There seems to be a very dangerous misconception that a building/pulpit is what determines if one must follow these Biblical requirements when leading people. If you are teaching, preaching, speaking into someone’s life, giving counsel, instruction, etc in the name of the Lord then you are held to the same Biblical standard of anyone doing that. Believing you are above the requirements by simply saying “it’s my home, Facebook, YouTube, I’m not in a building, I don’t even have a pulpit, etc ” may lower the expectations of others but it will not of God. He set these requirements to protect his children, not buildings. In the words of so many people who have left the “church” in rebellion…the Church is not a building, it’s the people, you don’t need a building to have a church!
James 3:1 NKJV
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
1 Timothy 3:2-13 NKJV
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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