Tag Bible Study

The Dead Letter Society

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
When Knowing the Scriptures Is Not the Same as Knowing Christ

There is a society whose members may never realize they have joined. They carry Bibles, attend Bible studies, underline passages, memorize verses, consult commentaries, listen to sermons, and debate doctrine. Some can discuss theology with remarkable precision. They know Moses and the Prophets. They know Paul. They know Revelation. They can explain what Scripture says about salvation, sanctification, prophecy, the church, and the return of Christ. Yet there remains an uncomfortable possibility that Jesus Himself exposed two thousand years ago: it is possible to know the Scriptures and still not know the One the Scriptures were given to reveal.

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”
John 5:39–40

That indictment should stop every serious student of Scripture in his tracks. Jesus did not accuse these men of neglecting the Scriptures. Quite the opposite. They searched them diligently. Their failure was not a lack of biblical knowledge but a failure to recognize where that knowledge was supposed to lead them. They had mistaken knowledge of the testimony for knowledge of the One to whom the testimony pointed. They possessed the Scriptures that testified of Life while remaining disconnected from Life Himself.

Welcome to The Dead Letter Society.

When the Signpost Becomes the Destination

There is an important distinction that must be made at the outset. The problem is not Scripture, nor is it serious Bible study. God’s Word reveals His character, His purposes, His dealings with humanity, His standards of righteousness, and His unfolding work of redemption. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture ultimately directs our attention toward God’s redemptive purposes fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

The danger arises when the signpost becomes the destination. Jesus did not rebuke the Pharisees because they searched the Scriptures. He confronted them because the Scriptures they searched testified of Him, yet when He stood before them, they would not come to Him. The Book was pointing somewhere, but they stopped at the Book. The Scriptures were introducing Someone, but they settled for information about Him.

That danger did not disappear with the Pharisees. We can spend decades accumulating biblical information and mistake that accumulation for spiritual life. We can learn doctrines about Jesus without walking with Jesus. We can study everything God has said while becoming increasingly insensitive to the God who speaks. We can memorize promises, master theological systems, defend denominational positions, and become extraordinarily skilled at telling other people what the Bible means while remaining strangers to the living Christ at the center of it.

“For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
2 Corinthians 3:6

Whitewashed Tombs Filled With Dead Men’s Bones

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Matthew 23:27

The picture is remarkable when placed beside the warning of John 5. These were men surrounded by sacred knowledge. Their lives were steeped in the Law and the Prophets. They possessed the religious vocabulary, maintained the outward appearances, and presented themselves as guardians of God’s truth. Yet Jesus looked beneath the polished exterior and saw death.

That should make every one of us uncomfortable because biblical knowledge alone is not proof of spiritual life. A person can know Moses and remain dead inside. A person can quote the prophets while remaining dead inside. A person can memorize the words of Jesus while remaining dead inside. A person can understand Greek and Hebrew, build an impressive theological library, teach Bible studies, preach sermons, defend orthodoxy, and win theological arguments while remaining untouched by the transforming life of the Christ about whom all those words testify.

Spiritual death is perfectly capable of wearing religious clothing. This is where the danger of the Dead Letter Society becomes apparent. Religion can decorate the tomb so beautifully that we forget to ask whether anything inside is alive. The question cannot simply be, “How much Scripture do I know?” The deeper and far more consequential question is, “Has the Christ revealed in Scripture made me alive?”

When the Word Walked Into the Room

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.”
John 1:14

For generations, God’s people had preserved the written testimony. The Law had spoken of things to come. The prophets had announced God’s purposes. The Psalms had anticipated the King. Then the Word became flesh and walked among them.

The One toward whom the Scriptures had been pointing entered their synagogues, traveled their roads, touched their sick, opened blind eyes, confronted demons, forgave sins, raised the dead, and spoke with an authority unlike anything the people had heard. Yet remarkably, some of the people who knew the Scriptures best recognized Him least.

They knew the words but failed to recognize the Word. They studied the prophecies while opposing their fulfillment. They were waiting for Messiah while arguing with Messiah. They were searching for eternal life while rejecting the One standing directly in front of them offering life.

