Why Did Jesus Weep?

Jesus Wept (John 11:35)

The shortest verse in the Bible deals with the ultimate aspect of life. It deals with the subject of death. Only two words are found within that verse. Only two words which should penetrate our hearts. Those two words are: “Jesus wept.”

The situation is that Jesus went to a friend’s house and there he was confronted with the fact that his friend was dead. His response was simple. His response was natural. His response was human emotion. “Jesus wept.”

This puzzles me. I stand in wonder when I read that verse. For I must ask the question: “Why is the King of kings and the Lord of lords breaking down and crying at the moment”? He who holds the power of life in His hands still wept, He still cried, at the situation of death. Yet, though I ponder that question in my mind, the scripture still speaks plain; “Jesus wept.”

As I examine the story of the death of Lazarus in the Bible one answer to my question seems to be plain. Jesus wept for the family. For you see Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, had two sisters. And when Jesus came together with them he could see their pain and their suffering and the effects of losing a loved one in their tear filled eyes. And because of the sympathy and empathy which Jesus had, He was moved to share in the loss of the family members. He shared in the loss of the family. And so the scripture tells us that: “Jesus wept.” We who are friends of the family need to weep as well.

But perhaps Jesus cried not only for the family but perhaps he cried because he too had suffered a loss. For you see Lazarus was His friend. It is possible that Jesus had traveled with him, eaten with him, shared common interest, and had grown in a close friendship with him. But the friend of Jesus was now gone. And that relationship had been broken, Jesus felt the pain of losing a friend and, “Jesus wept.” We who are the friends of -------- --------- need to weep as well.

But there may be one other reason why Jesus cried. For Jesus knew that He Himself would soon face death. And he knew that there would be pain and sorrow among his own family and friends. For you see, death is a conclusion to our lives in this world. And each of us will face the reality of death eventually. It may be that many of us will be orphaned by death before our time comes. But the reality is that loved ones will be left behind. And the pain and sorrow at each of our deaths will be present. And so, “Jesus wept.”







But the story does not stop there, for the scriptures go on to tell us that Jesus went to the tomb of his friend Lazarus. And that there he found Lazarus dead and buried. But at that point the truth becomes evident. For at that point, the scriptures proclaim, that in Jesus there is the power of life. For Jesus spoke the words and Lazarus rose from the grave. And you see because of that event we too have hope. For if Jesus can raise his friend Lazarus from the grave, He can raise us as well. And so it is proclaimed by Jesus when he says, “He who believes in me will not be disappointed.”

Yes, today is a day of weeping: for the family, for the loss of a friend, for the reality of death in our own lives but there will be a day of rejoicing for those who know Jesus Christ.

Jesus wept for Timothy Leon Prater…and he is also weeping for YOU. I was told Timothy loved music, well heaven has a sound like no other.

The Five-fold Ministry Gifts

Apostles are leaders and visionaries... they bring direction to the church. They have the courage and ability to keep the Church moving forward, growing, building in new directions. Apostles are also fathers, able to nurture and disciple the other ministry gifts. They have maturity and experience beyond their fellows and can give guidance as well as leadership. They wear the Helmet of Salvation, which means they walk "within" salvation. They know the mysteries of Christ's salvation. Such knowledge is only acquired through time and experience, trials and testing. An apostle is proven by his example of holiness and demeanor in Christ Jesus. The Helmet of Salvation is not a royal crown: it is the hat of a warrior general who is accustomed to putting his life on the line, for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Many who are in this office will never be recognized as APOSTLES! The reason is this, when a man is truly led by God to establish a work of any kind, it may bristle against the establishment.

