Ephesians (2018)

Can mankind be trained to a point where they are perfected, as some people believe? Listen to this lesson to understand that believers can grow to spiritual maturity by learning the Word of God. See that is why it is so important to attend church on a regular basis as the pastor-teacher teaches biblical truth. Find out about three roles of the pastor-teacher which are equipping the saints for the work of the ministry with the goal of building the body of Christ. Hear four principles that will help a believer choose a local church to attend.

Is the pastor of your church a fake pastor? Listen to this lesson to find out how to answer that question. See that it depends upon the role he assumes and find out that the role of teacher is the spiritual gift needed for a pastor. Hear about the life of an amazing man, Granville Sharp, and see if his grammatical rule can be applied to Ephesians 4:11 concerning the church leadership of the pastor-teacher. Decide if you are being spiritually nourished in the church you attend so you can grow to maturity.

Are there different kinds of love in the New Testament? Listen to this lesson to hear about an incident after Jesus’ resurrection when He is explaining to Peter what his role will be after Jesus’ Ascension. Learn that there are differences between two Greek words for love that Jesus uses here and they are not synonyms. Find out that young sheep and adult sheep must be fed in different ways just as a pastor must “feed” the Word of God to his congregation.

What are the responsibilities of a good shepherd? Listen to this message to learn what the Old Testament has to say about good shepherds. Hear about two examples, Moses and David. Contrast what they did with Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s descriptions of false shepherds who lead the people off the path God wants for them. Understand that just as God was the Good Shepherd in the Old Testament, so Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd in the New Testament where teaching the Word of God is shepherding the flock.

The Bible likens believers to sheep. Listen to this lesson to learn that is definitely not a compliment. Hear what sheep are like and see the likenesses to ourselves. Find out that God is our Shepherd and that pastors are given that role also. Find out that being a shepherd involves teaching the Word of God to their congregations. Our role is to learn and apply it so that we are equipped for every good work.

Is it an evangelist’s job to preach? Listen to this lesson to learn the correct meaning of the Greek word for evangelism. See that instead of preaching, it involves proclaiming or announcing the gospel. See the biblical definition of the word gospel. Learn about Philip, a New Testament evangelist, and two episodes concerning him in Acts 8. Realize that the primary role of an evangelist is to teach all believers to proclaim the gospel or good news that Jesus is the One who redeems us from our sins.

What three spiritual gifts are mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 as being temporary? Listen to this lesson to learn that the spiritual gifts of prophecy and knowledge are said to be ones that will fade away. Find out why this is true and what needs to be completed before that will happen. See that the spiritual gift of tongues or languages will cease completely and what its purpose was. Understand that it is directed as a warning to Jewish unbelievers of the judgment that was coming to them because of their unbelief.

Do current Church Age believers have the same spiritual gifts that the believers in the early Church had? Listen to this lesson to learn the difference between the permanent spiritual gifts and those that were temporary. Hear a brief history of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements to learn about the spiritual gift of tongues and whether it is still being given today. Learn four interpretive keys to help you understand this important subject.

What is an apostle according to the Bible? Listen to this lesson to learn about gifts bestowed on men designed for the local church. Hear nine facts about biblical apostles. See three things indicative of apostles. Hear six facts about prophets and find out the difference between Old Testament and New Testament prophets. Understand that the purpose of these two foundational spiritual gifts was to establish the local church at its beginning.

Click here for the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) book Dr. Dean referenced during this lesson.

Also, at the 2020 Pre-Trib Study Group conference, Dr. George Gunn made an informative presentation on the NAR.

Are you confused about what the differences are between Israel, the Church, and the Kingdom? Listen to this lesson to learn that these are three distinct entities and none can replace the others. See that the Church is only present in the time in which we live and could not start until after Christ’s death on the Cross, His Resurrection, and His Session. Find out the Kingdom will occur in the future and has not begun yet. Hear three takeaways from this lesson that will clear up any misunderstandings in this important matter.