That is why the Pharisees cannot be safely confined to first-century Jerusalem. They remain a warning to every generation of religious people. Familiarity with biblical vocabulary does not necessarily mean familiarity with the voice of God. Knowing what God said does not automatically mean that we know Him. Christianity was never intended to become merely the preservation of things God once said. The written testimony directs us into relationship with the living Christ.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27

Jesus Teaching About Jesus

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
Luke 24:27

Perhaps there is no more beautiful illustration of this truth than the account of the two disciples walking toward Emmaus after the resurrection. They were discussing everything that had happened in Jerusalem when Jesus Himself joined them on the road. Yet they did not recognize Him.

Their situation presents an extraordinary paradox. They were talking about Jesus while Jesus was walking beside them. They were trying to understand what had happened to Jesus while the resurrected Jesus was listening to their conversation. Then their unidentified companion began opening the Scriptures to them.

Consider what was happening. Jesus was teaching them the Scriptures concerning Himself while He was physically walking beside them, yet they still did not recognize the One about whom the Scriptures were speaking. That scene provides a remarkable picture of the danger we are discussing. It is possible to possess information about Christ while remaining unaware of His presence. It is possible to discuss Him without recognizing Him. It is possible to hear a biblical explanation of who He is while still needing our spiritual eyes to be opened.

When they eventually sat down together, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Their response afterward is equally significant. Their recognition of Christ did not cause them to discard the Scriptures. Instead, once their eyes were opened to Christ, they understood what those Scriptures had been revealing all along. The Spirit does not lead us away from the Word. He opens our eyes so that through the Word we behold Christ.

“Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him.”
Luke 24:31

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:32

Knowing the Menu Without Eating the Bread

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
John 6:35

Jesus’ description of Himself as the Bread of Life gives us another way to understand the problem. Imagine sitting at a table with a menu describing an extraordinary meal. You could memorize every item on that menu, research every ingredient, learn where each ingredient came from, study how the meal was prepared, and spend years debating other people about the proper interpretation of its description. You could become the world’s leading authority on the menu and still die of starvation if you never ate the food.

That may be one of the simplest descriptions of the Dead Letter Society: we can know the menu by heart and never eat the Bread. Once again, the invitation is relational. The Pharisees searched the Scriptures, yet Jesus said they would not come to Him that they might have life. The Scriptures were never given merely to be analyzed, catalogued, and debated. They testify of the Bread of Life who must be received. Biblical truth is not merely something to understand intellectually; it is intended to lead us into a living relationship with the One who is Truth.

From the Garden to the City

This theme reaches much farther than the Pharisees or the road to Emmaus. In many ways, it is woven into the entire biblical story. Humanity’s relationship with God does not begin with Adam possessing a theological textbook describing God. It begins with communion between God and humanity. God speaks and man hears. There is relationship, fellowship, and unhindered communion.

Sin shattered that fellowship, and what follows throughout Scripture is the unfolding story of God’s work to restore what sin destroyed. The Law, the sacrifices, the tabernacle, the prophets, and the Psalms all point forward. Then Christ comes, and the Word becomes flesh. Through Christ, reconciliation is made possible. The veil is torn. The grave loses its victory. Christ rises from the dead, and the Holy Spirit is given to dwell within God’s people. When Scripture reaches its closing vision in Revelation, we again find God dwelling with His people.

From the Garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem, the biblical story is moving toward restored communion between God and humanity. The Bible therefore was never intended simply to produce people who possess increasing quantities of information about God. It reveals God’s redemptive work of bringing humanity back into fellowship with Himself. If our study of Scripture leaves us with an enormous amount of information about God but never leads us into relationship with God, we have somehow stopped short of the very destination toward which the testimony was pointing.

When Bible Study Becomes a Hiding Place

That raises an uncomfortable question that the modern church must be willing to confront: Can Bible study itself become a hiding place from God? John 5 suggests that it can.

