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Great reference Steve. It underscores some things, I think. We all know we're human, and the Christian doctrines speaks to sin and the products of it. We believe this life is not the end of the line nor the total sum of the effort. So - knowing that we are imperfect, saved by grace, new people in Christ and in this life will still see our physical natures tend towards weakness and failure, we - let's say - build a life to strengthen it, protect it and to pursue the best life we can, knowing all the good stuff and all the bad stuff to. Or, knowing what we know, let's say. No one says anyone has to be a teacher, or a prophet or anything at all. We see these as "callings", opportunities to serve, responses to God's purposes. Not something people dream up, something that God directs and that serves His purposes, which always have an eternal characteristic to them, a here and now and a then and coming perspective. Added responsibility. Not for the faint of heart. Not for everyone, to be sure. Not even for some for their whole lives. The gifts and callings of God are without repentance but they're also with purpose, both for the individual as well as the church. Thus - the things we read of qualifications and standards like those in the didache as well as the N.T. can't be dismissed as contrary to God's grace and mercy nor moral religious judgements of no authority. They are requirements - honesty is a huge on present in there, as well as Timothy and Titus. Both in character as well as actions. We know there will be challenges - that's why there have to be safeguards and boundaries - not the least of which would be sound counsel, accountability and communication with others. Those kinds of things would simply be the product of the kinds of standards and qualifications we read there. The tendency in the 20th century in the evangelical movement has been to generate single owner, standalone organizations that only work in cooperation with others by choice. Kind of an mildly organized chaos. Tradition and dogma call the shots with each sect determining their own organic essence being the most "truthful". If someone decides they don't like something or disagree with something, they start their own sect, splinter, church, ministry, what have you. Technology has served this very well too. Mixed into that you get a lot of people (I think) who get in the kitchen, can't stand the heat and so move the oven. They run their own shows, they make the rules and thus they will say they "only answer to God" - which is absolute BS. Those who serve God's people answer to those people and will to their Shepherd and their Father. It's not a do - as - you - believe - is - right calling. We need accountability - it was baked into the very life of Jesus Christ, what He taught His followers, their efforts following the resurrection and the ensuing growth in numbers.

Thanks Steve. It's a nail that's gotten a lot of work over the years, that's for sure. To the tune of "Nobody Does It Better".....Luke 24: And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24 describes the very human followers of Christ and their coming to grips with the resurrected Jesus Christ. Everything that happens after that in their story tells of a group of people who were forever changed. Absolutely, internally, intellectually and emotionally. It's difficult to imagine them doing something as dishonorable as selling that information to others. Judas is the guy in the tale that sold what he knew and we see where that got him. As forgiven as all but part of a complex road down. It's easy to accept forgiveness. It can be much more difficult to know what to do with it. I would advise all of us, certainly those making a living off of the Gospel, to give a great deal of thought to what we do in God's Name, and consider what we can learn from this first generation of followers of Christ. I always bitch about this money deal. The last time I went on a rant about it here somebody wrote me and said I was too uptight about the money and class charges. Hey - I believe Jesus died for me, my sins and is my Redeemer and very much alive today, albeit not as He was then. So yeah, they're g-dammed right - I get real serious about it. I accepted this $$ process once as an acceptable means to an end. I stopped thinking that way and I don't do it anymore. It's wrong. Black and white. Boom, that's it. These money sucking tics can do what they want. Peace out!