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Due to our society’s deteriorated values of the sacredness of marriage, an increasing number of ministers require premarital counselling with couples before they will perform a marriage ceremony. Years past, when divorce was less frequent and children had better family role models, such counselling was not as common. Counselling will usually establish a scriptural foundation for marriage and try to prepare them for the inevitable challenges ahead.

A minister generally feels that he has been given a sacred trust by God to perform a marriage, and will be reluctant to discharge such functions for a couple who are obviously unprepared. Many ministers may refuse to perform a marriage between a Christian and an unbeliever, between persons who have been previously divorced without scriptural grounds, or for other reasons of conscience.

Frequently asked questions about the church often include the many cliches, theological terms, and vernacular used by ministers and laymen. Many of these terms originated from scripture or tradition, perhaps taken from Greek or Latin words, or from the old English vernacular of the King James Version. The following are many of such terms and their meaning:

Anathema — The Greek word for cursed or condemned, as used in the King James Version. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (1 Cor. 16:22 KJV).

Anointing — A biblical term to describe the application of oil (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) in an act of consecrating sacred objects or persons, such as a priest or King. It also refers to an endowment of God’s Spirit, blessing, or approval upon a servant of God. The Messiah literally means “anointed one.” “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you…” (1 John 2:27).

Anointing the sick — From the New Testament, this refers to elders of the church, applying oil (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) upon the body of one who is sick, to be followed by prayer. Olive oil is believed to be the original type used. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5.14).

Apocalypse — From the Greek, APOKALYPSIS, meaning “revelation or unveiling,” as used in Rev. 1:1. The New Testament book of Revelation is frequently referred to as the Apocalypse.

Apostle — A person sent by God. One of five office gifts described in Ephesians 4.11.

Arminian — Generally used as a reference to subscribers of a theological view held by Arminius, A Dutch Protestant theologian (1560 – 1609). Arminius refuted Calvin’s doctrine of unconditional predestination, limited atonement and unresistable grace, and stood for universal salvation for all.

Atonement — Literally, “a covering,” as in covering our sins from God’s sight. It is used in reference to a sinner’s reconciliation with God through the sufferings of Christ. “Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake!” (Psa. 79:9).

Apology — A theological term to describe a contention made in defense of the Christian faith. It is derived from the Greek, APOLOGIA, meaning “a defense in conduct or procedure.” Apologetics is the study of this explanation or defense.

Baptism in water — The act of being immersed in water in obedience to scripture, as a statement of faith in Christ. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).

Baptism in Holy Spirit — The experience of being immersed and filled with the Holy Spirit. “…for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).

Baptismal — A term describing the event of baptizing or the place where baptisms are performed.

Bishop — An overseer, originally the principle officer of a local church, but evolved into a position of supervision over multiple churches. Elder or presbyter usually referred to the same person. “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work” (1 Tim. 3:1).

Body of Christ — The universal assembly of all believers. “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Cor. 12:27).

Born-again — The state of being born in the Spirit, resulting from placing faith in Jesus Christ. “Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Brethren — A plural term for brothers, either as siblings or Christian brothers. “Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Here are My mother and My brothers!” (Matt. 12:48-49).

Bride of Christ — The church, or the body of Christ. “…Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Rev. 19:9). “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:9).

Called — To be chosen of God for a particular purpose. “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…” (1 Cor. 1:1).

Calvinist — A reference to those who subscribe to the doctrines of John Calvin (1509-64), who taught the concept of unconditional predestination, limited atonement, and irresistible grace, sometimes referred to as eternal security.

Canon — A Greek reference to a “reed” or measuring rule. This pertains to those writings which are considered to be sacred or divinely inspired.

Canticles — From Latin, CANTICUM which means a “song.” Often interchanged as the title of the Old Testament book, Song of Solomon.

Catholic — A Latin term taken from the Greek, KATHOLIKOS, meaning “universal,” referring to all believers.

Charismatic — Comes from the Greek word CHARISMATA which means gifted. A Christian who believes in or practices speaking in tongues and the present-day operation of the spiritual gifts.

Church Hopper — A person who attends different churches without a commitment to any one in particular, or one who changes churches frequently.

Communion — A memorial supper of bread and wine, symbolizing the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16).

Contrition — An expression of humility, sorrow or repentance for sin. “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psa. 34:18).

Convert — One who has been “converted” as a Christian by placing faith in Jesus Christ. “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

Covenant — A sacred, irrevocable promise between God and man. “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Acts 3:25).

Conviction — An inner awareness of truth. “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” (John 8:9).

Creed — A statement of beliefs which include the fundamentals considered necessary to salvation.

Deacon — Literally a servant. An office of servant ministry within the church. “But let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless” (1 Tim. 3:10).

Decalogue — A reference to the ten commandments.

Demon — A devil, an agent of Satan.

Demon possessed — To have a demon or demons. Sometimes interpreted as being possessed by demons. “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick” (Matt. 8:16).

Denomination — A cluster of individual churches, which have unified together due to their agreement on certain issues, and perhaps due to their disagreement with the viewpoints of other churches or denominations.

Devil — A reference to Satan, or one of his demon agents. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

Disciple — One who is taught or trained. “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

Dispensation — A determined period of time. “…that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him” (Eph. 1:10).

Doctrine — A teaching; That which is taught as the belief of a church. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Dogma — A belief which is held as authoritative and indisputable by a religious body.

Ecclesiastical — A term from the Greek, EKKLESIA, pertaining to the church or used in association with clergymen.

Edification — To build up and strengthen. “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church” (1 Cor. 14:4).

Elder — A mature believer charged with spiritual supervision and ministry within the church. Elder and bishop are generally used interchangeably in the New Testament. “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17).

Election — A term which means the process by which God selects someone to be saved. “…knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God” (1 Thes. 1:4).

Enemy — A synonym for Satan. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).

Epistles — Letters written under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to be read as instruction to the churches. “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren” (1 Thes. 5:27).

Eschatology — A theological term to describe the study of last events.

Esoteric — A term based upon customs in mysterious Greek religions to explain advanced doctrines only to the fully enlightened, as was probably inferred by this passage: “For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21).

Eternal Security — A term which generally refers to the doctrine of Calvinism and predestination. Stated simply, it suggests that once a person is saved, they cannot lose that salvation — they are eternally secure.

Eucharist — The Lord’s supper, communion.

Evangelical — A term to describe those with devotion to the Gospel of Jesus instead of the ecclesiastical or rationalistic forms of Christianity — Spiritual mindedness and zeal for Christ rather than ritualism.

Evangelist — A proclaimer or preacher of the good news. One of five office gifts described in Ephesians 4:11.

Fall of Man — Mankind’s estranged condition from God through sin, as originated with the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden.

Fasting — Abstaining from eating food for specified periods of time. “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23).

Fellowship — The spiritual relationship between believers and the Lord, and the gathering together of Christians in the name of Jesus. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7).

Fishers of men — A term Jesus first used to describe the soul-winning mission of his disciples. “And He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19).

Fornication — Any act of unsanctioned sexual behavior or perversion, especially used in association with sex outside the realm of marriage. “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;” (Eph. 5:3).

Fundamentalist — One who believes in the infallibility of the Bible as inspired by God and that it should be accepted literally.

Glossolalia — A theological term to describe the doctrine of speaking in tongues. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).

Gospel — Literally, “good news.” The story of Christ’s life, His death and resurrection, as described from different perspectives by eye-witness authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Their four individual records of Christ are each called a Gospel, entitled with each authors name — which comprise the first four books of the New Testament. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Hallelujah — A variation of a Hebrew word, Allelujah, which means Praise the Lord. “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God!” (Rev. 19:1).

Heaven — The eternal realm and dwelling place of God. “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 18:3).

Hell — From the Greek, GEHENNA (valley of Ge-Hinnom) used figuratively to describe the place of everlasting punishment for the unrighteous. (Also used for SHEOL and HADES, “the abode of the dead.”) “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matt. 18:9).

Holy Roller — This term has been used as a reference to Pentecostal believers, who are often associated with more emotional, Charismatic displays of worship. It is believed the term was coined to describe those so overwhelmed by the Spirit, that they would fall to the floor and roll in the aisles.

Indulgence — A term used by the Roman Catholic church to describe a remission of temporal punishment due to sins. The sale of indulgences by the church was the one of the first issues refuted by Martin Luther which inadvertently brought about reformation.

Inspired — A term which means originated of God or God breathed. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Intercession — To intercede in behalf of another person or cause in prayer. “…It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34).