The Pharisees could remain occupied with analyzing sacred texts while resisting the Person revealed within those texts. They could search Scripture while refusing surrender. The activity appeared profoundly spiritual, yet Jesus exposed the contradiction beneath it.

We should ask whether we sometimes do the same thing. Another sermon, another conference, another commentary, another Bible study, another theological debate, another podcast, another notebook filled with sermon notes. None of those things is inherently wrong. They can help us tremendously when they serve their proper purpose. But eventually Scripture brings us face-to-face with Someone, and when that happens, our response cannot simply be to take another note.

The Bible can tell us that Jesus forgives, but eventually we must receive His forgiveness. The Bible can tell us that Jesus is Lord, but eventually we must surrender to His lordship. The Bible can teach us about the Holy Spirit, but eventually we must learn to walk by the Spirit. The Bible can tell us that Christ is alive, but eventually we must confront whether our Christianity consists primarily of knowing information about Him or actually knowing Him. Otherwise, our libraries can grow larger while our bones remain dry.

The Spirit and the Word

The answer to dead-letter Christianity is not less Scripture, and it certainly is not abandoning biblical truth in pursuit of every subjective spiritual impression. Scripture and Spirit are not adversaries.

The same Spirit who inspired the testimony reveals the Christ to whom the testimony points. Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit would testify of Him. When the Spirit opens the Scriptures, our encounter with the Word becomes something more than intellectual accumulation. Like the disciples on the Emmaus road, our hearts begin to burn as Christ becomes increasingly real to us through the truth we are hearing.

This also protects us from the opposite error. If the Dead Letter Society reduces Christianity to information without life, ungrounded spirituality can pursue experiences without truth. Neither is the biblical pattern. The Spirit and the Word bring us to Christ. We therefore continue to study, search the Scriptures carefully, test what we hear, and treasure God’s written testimony. Yet our purpose is no longer merely collecting religious information. We are listening for the voice of the Shepherd revealed through the truth He has given us.

Leaving the Dead Letter Society

Perhaps that is the invitation for anyone who recognizes himself somewhere within these pages: leave the Dead Letter Society. Leaving does not mean closing your Bible. It means opening it with a different hunger. Study it. Search it. Treasure it. Meditate upon it. Test everything by it. But never forget why you are reading it.

Read Moses looking for Christ. Read the prophets watching for Christ. Read the Psalms longing for Christ. Read the Gospels beholding Christ. Read the Epistles learning what it means to live in Christ. Read Revelation anticipating the triumph of Christ. From beginning to end, allow Scripture to accomplish its intended purpose by directing your heart toward the God who desires to be known.

Never mistake possessing biblical information for possessing spiritual life. Never allow knowing verses about Jesus to become a substitute for knowing Jesus. Never become so familiar with the language of God that you cease listening for the voice of God.

Lord, do not let me merely learn another fact about You. Open my eyes that I may know You. Let Your Spirit illuminate Your Word until its truth becomes living reality within me. Do not allow me to become an expert in the testimony while remaining a stranger to the One being testified about. Bring me beyond the information and into communion with You.

The Bible is not the obituary of a God who used to speak. It is the testimony of the God who lives. The Word became flesh, the tomb is empty, the Spirit has been given, and Jesus Christ is alive. The great tragedy of the Dead Letter Society is not that its members have never encountered the words that lead to life. It is that they can spend their entire lives studying those words while refusing the invitation contained within them.

“But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”
John 5:40

May we never become so occupied studying the road that we fail to arrive at its destination. The destination is Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I open Your Word, open my eyes as well. Do not allow me merely to accumulate knowledge about You. Through Your Spirit, use Your Word to draw me into deeper communion with You. Let me recognize Your voice, receive Your life, and follow where You lead. Amen.

Faith That Shakes Armies: The Jonathan Principle

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

The world marks its days with festivals, anniversaries, and cultural remembrances. Cinco de Mayo is one of those days, a moment when a nation recalls an unexpected victory—an outnumbered force standing against overwhelming odds and prevailing. Yet for the believer, such moments are not occasions for secular celebration as much as they are reminders of a deeper and older truth. God has always delighted in overturning the odds. He has always stood with the few, strengthened the weak, and revealed His power in places where human strength fails. A date on the calendar may draw attention to an earthly victory, but Scripture draws our attention to the God who makes such victories possible.

