Rebecca

I don't agree with everything Mark said, but I do agree with him that this forum has a lot of strife (I wouldn't call it rage). It's why I've posted less and less over the time I've been on here, and when I do post I try not to get caught up in the arguments. Calling someone else's culture weird just because it's different from your own is unnecessary. As a missionary steeped in Asian culture, maybe I'm just another outsider looking in on these forums, but one thing I've learned is that different is not weird.

I would say, if the drums are used in such a way as to compliment the song service, then there's no problem. If the drums detract from the service, such as overwhelm any other instruments and the singing, then they're a distraction. I've been to a few churches that had an entire orchestra, including drums, that really enhanced and added to the enjoyment of the song service. So really, it depends on the usage.

I have been to many backwoods, rural, old fashioned country churches, but have never attended a snake handling one. If I had, I would have walked out of the service. Not because I fear the snakes, but because of the stupidity of it. I have gladly stood near wildlife handlers who were holding (non-venomous) snakes and give educational talks about them, and had no fear. Not anywhere close to the stupidity of most snake handling churches who practically invite the venomous snakes to bite them. Even expert snake handlers who use extreme caution handling snakes have been bitten, so it's just a matter of time before the non-expert, careless snake handlers in a church accidentally drops a snake and it strikes at the nearest person, or allows it to bite an innocent bystander because they put the snake in compromising situations where it feels the need to defend itself.

You need to be careful with blanket statements, as there are parties that should be steered clear of. If there is immorality, drunkeness, wild behaviors, etc.. then it is not a good party. Now, I do agree that if it is a good party, friendships made, family coming together to celebrate something good and wholesome, having an enjoyable time together, etc., then that's all fine.

I've heard sermons about Demas over the years, often the sermon condemns Demas as being unsaved and leaving the church to follow his worldly heart. However, I have also heard sermons that put forth the argument that Demas was saved, but the missionary life (extremely dangerous, especially at the point where Paul mentions Demas forsaking him) was too much for him and the thought of losing his life (loving the present world = he was afraid to die) was what made him decide to leave Paul and move to Thessalonica. Also, the verse says Demas forsook Paul, not God. These sermons about Demas being a Christian raise the question that possibly when he moved to Thessalonica he continued in the church there, just not in ministry of any kind. I've heard both theories of Demas preached with equal authority and passion for God's word, but the truth is, we don't know. Only God knows the truth of Demas' heart and why he chose to forsake Paul and the ministry and move to Thessalonica. There are missionaries and pastors who leave the field and pastorate all the time for various reasons. Doesn't mean they left God as well.

I just checked one of my past posts from September 30th and there is an edit button. I clicked it just to see and it seems I could edit the post if I wanted to. Although, I am using my laptop, perhaps the layout and options are different if you're on a phone or using an app?

Whichever. Anything capable of holding the Bible or notes is fine. Table, music stand, etc.

"Brandon" is a derogatory term for Biden. If you hear or see the phrase "Let's go, Brandon", what people are really saying is "**** Joe Biden". The phrase went "viral" after NASCAR winner Brandon Brown won the race and thought people were chanting his name. They weren't.

They have answered the question though. They say it's because the species of ape humans descended from are not the same species of ape that exist now. There was a split way back when and one species evolved into what are now humans and the others evolved into the apes that are still apes. The other answer is because during the evolutionary process any ape species that began to evolve higher intelligence were killed by the evolving humans so we alone became the superior ones. The other ape species could only survive by not evolving higher intelligence.

I'm in a quarantine hotel in Taiwan, it's been almost two weeks, I have another day and then freedom! But I just wanted to share the different lunchbox meals the hotel provided. I didn't take a picture of every meal , but this will give you an idea of what typical Taiwanese food looks like. My favorite, pork dumplings and corn soup. How they delivered my food.