Jehovah (Yahweh) — The English rendering of the Hebrew consonants, JHVA. This is God’s sacred name, used over 7,000 times in the Old Testament. The Jews considered this name to be so sacred that when reading scripture aloud, they preferred not to utter it, but would use the word Adonai, which means “Lord,” in its place. The transliteral pronunciation, Jehovah, was formed from the Hebrew consonants JHVA and the vowels from Adonai. However, scholars of ancient Hebrew say that JHVA was originally pronounced as “Yahweh.” The King James Version translated it as Jehovah, while new translations use Yahweh or Lord. “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psalms 83:18 KJV)

Justified — To be made just and right in God’s sight which occurs through our faith in Christ. “…being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

Laity — The laymen or non-clergy members of the church.

Lake of fire — The place of everlasting punishment — hell, GEHENNA. “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).

Lamb of God — A figurative term to describe Jesus as the lamb sacrifice for our sins, relating from the lamb sacrifices of the Old Testament. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Laying on of hands — The act of placing hands upon a person, in conjunction with prayer, to invoke God’s blessing or anointing. “…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:18).

Litany — A prescribed form of prayer made by minister or priest with congregational responses.

Liturgy — This is a prescribed form or collection of forms for public worship. In liturgical churches, the rite and ceremony is more prominent than the emphasis on preaching, evangelism, or spontaneous expressions of worship.

Lord’s Supper — A memorial meal for believers to commemorate Jesus’ death and suffering, using bread and wine as symbols of His broken body and shed blood, as was portrayed at His last supper with His disciples. It is also referred to as Holy Communion. “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20).

Lost — The state of not knowing God, unsaved, unregenerated. “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost” (Matt. 18:11).

Lucifer — The name of one of the Lord’s three archangels, who rebelled and was cast out of Heaven to the earth, where he dwells as Satan or the Devil. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!” (Isa. 14:12).

Mainline — A reference to long-standing denominational establishments; mainline churches are those such as the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and others.

Manifestation — The act of making obvious or bringing out in the open. “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

Maranatha — A Greek word which means “Our Lord comes,” or the coming of the Lord, used literally in the King James Version. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (1 Corinthians 16:22 KJV).

Messiah — A reference to Jesus Christ. Literally, “The Anointed One” (Dan. 9:25).

Millennium — A word that literally means “thousand,” referring to the future thousand years of Christ’s reign upon the earth. “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).

Minister — One who serves in a ministerial role of a church, as to preach sermons or conduct religious services, or to perform some service to the spiritual benefit of others. It literally means to serve, help or encourage. “…I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power” (Eph. 3:7).

Monotheism — The belief in one God.

Move of God — A traditional term to describe a spiritual stirring among God’s people, or the activity or manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

Mt. Zion — The mountain on which Jerusalem is built, where Solomon’s Temple rested. Frequently used metaphorically as where God dwells. “Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King” (Psa. 48:2).

Offering — A gift given from our own possessions or riches. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8).

Omnipotent — A theological term to describe the all-powerful characteristics of God.

Omnipresent — A theological term to express God’s characteristic of being everywhere at once.

Omniscient — A theological term to describe God’s all-knowing characteristics.

Ordained — Chosen, authorized or endorsed. Generally used to describe God’s approval. Ordination of a minister is the act of recognizing God’s endorsement upon an individual for a ministry office, implemented by the laying on of hands or the issuance of ministerial credentials. “…He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Ordinance — A religious rite or ceremony performed in obedience to scripture, but not considered a sacrament.

Orthodoxy — A belief in doctrines which are considered correct or sound.

Outpouring — A reference to a generous showering effect — often in association with the Holy Spirit. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).

Parishioner — A constituent or member of a church congregation or parish.

Pastor — By modern tradition, a person who is a minister and spiritual overseer of a church congregation — an elder or bishop. A pastor literally means “a shepherd,” a metaphoric description of one who cares for and leads a flock of God’s sheep. One of five office gifts described in Ephesians 4:11.

Pentateuch — A reference to the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy.

Pentecostal — A believer who claims the same experience of the early disciples on the day of Pentecost — the infilling of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-4). The Pentecostal embraces the present-day operation of the gifts of the Spirit.

Pews — The traditional bench-long seats in churches. The term originated from the French word, PUIE, “a raised place,” which was used to describe the boxed, balcony seats in a theater. In precolonial days, the term became identified with the enclosed boxed seats in a church sanctuary, and later to all church bench seats. Other tradition says that the term originated from pioneer days when bathing was sometimes infrequent, and the bench seats retained the odor from users.

Plead the blood — A term whose origin is associated with the story of the Passover, when the death angel passed over the home of Israelites who had wiped lamb’s blood on their doorposts (Ex. 12:1-15). It is sometimes used to describe a prayer appeal for God’s protection, symbolically covering us with Christ’s blood.

Polytheism — The belief in many Gods.

Pray-through — An older traditional term used to express earnest seeking of God in prayer until an inner confidence or peace is attained.

Preacher — One who proclaims monologues, or brings forth sermons or messages in relationship to the Bible. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).

Protestant — A term which originated with regards to Martin Luther and his followers. Because they “protested” against certain nonscriptural practices of the Roman Catholic Church, they were called “Protestants.”

Prophecy — The act of speaking from the mind of God. Either to forthtell or foretell. “…for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).

Prophet — One who speaks in God’s behalf, either to proclaim His written Word or to speak from His supernatural revelation. One of five office gifts described in Eph. 4:11.

Pulpit — The podium from which a minister preaches. The term was used in the King James Version, where a pulpit was something stood on for elevation when speaking to a crowd. “And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood…” (Nehemiah 8:4 KJV).

Rapture — This term comes from the Latin word, RAPTO, to “seize” or “snatch,” which was used in the Latin Vulgate version of the New Testament to describe the saints being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). This event will occur in the last days, preceding Christ’s return to the earth. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4:16-17).

Rebuke — An expression of disapproval or reprimand. “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3).

Reconciliation — A term which means being brought back. “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled” (Col. 1:21).

Redeemed — A term which means bought or purchased. “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

Regenerated — A theological term, describing the state of new life, resulting from the new birth in Christ.

Repent — To be remorseful for sin, and to turn around and go in a new direction. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Saints — Persons who are separated unto God. A term which refers to all believers. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).

Salvation — A term which describes the rescue of our soul from eternal death. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Sanctified — To be made separate for holy use. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thes. 4:3-4).

Sanctuary — Often used to describe the auditorium used for church gatherings. The term originates from reference to the temple or tabernacle, coming from the term “sanctify,” to set apart for the Lord’s use. “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the LORD” (Psa. 134:2).

Sawdust trail — A traditional term which refers to the aisles between seats in the revival preacher’s gospel tents. Timber was cut to erect poles for the tents, leaving sawdust behind on the floor of the tent. Thus, the preacher would call for the lost to come down the aisles — the sawdust trail — to accept Christ.

Secular — That which is not sacred or ecclesiastical. It pertains to things not Christian or church related, such as unbelieving society.

Second Coming — A reference to the end-time return of Jesus Christ to the earth, His second appearance, which He promised and which is predicted throughout the Old and New Testaments. “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8).

Seeking God — A reference to praying to God or attempting to attain his attention or favor. “Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore!” (1 Chron. 16:11).

Sermon — An oral presentation of teachings or inspiring thoughts.

Slain in the Spirit — An extrabiblical term used to describe a phenomenon which brings about an overwhelming awareness of the Holy Spirit, causing a person to fall prostrate. “Then; when He said to them, I am He; they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:6).

Soteriology — A theological term used to describe the doctrine of salvation. Taken from the Greek word for salvation, SOTERIA..

Soul-winner — A person who wins souls to Jesus Christ. “…he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30).

Speaking in tongues — An utterance in another language supernaturally enabled by the Holy Spirit. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).

Spirit-filled — To be full of the Holy Spirit. “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

Spiritual gifts — Manifestations or gifts of the Holy Spirit which provide ministry to the body of Christ. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:” (1 Cor. 12:1).

Tarry — A term which means to wait, sometimes used to describe waiting on the Lord through prayer. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

Teacher — One who seeks to instill knowledge in others by methods of instruction. One of five office gifts described in Ephesians 4:11.

Testament — A sacred covenant or promise, as in the Old or New Testaments. “But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14).

Testimony — A solemn affirmation of some fact. In modern church tradition this frequently describes a public testimonial of thanksgiving to God for an answered prayer. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11).

Theology — The study of God (Greek, THEO).

Throne of grace — A term which refers to God’s presence and His character of granting undeserved favor through prayer. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

Tithe — The first ten percent of our increase or income which God claims as His. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).

Tract — A brief pamphlet designed to share Gospel truths or to invite persons to accept Jesus Christ.

Transgression — A biblical term to describe sin, a violation of God’s law, or disobedience to God. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4 KJV).

