Sometimes men think differently than women or children. I know this is hard to comprehend by some in our overly hostile-against-the-patriarchy culture, but men think and act in ways that are truly beneficial to the church.

A man, that is a good man, a godly man, will focus on the protection or guardianship of his home. The idea of a husband comes from the agrarian practice of stewarding the land. Husbands, who are men, really, they are men, are called by God to husband their wives and homes. A husband stewards those under his care. This is why the Apostle Paul appointed elders [overseers/bishops] in the churches of the first century. He followed the model of Jesus elders [overseers/bishops] in the churches of the first century. He followed the model of Jesus who appointed apostles to steward the gospel and the church.

Paul’s epistle to Titus is another of Paul’s pastoral epistles. He echoes the same need to Titus for elders in the local churches of Crete that he did to Timothy with the churches in Ephesus. In both circumstances Paul desired elders be appointed to safeguard the integrity of the gospel from heretical and false teachers. Yet for Titus, and the churches of Crete, Paul more strongly emphasized the duty of the elder as God’s steward over the church.

Let’s dig into Paul’s instructions in Titus 1:1-9 for the care of God’s church on the ancient island of Crete.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

The apostles delegated the practical ministry of distribution of benevolence to the poor because they saw that what was being neglected was their most important ministry for the church.

Not only were the needs of the widows and the poor being neglected, so too was the critical need for prayer and preaching. Prayer and ministry of the word was the most important ministry that the apostles could provide the church body.

Pray AND Ministry of the word.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church is located in Cookeville, TN. Our desire is to honor Christ by loving the fallen world as Christ loved us. We learn how to love the world from God's Word by studying, growing, and applying God's Word in our lives and in our worship. We firmly believe that hearing God's Word is the path to understanding and experiencing salvation in Christ alone.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

2523 Hwy 111 North

Cookeville, TN 38506

sovereigngracebaptist.org

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Disconnection brings chaos while unity brings amazing passion and hope. What do I mean by this?

Have you ever rushed out of the door in the morning to find little Susan crying in the bathroom, little Johnny hiding in a closet somewhere, the car keys have vanished, and the dog just broke away from his leash outside and is digging up the neighbor's prized petunias.

Or imagine the separation of family due to career or marriages or even calls to ministry. The glorious gathering of the family at the holidays or for a family reunion melts the despair of the separation. Loving families long to be reunited whenever possible.

Wouldn’t it be great to have everyone in the family on the same schedule and gathered together ready to come to church with joyful harmony and purpose? Sometimes it would be great to sound a trumpet for all to hear and all come obediently to father and mother knowing that a gathering together was for a wonderful purpose. There would suddenly be HOPE.

We hear the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:31 where at HIS second coming, HIS return on the clouds of heaven, HE will call with angelic trumpet and send out his angels to gather ALL of the elect to himself. No one will be left behind. No one will be forgotten. The covenant witness will be fulfilled. Christ Jesus will usher in an eternal dwelling with, tabernacling with, HIS people as was promised long ago.

Let's dig into Matthew 24: 29-31 together.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Olivet Discourse: So Will Be The Coming

The sign of a great story, a great movie, or a great novel, is that the climax does not dissapoint. The narrative will drop hints that draws the listener into a longed for event. When this climax happens, the listener or, participant in the story, feels the excitement as not the end of the story, but simply the beginning to a deeper truth of the story. The climax harmonizes the various points of interest within the story. This is how the Olivet Discourse describes the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Jesus now speaks to his disciples of the full manifestation of the kingdom of heaven. His description in verses twenty-nine to thirty-one is actually the direct response to the questions first posed by the disciples in verse three.

"Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" [Matthew 24:3]

Here Jesus speaks with apocalyptic figurative language akin to the prophet Isaiah. In so doing, Jesus comforts his disciples. The eventual climax of the kingdom story is Christ's second return to gather his elect to him for all eternity.

There are two expressions in this passage. • Cosmic shaking of astral chaos: 29-30 • The Coming and gathering: 30-31

We will only cover the cosmic effects of Christ's return from verses twnety-nine to thirty today. Next week's sermon will focus solely on the gathering of Christ's to himself as he comes on the clouds of the air.

Let's dig into Jesus' teaching on the sign of his coming in Matthew 24:29-31.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/