If we were to take a poll of modern Christians and ask them what they think are some of the key issues facing the church today, what would be on that list? Certainly it would include things like, what is at the heart of the ministry of the church? How should women participate in the church? How important is the preaching ministry of the church, and what should the church's preaching look like? How much diversity can we allow in the teaching and preaching ministry of the church? What is the church's responsibility to the poor? What type of leadership should the church have? Who should occupy positions of leadership? What should the worship of the church entail? The questions of today are not all that different from the questions the church wrestled with in the middle of the first century. And the good news is, Scripture has answer to these questions. In particular, the apostle Paul deals with these issues as he writes his two letters to his friend and co-worker, Timothy. He may not treat them as exhaustively as we might like. He may not give specific answers to all of our modern questions. But he gives us guidance in wrestling with many of the problems and struggles that face the church today.