Trespass — A sin or offense. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).

Tribulation — Trouble or calamity. The “Great Tribulation” is a seven-year period of unparalleled calamity upon the earth, immediately prior to the return of Christ. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).

Trinity — A theological term which describes the three persons of the Godhead, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A church which embraces this doctrine is called “Trinitarian.” “For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 John 5:7).

Trouble-Maker — A term often used to describe a person who stirs up strife or causes tension or trouble in the church.

Unregenerated — A theological term referring to the natural, sinful state of man; without having been regenerated or born-again.

Wildfire — A traditional term which is sometimes used to describe spiritual disorder in a church service resulting from highly fanatical, emotional outbursts or sensational displays which are determined to be of a fleshly origin rather than inspired of the Holy Spirit.

Witness — To share the Gospel of Christ with others; to bear witness of His presence in our life. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Word — “The” Word, God’s Word, the Bible. Jesus Christ is the Word who was made flesh. “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8.4).

A business is only as good as the people in it. Therefore, to effectively manage your business, you must take the time to find and hire the right employees.

This Guide discusses the process of staffing a business: setting the personnel policies, determining what skill and abilities are needed, finding applicants, developing application forms, and interviewing prospective employees.

Staffing is of critical importance to businesses of all shapes and sizes. All firms take the same risk in hiring a new employee. However, the smaller the firm, the less it is able to afford the time and costs involved in hiring and then firing, the wrong employee.

Bigger companies have developed effective hiring techniques and procedures to lessen this risk. If you, the owner-manager of a small to medium firm, are going to effectively manage your operation, you too must apply some of these staffing techniques.

 Setting Personnel Policies

First of all, know yourself. Know what business you are in. Know your own personal abilities and weaknesses, and try to anticipate how you will deal with the situations that you expect to arise in the daily operation of your business.

Then, formulate your policies in writing. Include all matters that would effect employees, such as wages, promotions, vacations, time off, grievances, fringe benefits, and even retirement policies.

Employment and training procedures must be established so that you have a better chance of getting the job done the way you want it done. You might want to consider the way you want it done. You might want to consider written policy decisions for the following areas.

Hours

Consider here the number of hours to be worked per week, the number of days per week, evening and holiday work, and the time and method of payment for both regular and overtime work. Unnecessary payment of overtime at premium rates is a source of needless expense. By planning ahead, you may be able to organize your employee’s work to keep overtime to a minimum. When peak periods do occur, you can often handle them by using part-time help paid at regular rates.

Compensation

The bulk of your employees’ earnings should come from a base salary competitive with the pay offered by other similar local firms. It may be possible to supplement the base salary with some form of incentive, such as a small commission or quota bonus plan.

Try to relate the incentive to both your goals and the goals of your employees. Whatever plan you use, be sure each employee understands it completely.

Fringe Benefits

You may consider offering your employees discounts on merchandise, free life insurance, health insurance, pension plan, and tuition payments at schools and colleges. You might also look into joining with other merchants in a group disability plan and a group workers’ compensation plan. Such a plan could mean a considerable savings in your premium costs.

Vacations

How long will vacations be? Will you specify the time of the year they may be taken? With or without pay?

Time Off

Will you allow employees time off for personal needs, emergencies in the family, holidays, special days such as election day, Saturday or Sunday holidays?

Training

You must make sure that each employee is given adequate training for the job. In the smaller firm, the training responsibility normally falls to the owner-manager. But, if you have supervisors, each one should recognize the importance of being a good teacher and should schedule time to teach new people.

Retirement

What are your plans for retirement age benefits such as Social Security, pension plans, and annuity plan insurance?

Grievances

You may expect conflicts with your employees without regard for the quality of the employment you offer. The best course of action is to plan for them and establish a procedure for handling grievances. Consider the employee’s rights to demand review, and establish provisions for third party arbitration.

Promotion

You will want to consider such promotion matters as normal increases of wages and salaries, changes of job titles, and the effect your store’s growth will have on this area.

Personnel Review

Will you periodically review your employee’s performance? If so, what factors will you consider? Will you make salary adjustments, training recommendations?

Termination

Even though this is a distasteful matter to many managers, it would be wise to have a written policy on such matters as layoffs, seniority rights, severance pay, and the conditions warranting summary discharge.

When you have developed your personnel policies, write down the policy on all matters which affect your employees and give each one a copy. Matters such as the following should be standardized and not left to the whim of a supervisor: hours of work, time recordkeeping, paid holidays, vacations, deportment and dress regulations, wage payments, system, overtime, separation procedure, severance pay, pension and retirement plan, hospitalization and medical care benefits, and grievance procedure.

Determining Needed Skills and Abilities

The trick is getting the right person for the job is in deciding what kind of skill is needed to perform the job. Once you know what it takes to do the job, you can match the applicant’s skills and experience to the job’s requirements.

The first step in analyzing a job is to describe it. Suppose, as a busy owner-manager, you decide to hire someone to relieve you of some of your duties. Look at the many functions you perform and decide what your stronger and weaker areas are.

Further suppose that you have decided that you will need help in the office. The phone is always ringing. Letter which need answering are piling up. Merchandise must be ordered.

Once you have a job description on paper, decide what skills the person must have to fill the job. What is the lowest level of skill you will accept? In this example, let us assume that you decide initially to hire a secretary, but discover that secretaries are scarce and expensive. Moreover, in your area, stenographers are almost as hard to find and nearly as expensive as secretaries.

Perhaps you could get by with a typist. Hiring a typist may be both easier and cheaper than hiring a secretary or stenographer. Many high schools students are well qualified as typists, and many are seeking part-time work.

One additional point: When you start to look for someone to fill your job, make sure you spell out just what you want. Imagine that an owner-manager advertised for a “sales clerk.” What should the applicant be able to do? Just tally sales receipts accurately? Keep a customer list and occasionally promote your products to these people? Run the store while you are away? The job of “sales clerk” means different things to different people. Make sure you know what skills you need and what skills you can get by with, as determined by what kind of training you can give the employee.

Finding Applicants

When you know the kind of skills you need in your new employee, you are ready to contact sources which can help you recruit job applicants.

Each state has an unemployment service (sometimes called Public Employment,

Unemployment Security Agency). All are affiliated with the United States Employment Service, and local offices are ready to help businesses with their hiring problems.

The employment service will screen applicants for you by giving aptitude tests (if any are available for the skills you need). Passing scores indicate the applicant’s ability to learn the work. So, be as specific as you can about the skills you want.

Private employment agencies will also help in recruitment. However, the employee or the employer must pay a fee to the private agency for its services.

Another source of applicants is a “Help Wanted” sign in your own front window. Of course, a lot of unqualified applicants may inquire about the job, and you cannot interview an applicant and wait on a customer at the same time.

Newspaper advertisements are another source of applicants. You can reach a large group of job seekers and you can screen them at your convenience. If you list a phone number at the store, you may end up on the phone instead of dealing with a customer.

Job applicants are readily available from local schools. The local high school may have a distributive education department where the students work in your store part time while learning about selling and merchandising along with their school courses. Many part-time students stay with the store after they finish school.

You may also find job applicants by contacting friends, neighbors, customers, suppliers, present employees, local associations such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce, service clubs to which you belong, or even a nearby armed forces base where people are leaving the service. However, do not overlook the problems of such recruiting. What happens to the goodwill of these sources if they recommend a friend whom you do not hire, or if you have to fire the person they recommended?

Your choice of recruitment method depends on your type of business, your location, and you. You have many sources available to you. A combination may serve your needs best. The important thing is to find the right applicant with the correct skills for the job you want to fill, whatever the source.

Developing Applicants Forms

The hardest part of your work, if you did a good job listing the skills needed, is in finding and hiring the one right employee. You need some method of screening the applicants and selecting the best one for the position.

The application form is a tool which you can use to make your tasks of interviewing and selection easier. The form should have blank spaces for all the facts you need as a basis for judging the applicants. A sample form is provided below.

You will want a fairly complete application so you can get sufficient information. However, keep the form as simple as you can. The form may be mimeographed or ditto form.

Have the applicants fill out the application before you talk to them. It makes an excellent starting point for the interview. It is also a written record of experience and former employer’s names and addresses.

Remember, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment practices because of race, religion, sex, or national origin. Public Law 90-202 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age with respect to individuals who are at least 40 but less than 70. Federal laws also prohibit discrimination against the physically handicapped.

When an applicant has had work experience, other references are not very important. However, if the level of work experience is limited, additional references may be obtained from other individuals such as school counselors who can give objective information. Personal references are almost useless as an applicant would only list people who have a kind word for them.