Cinco de Mayo becomes, then, not a holiday to honor, but an illustration to consider. It echoes a pattern that Scripture established long before any nation fought for its independence or defended its borders. The pattern is simple: when God is present, the few can rout the many. When God fights, numbers lose their meaning. When God moves, the impossible becomes the inevitable.

Jonathan and the Armor-Bearer: Faith in Motion

Among the many examples of this truth, the story of Jonathan stands out with remarkable clarity. Israel was outnumbered, outmatched, and poorly armed. The Philistines held the advantage in every measurable way. Yet Jonathan, the son of Saul, looked at the impossible situation and saw something different. He saw the possibility of God’s intervention. He saw the potential of faith.

Jonathan turned to his armor-bearer and spoke words that have echoed through generations: “There is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” [1 Samuel 14:6]. With nothing more than courage, conviction, and confidence in God, the two men climbed a hill toward a garrison of Philistines. They did not carry the strength of an army. They carried the strength of belief.

What happened next was not the result of strategy or skill. Scripture tells us that the earth quaked, the enemy panicked, and confusion spread through the camp. God moved. God fought. God delivered. Two men stood in faith, and an entire army fell into disarray.

This is the Jonathan Principle: God does not need many. He needs willing. He needs faithful. He needs those who will step forward when others shrink back, trusting that His power is greater than any opposition.

Gideon’s Reduction: Strength Through Surrender

Jonathan’s story is not an isolated moment. Gideon experienced the same divine pattern when God reduced his army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred. The reduction was intentional. God declared, “The people that are with thee are too many.” [Judges 7:2]. Too many for what? Too many for God to receive the glory. Too many for Israel to understand that victory comes from the Lord.

Gideon’s three hundred men faced an army described as “numerous as locusts,” yet the outcome was never in doubt. God fought for them. God confused the enemy. God delivered the victory. The few defeated the many because the Lord was in the midst of the few.

Faith That Moves Mountains and Scatters Armies

Jesus continued this theme when He taught that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed… nothing shall be impossible unto you.” [Matthew 17:20]. He did not speak of faith measured in crowds or nations. He spoke of faith measured in trust.

A seed of faith can topple giants. A seed of faith can shake armies. A seed of faith can overturn the impossible. The strength of faith lies not in its size but in its object. When faith rests in God, the few become mighty, and the weak become strong.

A Secular Reminder of a Sacred Reality

This is why Cinco de Mayo serves as a useful illustration, even if it is not a day we elevate spiritually. It reminds us that earthly victories often mirror heavenly truths. A small force standing against overwhelming odds and prevailing is not merely a historical moment; it is a reflection of a divine pattern. It is a reminder that God has always worked through the few, the overlooked, and the underestimated.

But our focus is not the date. Our focus is the God who stands behind the principle. We honor Him daily, not seasonally. We remember His faithfulness continually, not occasionally. We trust His strength always, not only when the calendar gives us a reason.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” [Psalm 20:7].

The world may remember a battle, but we remember the God of battles. The world may honor a moment, but we honor the Maker of moments. The world may celebrate the victory of the few, but we celebrate the God who gives victory to the few.

This is the Jonathan Principle. This is the Gideon Pattern. This is the truth that stands above every date on the calendar: when God is for us, the many cannot stand against us.

In One Ear and Out the Other: When the Word Never Reaches the Heart

Allen Frederick Leave a comment


A Funny Story With a Not‑So‑Funny Truth

Three men went deer hunting, and as they crossed a field on their way to the woods, a massive buck jumped up right in front of them. All three fired at the same moment. The buck dropped instantly, and the men hurried over—only to realize they had a problem. Who actually shot the deer?

