Why Have Standards For Church Workers? (Part 4)

HIGH STANDARDS ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO HAVE HIGH STANDARDS.

It is a tremendous frustration for a family to have high standards if workers in their church do not have the same kind of high standards. Likewise, if the church maintains high standards for its workers, it is a tremendous encouragement to the families who are striving to maintain good standards. It reinforces their position. Parental standards are undermined when churches allow workers with unbiblical standards to minister. The parents' job is made more difficult. This creates tremendous confusion and great potential for problems. The young people are tempted to fault their parents with being unreasonable legalists. The youth workers cannot back up the parents because they live contrary to godly standards. This makes them uncomfortable, so they are tempted to speak against those parents and label them as "legalistic," "self-righteous," "holier than thou," etc. The parents who have the higher standards can be seen as the "trouble makers" no matter how perfect their hearts are toward the Lord.

If the standards for the church are set low, it produces carnel Christians. The standards should be set at the higher, Biblical level for the purpose of discipling and bringing those with low standards up to a higher level.

Why Have Standards For Church Workers? (Part 3)

HIGH STANDARDS PROVIDE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES.

New Christians are excited about their new found relationship with the Lord and with a Bible-believing Baptist church. Godly Sunday School teachers can take them aside and kindly explain some of the basics about godly standards. They may be a little embarrassed, but they will also be thankful that someone took the time to instruct them about right and wrong. They will learn to live by those Biblical standards that will challenge them and also provide a teaching opportunity to instruct them in holiness.

Selah... Do What?

The word “Selah” is used over 70 times in Psalms and three times in the Book of Habakkuk. From what I've studied, it seems that it is a musical interlude or transition. The Hebrew word for Selah is celah { seh’-law}; Strong's #5542. It means “to lift up.” The expression seems to mark a climax in the music in which the singers and musicians are to “lift up” their praise to God.

When I visited Peru several years ago, on a mission trip, one of the things I was amazed with was the singing in the churches we visited. When those people sang, they really sang out. They didn't yell, they "sang out." Oh how we need to lift up our voices of praise to the Lord. I don't think that means we need to "yell" when we sing. I've been in services where the people who were singing were literally yelling the words; as if God were hard of hearing. I've been singing for over 30 years. In all those years I've never seen the need to yell so the Lord can hear me. Some may think it is more spiritual; maybe they think it makes them look more spiritual. I'm not trying to be "overly" critical, but if the Lord has given someone the ability to sing, they need to be good stewards of that ability.

A few years ago my son had nodules on his vocal chords. We went to a specialist that taught him how to and how not to use his voice. Most people may not realize it, but you can actually abuse your vocal chords by talking too soft. Of course you can also damage your vocal chords by yelling. Isn't God's design of our bodies amazing!?

I guess what I'm getting at is that we need to lift up our voices to the Lord in a way that honors and glorifies Him. My thinking is instead of yelling to the Lord (or whispering for that matter), we should lift up our voices unto the Lord and PRAISE HIS NAME!!
"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;" Ephesians 5:19

Why Have Standards For Church Workers? (Part 2)

HIGH STANDARDS CHALLENGE CHRISTIANS TO HIGHER LIVING.

One person explained their personal experience this way: "As a new Christian I was happy to find a church which held forth high standards. It was an encouragement to me. I still smoked, had long hair, cussed a little, listened to rock music, went to indecent movies, etc., but I knew instinctively that the church is supposed to practice and preach holiness. I did not look for a church where the people lived like I did as a brand new Christian; I looked for a church where the people were striving to walk in Bible holiness. I was challenged to begin cleaning up my life because the workers in the church held forth a high standard before me. If that had not been the case, I could have been comfortable in my immature worldliness and it is possible that I would not have changed. The pastor challenged me from the pulpit and the workers challenged me with their lives. I also learned that the Bible School I wanted to attend did not allow worldly things, and I was challenged by this to raise my personal standards. I have never regretted this."

Today, though, churches are allowing the bogus and carnal cry of "legalism" to intimidate them into dropping their standards. As a result, new Christians are not challenged to live holier lives, to separate from the world. They can be comfortable with worldliness because that is what they see in some of the workers.

Why Have Standards For Church Workers? (Part 1)

HIGH STANDARDS RAISE AND MAINTAIN THE OVERALL STANDARDS OF A CHURCH.
God requires high standards for pastors and others involved in ministry because they are examples for the congregation and they represent the church in the eyes of people in the community (Titus 2:3,4; 1 Peter 5:3). If Sunday School teachers or Youth Ministry workers do not have high moral standards in their personal lives and homes, it brings down the standards of the entire congregation. The students who sit under the influence of these teachers are impressed more with their teacher's lives than with their words. The teacher might say it is important to be holy for the Lord, but this will sound hollow if that teacher is involved in carnal and worldly things and if they do not exemplify the things which are preached from the pulpit. Young people are already powerfully enticed by the world. If their teachers are worldly, they will be doubly encouraged to go in that direction and they will be even more worldly than their teachers. If the teachers watch PG-13 movies; the kids will watch R-rated ones. If the teachers wear skirts one inch above the knee, the kids will wear skirts two or three or four inches above the knee. A church absolutely must set forth and enforce the highest moral standards for its workers in order to raise and maintain the standards of the entire church.