Interviewing Job Applicants

The objective of the job interview is to find out as much information as you can about the job applicant’s work background, especially work habits and skills. Your major task is to get the applicants to talk about themselves and about their work habits. The best way to go about this is to ask each applicant specific questions: What did you do on your last job? How did you do it? Why was it done?

As you go along, evaluate the applicants’ replies. Do they know what they are talking about? Are they evasive or unskilled in the job tasks? Can they account for discrepancies?

When the interview is over, ask the applicant to check back with you later, if you think you may be interested in that applicant. Never commit yourself until you have interviewed all likely applicants. You want to be sure that you select the right applicant for the job.

Next, verify the information you have obtained. A previous employer is usually the best source. Sometimes, a previous employer will give out information over the telephone. But it is usually best to request your information in writing and get a written reply.

To help insure a prompt reply, you should ask previous employers a few specific questions about the applicant which can be answered by a yes or no check, or with a very short answer. For example: How long did the employee work for you? _____ Was his or her work poor _____, average _____, or excellent _____ ? Why did the employee leave your employment?

After you have verified the information on all your applicants, you are ready to make your selection. The right employee can help you make money. The wrong employee will cost you much wasted time, materials, and may even drive away your customers.

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Most persons who serve in the ministry in any capacity will have an occasion to use a microphone for public speaking, and consequently it is important to know something about their use.

The most extreme example of this need can be illustrated by this real incident. In a neighboring church during a Sunday School promotion day, each teacher was asked to come to the pulpit to give a brief testimony. One elderly teacher, visibly nervous, came up and was handed the microphone. With shaking hands she took the mic, and to everyone’s surprise, she placed the mic up to her ear and began speaking! She had never used a mic before and thought she should hold it like her telephone receiver.

Selection of the right Microphone

Simply stated, a microphone changes sound waves into an electronic signal which is transmitted to an amplifier and then to speakers or perhaps a tape recorder.

For the purpose of most singers or preachers, the type of microphone most commonly used will be a cardioid type, which has a narrow pattern of audio sensitivity. This unidirectional pattern will pick up sound from a source directly in front of it, but will tend to avoid sounds from other directions. This is helpful in preventing bleed-in to the mix from unwanted sounds or in the attempt to control feedback, etc.

In those cases where you want to amplify sound from all directions an omidriectional mic is used. Besides these basic pattern characteristics, different manufacturers design specific characteristics and sensitivities into various mics for different purposes, such as amplifying musical instruments. Choosing the right mic is important to the nature of the desired results.

• There are three basic pickup patterns used by most microphones:
• Omnidirectional – Sensitive to sounds from all directions.
• Unidirectional – Sensitive only in one direction, usually a cone shaped pattern.
• Cardioid – A type of unidirectional mic, sensitive in one direction. It picks up sound in a heart-shaped pattern, strongly from front, and about half as loud from the sides.

Test your microphone. What type of mic do you have? Speak into the mic head from the front and then from the side. If the sound is fairly even from all sides, you have an omnidirectional mic. If your voice fades when you speak from the side, you have a unidirectional mic.

Mics are sometimes selected on the basis of how they generate the initial audio signal. Condenser type mics require an additional power source to operate — either with a battery or phantom power supplied through the cable from the sound board. They tend to be brighter, crisper and require less amplification. In contrast, a “dynamic” mic uses only the sound source to generate signals to be sent to the sound board.

Wireless mics use a tiny transmitter to send audio to a receiver connected to a sound board. A limited variety of mic types are available for handheld or lavaliere use. These mics are great but are not without their drawbacks. They run on batteries (always use alkaline) which have to be changed regularly, are sometimes subject to transmitter interference or “dropout” (a lapse in the received signal), and do not offer the variety of types and qualities available to hardwired.

A hard-wired mic is the standard type of mic which has a cable wired directly into a sound control board. Most mics used today are of a low impedance type (low resistance) which are resistant to interference and allow longer cable runs.

A lavaliere (or lapel) mic is tiny, hardly noticed mic clipped on a person’s clothing, great for amplifying speech, but not so good for the broad dynamic range of singing. Some preachers love these because they leave the hands free and no cords to dangle — others hate them because the sound is not as good as a larger, hand-held mic and there is no dynamic control over the volume (by lowering and raising the mic).

As in many other things, with mics you get what you pay for. The better quality instruments are not cheap and they must be used together with good quality equipment and acoustics to produce the desired results.

Using a Mic for Maximum Performance

When used for vocal amplification, a microphone should be mounted or held within a tolerance of between 3 and 8 inches of the person. To keep a mic within these tolerances, a gooseneck or boom can be used on a stand or lectern to adjust the vertical/horizontal placement.

When holding a microphone during singing or preaching, it’s best to hold your mic approximately 3 to 4 inches under your chin. If you hold the microphone father away, the sound operator must increase amplification, and unfortunately, when excessive volume must be used to amplify your voice, it may also amplify other surrounding sounds. This makes it difficult to “mix” or separate your voice from other nearby sounds or singers which may “bleed” into your microphone. Do not speak directly into the mic, but “across” the mic, in order to avoid pop caused from your breath.

Another problem in obtaining good mic mixes in church services is separating the volume of the drums. Drums (acoustic type) often project so loudly (mostly the cymbals) that they can be heard through other microphones on the platform. You can turn down the microphones (if any) used to amplify the drums, but depending on the acoustics and type of mics used, their sound may be still heard through the other mics of the singers. Consequently, the sound of the drums cannot be easily separated from the other sounds of singers or musicians. (When such problems exist, a drummer must reduce his playing volume or a clear acoustic shield must be placed around the drums.)

Whenever other acoustic instruments are used, it is very important for all singers to hold their microphone close to their mouth so that “their voice” is what is heard through their mic, not all the surrounding sounds. Even other singers can “bleed” into your microphone, making it impossible to mix the individual voices. How important it is to hold your mic properly.

Holding a mic too close can also be a problem. This can create “distortion,” which makes your voice sound fuzzy and indistinguishable. Avoid a “rubber arm.” Practice holding your mic at an acceptable distance and learn to hold your arm at a consistent arc which will keep your mic at the right position. If your mic distance fluctuates much, so will your volume, causing difficulty for the sound operator to maintain a good mix.

During moments that a microphone is not being used, it should never be held randomly in any direction. If the mic is still “live” and not used, it should always be held in an upright position, lowered from your mouth if so desired until you need to use it again. Due to the concern in delivering sufficient power to the monitors for the singers to hear themselves, the “feedback” threshold is often stretched to its limits. By inadvertently pointing the mic toward or near a speaker may create shrill feedback.

There is another problem which is caused by holding two or microphones too close together. This is called “phase shifting,” and creates unpleasant, unnatural sounds. It is advisable to never allow two live mics to come closer than two feet from each other.

What not to do with a Mic

1. Don’t blow into a mike to see if it’s on. This sound is annoying and you might blow harmful moisture (spit!) into it. It’s a better idea to say something or tap it lightly with your finger.

2. Do not speak directly into a mic. You’ll usually create a popping sound, especially if you make a “P” or “T” sound. A wind screen on the mic will help to reduce this, but it’s best to improve technique by speaking across the mic rather than into it.

3. Do not place a clip-on mic under clothing. Although out of sight, the mic will pick up rustling noises as clothing rubs against it, and it will muffle sounds. It is better to clip it on a lapel or wear it around your neck. For stage or TV productions, lavaliere mics can be concealed under clothing if first placed into a silk pouch which reduces noise-causing friction.

4. Do not wear or handle a mic when you step into a baptistry. A hard-wired mic may deliver a serious electrical shock to a person grounded in a pool of water. This danger doesn’t exist with a wireless mic, however water and moisture is an enemy to any electronic device and may ruin your equipment. It’s better to mount a mic above your head or in front of baptistry. In those “unique” circumstances when nothing else can be arranged, a hand-held wireless mic, sealed inside a zip-lock plastic bag can be used. The plastic will waterproof the mic, but sound (somewhat muffled) will still pass through.

5. Don’t abuse your microphone. Don’t drop it, subject it to shock, or hold it dangling by the cable, etc. It is a delicate instrument and may be expensive to repair or replace. Store it in a clean, dry place when not in use.

The Importance of a Sound Rehearsal

Whenever the sound system is to be used to reinforce the sound for choirs, singing groups, orchestras, musicians, soloists, or special speakers, a “sound rehearsal” is a absolute necessity.

Since the sound system is used as the means to project the sounds of your speech, singing, or music, it is just as important to practice with it as it would be to rehearse playing a musical instrument before a performance. Most of us would not consider trying to sing a song in public without adequate rehearsal in advance. Neither should we ever consider using the sound system with any less degree of preparation.