As they stood there debating, a game warden approached to check licenses. Hearing the dilemma, he knelt down, examined the buck, and said, “One of you is a preacher, right?” Sure enough, one of them was. The warden nodded and said, “Well, the preacher’s the one who got him.” The men stared at him in disbelief. “How can you know that?” The warden shrugged. “Simple. The bullet went in one ear and out the other.”

It’s a humorous story, but beneath the laughter lies a sobering truth—one James warned the church about with prophetic clarity when he wrote, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

When Hearing Becomes Self‑Deception

Hearing is not the problem. Hearing without obeying is. A message that goes in one ear and out the other never reaches the heart, and the heart is the only place where real transformation takes place. Jesus Himself said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). The mind matters. The mind is essential. But the mind is not the destination. It is the doorway. The heart is the target.

The preacher in the story fired a shot that passed through the deer’s head but never touched the heart. It produced death, not life. It left a carcass, not a conversion. And that is exactly what happens when the Word of God is received only at the level of intellect. It may pass through the mind, but if it never penetrates the heart, it cannot produce obedience, repentance, or new life. It becomes information without transformation.

A Wound That Never Heals Becomes Fatal

Here is the deeper truth: a bullet that never reaches the heart can still kill you. It can wound you. It can tear flesh, rupture arteries, and leave you bleeding out. A wound is not harmless simply because it missed the center.

And the same is true of the Word when it is only received intellectually. A sermon aimed at the mind alone may not transform you, but it can still wound you. It can leave you convicted but unchanged, aware of truth but still resisting it. You can feel the sting of conviction without ever surrendering to it. And that kind of wound, left unattended, becomes spiritually fatal.

The writer of Hebrews says, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two‑edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Word is designed to pierce. It is meant to cut deep enough to expose motives, confront sin, and bring healing through repentance. But when the Word is only admired, analyzed, or agreed with—when it is heard but not obeyed—it becomes a cut that never closes. Over time, the soul begins to hemorrhage. Not because the Word failed, but because the heart never yielded.

When the Lips Say “Amen” but the Heart Stays Distant

Jesus described this condition when He said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). The mind can say “Amen” while the heart remains untouched. The intellect can applaud truth while the will refuses to bow to it.

James continues this warning by saying, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror… and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:23–24). The problem is not the hearing. The problem is the forgetting. The problem is the lack of response. The problem is the absence of obedience.

Truth that only grazes the mind can still leave a person spiritually dying. Truth that never reaches the heart cannot save. Truth that never produces obedience becomes a slow bleed. Eternal death does not always come from outright rebellion. Sometimes it comes from a lifetime of sermons that never penetrated deeper than the intellect.

The Word Must Be Received With Surrender, Not Just Agreement

This is why preaching must aim for the heart. This is why hearing must lead to doing. This is why the Word must be received with surrender, not merely agreement. Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). Hearing is the beginning. Doing is the evidence. Obedience is the fruit. Transformation is the result.

Do not let God’s Word pass through you without penetrating you. Do not let it skim the surface of your mind without sinking into the soil of your heart. Do not let it go in one ear and out the other. Slow down. Meditate. Respond. Obey. Let the Word reach the place where life is changed. Let it pierce, not to destroy, but to heal. Let it cut, not to wound, but to free. Let it strike the heart, for only there does the Word bring life. It isn’t about how much Bible you know or can quote but how much you actually put into practice.

Don’t let His Word go in one ear

and right out the other!

Reviving the Church: From Non-Prophet to Spirit-Led Community

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

“When the Church Becomes a Non-Prophet Organization”

🔥 The Silent Reformation: When the Gifts Go Missing

The Church today faces one of its most sobering realities. There is a quiet elimination of the very leadership gifts the Holy Spirit gave to equip and mature the Body. In many congregations, only the role of Pastor/Teacher remains visible. Even that role is often reduced to a weekly sermon and administrative oversight. The Evangelist was once a fiery voice calling the lost to repentance. Now, they are more often rebranded as a “missionary.” They are tucked away in foreign fields rather than stirring hearts at home.