The Apostle Paul is a good example of a man on a “Mission from God”, I laugh as I write this because I am reminded of the movie The Blues Brothers, They were the oddest of odd, yet they went through every obstacle because they believed they had a mandate from God. Listening to God is not easy, it can cause you to be treated like an outsider and at times even a rebel! I believe men that are in the office of Apostle are always MISUNDERSTOOD and treated like oddballs. Based upon scriptural precedence apostles are usually the recipients of dreams and visions, Apostles receive an abundance of Revelation from God, Why? They establish ministries and churches. It is quite possible to be an Apostle and NEVER pastor a church.
Contrary to popular belief Paul WAS NEVER A PASTOR! Paul was a TEACHER/APOSTLE. Now another shocker is that PETER was not a PASTOR either, the PASTOR of the church in Jerusalem was JAMES (The Lord’s Brother); Peter was an EVANGELIST/APOSTLE. Apostles usually carry dual roles! Here is another curve for you Barnabas was an Apostle too, but he was a DEACON/APOSTLE his ministry was one of service and support yet he was counted as an APOSTLE! I do believe that there are Apostles today, Men that are SENT to establish works according to God’s divine mandate. Now too many guys are starting storefront churches and calling themselves “Apostle”. Real Apostles don’t run around calling themselves APOSTLE! They know it, and they walk in it!




Prophets/Prophetess has a strong sense of right and wrong, but even more than that: they have a strong sense of the Spirit’s leading. Their spiritual antennae start quivering when things are going off balance or in wrong directions. Their voice is important for keeping the Church on track in what the Lord wants to do. Prophets also understand justice and are defenders of what is fair and right. Prophets carry the Breastplate of Righteousness, which illustrates the passion and conviction that burns deep within their heart and soul and spirit. "Righteousness" is actually an ethereal word, a supernatural word. True righteousness flows only from the throne of God. Therefore, the insight of the prophet is a very mysterious, deep conviction that is not easily described even by those who walk in this gifting. The purpose is for guidance and revelation, so that the church can learn what it means to be the Holy People of God.
The Prophet/Prophetess must maintain a level of personal holiness that is exemplary. The primary purpose of the prophet is to warn the church of apostasy and help saints press into the holiness and purpose of God. (Elijah and Ezekiel) Unlike the Office of Apostle which is male ordered, Women can function in this office as well as men. (Deborah, Huldah, and Phillip’s Daughters)



The Prophet must have an extraordinary prayer life, If you study the life the Biblical prophet they were often solitary people. (Elijah and Jeremiah) They didn’t have a lot of friends, this is on purpose! God needs those in the prophetic office to be focused on HIM! The Prophet and the Teacher are similar in this regard; Prophets focus on the inspired word (Rhema) and the Teacher more on the written (Logos). But if you look at Acts 17:11 the Bereans understood the importance of both, but they confirmed the Rhema by studying the Logos! Usually God places Prophets and Teachers as friends and companions for this reason.
Teachers build the foundations of the church. They minister in the Word of God and remind us of the priorities and foundations that will keep us stable in our lives. They teach the church how to be wise in the ways of God. Both teachers and prophets have a special gift for worship because the prophet can worship in "spirit" and the teacher can worship in "truth" and those two characteristics are necessary for true worship. Teachers carry the Belt of Truth, which means they have intimate knowledge of Him who is Truth.
Teachers are guardians of Biblical Doctrine (Logos), the Bereans (Acts 17:11) Exemplify the character of a Teacher. Teacher search the scriptures. I am a teacher and I study the Word more than the average person, there are times when I have stayed up all night reading entire books of the Bible because I had to determine if something I heard preached in church was accurate. In many cases Teachers are somewhat cold, in that they care more for truth than unity or peoples feelings. If you remember Paul in Galatians, He read Peter and the Hebrew saints the riot act for the way they allowed the Judaizers to distort the Gospel of Grace. When I hear a sermon that is “off” scripturally it drives me crazy. I believe Teachers are like the Scribes of the Old Testament in that they were determined that every jot and tittle would be correct. Pricilla and Aquilla were teachers and they caught Apollos preaching doctrine that wasn’t correct, they pulled him aside and corrected him in love. If a church doesn’t have the office of a teacher within it’s ranks it is in danger of falling into error. (I Tim. 4:1-4)