Many people are under the impression that the operation of the sound system is an easy task, as simple as adjusting the volume on the radio. But not so. It is a very complicated process. A 32 channel sound board has about 30 adjustment controls for each channel. This means that there are 960 different knobs and controls with a combination ratio of 144,000 possible adjustment combinations. In addition to the sound board, there are dozens of other components which have multiple adjustments. A piano only has 88 keys while the sound board has 960. If we can understand the complex art of playing a piano and how much training and practice it takes to become proficient, how much more must we realize the need for rehearsal time with the sound system in order to produce professional results.

The sound rehearsal is important so that the operator can set volume and mix levels for the main speakers which deliver sound to the congregation. But even more critical to the performer, the sound rehearsal is where the performer fine tunes his or her monitor so they can hear their self and one another. The monitor (or fold-back) system is in reality a separate sound system designed just for the performers and is capable of customizing different volume mixes according to the preference of the performer’s hearing. It is impossible for musicians or singers to perform together if they cannot hear properly.

Note that in the last paragraph I said that “the performer” is the one who fine tunes their monitor. This is so very important to understand. The sound operator cannot hear your monitor speaker, and has no idea of whether you sing better hearing yourself louder than the other voices, or visa versa. The only way the monitor can be properly adjusted is by the performer’s direction to the sound operator, and this can only be done during a rehearsal along with the other singers or performers using the sound system. Once again, the only way a sound operator can set the volume for the monitor speakers is during a rehearsal or sound-check. It is not possible to do so during a service or without the directions of the performer.

SOUND RECOMMENDATIONS: For small applications (an audience of 100 or so) I recommend the 8-channel Behringer Europort EPS500MP3, a light-weight, inexpensive, good-quality 500-watt sound system with built-in mp3 player. I personally use these powered Behringer speakers, and can’t speak more highly of their quality. And since we never want to skimp quality when it comes to mics, I recommend either the legendary Shure SM-58 or the Electro-Voice N D267AS. You can be sure that your voice will be heard with clarity with either of these exceptional dynamic mics.

For classroom-sized venues (or smaller churches), I personally use the Behringer Europort MPA40BT-PRO an all-in-One Portable PA System with BlueTooth connectivity. I was pleasantly surprised by the volume and good quality of this miniature one-speaker system. It’s incredibly small and portable, and has a built-in speaker pole-mount so it can be lifted up to extend its sound range. It’s easy to transport with its built-rollers and collapsible handle, and I’m able to play audio tracks from my smartphone through its BlueTooth connection. With this, I use the wireless Behringer Ultralink ULM100USB microphone, which is designed to work with this unit, and has its own build-in volume control. A great advantage for a preacher!

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Up until the beginning of the church, God’s people were used to going to synagogue on the seventh day of the week (Saturday) which was called the Sabbath. This was a holy day to the Lord, the fourth of Ten Commandments God gave Moses. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20.8). This was, and will always remain, the official Sabbath. However, after Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday, the New Testament shows that the early Christians began meeting together on this new day as a weekly commemoration of their new life in Christ. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20.7). (See also 1 Corinthians 16.2)

Historians indicate that the earliest Christians not only met together on Sunday, but also came together regularly with their Jewish community in the synagogues on the Sabbath. This was their traditional heritage and where most of their neighbors, friends and family would congregate — a great place to witness. However it seems about A.D. 135, there was great upheaval in the synagogues. The influential Rabbi, Akiba, proclaimed the leader of the Jewish rebellion in Palestine, Bar Cochba, as the Messiah,¹ and the Jewish Christians were quick to refute this. Such hostility arose against the believers that a curse against “sectarians” (which referred to the Christians) was introduced into the synagogue services. Thus, anyone who would not pronounce the curse with other worshipers would be ejected. This effectively ostracized the Christians from participation in the synagogues on Saturday, but they continued with their meetings on Sunday.

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Although they were no longer bound to a rigid code of laws or Sabbath keeping (Galatians 3.10-11, Colossians 2.16), it is believed that the early church probably came to view Sunday as a combined observance of the Sabbath and the resurrection day of Jesus (Acts 20.7, 1 Corinthians 16.2). This day of Christian worship came to be called the Lord’s Day (Revelations 1.10), a day to fellowship in celebration of the resurrection, to worship, pray and study the Word together.

There are several early, historical references which confirm the continued Sunday tradition by the early Christians. One of these is “The Didache,” (IXV), a compilation of teachings of the first century church, thought by some to be a copy of teachings by the first disciples (possibly A.D. 100-130), and clearly describes the church meeting on the Lord’s day. “On the Lord’s day of the Lord, come together, break bread and hold Eucharist, after confessing your transgressions that your offering may be pure; but let none who has a quarrel with another join in your meeting until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice be not defiled…”

Another such reference is found in the writings of Justin Martyr (Approx. A.D. 140). Not only did he affirm the churches’ meeting day, but also gave one of the best explanations of the meaning behind it, as viewed by the early believers. “We assemble in common on Sunday [the Lord’s day], because this is the first day, on which God created the world and the light, and because Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples.”²

Sunday worship took on new dimensions in the fourth century as the Christian Emperor of Rome, Constantine, proclaimed the believers’ day of worship (the first weekday) to be a holiday (A.D. 321). However, instead of using the term that Christians used, the Lord’s Day, he continued with a term, “Dies Solis” (The Day of the Sun) which the Romans had already used for a couple centuries in homage to their worship of the sun god. Prior to his Christian profession in 312, Constantine was a pagan worshiper, his favorite deity being the Unconquered Sun, and throughout the remainder of his life, his understanding of the Christian faith was less than perfect and never did fully extract himself from pagan philosophy.³ He was apparently unable to clearly distinguish between the Father of Jesus Christ and the sun deity, and while he sanctioned the Christian’s day of worship, his title for it left a lasting legacy to the pagan sun god, what is known on our calendar as Sunday.

¹ The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
² History of the Christian Church, Philip Schaff
³ Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity

Why Does a Church need a Sound System?

A sound system is an appliance which amplifies the audio sounds of a minister or performers so that a large gathering of people can hear the preaching or singing. Consequently, a church needs a sound system as a vehicle to effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to an audience.

When properly installed and operated, a sound system is a subtle device which should not draw attention to itself. Within its technical abilities, it is intended to capture a live presentation and pleasantly amplify it with high fidelity without restricting a performers concentration or expression.

A sound system has legitimate purpose only when it effectively serves both the performer and the audience. It is not there to be served, but to be a servant. Whenever a sound system or its operation impairs the performance of a minister, or hinders the listening of a congregation, it has lost its reason for existing. The sound operator must be acutely aware of this fact and be sensitive to the needs of both.

Feedback, unbalanced mixes, volume levels too high or low, or monitors which cannot be heard by the performers are some of the common problems with a system which can literally ruin the atmosphere of a service or the composure of a minister or singers. I’ve seen times where the minister and congregation were more tempted to strangle the sound operator, than in appreciating the sermon or presentation of a service. This certainly is not serving the intended purpose of a sound system and does not bring glory to God.

Tips for good Sound System Operation

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Operation of the sound system is a serious ministry and the person who works with the sound must take it seriously. The sound operator should be a dependable person who has a servant’s heart, willing to cooperate and take directions, not touchy or easily offended. He should be a person with a good ear, attention span, and instinctives in working with sound mixing. He should be well trained and knowledgeable with the overall sound operation, as well as familiar with its technical abilities and limitations.

Operation of the sound system has to be rehearsed, just as singers and musicians do. The operator should be present for all rehearsals of the choir, orchestra, drama group, or similar events. He should make a chart of channel volumes and adjustments which sound best in rehearsals so that they can be easily duplicated during a performance. If there is no formal rehearsal for a vocalist or preacher, a “sound-check” must always be conducted sometime prior to a service, in which all mics and equipment are tested, and all sound levels are adjusted and verified. Excessive guesswork and “flying by the seat of your pants” during the service can produce many embarrassing errors which can devastate the sensitive mood of a congregation or hinder their reception of ministry.

As it seems to be in most other aspects of a church, there is a diversity of opinions about how the sound system should be operated. You will discover that when the volume level is satisfactory for most, there will still be some who cannot hear well and others who will think it’s too loud. Unfortunately, a sound operator cannot always accommodate every hearing sensitivity. All he can do is try to gauge the volume to an acceptable level for the average listener. A sound operator should have a “few” selected spotters in the audience that can help him gauge volume levels from different locations, but he should avoid being manipulated by the numerous diverse opinions.

A decibel meter is helpful in gauging volume in a auditorium. But even though the volume levels may be set identically during each service, the perception of loudness will be affected by the quantity and seating assignments of the persons in attendance. The presence of each person has an effect on the acoustic environment. A larger crowd will require more volume — a smaller attendance will require less volume.

