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Approved Workmen
Is the church using all the resources God has given it for its own edification? In "Approved Awakening Gifts and Building the Church with Wisdom," Hercules Collins issues an urgent call to revitalize two crucial but often neglected biblical the exercise of the spiritual gift of prophecy (understood as speaking for edification, exhortation, and comfort) by gifted members, and the diligent preparation and ordination of faithful ministers.
Concerned about the lack of provision for future ministry, Collins passionately argues that churches must become "schools of Christ," identifying, encouraging, and exercising the gifts God has distributed among their members (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 14). Drawing on John Owen and biblical examples such as Apollos and the scattered saints, he defends the right of gifted members—not only ordained officers—to teach and exhort for mutual edification, always in submission to the order of the church.
At the heart of the book lies the exhortation of 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Collins offers detailed, practical instruction for those called to ministry on the imperative need for diligent study, how to be a "good workman" (laying Christ as the foundation, building up with sound doctrine, remaining consistent, and relying on biblical proofs), and the reasons for doing so—the greatness of the work, the glory of God, the good of souls, and the final accounting each minister must give. He provides guidance on approaching a text, applying the analogy of faith, speaking with clarity, avoiding vain repetition, managing study time wisely, praying for boldness, staying concise, using human testimonies with discernment, varying one's subjects, preaching from the heart, and much more.
"Approved Workmen" is a vital work that holds together the ministry of the whole church with the need for well-prepared, duly ordained pastoral leadership, including the laying on of hands. It urges churches to remain faithful both in nurturing the gifts within their own members and in calling and sustaining qualified pastors according to Scripture.
Concerned about the lack of provision for future ministry, Collins passionately argues that churches must become "schools of Christ," identifying, encouraging, and exercising the gifts God has distributed among their members (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 14). Drawing on John Owen and biblical examples such as Apollos and the scattered saints, he defends the right of gifted members—not only ordained officers—to teach and exhort for mutual edification, always in submission to the order of the church.
At the heart of the book lies the exhortation of 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Collins offers detailed, practical instruction for those called to ministry on the imperative need for diligent study, how to be a "good workman" (laying Christ as the foundation, building up with sound doctrine, remaining consistent, and relying on biblical proofs), and the reasons for doing so—the greatness of the work, the glory of God, the good of souls, and the final accounting each minister must give. He provides guidance on approaching a text, applying the analogy of faith, speaking with clarity, avoiding vain repetition, managing study time wisely, praying for boldness, staying concise, using human testimonies with discernment, varying one's subjects, preaching from the heart, and much more.
"Approved Workmen" is a vital work that holds together the ministry of the whole church with the need for well-prepared, duly ordained pastoral leadership, including the laying on of hands. It urges churches to remain faithful both in nurturing the gifts within their own members and in calling and sustaining qualified pastors according to Scripture.
83 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2026
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