Thanks for the in depth reply, Jim, it's very helpful to have things to consider that I may not have thought of! I'll try to answer the questions best I can. For some background, the property I'm talking about belonged to my parents, once my dad passed away, my younger sister quit her job and moved back to Missouri help care for our mom, who has recently decided to move into town. My sister and I decided we would continue to care for the property rather than sell it off, with my sister being the one in charge since I will mainly be in Taiwan and only be able to physically help when I am back in the States. Personally, I want nothing to do with milking cows or goats. My sister thinks differently on that one. The goal I would have for livestock is for meat. Although I do want a pet Highland cow (it's not practical, I know). For growing vegetables, I was thinking of doing raised beds. We have fruit trees, but they're struggling so in the future we may not get anymore. Our dad raised bees a very long time ago and we've thought about getting back into that. I do follow some homesteaders on youtube, but the ones I like to watch already have established hobby farms. I've learned a lot, but really it's not helpful for beginners. There are some that claim to help beginners, but they're either not likable and boring to watch or they're condescending or they don't explain things well. We're still in the research phase of this. It's going to be difficult especially since I will not actually be there to help most of the time, but it's been something both of us have wanted since we were children but never had the opportunity. Here are two of the dogs playing in the pond.

This is how the scene is often illustrated. How accurate it really is, I don't know, but it's how the scene was described so it's probably close.

Yes, it's exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I am not married, I work with the local pastors where needed. The church I'm helping in now I haven't needed or been asked to teach men, but in the prior church I was asked on occasion to do so because it was a very small, new church plant started from the ground up. I did everything except preach (piano, Bible studies, janitor, Sunday school, etc). I helped train the people who are now qualified to be in the positions they're in (except the now pastor, my dad taught him). I did it all under the guidance of my dad - the missionary who started the church, and now the local pastor. Once they had all the positions filled with locals who were doing an excellent job, I moved on to the next church, where I am now. So it wasn't a matter of men abdicating responsibility, there simply weren't many men knowledgeable in the Bible at that time to be the teachers. I was extremely happy once I was able to step back, do you know how intimidating it is to teach someone who holds a doctorate, haha!

If we wanted to begin the homestead life with 16 acres part wooded, part field, and a small pond and a house with no fence except around the property, what should we do first? What are the best farm animals (mention your preferred breed of animal, not just species) for beginners and why? What kind of containment and housing would each of these animals need? (location: Missouri) Random trespassing neighbors cow...fences may need repair, also shutting the gate might help. What kind of cow is this, maybe a Jersey or mix?

Acts 18: 24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. In the NT scripture, Aquila and Priscilla, a husband and wife team, taught Apollos what he was missing in scripture. It's clear to me that the three had a Bible study together, the wording suggests both Priscilla and Aquilla taught Apollos and he accepted their teaching, becoming a very strong and bold preacher for the cause of Christ. Priscilla may not have taught in the church or Sunday school(the Bible doesn't say), but she did teach Apollos, a man, in a Bible study together with her husband. My personal experience: I'm a missionary and there have been times I taught teen boys and men in Bible studies. In one instance, I held a Bible study at a hospital with the administrative staff (all women) during their lunch break. I have had a male pharmaceutical rep drop in on occasion to join the Bible study. Should I have told him he wasn't welcome because I was a woman and had no authority to teach him? Or is it because I taught at a hospital and not a church it's okay? At the church my dad started in Taiwan I taught Sunday school, which included teen boys up to age 16. There have been numerous times when a young child is afraid to go to Sunday school alone and the father sits with them in the class and participates in the lesson and activities with their child. Should I have insisted they go to the main service and let their child cry and disrupt class? (some parents did just this, I held the crying child and taught the lesson at the same time, no big deal for me, but other parents don't want their child crying) The choice was the father's, they wanted church to be a positive place and not a fearful place and so they listened to the lesson I taught. When the church decided to forgo VBS and church camp and instead hold a weeklong series of intensive Bible lessons, I was asked to teach in one of the hour slots. It was a mixed class, teenagers and adults. I am in Taiwan to minister mainly to children and women, but I will teach teen boys and men if asked to do so, although it happens rarely. I do not believe I am in any way usurping authority or putting myself (or women in general) on a pedestal. On the contrary, I believe I am submitting myself to my pastoral authority by obeying the instruction given to teach the truths of the Bible, no matter who may be listening.