It is best that only one person, such as one of the ministers or church elders, be authorized to direct or overrule the sound operator’s judgment for the auditorium volume. There should be some way to speak to the operator directly by intercom or headsets. The performers obviously should direct the levels of the stage monitors according to their individual preference. An established system of hand signals is generally the best method of communication between the person on stage and the sound operator.

Frequently, demands are placed on a sound system which cannot always be delivered. All sound systems have their particular limitations. A sound operator should be able to know and define them to performers and congregation, and should be able to give advice how to maximize their performance with a given system. Consequently, it would be helpful for people to also be willing to try to understand the limitations of a system and accept that an operator cannot always perform miracles. The sound operator is often the target of undeserved criticism because of the limitations of what he has to work with.

Formula for Good Sound

Because of prohibitive costs, it is rare to find a church which has the highest quality microphones and audio equipment, and most churches are notorious for building designs which produce poor acoustics. Complicated by volunteer personnel which usually have little or no training with audio technology, it is easy to realize why churches often complain about their sound. People who are accustomed to the professionally mixed sounds of records, tapes and video expect the same results in their church. But this high quality can only be achieved with: (1) Properly installed, high quality microphones and audio equipment, (2) a favorable acoustic environment, and (3) knowledgeable and experienced technical operation of the sound system.

Multi-phase Sound Systems

Sound systems can be very basic, consisting of just a mic, amp/mixer, and speakers. But for larger applications, a sound system can be fairly complex. Some systems may have a variety of different microphones for different applications, including a multi-channeled stereo mixer board with an ensemble of speaker consoles. Such systems might be reinforced with components for equalization, compression/limiting, audio distribution mixing and splitting, digital delay, reverb, phantom power supply, tape recording equipment and isolated mixers for fold-back/monitor speakers or other sound applications.

When a church has a simple system which delivers sound only toward the congregation, I refer to this as a single phase system. However, a system which also includes separately controlled stage monitor speakers (also called fold-back speakers) for performers to hear themselves, would be considered a two phase system.

The best way to understand a two phase system is to think of it as two separate sound systems. A public address system for the audience, and a stage monitor system for the performers. Each system receives identical input from the same set of microphones, but each can mix a different volume balance on each channel and send to its own set of speakers.

The purpose of a monitor system is to help the person on the stage. Singers and performers need to hear themselves in order to blend together, and they often need a different sound mix than what would generally sound pleasant and blended to the audience. For example, a singer using recorded music tracks to accompany himself could have the sound for the monitor mixed so that his voice is heard louder than the music track, if so desired. This would have no affect on the sound directed toward the audience, which would be mixed by separate controls to cause the music and vocals to blend together evenly. Monitors are essential in larger churches, or especially when a performer cannot adequately hear his own sound coming over the PA to the congregation.

For more extensive applications, there also can be three phase systems which can add an additional “closed circuit” for independently mixing sounds for broadcasting or recording purposes. This is thought of as a third, isolated system in which sounds from the same microphones are mixed differently for another type of application.

The reason for this is, while the audio heard by the audience may sound well blended, it will not always sound correctly mixed when listening through headphones or on a tape recording. There is a difference between “ambient sound” which is affected by acoustic conditions, and “closed circuit” sound, which is pure audio signals without the bias of acoustics. In an auditorium, the ear hears sounds from PA speakers over a distance after the sound has reflected off walls and shaped objects. These acoustic conditions change the nature of frequencies, tonal quality, and perceived volume values and blends. So what may sound good to the natural ear, may sound terrible on a recording or when broadcast over the radio.

Location of Sound Operation

One of the most common problems in a church is the positioning of the audio control/mixer board. For the sake of security or visual aesthetics, control equipment might be installed in a remote booth in the rear, perhaps with an openable window for the operator to hear. Headphones are often used as the only method to gauge the balances between microphones. However, this almost always proves to be a disaster as the sound operator cannot accurately hear the acoustic balance of the sound he is trying to control.

The sound controls and operator must be placed where he can hear the same acoustic environment that the congregation hears. A open air, box-seat enclosure equipped with sound mixer, in the approximate center of an auditorium or balcony is usually the most effective format.

Tips on Dealing with Feedback Problems

Feedback is technically known as audio oscillation. In simple terms, it is nothing more than sound coming out of the speakers, going back into the microphones and reamplified in rapid oscillating cycles, creating a shrill whine or squeal. The object of a system is to achieve satisfactory, high fidelity amplification of sound before feedback occurs. Under some circumstances, limited by acoustics and poor equipment, this can be a real challenge.

There is no complete cure for feedback. If the volume of any mic is boosted loud enough, it will eventually cause feedback. However, these are ways that it can be reduced and controlled:

• Methods to Reduce feedback:
  1. Turn the volume down.
  2. Decrease gain on equalizer (EQ) or tone controls.
  3. Reduce monitor system volume or its EQ gain.
  4. Move microphones farther away from sound path of speakers.
  5. Use a wide band graphic equalizer and/or parametric equalizer to reduce gain on susceptible feedback frequencies. (Note: When using EQ to filter out feedback, a sacrifice in desired tone quality may result. But if used carefully, an acceptable compromise of less tone for more feedback control can usually be achieved.)
  6. Use higher quality, low impedance microphones and equipment.
  7. Select tighter patterned, cardioid microphones when possible.
  8. Decrease gain on reverb controls.
  9. Improve room acoustics to absorb more reflected sounds.
  10. Have an audio engineer to perform an acoustic analysis between your system and auditorium using a pink noise generator and oscilloscope. By this method, he can identify feedback prone frequencies and help you tune your graphic equalizer or suggest acoustic alterations to your auditorium.

Tips on Reducing Interference

Radio frequency interference (RFI) can bleed into sound systems from nearby radio stations, or C.B. radio transmitters. Electro-magnetic frequency (EMF) interference can also come from other electrical devices such as electrical transformers, fluorescent lights, computers, electric motors, or switches.

High impedance microphones and equipment are much more sensitive to these types of interference. In some cases, interference in such systems can be reduced by using shielded microphone and input cables, and reducing their lengths.

If possible, the best solution is to convert to low impedance, balanced mics and equipment, making certain that all mic and input cables and connections are well shielded. Low impedance systems are more resistant to interference. If interference is detected, it’s often due to some defect in a shielded cable or connection somewhere in the input side of the system which can be traced and repaired.

Grounding problems can be another common cause for PA interference. If your control board and amps are equipped with a three pronged, grounded AC plug, make sure that the electrical outlet is properly wired with a good ground connection. If electrical “buzz” still occurs, some amps or mixer boards have polarity switches that can be reversed, which by experimentation may help reduce or eliminate some electrical noise. If problems persist, consider that the problem may originate in one of the components in your system. Remove individual components (such as equalizer, limiter, etc.) one at a time, and see if their removal eliminates the problem. If no success, try temporarily lifting the ground at the electrical source to see if the “buzz” disappears. If so, this will usually confirm that it is a grounding problem somewhere in the system.

Removing the ground to a system or certain devices is a common method that some technicians use to eliminate grounding buzzes, but it is dangerous and not recommended to leave a system ungrounded. A ground is there for human safety, to provide shut-down of an electrical circuit in the event that live voltage comes in contact with the chassis or a user handled area. Even though most audio equipment will be powered by 110 volts, this is more than enough to kill a human being under the right circumstances. For this reason, all sound operators or technicians should always wear rubber-soled shoes.

For temporary testing purposes, a ground fault interrupter (GFI) can be substituted in absence of a ground, which can provide an operator some limited protection from electric shock. But the advisable method of dealing with grounding problems is to have an electrician seek out and eliminate any possible “floating ground” or “ground loop” in your electrical source. When possible, have an “isolated” dedicated ground installed to the outlets which supply power to all PA related equipment. All inter-related audio devices such as tape recorders, film projectors, VCR’s or TV broadcast equipment must share the same common ground.

Obviously, there may be times that you experience a problem that only can be remedied by a trained technician. But these suggestions may help in many situations, and hopefully, save you time and money for the Lord’s work.

— 62 —

As shocking as this sounds, there are indeed such churches. Years ago I conducted revival meetings in a small church, located in a remote, mountainous community called “Snake Holler.” The name was derived from the fact that virtually all churches in the area (except the one I was preaching in!) believed in snake handling.

Such churches are few in number, and are mainly concentrated in the southern U.S. They believe and teach that handling venomous snakes (such as rattlers) and drinking poison is a part of their Christian faith. They get this idea from a misinterpretation of a passage in the 16th chapter of Mark, where Jesus expressed His great commission to take the Gospel to the world. He remarked, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16.17-18).