Without a proper foundation, buildings don't stand, civilizations don't last, and Christians don't witness well. The foundation I am talking about is the foundation of basic Christian doctrine. Do you know what the Trinity is? How many natures does Jesus have, one or two? Are we saved by grace through faith or by grace and works? For what purpose did Jesus die? Did He rise from the dead? And If so, why?
Perhaps you do not believe that knowing doctrine is important. Maybe you think that we should just tell people about Jesus and let them choose to accept Him or not. Unfortunately, witnessing isn't always that simple. Knowing what and why you believe is essential. For example, if someone says he wants to receive Jesus as Savior but doesn't believe that He is God in flesh, is that important? If someone says that the Trinity is not biblical, what would you say? Is the Holy Spirit a force or God? Doctrine is important because it defines who you put your trust in. It is not simply that you have faith, it's who you put your faith in.
Evangelists are the warriors, the foot soldiers who take the gospel to the remote areas of the world. They advance the gospel and in so doing they battle directly with the hindrances of the gospel as well. There are many more warriors in an army than there are generals and so there must be many, many evangelists in the church. Evangelists wear the Shoes of Peace because they bring news of Peace to a world that suffers in strife and turmoil. Every one of the other 5-Fold Ministers MUST do the WORK of the Evangelist, because soul-winning is EVERY minister’s duty!
Too many of our churches have lost sight of the office of Evangelist and have distorted their purpose by calling “Revivalist” Evangelist, there is difference by a mile. An Evangelist is a SOULWINNER first and foremost, they go into the streets, prisons, hospitals, and mission fields. Many of the people we call “evangelist” are preaching to people already saved. A revivalist preaches to people already saved to inspire and fire them up, this really more of the ministry of the Prophet, an Evangelist bottom line is REACHING THE LOST and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The motto of an Evangelist could be a quote from Paul, “Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel!”
Pastors nurture the flock and comfort them. They build up the sheep in the most holy faith. They tend to the wounded and the sick and have skills for healing. The pastor leads the healthy sheep into good pastures so they will eat well and be strong. And, the pastor looks for the sheep who have wandered away so that none will be lost. Pastors carry the Shield of Faith. Often a warrior was protected by an armor bearer who held his shield for him. In the same way, pastors will shield those who need it until they are strong again. They hover over their flock to build them and strengthen them in the faith. The pastor is not distant from the sheep. The pastor is next to them and among them, holding the Shield in order to deflect the flaming arrows, the weapons, the wild beasts that would destroy. The pastor works one on one so that his sheep will prosper. A flock that prospers is a direct credit to the shepherd who oversees them. A Pastor has to love the sheep, too often people choose Pastors because they can preach well, but eloquence is not the earmark of a great Pastor, it is LOVE. Pastors have to care for those that are hurting and broken, and at the same time be open to have the other 4 ministry offices SHARE in the ministry, I think too often it has been supposed that the office of Pastor is the most important office, but they all are equally important. A Pastor needs an Evangelist to bring souls into a place where they can be nurtured and fed the sincere milk of the Word of God.

What is The Biblical Definition of a Deacon?