But what of the Apostle? The Prophet? These foundational gifts (Ephesians 4:11–13) are not just absent—they are often unwelcome. Mainline churches have institutionalized themselves into a form of godliness in many cases. They deny the power and structure that God originally ordained.

This isn’t just a leadership issue—it’s a spiritual crisis. When the Church becomes a “non-prophet organization,” it loses its ability to:

  • Hear and declare the word of the Lord (Prophet)
  • Pioneer new territory and establish Kingdom order (Apostle)
  • Stir the hearts of the lost (Evangelist)
  • Shepherd and teach with clarity and compassion (Pastor/Teacher)

The result? A body that is undernourished, under-equipped, and often unaware of its true calling.

👤 Apostles as Fathers of the Faith

Apostle Peter

The early Church Fathers were direct disciples of the apostles. They were seen not just as theologians but as spiritual patriarchs. They preserved doctrine, corrected error, and nurtured the Church into maturity. Clement of Rome, for example, emphasized apostolic succession as a way to preserve the integrity of the faith. This idea of spiritual fatherhood was foundational to early Christian identity and governance.

Your framing of apostles as “fathers of the faith” aligns with this tradition. Apostles weren’t just pioneers. They were builders, correctors, and nurturers. They resembled a father raising children into maturity. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:15: “Though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers…”

Fatherhood as a Lost Art in America

Modern sociologists and psychologists have echoed your concern about the decline of fatherhood in American culture:

  • Ray Williams describes America as becoming a “fatherless society,” with massive social consequences including poverty, crime, and emotional instability.
  • Psychology Today notes that the archetype of the father—as protector, moral guide, and stabilizer—has been eroded or distorted in modern narratives.
  • Don Unger, in Men Can, explores how the image and role of fathers have shifted, often being undervalued or misunderstood in both family and cultural life.

🔗 The Church and the Culture Mirror Each Other

The erosion of fatherhood in society is not just a sociological issue—it’s a spiritual one. The Church, by sidelining the apostolic and prophetic offices, has modeled a form of leadership that lacks fatherhood, correction, and generational vision. This absence has echoed into the culture, where natural fatherhood is now seen as optional, replaceable, or even irrelevant.

When the Church no longer raises up spiritual fathers, the result is a generation of believers who:

  • Struggle with spiritual identity
  • Resist correction and accountability
  • Lack maturity and direction
  • Chase trends instead of truth

This mirrors the broader cultural fallout of fatherlessness—emotional instability, rebellion, and a hunger for affirmation in all the wrong places.

The Crisis of Fatherhood: In the Church and the Culture

Explaining the need for these missing offices established by God shows a real lack of understanding on the part of the Reformation Church movement, which basically eliminated the Holy Spirit and gifts entirely. The Reformation Church movement, in its zeal to correct abuses, often swung the pendulum too far, sidelining the very gifts and offices that were meant to empower and mature the Body.

Restoring these offices isn’t just about leadership—it’s about reclaiming the Church’s identity and mission. Without apostles, prophets, evangelists, and Spirit-empowered pastors and teachers, the Church risks becoming a hollow institution rather than a living, breathing organism.

The trumpet sounds for a return to the fullness of God’s design—a Church that hears His voice, pioneers new territory, stirs the lost, and shepherds with compassion and clarity.

📖 Scriptural Support for Fatherhood

The Bible provides a wealth of guidance on the importance of fatherhood, both spiritual and natural:

  • Malachi 4:6: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” This verse underscores the critical role of fathers in restoring relationships and preventing societal decay.
  • Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This highlights the father’s role in nurturing and guiding their children spiritually.
  • Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” This emphasizes the long-term impact of a father’s guidance.
  • 1 Corinthians 4:15: “Though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” This verse reflects the spiritual fatherhood role that apostles and church leaders are called to fulfill.

By integrating these scriptures, the Church can reclaim its role as a spiritual family, with fathers—both natural and spiritual—leading the way in nurturing, correcting, and guiding the next generation.

