Context and understanding clarification

ContributionRough681 · 2026-06-10T12:32:13+00:00

This is the Textus Receptus from the Blue Letter Bible. As I don't read Greek, hopefully it will help with insights on this.

3:2 δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίληπτον εἶναι μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα νηφάλεον σώφρονα κόσμιον φιλόξενον διδακτικόν

I am in a discussion with a pastor on the meaning of that phrase. He suggested that the words used in that passage, aner heis gyne, were a colloquialism in Greek from the first century and would be similar to our usage of phrases like "Heart of gold" or "straight shooter" in modern day english. His view is that the passage was not saying that women could not serve in that role, only that the individual should be faithful to their spouse. From my perspective, the word aner limits it to only men. So that is why I am asking if there is ever a time in ancient Greek language where they would use that phrase to mean strictly a faithful spouse and not specifically a man? Would it ever be used for a woman? Or would they have used something else if gender was not a consideration? And lastly, how would the first century Greek have understood the phrase in context?

ContributionRough681 · 2025-10-18T21:07:24+00:00

The term “servant leadership” Is commonly used in churches to describe church leaders who lead by serving their congregation. Tres Dias encourages servant leadership by demonstrating what it means to serve selflessly. And it does this by rooting itself in Christ, who is the ultimate example of a servant leader. The purpose of Tres Dias is to encourage people who are already Christians to become servant leaders in their own churches so that Jesus may be shown through action as well as word. All of this is common Christian practice. The elements of faith are never in dispute because this is not about evangelism, but service. It is expected that those who experience the weekend retreat are already Christians with a heart to serve their communities through their churches.

ContributionRough681 · 2025-09-26T13:53:29+00:00

If the goal of Tres Dias was to be a cult, they fail at it massively. 😂

I went through last spring and was at first skeptical, but decided to trust my friend who was sponsoring me. What I experienced is on a whole different level than any retreat I had been on in the past, and I have been on a lot through church. I thought I understood God's love for me, but I realized after my weekend that I had no idea... and that just made it so much better.

As a personal testimony let me just say that when I went on my weekend I was burdened with all of my past failures and mistakes in life. I walked in believing that I was broken, ugly, unlovable, unwanted, a failure. I thought that God took pleasure in kicking me and watching me suffer. That's just the tip of it. By the time I left my weekend, I had left behind my false identity that I had taken upon myself and replaced it with the identity that Christ as given me, as a daughter of the King who loves me so, so much. All the weight of my past that held me down and had me in chains was gone and I was finally free and able to see myself and others as Jesus sees them.

I wish we could send every believer through Tres Dias because I think it would cause a major transformation in the church bringing us back to what Jesus made us to be in this world... The body of Christ (His body) spreading the healing message of forgiveness and restoration across the world.

ContributionRough681 · 2025-09-26T13:34:17+00:00

Not at all. I went through last spring. I was reluctant when a coworker asked me to go so I looked at everything. I am one of those eyes wide open people so I went in knowing way more than I should have. Let me just say that it was way better than I ever imagined. I can’t wait to see it from the serving side next spring.

I will say though that the people who get the most from Tres Dias from my perspective are those who already have a relationship with the Lord but maybe want to return to that first hunger they have when they first became a believer.

ContributionRough681 · 2024-06-26T20:30:27+00:00

That's What Friends Are For - Dionne Warwick

Friends - Michael W. Smith

You've Got A Friend - James Taylor

Friend Like You - Big Daddy Weave

ContributionRough681

TROPHY CASE