Let me give you some examples of what I am talking about. After Pentecost the Apostles chose men they called “Deacons” which is translated “Servant-Ministers”, these men where responsible for the physical aspects of the ministry while the Apostles devoted themselves to prayer and preaching the Word of God. Two of the Deacons were responsible for an explosion of spiritual growth for the Early Church. Philip was a Deacon, but he also was anointed to be an Evangelist. Today we would consider Deacon and Evangelist two separate offices or ministries, but the Word makes no such distinction. There are many people in the Body of Christ anointed to function in one of the five-fold ministries and they may NEVER be ordained or recognized by man (The Local Church). I find that too many of our churches are filled with people that are NOT allowed to function in their office because of control freaks in the pulpits called PASTORS!
Phillip was led by the Holy Ghost to minister to the Ethiopian Eunuch, which led to the Gospel being spread in Africa. Philip led by the Spirit went to Samaria and preached JESUS. Devils were cast out and people healed by a DEACON! Imagine in some of our churches today if a Deacon decided to go off and minister without first checking with his pastor? Even if he did check in with the pastor, many of our pastor would tell the Deacon, wait until he got a ministers license or ordination papers, or they would accuse the Deacon of being overzealous or out of line for trying to be a minister. Well I have news for you Pastors…Deacons ARE ministers! When I was a Deacon I was only 22 years old, I was also called to be an Evangelist. I went out on the streets on Song Tan City, South Korea and witnessed and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had brothers try and tell me I should get the Pastors OK before I did this, well what they didn’t know was I DID! He didn’t think it was safe! SAFE?!?! Since when is ministry, true ministry ever SAFE! I went out by myself initially, until the Lord saved my roommate and we both would go out and win souls. I was a Deacon and my roommate was a new convert. Many souls came to the Lord because we were obedient to the Lord.
Now I am NOT advocating rebellion, but as Peter said in Acts, “I must obey God NOT man!” Too many of our Pastors refuse to see the need for outreach and evangelism in the church, they think if they “have church”, folks will come. Jesus said GO in the hedges and highways and COMPELL men to come to HIM! You can’t compel ANYONE from a pulpit or a pew!
Phillip only called for assistance when he realized the new converts needed a pastor, Pastors and Evangelist have to work hand in hand, and they need each other like a center needs a good point guard. Remember Magic Johnson? Someone asked him why was he was as successful as a player, he said I utilized my Big Man and I got the whole team involved! Magic and Kareem were like a well oiled machine, Magic never thought about himself first but the team first, that means self sacrifice and sharing the glory. Too often immature and insecure pastors don’t want to do either! Pastors are like point guards in that they have to see the big picture and include EVERYBODY in order to secure VICTORY!
Acts 6:1 "And in those days, when
the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of
the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected
in the daily ministration."

We see, here, the church growing to a large number. As long as
the church was small and they each were greatly needed, they were all
pulling in one direction. They were working for a common cause. Now
that the number has gotten so large, there is murmuring. Some of the
Greeks think the Hebrew widows are being cared for better than the
Greeks. It seems that the early church was very concerned about the
needs of widows. Many times widows lived in the church and prayed for
the church. In I Timothy 5:9, Paul tells them to not take a widow
under 60 years.

Acts 6:2 "Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples
[unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word
of God, and serve tables."

These twelve disciples who seemed to be the leaders of all the
rest are explaining that they should not be encumbered by trying to
see to the needs of all of these widows. The man or woman of God
ministering has enough to do staying in the Word of God and bringing
spiritual guidance to the people. Some one else should see to the
financial responsibilities of the church. If they have to stop and
see to the physical needs of the people, they will not be able to care
for their spiritual needs.

Acts 6:3 "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of
honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business."

Seven, as we have said before, means spiritually complete. We see
that these seven were to be men who were very close to God. They must
be wise men to take care of the finances of the body of Christ. They
must be honest and of good report. This is one of the Scriptures used
when churches choose seven deacons to raise the finances of the
church. Many people want to be a deacon of the church until they
learn that the deacons are really responsible for the financial needs
of the church.

Acts 6:4 "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to
the ministry of the word."

The twelve apostles were not to be bothered with anything, except
the spiritual needs of the people. Perhaps, that is one of the
problems in churches today. We have made business men out of our
ministers. They learn as much about the way to raise money, to have a
bus ministry, and to satisfy the I.R.S. as they do about the Word of
God. They really should not be burdened with all of these
administration duties. It takes too much of their time away from
prayer and study of the Word.
Acts 6:5 "And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip,
and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a
proselyte of Antioch:"

Of these seven, of course, Stephen was the most known to us. These
men were above reproach. They were men of high character. These men
would be fair in all their dealings. Some believe that many of these
were Hellenist (Greek Jews), but I believe they were a cross section
of men of God, so that each one would be representing their own group.
Proselyte means a new comer. In Hebrew, it meant stranger. Philip
and Stephen are really the only two out of the list that the Bible
tells us anything else about. These are like many deeply sincere
people in the church today who really work in the background and do
not feel the need to be recognized by others.

Acts 6:6 "Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had
prayed, they laid [their] hands on them."

This is just a ceremony to anoint these men to the job they are
to do. They were installed formerly when the apostles laid hands on
them.