“Snake handling churches,” as they are called, generally identify themselves of Pentecostal origin, although they are disassociated from other mainstream Pentecostal groups and are viewed as a “Christian cult.” They believe snake handling to be consistent with other supernatural gifts such as speaking in tongues or healing the sick. They interpret that they are supposed to literally “take up” or handle deadly snakes and drink poison to prove the anointing and power of God at work in their lives.

This belief, of course, is erroneous and would not be consistent with God’s Word that warns us against testing Him by deliberately placing ourselves in danger (Matthew 4.7). However, it is possible Jesus was describing special powers of protection from the natural conditions of that period, as they went forth to preach the Gospel. Deadly snakes were abundant and a very real natural danger to those who would travel, and it was the custom for a stranger to accept the hospitality of food and drink offered to him, regardless of its purity.

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Also, while we usually seek to interpret God’s Word literally, there are those exceptions where it is obviously symbolic, as may be the case here. The scriptures frequently describe Satan as a serpent, who masqueraded in this form to appear to Adam and Eve. Therefore, it’s likely that Jesus’ reference to serpents here, as it was elsewhere (Luke 10.19), was only symbolic of the subtle, creeping nature of the devil — perhaps referring to those wicked things which Satan hides behind or uses as weapons against us. Furthermore, in the Greek, the term “take up” can as easily be translated “put away,” and it is believed that since Jesus had already referred to casting out demons, He was possibly saying His believers would have power to “put away” those instruments or forms used by Satan (perhaps such things in our society like drugs, alcohol, or so forth).

Still, another controversy surrounds these verses in Mark. Some of the newer Bible versions suggest that verses 9-20 of Mark 16 should be omitted because of a dispute about their inclusion in the original. It seems that a few of the oldest manuscripts do not contain these verses.

However, such an omission would be presumptuous since there remains much evidence to support the genuineness of these verses. Even the “codices Vaticanus and Sinaiticus,” most often cited for leaving out the passage, have a blank space between Mark 16.8 and the book of Luke, as if the scribe was not sure whether he should include it in his copy or not.

With few exceptions, all of the Unical manuscripts retain these twelve verses, and the Cursive manuscripts unanimously recognize the passage as genuine. Besides inclusion in the Textus Receptus, the Vulgate version which was translated from the original by Jerome in the fourth century, also includes the disputed verses, and many of the early church fathers, such as Iraneus in the second century, quote from the verses in writings, giving further weight to their authenticity.

Although Jesus’ reference to tongues, healing, and demon exorcism may be troubling to those who oppose supernatural gifts, and His reference to serpents and poison may be an issue of controversy and misunderstanding, yet the verses in Mark 16.9-20 cannot be excluded from the text of God’s Word without more conclusive evidence than what has been suggested.

Mixing sound levels on a mixing board can be a complicated task, even more so in the live environment of a church. For this reason, some type of sound rehearsal should always be conducted prior to a service or performance, so the operator can calibrate the board, gauge settings, mark feedback thresholds and establish a reference of how to best mix the sound. These settings can be marked on the board or on a chart for easy reference later.

Before performing a sound mix, first initialize the mixer controls by setting them to off, flat, or zero. This establishes a frame of reference and eliminates complications later. Make sure the master volume fader is all the way down or set to zero.

After powering up your mixer console and other audio equipment, set your power amp volume to about 50% and turn it on. You always want to power up amplifiers last to avoid audio “booms” when you turn on the mixer. This can blow out speakers or damage circuitry.

Gradually raise the master fader, and submaster faders, to the mid-center positions, usually marked by shading or lines. This position provides the least mixer noise or distortion.

Start adjusting the mix with the lead singer or key instrument. Raise their volume fader to a pleasant level and use this as a reference for the rest (an initial reference is best obtained before the service). Adjust the individual volume of the other singers or musicians to blend together pleasantly. (You can do a quick rough adjustment on each and then go back and fine-tune each fader. However, never make such a fast change so it is noticeable to the congregation or invokes feedback.) Always remember that the lead singer or worship leader should have an slight edge on volume.

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Headphones are useful for blending a mix, but remember, the ambient sound will be slightly different than what you hear in the headphones. Your fine-tuning of the mix will need to be performed without headphones, listening to what the congregation hears. Hopefully, where you’re operating sound is in an open enclosure, somewhere in the approximate center of the auditorium. This is the only way to gauge the ambient sound properly.

Input faders must be adjusted so that the meter level reads approximately zero during the loudest volume. Less than this will allow hiss to be heard in the program sound — more than this (in the red zone) will cause distortion (a ragged, raspy edge to the sound).

When maintaining a volume level, it’s not advisable to constantly raise and lower the volume with every dynamic change — just keep the volume at an acceptable “average” level, not too loud and not too quiet. If the dynamic extremes of the preacher/singer become too broad (speaks in a whisper, then screams, etc.) volume tracking obviously becomes necessary. This is best achieved by using a compressor/limiter which electronically lifts the lower volumes and limits the higher volumes from surpassing a defined level.

When mics on stage are not being used, it is best that they are muted off on the mixer board — this prevents unwanted feedback and eliminates ambient echo and phase shifting. A “sound gate” will perform this function automatically — it will mute the mic when no one is speaking, and will open instantly when someone speaks (sensitivity is adjustable).

There are times that although voices are mixed together perfectly, they still will not sound good because of poor vocal quality. Unfortunately a sound operator will sometimes be blamed for a bad mix when it’s just bad singing. However, here’s a trick. Identify the vocalists who sing best on key, and highlight their volume slightly — not a lot, just slightly! Reduce volume and high frequency gain slightly on those who sing off key. (Less high gain tends to take the “edge” off of sour notes.) People will think you’re doing a better job mixing, but they’ll not know why.

Whenever a normally good singer is consistently off key, it usually means they cannot hear themself, or cannot distinguish their voice from the music or other singers. Slowly raise their individual mic gain in their monitor speaker and see if this corrects their singing — it usually will. (If it doesn’t, slowly return fader to original position lest you mess up the settings for everyone else.)

Most preachers or broadcasters get used to hearing their voice through speakers and learn to gauge their vocal volume and tonal quality by what they hear. They need to have a consistently good monitor volume to feel confident with their voice. Too little volume through the monitor will cause a preacher (or singer) to “eat” the microphone, unconsciencely jamming it up to their mouth to make it louder. It will also cause them to strain their voice from trying to preach or sing louder. Too much volume will cause them to draw the mic too far away and cause them to speak meekly. Watch where they hold their mike — if too far away, lower the monitor volume. If too close, raise the volume.

— 29 —

In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus established a procedure to be followed in the event that a brother would commit a sin or offense against another Christian. Many Christian scholars believe that this is one of the most neglected teachings of the entire Bible. It’s been said that if all believers would simply obey scripture, to go and confront their offenders in the manner Jesus gave, it would solve over half of all problems which exist in the church.

It is important to confront those brethren who have trespassed against us for the following five reasons:

(1) To resolve misunderstandings. Most offenses in the church result from misunderstandings and many could be quickly resolved if offended parties would just go to the source and find out the facts. Unfortunately, some offended people will just absorb the offense silently, while growing bitter and resentful. It is important to God, and a matter of obedience to His Word, that such issues are confronted.

(2) To maintain peace in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-3). Whenever there is friction and turmoil between believers it affects the whole body. It hinders people from entering into worship and receiving from God’s Word. It creates an uninviting atmosphere for visitors in the church, it may hinder people from coming to Christ, and can even grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30-32).

(3) So Satan cannot gain advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:10-11). For our own spiritual well-being, we must be quick to resolve our differences with brethren and forgive. Satan can hinder our spiritual life, and even deceive us into apostasy, through harbored bitterness or unforgiveness (Matt. 18:35).

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(4) So that the offender is held accountable — to not repeat his actions to harm the faith of others (Matt. 18:6). Persons who bring offense against you are likely to repeat similar acts against others. Confronting their offensive behavior may cause them to restrain their actions from causing further offenses.

(5) To restore a fallen brother (Gal. 6:1). Christians must make every attempt to restore brethren who fall into sin. Especially when the transgression has been committed against us, our love for our brother’s spiritual well-being demands that we confront the brother so that he might be reconciled to God.

How to deal with the trespasser: The following scripture is how Jesus taught for Christians to confront those brethren who have wronged them.

Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
18:16 But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

First, Go to your brother privately (Matt. 18:15). If a fellow Christian has sinned or brought an offense against you, Jesus said for you to first go to the offending party, confront him with the offense, and keep the matter private between yourselves. Remember, the objective is to not merely to seek justice for a violation against us, but to seek “reconciliation” with our brother, and his restoration to a right relationship with God.

