David Cox

Evangelistic Character

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Evangelistic Character

True Biblical Character for Evangelists (Evangelistic Character)

1Thess 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Paul wrote this epistle focusing in part on their work and character among the Thessalonians when they were evangelizing them. What is amazing is that apparently Paul was with them for a short month, and yet he left a vibrant church. This high effectiveness has to be explained by the Holy Spirit working among them, yet at the same time, it is that evidence of the Holy Spirit working through their moral character and life as the Thessalonians saw them.

This epistle reveals that Paul was worried about his own ministry, specifically that he was doing it correctly before God. The assurance that he was doing it correctly is in the gospel he gave, and his own personal testimony. This was reflected in the results of his ministry, specifically the fruit of his ministry as seen in the life of the church at Thessalonica.

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Old Testament Elders

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Old Testament Elders

Topic: Old Testament Elders
By Pastor David Cox

Taken from a white paper by David Cox written August 11, 1994

The New Testament does not lay down a whole lot of foundational teaching on elders (some, but not a lot). This is because the concept of “elders” is already defined in the Old Testament. The idea of elders comes from the tribes of Israel, where there is in this culture a profound respect for “older people”. This respect extends to giving them a place on administration and group decisions as well as weighing in on many matters.

Let me say that there is a difference between an older person and an elder. The difference is that an elder is a person who is respected because of HOW he lived his life. Basically hard work, good decisions, and faithfulness to the basic tasks of work, home, family, nation, and church is what defines a person as an elder. In the Old Testament there were not churches of course, but “the congregation” or the people of Israel in their religious capacity. Before this structure came to be though, the elders of a group of people saw to the religious affairs of that group. Job is an example that is without date, but very old. Yet without the tabernacle nor the temple, Job was worried about the religious state of his children. The is a good man being an elder. We see Cain and Able offering sacrifices for their family, and Abraham as well. This leadership in life is what makes the difference between an old man and an elder.

In time, God brought chosen leaders onto the scene, and while in a sense they replaced the elders as leaders, they really only became more focused leaders given over to the ministry of administration and leadership. They both received support the elders, and they ministered to the elders.

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Few Outwardly Focused Ministries

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Few Outwardly Focused Ministries

Few Outwardly Focused Ministries
By David Cox

Following our study of 7 Deadly sins of a dying church, the next one is that they have few outwardly focused ministries. The key here is introspection, or a selfishness of doing everything for their own selves. As a missionary, I have experienced some 50 years of watching things in local churches. At one time churches rallied around their work abroad, and today, church after church either just does not support missions at all, or their missions budget is sending their own people on joy rides around the world (mission trips) where the go to England to pass out some tracts, and mostly see sights.

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