Critical Issues
The Consequences of Our Heavenly Calling (44 min)
PART 7 – Michael Penfold preaches on the Christian’s citizenship. God has severed our links with a world under judgment. We are dead to the world, and are now a heavenly people, linked to a “Man in the glory”. But what are the consequences of our heavenly calling and how should we relate to the world in which we still live? Readings: John 12:31, 1 Cor 10:32, Phil 1:27-30, 3:20-21. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 30th Mar 2023) Complete…
Discovering and Using My Gift (51 min)
PART 6 – Michael Penfold preaches on the Christian’s stewardship of time, talent (gift), treasure and truth. Every Christian has one or more divinely given spiritual gifts, but how do you discover and use that gift? Readings: 1 Pet 4:10-11, 1 Cor 12:1, 4-6, 12-28. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 29th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship) What’s involved in being part…
What is the Biblical Church Leadership Model? (54 min)
PART 5 – Michael Penfold looks at the issue of “church leadership” (identification, designation, qualification, classification). Today’s mainline denominations use a hierarchical form of governance involving regional bishops. Large independent evangelical churches tend to have a group of “Pastors” who are responsible to a “board of elders”. Are either of these models scriptural? If not, what is the biblical model for assembly leadership? Readings: Acts 20:17, 28, 1 Pet 5:1-4, Titus 1:5-9. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 28th Mar…
It Matters How We Worship (50 min)
PART 4 – Michael Penfold preaches on concept and character of worship in the present dispensation. How churches worship has totally changed in the past 70 years, as music and emotion have come to the fore, but the Scripture is clear that we cannot just worship as we please, we must worship “in spirit and in truth”. Readings: 1 Pet 2:4-5, 9, Heb 13:13-16, John 4:19-24. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 27th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly…
What’s Involved in Being Part of an Assembly? (51 min)
PART 3 – Michael Penfold preaches on the privileges and responsibilities of being in fellowship in a New Testament assembly. In light of what Scripture has to say on this subject, what are we to make of an “open table” and inter-denominationalism? Readings: Acts 2:41-43, 9:26-28. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 26th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship) What’s involved in being…
Why Are Head Coverings in Only One Chapter? (52 min)
PART 2 – The present-day use of head coverings is sometimes questioned because “they are only in one chapter of the Bible”. Michael Penfold addresses this issue as he sets out the order, meaning, operation and symbols of the biblical doctrine of “headship”. Readings: 1 Cor 11:1-17, 1 Tim 2:8-15. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 25th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship)…
The Evangelical Revolution (48 min)
PART 1 – The evangelical revolution of recent years has, in many places, turned “the church” into a reflection of the consumer culture that surrounds it. Michael Penfold looks at the topic of the relationship of Christ to the local assembly – He owns it, He dwells in it, He rules it – to refocus our thoughts biblically on this issue. Readings: 2 Tim 4:1-3, 1 Cor 14:37. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 25th Mar 2023) Complete series on…