🔮 The Misunderstood Prophet: Truth in a Time of Tension

Prophet Daniel in the lion’s den

The prophetic office has always been controversial—because prophets don’t just comfort, they confront. They don’t just predict, they pierce. In a culture (and Church) that often prefers affirmation over accountability, the prophet’s voice is frequently silenced, sanitized, or sidelined.

🧱 What the Prophet Is Not:

  • Not a fortune-teller or spiritual entertainer
  • Not a self-appointed critic with a microphone
  • Not merely someone who “feels things deeply”

🔥 What the Prophet Is:

  • A mouthpiece for God’s heart and mind (Jeremiah 1:9)
  • A watchman who warns of danger (Ezekiel 33:7)
  • A plumb line for truth and holiness (Amos 7:7–8)
  • A builder who equips and strengthens the Church (1 Corinthians 14:3)

🚫 Why the Church Resists Prophets:

  • Prophets disrupt comfort zones
  • They expose hidden sin and institutional compromise
  • They challenge the status quo and call for repentance
  • They often speak what others are afraid to say

📖 Scriptural Anchors:

  • Jeremiah 1:10 – “See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 – “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.”
  • Amos 3:7 – “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”
  • Ephesians 2:20 – “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

Turning the Church Back into a “For Prophet” Organization

To restore the prophetic office is to restore the Church’s relevance and reverence. A Church that embraces the prophetic voice becomes:

  • A beacon of truth in a time of deception
  • A source of hope in a world of despair
  • A catalyst for repentance and revival
  • A community that hears and responds to the voice of God

The trumpet sounds for a return to the fullness of God’s design—a Church that hears His voice, pioneers new territory, stirs the lost, and shepherds with compassion and clarity. Let us not despise the prophetic gift but embrace it, test it, and hold fast to what is good.

🌱 The Evangelist: Sowers in the Vineyard

The role of the Evangelist is indispensable in the life of the Church. Without those who sow seeds of the Gospel, there can be no harvest. Evangelists are the planters in the vineyard, tirelessly working to bring the message of salvation to the lost.

📖 Scriptural Foundations:

  • Matthew 9:37–38: “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
  • Romans 10:14–15: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”
  • 2 Timothy 4:5: “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

🌍 The Evangelist’s Mission:

Evangelist John the Revelator

Evangelists are not just preachers—they are heralds of the Kingdom, bringing the good news to every corner of the earth. Their mission is to:

  • Proclaim the Gospel with clarity and conviction
  • Call sinners to repentance and faith in Christ
  • Equip the Church to share the Gospel
  • Pioneer new ministries and outreach efforts

🚨 The Church’s Neglect:

Many churches have sidelined the role of the Evangelist, relegating it to foreign missions or occasional revival meetings. This neglect has led to a lack of evangelistic fervor within local congregations, resulting in stagnation and decline.

🌟 Restoring the Evangelistic Gift:

To restore the Church’s vitality, we must reemphasize the importance of the Evangelist. This includes:

  • Recognizing and affirming those with the gift of evangelism
  • Providing training and resources for effective Gospel outreach
  • Creating opportunities for evangelistic ministry within the local church
  • Celebrating the fruit of evangelistic efforts

The Evangelist is a God-ordained gift to the Church, essential for its growth and health. Let us not ignore this vital role but embrace it with the urgency and passion it deserves.

🌟 The Overlooked Gifts: A Call to Action

Beyond the Evangelist, there are many other spiritual gifts that are often ignored or underutilized in the Church today. These gifts, given by the Holy Spirit, are meant to build up the Body of Christ and advance the Kingdom of God.

📖 Scriptural Basis:

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4–7: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
  • Ephesians 4:11–13: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

🌈 A Diversity of Gifts:

The Holy Spirit has given a wide variety of gifts to the Church, including:

  • Teaching: The ability to explain and apply God’s Word effectively
  • Healing: A gift of faith and prayer to bring physical and spiritual healing
  • Administration: The ability to organize and lead with wisdom and efficiency
  • Hospitality: A heart to welcome and care for others
  • Discernment: The ability to distinguish between truth and error

🚀 A Call to Action:

The Church must:

  • Identify and nurture these gifts within its members
  • Create opportunities for these gifts to be exercised
  • Celebrate the diversity of gifts as a reflection of God’s creativity and purpose

By embracing the full spectrum of spiritual gifts, the Church can become the vibrant, Spirit-filled community God intended it to be. Let us not quench the Spirit but fan into flame the gifts He has given for the common good.