Acts 6:7 "And the word of God increased; and the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the
priests were obedient to the faith."

We see, here, that, these apostles having their priorities
straight caused the Word of God to increase greatly. A church is only
as powerful as the prayers that go up for it. These apostles spent
much time in prayer and their ministry was powerful because of it.
Disciples, here, is the same as followers of Christ. This strong
message of God's Word even convinced many of the priests and they
believed, also.

NJITS Correspondance School

Ministers Manna
New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies
Suite 160
440A Whitehorse Pike
Atco, NJ 08004

CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

ACCELERATED BIBLICAL TRAINING SERIES

The Correspondence School of Ministry is a new spiritual, educational training track of the New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies. This condensed, correspondence format will allow many of the basic courses of NJITS to be offered in a time frame better suited to the demands and time constraints of busy adults; particularly many of whom are already actively involved in ministry.

COORESPONDANCE format
The Correspondence Manual is to be read and the test at the end of the lesson book is to be taken and mailed back to the School for grading. The test can be taken with an open Bible. Some answers to the questions are NOT found in the manual but require the taker to study the scriptures for the answer.
Challenging studies
The goal of this course is to challenge the student to study the Word with intensity and diligence. There will be other study books coming out in the near future.


Affordable and bible based
Practical, anointed, and insightful spiritual training at an extremely reasonable amount.
• The total cost for the manual and the Certificate of Christian Studies after completion is only $50.00
• The material is packed with Bible based doctrine that will enable you’re the student to be the man or woman of God you need to be. This is NOT a replacement for the training you SHOULD receive in your local church BUT it WILL enhance it greatly.

The Dean of the New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies

Elder Mark H. Stevens is an ordained Elder in the COGIC. He is the Dean of the Charles Harrison Mason Bible Institutes of New Jersey and the founder of The New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies. As a Chaplain he ministers at Cooper Trauma Center in Camden. He is also a staff Chaplain at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. Elder Stevens graduated from the Institute of Jewish Studies, a School of the Philadelphia Bible University. He is an ETA (Evangelical Training Association) certified Bible Teacher. He holds a BA in Theology from Freedom Bible College and Seminary, and a Masters in Ministry from Freedom. His calling is that of Teacher. His classroom and pulpit is wherever the Lord leads him. This course is the first of many. Busy Ministers, Service men, hospital patients, and the incarcerated need training just like everyone else and THIS is a great start!

