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Yes, the Bible does set standards. As I said, that is why hubs and I stand firmly on divorced men pastoring/deaconing. Your question about counseling, however, is not something the Bible speaks to. So in that case, it would depend on the spiritual growth of the person. Just as a point of correction, Reagan did not coin that term. Not sure who actually did, but it became policy during Clinton's regime. It was not in play at all during Reagan's years. Nor even Bush's. @Napsterdad - I truly get the conundrum. There are a number of folks I personally know who were divorced before salvation. There is, in fact (or was a few decades ago - I have no idea now if they still do this) a college where a professor claimed that God said, "you got a what?" when someone said he couldn't preach because he was divorced before salvation. Sadly, it came out that this man and his wife were child abusers...I know, different sin, but my point in it is that when someone is involved in what he was, it casts serious doubt on ALL of his teachings. There is nowhere in scripture that teaches God would say, "you got a what?" Ezra 10 does indeed talk about the men putting away their wives and the children from those marriages. The reason was because they married outside of Israel, thus bringing pagan beliefs into the tribes. However, we have to realize that this bit of history is not instruction for us to follow in regards to marriage. This was OT economy not Church under grace actions. I do wrestle with this sometimes - even though I firmly believe it - because my mother heart hurts for my son, who had a bad first marriage. He can preach with the best of them, studies and learns his Bible, leads his family in the ways of the Lord, witnesses, etc. But...he is in agreement with us that he cannot pastor or deacon. God has most definitely forgiven him and restored what the locust ate. But actions have consequences even when we've been forgiven. As to the husband of one wife instruction...it is commonly accepted that this was stated in allusion to the fact that polygamy was common and Paul was instructing Timothy that a pastor was not to have multiple wives. It has become very popular to say that a divorced man who has remarried only has one wife. I believe that is in response to the fact that so many pastors have been divorced and remarried as a way to put a stamp of approval on their remaining in the pulpit (or being "restored" after a certain time of repentance). I know it's not a biblical "argument," but in reference to the idea that this passage is simply speaking of polygamy/polyandry (multiple husbands) it is interesting to note that divorce and remarriage is considered "serial polygamy." Which means having more than one wife, just not all at the same time. Just some thoughts. Oh, and I want to add...neither my hubs nor myself look down on folks who have been divorced who remain in the pulpit. We have enough on our plates without trying to eat their food.

@HappyChristianThank you for the well-reasoned response. More grist for the mill. There is a good amount of gray area here. Perhaps this is one of those issue that we will never have a definitive answer to this side of Heaven. And when we are there it really won't matter anymore will it?

We have too many pastors out there with strong convictions, but when those convictions apply to themselves, they no longer hold to them. Didn't Jesus in Matthew condemned those who enforced standards on others while not adhering to them themselves?

Biblically, my hubs and I believe it is still wrong. As to a divorced man giving counseling, well - if he has learned from what brought about the divorce and has grown spiritually, I personally wouldn't have a problem with it. I don't think the Bible addresses it, either, so there's nothing we could say is unbiblical about it. Now, if the man is an unrepentant adulterer, then no way (and believe me, there are far too many unrepentant adulterers in pulpits and/or involved in ministries).

We do not currently have a Sunday Evening Service. Working a full-time job takes up a lot of my resources, but the goal is to have a Sunday Evening Service one day.

Myself being a divorced Christian, disqualify myself as being a deacon, or pastor. But I can be an evangelist, teacher, in the music, an usher, I can baptized a person. I can be an advisor to the pastor or other elders and leaders. This comes with time, learning and well earned respect.

Whenever people ask me why to have an evening service, my two points are 1. It was the only service time we know of that Jesus attended after his resurrection (John 20:19-29). and 2. Work Schedules are so messed up now days that many people can't attend Sunday morning. Our church recently had a young couple that attended (and got saved) because ours was the only church with an evening service and being in the military he had to work in the mornings. Those are the reasons I like them but not every church needs to have them, particularly when it's a bi-vocational or small/Rual church. Each church will have to decide which types of services/community outreach ministry times that they have based on its people and its opportunities or limitations. Nor would it make the church better or worse off for not having one "just because". Just because churches die because they care more about what has always been than about reaching their community.

I grew up in "three to thrive" IFB churches, plus as an mk, often attended multiple missions conferences a year. I was in church throughout the week all throughout my childhood and well into my adulthood. The church I attend now does not have Sunday evening services. They have a Bible study before the morning service and recently have started a Wednesday night Bible study service. It's a small church that has multiple ministries serving the community. The lack of a Sunday evening service doesn't mean they are serving God less, ministering less, or fellowshipping less. I read the article, which is just an opinion piece that doesn't Biblically explain why Sunday evening services are important. It seems to be a nostalgia-filled article on why Sunday evenings are special to him. I added my thoughts to his main arguments: "It was special because we were able to hear the preacher again. " "He spoke directly to us. He challenged us more. He exhorted a bit more." Why preach differently? Sunday morning services shouldn't be different than Sunday evening services. "It was a family meeting where he could be more candid with the members of the family." No, again, Sunday morning shouldn't be any different. Why should visitors cause someone to respond less, listen less, or fellowship less in the morning service? It's almost like once the visitors are gone, you can breathe after holding your breath. Are visitors really that much of an 'outsider' presence that it changes the atmosphere of the church service? "It was another chance to become closer to one another." "After all there was no one there that we were trying to impress." Impress? Really? Church services shouldn't be about impressing anyone. "It puts sports, football in particular, in its place." With streaming, this is a moot point. Any sports fanatic will find a way to watch their team in between services and stay up to date on that oh-so-very vital information, that's not putting sports 'in its place'. "It gave us another chance to do something for the Lord." This is probably the only point I agree with. For those in larger churches space for special music, or other in-church ministries is limited, so another service will give someone who desires to serve God in a church service an opportunity to do so. People who work or otherwise can't come in the morning have a chance to do so in the evening. However, these are not Biblical reasons for Sunday evening services, it's just a good point.

Haha, sounds like you’re doing all the hard work! If only you were a pastor, right? Then you could just preach, shake hands, and have all the free food show up. But for now, it looks like your wife is keeping you busy with all that car washing and laundry folding!

I understand that. The real issue for me would be if someone added something to the Bible and claimed it as part of the Word of God. Anything else is just there for helps. For the record, I won't be buying a Trump Bible either.

My ex BIL was a militant IFB pastor for many years. He and my sister had five daughters, two sets of twins and a single birth, and he was strongly against divorced men in the pulpit or even serving in the church. To my mother and fathers face he was "respectful", but in actions in front of his eife and kids at home he was a Pharisee making himself out to be far better than he was. After my sister divorced him for extreme mental cruelty towards her and the girls, he started using the verse about letting the unbeliever depart. After a couple of years working at Lowes he started working with the youth of the church he was attending and remarried. He later became the youth pastor. A couple of years later he threw ALL of his beliefs out the window to justify becoming a pastor again. He now pastors a church in S. Georgia. He councils others concerning divorce and consistently tries to relieve himself of any responsibility in his own. It's sad how many who are staunchly anti divorced men in the pastorate are for it once it's come to their doorstep.