🌟 The Pastor/Teacher: Builders of Maturity

The role of the Pastor/Teacher is foundational to the Church’s mission of equipping believers and fostering spiritual growth. These leaders are not merely caretakers—they are builders, charged with developing disciples who can carry forward the work of the Kingdom.

📖 Scriptural Foundations:

  • Ephesians 4:11–13: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
  • Hebrews 5:12–14: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
  • 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

🌱 The Pastor/Teacher’s Mission:

Pastors and teachers are called to:

  • Equip believers with a deep understanding of God’s Word
  • Foster spiritual maturity and discernment
  • Develop new leaders and disciples from within the congregation
  • Create a culture of growth and multiplication

🚨 The Church’s Challenge:

A vibrant church is one that continually raises up leaders from within, rather than relying on external replacements for pastors and teachers. This requires intentional investment in discipleship and leadership development.

🌟 Restoring the Pastor/Teacher Role:

To restore the Church’s vitality, we must reemphasize the importance of the Pastor/Teacher. This includes:

  • Recognizing and affirming those with the gift of teaching and shepherding
  • Providing training and resources for effective discipleship
  • Creating opportunities for leadership development within the local church
  • Celebrating the fruit of spiritual growth and maturity

The Pastor/Teacher is a God-ordained gift to the Church, essential for its growth and health. Let us not ignore this vital role but embrace it with the urgency and passion it deserves.

🎁 Wrapping It All Together

The Church is called to be a living, breathing organism—a vibrant community that reflects the fullness of God’s design. This means embracing the diversity of gifts, restoring the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, and nurturing the spiritual family with fathers and mothers who guide, correct, and inspire.

Let us rise to the challenge of becoming a “for prophet” organization once again. Let us hear the trumpet sound and respond with faith, courage, and action. The harvest is plentiful, the gifts are abundant, and the Spirit is ready to empower us for the work ahead.

May we be a Church that hears His voice, pioneers new territory, stirs the lost, and shepherds with compassion and clarity. The time is now. The call is clear. Let us answer with all our hearts.

Crayon Box Christianity: Coloring in the Fruit of the Spirit

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
— Galatians 5:22–23

Ever opened a fresh box of crayons and just paused? The smell of wax. The vibrancy. Each one sharpened and ready—full of promise.
That’s how the Holy Spirit works in us: coloring our lives with divine traits that reflect God’s heart.

Let’s color it in:

❤️ Love is Red – Bold. Foundational. The base coat of grace.
💛 Joy is Yellow – Bright. Uplifting. The sunshine that refuses to be dimmed.
💙 Peace is Blue – Calming. Steady. A cool current in chaotic waters.
💚 Patience is Green – Growing. Grounded. Gentle strength in every season.
💕 Kindness is Pink – Tender. Compassionate. Soft enough to heal wounds.
🧡 Goodness is Orange – Vibrant. Honest. A visible virtue.
💜 Faithfulness is Purple – Loyal. Regal. Not swayed by storms.
🌸 Gentleness is Lilac – Subtle. Strong. A whisper that moves mountains.
🖤 Self-control is Black – The outline. The boundary. The wisdom that holds everything in place.

Every day, the Spirit hands us the crayon box.
The question isn’t “Are you gifted?”
It’s “What fruit-color are you letting shine today?”

Even if you’re feeling broken, worn down, or only good for scribbles, God can still use you to create beauty—on someone’s heart, in someone’s storm, through someone’s doubt.

Stay tuned: this is just the first stroke of the canvas.
Next up, we’ll dive into each Fruit of the Spirit—one color at a time—and see how God’s palette transforms our walk.

Make sure you sign up to receive all devotionals in this series: Coloring in the Fruits of the Spirit.