Does the application to freely give include restrictions to teachings behind a paywall? In a world full of commercialized teachings, this article presents a personal story and a biblical response to how we should freely give despite the modern restriction of paywalls.
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Balaam is considered the prototypical false teacher by the New Testament authors. This article dives into the characteristics of Balaam and how we can use this example to identify a biblical description of a false teacher.
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Who owns the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament? This article reading goes through a survey of the manuscripts, digitizations, and critical texts and answers who truly is the owner?
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Does the prohibition to sell the Word of God apply to adaptations? Adaptations include translations, bible study apps, or musical arrangements. This article looks into such adaptations and how they are directly connected to scripture and thus, should not be sold.
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This session was the reading, discussion, and signing of the Sunnyvale Statement on the Stewardship of Scripture at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
SECTIONS
00:00 Reading of the Sunnyvale Statement
5:25 Signing of the Sunnyvale Statement
6:18 Discussion
20:01 One more thing...sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
The second question & answer session at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA. Presenters from left to right: Conley Owens, Michael Coughlin, and Andrew Case
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
Q&A SECTIONS
00:00 Introduction
00:03 What is the best argument against the Dorean Principle?
3:43 Are software engineers more inclined to accept the Dorean Principle?
9:25 Does the Dorean Principle help strengthen the church against cultural waves?
14:53 What if someone sells your public domain work?
17:02 Does violating the Dorean Principle mean you are outside of orthodoxy?
20:07 Are there parallels of international bible societies to Andrews message (Talk 3)?
27:06 How can people collaborate for various efforts to further the dorean principle?
32:51 How can we further the dorean principle locally or in the context of the church?
39:49 What are problems within the church with relation to the dorean principle?
42:41 What would the world look different if the christians accepted the dorean principle?
49:00 How would you advise a christian ministry board member go about promoting the dorean principle?
52:46 Debate clarification on 2 Corinthians 2:1754:45 Aren't you just communists?
55:50 Can if organizations buy out publishers and release the material into the public domain?
59:50 Will AD Robles follow the Dorean Principle for his book?
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This was the post-debate analysis and first Q&A session at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA. The discussion included Conley Owens, Michael Coughlin, and Andrew Case.SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
Q&A SECTIONS
00:00 Post Debate Discussion
7:56 What are some of the earliest examples in history that mentions scripture and licenses?
14:12 When does something (e.g.) not become inspired and salable?
19:09 What are some bible verses related to 2 Corinthians 2:17 regarding peddling the word of God
23:30 Should we be giving secular knowledge freely?
24:30 What would cross the line while running a business as a Christian with ministerial aspects
30:04 Does the dorean principle go beyond Christian ministry with regards to copyright and intellectual property?
34:33 - Are things like Holman's connecting scripture be considered copyrightable?
40:18 - How can translation work with the dorean principle in mind?
48:15 How can you persuade people about the dorean principle?
55:56 - Comment on giving generously
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This message by Conley Owens was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Read the article version of this message.SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
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This message by Andrew Case was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Read the article version of this message.
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
This message by Conley Owens was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Read the article version of this message.
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
This message by Andrew Case was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Read the article version of this message.
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
This message by Conley Owens was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Read the article: https://sellingjesus.org/articles/manuscripts
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
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This message by Michael Coughlin was presented at #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA.Psalm 119:72: "The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver."
SIGN THE STATEMENT on the stewardship of Scripture
sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
Conley Owens takes the affirmative position, and Jonathan Melin takes the negative in this debate hosted by #doreancon 2025 on "The Stewardship of Scripture" at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, CA."For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:17).The best way to translate καπηλεύοντες in the phrase “peddlers of God’s Word” is with a word that carries the primary meaning of commercial action and intent, such as “retailers,” or “merchants,” or simply “sellers.” Paul is contrasting his own free ministry with the commercialized ministry of false teachers, and using this distinction to show God’s seal of authenticity on him as a true servant of Christ. For more on this, see "2 Corinthians 2:17: Commercializing the Word of God".
RELEVANT ARTICLES
Does Jesus’ Command to “Freely Give” Apply Today? Bible Publishers: Stewards or Gatekeepers
The Bondage of the Word: Copyright and the Bible
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This sermon was preached by Kyle Fitzgerald on 10/12/2025 at Bethany Baptist Church in Stockton, California.
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The Bible is replete with commands regarding the intersection of money and ministry: “Freely give” (Matt 10:8), don’t be “peddlers of God’s Word” (2 Cor 2:17), “you cannot serve God and money” (Matt 6:24), etc. Clearly, ministry is a task fraught with danger; it is no wonder James warns that not many should become teachers (James 3:1).
Given these concerns, how are those who advance the Word of God to Christians to honor the Lord financially? They must guard against greed in their own hearts, but they also must demonstrate their good intentions before man (2 Cor 8:21). The work of ministry requires resources, but to charge the hearers a fee may solicit accusations of using godliness as a means of gain (1 Tim 6:5).
One supposed remedy is to donate the profits. If someone receives none—or only a small amount—of the revenue, then they have at least demonstrated some level of generosity. In theory, this evidences a sincere heart that only desires to honor God.
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While there are a number of gray areas, it's clear that God has forbidden finance-based partiality in giving access to biblical teaching. This is precisely what is done when tickets to Christian conferences are sold.sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
In conversations about charging for ministry, 1 Corinthians 9 often comes up, and for good reason. It’s the longest passage we have that talks about supporting those in ministry. But people often come away with the wrong message when they read it. In this video, I want to lay our cards on the table and show you exactly how and why we interpret 1 Corinthians 9 to be consistent with our position that ministry should be supported, not sold. Prefer reading this? See https://sellingjesus.org/videos/documentary/fDoApqyqIG4
On Thursday, June 26th, 2025, Conley Owens debated "Hazard's Ghost" (on x.com as @WhosDude) about charging for Christian conferences. sellingjesus.org | thedoreanprinciple.org | copy.church
2 Corinthians is replete with remarks regarding sincerity. It would be rightly said that the theme of the whole book is The Sincerity of the Kingdom of God. This underlying concern flows from the first chapter where Paul responds to suspicions about his motives (2 Cor. 1:17), to his appeal for the Corinthians’ sincere love (2 Cor. 6:11), to his denunciation of the integrity of the “super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:13), all the way to his final claim that he cannot do anything against the truth (2 Cor. 13:8).
One of the motifs that brings out that theme of sincerity is the reality of the “sight of God”—that is, being in his presence. All things are before God (Heb. 4:13); he is the judge who will hold all accountable. However, particularly as a minister of the gospel, Paul speaks in the sight of God. That is, he operates only with concern for the Lord’s judgment and without ulterior motive.
If we examine this theme carefully, we should see that the sale of biblical instruction is a warning sign of a ministry that will be accompanied by moral failing.
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