Author Archives: Jay F Guin

About Jay F Guin

My name is Jay Guin, and I’m a retired elder. I wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace about 18 years ago. I’ve spoken at the Pepperdine, Lipscomb, ACU, Harding, and Tulsa lectureships and at ElderLink. My wife’s name is Denise, and I have four sons, Chris, Jonathan, Tyler, and Philip. I have two grandchildren. And I practice law.

John’s Gospel: Questions for John 1:35-51

Portraits of Jesus Lesson 3: Portraits of the First Followers John 1:35-51 Note the “titles” used for Jesus: Rabbi (Teacher) by two of John’s disciples Messiah (Christ) Andrew to Peter One Moses and Prophets wrote about – Philip to Nathanael … Continue reading

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Study: Selflessness Leads to Spiritual Maturity

I’m an Ed Stetzer fan. Among other things, Stetzer works with Lifeway to do research on the state of the contemporary church. They recently interviewed nearly 3,000 church members to determine their level of spiritual maturity and what influenced the … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 10

Toward a better model Now, rather than looking for good reasons to plant a church, let’s instead ask whether there might be a better model for church planting. Suppose a young minister feels called to reach out to the local … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 9.2

I need to make another point or two regarding the comment quoted in the last post — I have no desire to come under Baptist, Methodist, or any other “ist” teachings. We may all agree by faith that Jesus is … Continue reading

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On Having Facebook Hacked

Well, my wife’s Facebook account was hacked the other day. And then Wednesday, my account was hacked. The attacker used the same password to hack into my Google Reader account (surely so he could read all the good theology I … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 9.1

Monty wrote a comment that I greatly appreciate, because I’m sure he speaks for many readers in what he says. He raises questions that deserve an answer. Isn’t baptism for remission of sins the greatest divide between members of churches of Christ … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 9

Restoration Movement principles The Restoration Movement was founded to teach a rejection of denominational division by refusing to consider denominational differences to be barriers to fellowship. Alexander Campbell wrote, The principle which was inscribed upon our banners when we withdrew … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 8

Bad reasons to plant Let’s eliminate some bad reasons to plant a church: * I need to move to a new town for personal reasons. [Could there be a more self-centered motivation?] * There’s a culture within the city that … Continue reading

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Church Plants: So You Want to Start a Church? Part 7

From Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together — On innumerable occasions a whole Christian community has been shattered because it has lived on the basis of a wishful image. Certainly serious Christians who are put in a community for the first time … Continue reading

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Elders: A Question About Eligibility for Office

Reader and frequent commenter Jerry Starling asked, I’d love to see your thoughts on these two matters: is a plurality of elders required? and what about the widower elder? Here goes– The plurality of elders Regarding the plurality of elders, you … Continue reading

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