Do Men and Women Grieve Differently

One of the first things I came aware of as a Hospital Chaplain was that men and women grieve differently. Often we assume that every human being should respond the same way to grief. In the Christian community dealing with grief is especially difficult because of preconceived notions and dogma. We often teach people that grief is temporary and individuals should “get over it”. I have witnessed grief up close and personal since 1987 when I started volunteering as a hospital chaplain. Since 2005 I have been a professional chaplain at one of America’s busiest Trauma Centers and at a large state Psychiatric Hospital. I have sat with women that lost twins, Grandparents that lost grandchildren in fires, and victims of drive-by shootings families. Each situation was totally different. In most cases I can honestly say that men deal with grief very differently than woman. Women tend to be more demonstrative and vocal while men usually sit quietly and internalize their pain. The other factor that makes grief differ is culture. I don’t want to sound stereotypical or racist in my assessments, but people are different. I in no way declare one group or culture is superior to another, but some cultures are more demonstrative than others in the realm of grief, while some are more introspective. I am writing this to help a new chaplain or Pastoral Care volunteer better assess the situation he or she may be called to respond to.
I originally titled this book “Observing Grief” because in many cases the best things one can do is simply observe and be present when someone is grieving. People in grief do NOT need a sermon or a lecture. I changed the title because I feel just like David did Psalm 13 when I was going through severe depression. David asked God a question, “How long will you hide your face from me?”
Just concentrate on listening to the words that are being shared with you. Resist the urge to preach and educate the grieving person. Women will generally vent verbally more than men, allow her to vent! Even if she is screaming and wailing…LET HER! Yes it may make YOU uncomfortable, but YOU are there to COMFORT HER! I have sat with grieving people and said very little, sometimes I simply hold their hand or give them a hug and simple prayer. Our presence means so much because times of grief are lonely times. When a person has lost a love one it is like losing a part of themselves. A woman loses her husband to cancer, but if he was the sole breadwinner she is also looking at possibly losing more. A man on disability loses his wife; he not only lost a wife but a caretaker. No two cases are the same and no two people handle grief the same way. Some people will seem to bounce back from a death swiftly while some carry their grief to their grave. The truth be told grief is never easy as we think it is. Even Jesus grieved over the death of His cousin John the Baptist.
Friends, relatives, and neighbors are usually supportive at the time of a death and during the wake and funeral that follows. Food, flowers, and physical presence are among the thoughtful expressions. But after the funeral, many grieving people wonder where their friends are. In some ways they need support and caring from their friends even more when the reality hits and the long process of grief begins. Ways of helping grieving people are as limitless as your imagination. Some suggestions are:
• Try to understand the grief process rather than be annoyed by it.
• "I'm sorry" or "I care" is all that is necessary to say; a squeeze of the hand, a hug, a kiss can say the words.
• Don't say: "You will get over it in time." They will never stop missing the person who died. Time may soften the hurt, but it will not just go away. There will always be a scar.
• Listen, listen, listen. Talking about the pain slowly lessens its sting. Most bereaved persons need to talk. It is helpful for someone to listen. Try to become an effective listener.
• Don't tell people: "It's God's will." Explanations do not console.
• Encourage expressions of specific feelings: anger, guilt, frustration, confusion, depression, hate.
• Be patient. Mourning takes time. People need you. Stand by them for as long as possible. There is no timetable for grief. Do not give a pep talk or suggest a timetable.
• Talk about the good memories. They help the healing process.
• Suggest that grieving people take part in support groups. Sharing similar experiences helps healing.
• Be there caring, saying "I'm sorry" and helping in practical ways.
• Sincerely ask, "How are you doing?" Bereaved persons can tell if you want to hear "fine" or if you really want to know.
• Help bereaved to eliminate expectations as to how they should feel and when they will be healed.
• Be approachable, aware, and interested.
• Be accepting of the person, of his/her feelings, his/her confusion.
• Acts of thoughtfulness-a note, visit, plant, helpful book, plate of cookies, phone call, invitation to lunch or to go shopping, coffee.
• Be confidential with what is shared with you.
WHAT IS GRIEF?
Grief is your emotional reaction to a significant loss. The words sorrow and heartache are often used to describe feelings of grief. Whether you lose a beloved person, animal, place, or object, or a valued way of life (such as your job, marriage, or good health), some level of grief will naturally follow.
Anticipatory grief is grief that strikes in advance of an impending loss.¹ you may feel anticipatory grief for a loved one who is sick and dying. Similarly, both children and adults often feel the pain of losses brought on by an upcoming move or divorce. This anticipatory grief helps us prepare for such losses. Grief is universal; it affects all races, cultures, and religions. We are also not exempt from grief because we love God, read our bibles, pay tithes, or go to a Spirit-Filled Church.
1. GRIEF is the normal and natural reaction to loss of any kind. Many assume grief come only after a death, but grief occurs anytime there is loss; Loss of life, relationships, income, career, or hope in general.
2. GRIEF is the pain and desperate longing you feel when you lose someone who has given meaning and purpose to your life. The loss of a parent, spouse, child, or close friend.
3. GRIEF is that silent, night life terror and sadness that comes a hundred times a day when you start to speak to someone who is no longer there.
4. GRIEF is the helpless wishing that things were different, when you know they are not and never will be the same again.
5. GRIEF is a whole cluster of adjustments, apprehensions, and uncertainties that strike life making it difficult to reorganize and redirect your energies.
6. GRIEF is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape.
7. GRIEF is the angry reaction of a man - so filled with shock, uncertainty, and confusion that he strikes out at the nearest person.
8. GRIEF is the aching your body feels when you long to hold your baby who died after such a brief life - and you just can’t anymore.
9. GRIEF is a normal and healthy sense of loss. The emotions involved are real, and they need to be recognized and expressed.
10. GRIEF is unique and unpredictable and each person will experience it in his or her own way.
11. GRIEF is a part of every life. Grief is no respecter of age or person.
12. GRIEF is an attempt to bring life back into focus after the lenses have gotten turned out of focus.
13. GRIEF is the entire range of naturally occurring human emotions that accompany loss.
14. GRIEF is pain. Grief begins with the first raw awareness of the change but then becomes a terrific struggle: a violent disputing of the facts, a striving for life again, a revising of terms by which we know ourselves, a surrender to despair, finally a conscious acceptance of the change. This is painful and difficult but when accomplished, it brings rebirth and growth.

