders. We need elders which is evident from discussions with people, and scriptural. Let’s ask two questions: I. How does one begin to desire this noble work (1 Timothy 3:1)? Here are three distinct, but noble reasons: 1. Looking forward as a young man, he can decide that this is a way he […]
PHall | May 31, 2019
A congregation can get a lot done organizationally without elders. Ironically that encourages groups to think, “We’re doing fine without elders.” Sadly too many – including elders – see their job as simply organizing. Having been an elder, organizing is often best handled by delegating most of that to deacons and other servants. As one […]
PHall | October 10, 2018
Punctuation changes the meaning. Consider these two well-known examples: [ ] Let’s eat, Grandma. [ ] Let’s eat Grandma. Commas save lives, so goes the joke. That second one is dangerous for grandma! To understand further Interpretation by Punctuation, lets begin by laying the foundation: [ ] For those who don’t know, when the OT […]
PHall | May 9, 2014
The qualifications of elders is often controversial because we approach it as a cold list instead of as a life lived and learned. Let me demonstrate the difference. Must all of the elder’s children be faithful? That seems to be one of the eternal questions. First, ask yourself what is the purpose of the qualification. […]
PHall | December 23, 2012
Why local church autonomy? Implied within the command to elders to shepherd the flock among them is church autonomy (1 Pt 5.1-3). Add that to the silence of the scriptures and we learn God’s design that each church is autonomous, separated from other local congregations in government. This is a Biblical concept that is lost […]
PHall | November 19, 2009
Every gift given by God is to bless His people. Do we believe that? If so, let’s look at one gift of grace – pastors. Jesus wanted to bless His people with shepherds, also known as pastors, elders, and overseers: Ephesians 4:7,11 – But to each one of us grace was given according to the […]
PHall | October 12, 2009
“That the leaders led in Israel, That the people volunteered, Bless the Lord! (Judges 5:2). Spiritual-life is that simple, and yet that complicated. And in reality, all of life is that simple, and yet that complicated. I would like to say that generally, we are the only ones who make our lives simple or complicated. […]
PHall | October 12, 2009
We began the process of selecting elders with constant congregational prayer. Then, we proceeded with an intense study of scriptures. Thirdly we examined ourselves and the men of the congregation. Hopefully we spent more time examining ourselves than others. Finally the last couple of weeks, we have begun finishing what we started last year by […]
PHall | October 5, 2009
Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief for this would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17) To whom is this command directed? It is directed to the church concerning their relationship […]