Why is the matter to be first kept private between you two? Because our love for our brother requires it. If we are sincerely committed to love for our brethren as Jesus commands (John 13:34), then even if a brother has sinned against us or has done us wrong, we will not want to maliciously injure that brother’s credibility within the body — that might hinder his restoration. If this person’s transgression against you is circulated within the body, but later he repents, many in the body will have already judged this brother and the accusations will have damaged their opinion of him. By spreading our accusation against an offending party, it builds a consensus against them and makes it difficult, if not nearly impossible, to restore that person to the body should they repent and desire to make things right.

Also, many alleged trespasses between brethren are a result of “misunderstandings.” We need to first investigate the facts and find out for sure whether a trespass has really occurred. This is another reason why you are to first go privately to the brother or sister in question — to confront them with the alleged offense and hear their side of the story. If we disclose the offense to friends in the body, we may later discover that the matter was only a misunderstanding. But by then, their reputation will have been damaged by our allegations.

Many people foolishly allow themselves to become offended by misinterpreting other’s intentions, or listening to rumors and secondhand information which always contain distortions or exaggerations. Many offenses could be immediately resolved by confronting the offending party and hearing their explanation. You’d be surprised how many people are so immature that they don’t even bother to investigate the facts or hear the other side of the story. Don’t ever forget, “There are always two sides to a story,” and never assume you know the truth of a matter until you’ve heard both sides.

I can guarantee that there would be far fewer misunderstandings in the body of Christ if people would be firmly devoted to love for their brethren. Love for the brethren gives us a desire to believe the best in our brother, giving him the “benefit of the doubt,” instead of jumping to conclusions and always expecting the worst. The Bible says “If you love someone… you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him” (1 Cor. 13:7 TLB).

If the trespass is proven valid, and he or she repent’s for their misdeed, you are to express your forgiveness (Luke 17:3-4). Let the matter be forever ended, and carry no resentment toward them. Remember, if they repent, but you continue to harbor bitterness, you too become a perpetrator of sin (Matt. 6:14-15, Acts 8:23, Eph. 4:31-32).

Second, take another brother (Matt. 18:16). If your private attempt fails to resolve the issue, you are then to take one other Christian and again confront the offending party. The presence of another Christian is as a witness to strengthen the serious effect of confrontation, to collaborate the exhortation of scripture, to amplify the Lord’s presence in the meeting, and to verify the exchange of testimony.

Third, tell Church leadership (Matt. 18:17). If the first and second attempts fail, Jesus said then to “tell it to the church.” This doesn’t mean the “entire” church body, as this could cause unrest or damage the faith of young believers. The meaning is that the church pastors or elders are then to bear responsibility in dealing with the offending party.

Finally, if these three prescribed attempts fail, we are no longer required to entreat them with the courtesies shown to brethren. They may be dealt with in the same fashion as we would a heathen or publican (Matt. 18:17).

What to do if you trespass: If you are aware of any trespass you have committed against your brother, you have a responsibility to go to him and seek his forgiveness. Should you not attempt reconciliation, this will hinder your relationship with God. Your worship, your prayers and service to the Lord will not be acceptable. “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23-24).

Note that the scripture says “if your brother has something against you.” In other words, you might not feel that you have legitimately violated your brother or sister. But if you are aware that “they” harbor an offense against you, you still are obligated to go and try to resolve the issue. Be willing to be humble and submissive to others, even when you don’t consider yourself to be at fault. Don’t be so rigid and self-righteous that you stand in the way of a brother or sister’s reconciliation with you or with God (Rom. 15:1-3). Offer your unpretentious, sincere apology for any unintentional offense and make every effort to reconcile, so that your relationship with God will not be hindered. Whether or not they pardon you, you have done your part and released your soul from blame.

— 68 —

Churches frequently disapprove of Halloween because it is really a modern version of ancient, satanic traditions which were originated by the pagan Celtic religion, and their druid priests, long before Christianity. It is assumed that the traditions of Halloween were carried to America by the early European settlers, some who viewed the traditions as mere “folklore,” and others who held these rituals as sacred to their cultic beliefs. Halloween was eventually trivialized as intriguing folklore for the amusement of children and young adults. Today, it is highly commercialized, bringing great profits from the sale of candy, pumpkins, costumes, and other “ghoulish” items.

The World Book Encyclopedia says, “Halloween is a festival that takes place on October 31st. In the United States, children wear costumes on Halloween and go trick-or-treating. Many carry jack-o-lanterns carved out of pumpkins. At Halloween parties, people enjoy such activities as fortune-telling, hearing stories about ghosts and witches, and bobbing for apples.”¹

However, the Dictionary of the Occult and Paranormal,² states “Halloween was originally a pagan festival of darkness, fire, and death. All Hallows Eve was celebrated by the Celts of northern Europe… Halloween was also an important date for the witches’ calendar.”

According to witchcraft organizations, witches have eight major festivals throughout the year. Four are the solar festivals: one at both equinoxes, and one at both solstices. The other four occur almost midpoint between the Solar festivals; the most famous of these are Samhain (Halloween to non-witches) and Beltane (May day). Samhain, or Halloween, is the beginning of their new year, and is the time when they claim that they can most effectively communicate with the dead.

Author, Richard Cavendish, in the encyclopedia Man, Myth, and Magic,³ states “All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, was originally a festival of fire, the dead, and the powers of darkness. It’s the evening of 31 October, the night before the Christian festival of All Hallows Day. All Hallows Day commemorates the saints and martyrs, and was first introduced in the seventh century. Its date was changed from 13 May to 1 November in the following century, probably to make it coincide with and Christianize a pagan festival of the dead. All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic calendar is 2 November. It is marked by prayers for the souls of the dead. It is only in recent times that Halloween was reduced to a minor jollification for the children.”

Cavendish continues, “The Druids were pagan priests of an early Celtic religion. Druids are mentioned by name in thirty references in Greek and Roman writers between the second century B.C. and the fourth century A.D. They were a barbaric order, dreaded for their power and blood-thirstiness. They certainly appear as lawgivers, and as being directly concerned with animal and human sacrifices…”

“They were, of course, the sole interpreters of religion. They determined all disputes by a final and unalterable decision, and had the power of inflicting the punishment of death. And, indeed, their altars streamed with the blood of human victims. Men, women, and children were often given as human sacrifices.”

Irene Park, a former witch and authority on the history of Halloween says, “The Druids in Ireland would go through the neighborhoods and countryside on the eve of October 31 to collect offerings for Satan. They would carry lanterns, bags for money, and canes with very sharp points on their ends (known as leprechaun staffs, good luck horns, or fairies’ wands). At each house they would demand a specified amount. If the household would not, or could not, give the offering (Penance or treat), the Druid would use his cane to castrate the male human or one of their prize animals.”³

Park says, “The guisers went from house to house, singing and dancing. Their blood-curdling masks and grotesque costumes may have been meant to keep evil at bay, or more likely, were a visible representation of the ghosts and goblins that lurked in the night. These masks have now been transferred to the children, who in the United States, visit neighbors for the food offering which once belonged to the dead – or play tricks akin to the legendary destructiveness of witches and imps abroad on the night.”

Most of the original folklore of Halloween has been preserved in the modern traditions: the goblins, jack-o-lanterns, Halloween parties, begging for gifts, etc., which all had their origin in the ancient celebration of All Hallows Eve.

Most people and children who participate with modern Halloween festivities, usually do so innocently, without any intention of associating themselves with the occult or other satanic traditions. However, the great tragedy is that it domesticates the occult and the powers of darkness. It creates a “tongue-in-cheek” attitude that the forces of evil are not to be taken seriously — that devils, witches, and goblins are considered merely make-believe, plastic masks, with child-like impotence. It also tends to promote an acceptance and friendliness toward dark traditions and occult beliefs; that Satan is not really so bad, witches are really not evil, demons are not really dangerous.

Members of the occult and devotees to the true satanic traditions of Halloween are ecstatic by the widespread acceptance and participation in their sacred festival. They view society’s celebration of Halloween as an enormous public relations victory, and believe it’s a time when their dark powers are greatly intensified, due to the unity of the masses which magnify and exalt the forces of evil. With thousands focusing their energies upon traditions of Satan, they feel this strengthens his influence in the affairs of the world.

For these reasons, many churches oppose any participation with Halloween on the basis that its relationship to evil is contrary to our relationship with Christ. The scriptures mention nothing about Halloween, but they do warn that a believer cannot mingle a relationship with God and the Devil (1 Corinthians 10.21), and that we should even “Abstain from every form [appearance] of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5.22).

¹ The World Book Encyclopedia
² Dictionary of the Occult and Paranormal
³ Man, Myth and Magic