Why is Theology Important?

Theology frightens the daylights out of most people. When they hear the word mentioned, their eyes glaze over: they have visions of white-haired old men with degrees spilling out of their ears, speaking in polysyllables and attempting to complicate simplicity. They imagine lists and categories and dry barren wastes without a drop of water. Not surprisingly, therefore, many will doubt the need for theology at all, asking the pertinent question: "Isn't it true that all we need to know is to love each other and preach the good news?"
However, it is a truism that everyone has a theology, even those millions who deny there is any need for it. Everyone who reads the Bible or even thinks about God has contrived a theology of some sort. So there is a question that everyone must face: "Is my theology a good one?" By good, I mean is it accurate, biblical, coherent, and consistent? This is not a subjective question; there are objective criteria to think about.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that those who worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). The prophet Hosea wrote:


My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. (Hosea 4:6)
Why is Theology Important?

Besides keeping a lot of theologians off welfare and out of trouble, it brings clarification. Unlike the way teachers so often present it, theology is not a settled issue of firmly established facts. Theology is theory, and like theory in science, forever alive and developing. In the early Church questions arose now and then and theology - theory - to answer them had to be developed. For instance, in Acts, the church was faced with the problem of what to do with all the Gentiles who were coming to Christ. Did they have to become Jews first, before they could be saved? Or was entrance into Christianity by grace alone? And then, even if it was by grace, shouldn't they follow the laws of Judaism?
Later on, people began wondering who, precisely, was Jesus? Was he really God, or simply an emanation, or maybe a created being?
How are such questions answered? By studying the Bible - God's special revelation - and the universe - God's general revelation - and finding out what they say. This action, of looking to the Bible and the world for answers, raises a question of its own: if we are going to find out about God, if we are going to do a proper theology - formulate reasonable theories - what are the revelations of God, and how do we go about using them properly?

The Five Kinds of Theology

1. Natural Theology

Natural theology is restricted to the facts concerning God which are revealed in the universe around us. Thomas Aquinas, in a systematic fashion, outlined his belief that the existence of God may be proven from reason alone. Modern theologians such as Karl Barth, reflecting Immanuel Kant and David Hume, argued that there was essentially no validity to a natural theology, while Process theologians such as John B. Cobb, Jr., Schubert Ogden and David Griffen have argued the exact opposit. Within evangelical circles, there is a division on this question.

2. Biblical Theology

Biblical theology is restricted to the biblical revelation of God. Its sole source is the Bible, independent of any philosophical system (ideally). In reality, any approach to theology must inevitably carry certain philosophical presuppositions and perspectives.

3. Dogmatic Theology

Dogmatic theology refers to those elements of theological truth which are absolutely certain. It will avoid controversial fields of study and will concentrate on those points about which the church throughout history has held to unswervingly, such the virgin birth, the resurrection, the Trinity, and the like.

4. Practical Theology

Practical theology has to do with the actual function of the truth in the lives of people. Given beliefs and doctrines are considered true if they work in the lives of real people. In other words, if it works, then it is true. Otherwise, it is of no consequence.

5. Theology Proper

Theology proper concerns itself with the study of the person of God, apart from his works. It deals with the existence of God, the ability of people to know him, his various attributes, and the nature of the Trinity. In other words, Theology Proper is concerned with understanding and knowing God.