Browsing the archives for the church growth tag

Book Review: Why Church Matters

Jul 24, 2012
pastor
Book reviews

This is a second printing of the book, originally published in 2004 as Stop Dating the Church. Joshua Harris has provided us a a solid, Biblical theology of what the church is, it’s purpose, and a person’s relationship to it. He stresses a need for commitment and membership in the local church. It is a brief book and written in a straight-forward, easy-to-read style. He provides practical steps in how to choose a good church, how to prepare for Sunday morning, and how to benefit from the Sunday service in the coming week. Helpful discussion questions are provided in the end. This is an appropriate book as a gift for visitors or an intro/new members class as well as pastors and experienced church-goers looking to grow and have a deeper experience from church on Sunday.

You can learn more about the author at his website.

You can preview chapter one of the book at this website.

This book was provided to me at no cost by Waterbrook Multnomah Books for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.

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Book Review: Your Church is too Safe

Apr 3, 2012
pastor
Book reviews

Pastor Mark Buchanan’s newest book, Your Church is too Safe, is part of the genre concerning church growth-renewal-revitalization. Pastor Buchanan is an experienced pastor who begins with the premise that church is boring and stagnant and needs to be shook up. Throughout the book he focuses on biblical passages and personal stories to show how he started something new and radical, for his church to be more like the kingdom. Topics he covers include love, take risks, discipleship, get messy with messy people, and preach Jesus and be His hands and feet. It is an inspiring book that can be read by pastors, leaders, and all the church who is hungry for something more than “churchianity” on Sunday mornings. The book is 18 chapters, 240 pages, and notes are in the back.

This book was provided to me by Amazon Vine at no cost for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.

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Ask, Seek, Knock

Jan 4, 2012
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sermon audio

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When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He shared the Lord’s prayer and gave some parables of what praying means. He told them, “ask, seek, knock.” This sermon is from Luke 11:1-13 on January 1, 2012. May we all grow in our prayer lives in 2012.

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Running On Empty

Dec 14, 2011
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sermon audio

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There are two dangers we face: being spiritually empty or thinking we are spiritually full but in reality being spiritually empty. Jesus address these dangers in Matthew 12:43-45. This is the sermon I preached on December 11, 2011

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The Prosperity Gospel

Nov 26, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

A brief youtube video wherein John Piper discusses his hatred for the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel…

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A Pattern for Life

Nov 2, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

1 Kings 2:2-4 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”

These are David’s final instructions to Solomon as he is taking over as king. His “last words” serve as a good pattern for us to live our lives.
1. Be strong.
2. Show yourself to be a man (or woman).
3. Keep God’s charge.
4. Walk in His ways – live according to His Word.

Make this a pattern of your life, living it out every day. Start your day off with the Word and prayer and His presence. Continue in His presence and grace and work throughout your days. Remember it is by His blood you are saved and the power of the gospel to work in your life, giving you the strength and enabling you to endure.

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The Art of Worry

Oct 31, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

Another sleep-troubled night filled with worry and anxiety and “what-ifs” and maybe’s – it would just be easier to spend the time on trying to sleep instead of worrying. Grab on to a good worry and you can stay up for hours! Really good worrying is an art form, birthed and crafted and molded and shaped and painted and put on display for all to see.

I resolve today not to spend my time worrying anymore. “Be anxious for nothing.” “Whatever is true and noble and worthy and pure, think on these things.” “Be thankful and let your requests be known to God.” This is a much better use of my time and a more beautiful piece of art.

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Youth and The Church

Aug 2, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

This article found at Gospel Coalition is very important.  It deals with timely issues we face, both personally and as a church.  I will be reading and commenting on some of these points in my sermon on Sunday, August 7, “Parenting for Today.”

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Killing Sin

Jul 18, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

Sinclair Ferguson writes a helpful article on “Killing Sin” at this link.  He examines Colossians 3:1-17 and makes 4 practical points of application:

1. Learn to admit sin for what it really is. Call a spade a spade — call it “sexual immorality,” not “I’m being tempted a little”; call it “impurity,” not “I’m struggling with my thought life”; call it “evil desire, which is idolatry,” not “I think I need to order my priorities a bit better.” This pattern runs right through this whole section. How powerfully this unmasks self-deceit — and helps us to unmask sin lurking in the hidden corners of
our hearts!  

2. See sin for what your sin really is in God’s presence. “On account of these the wrath of God is coming” (3:6). The masters of the spiritual life spoke of dragging our lusts (kicking and screaming, though they be) to the cross, to a wrath-bearing Christ. My sin leads to — not lasting pleasure — but holy divine displeasure. See the true nature of your sin in the light of its punishment. Too easily do we think that sin is less serious in Christians than it is in non-believers: “It’s forgiven, isn’t it?” Not if we continue in it (1 John 3:9)! Take a heaven’s-eye view of sin and feel the shame of that in which you once walked (Col. 3:7; see also Rom. 6:21).

3. Recognize the inconsistency of your sin. You put off the “old man,” and have put on the “new man” (3:9–10). You are no longer the “old man.” The identity you had “in Adam” is gone. The old man was “crucified with him [Christ] in order that the body of sin [probably “life in the body dominated by sin”] might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Rom. 6:6). New men live new lives. Anything less than this is a contradiction of who I am “in Christ.”

4. Put sin to death (Col. 3:5). It is as “simple” as that. Refuse it, starve it, and reject it. You cannot “mortify” sin without the pain of the kill. There is no other way!

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Some ways to live church life

Jun 28, 2011
pastor
general thoughts

It may seem like these verses in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 are the ramblings on of Paul, but I see in them some connections centered on the theme, “how to live in church community” -

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

respect the pastor, respect the elders, love them, let peace reign among you for their sakes

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

discipline, correction, encouragement, help, patience, forgiveness, and doing good are all necessary parts of “loving one another” in the body

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.

important role of the Spirit’s work in rejoicing, praying, giving thanks as a church

20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

important roles of preaching and personal reading and studying, this is similar to what John wrote in his letters

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

the work of God in the body, to sanctify and bring peace and make holy – the return of the Lord is our hope and what the bride of Christ prays for and lives for

25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

importance of prayer for the church and fellowship with them

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

the public reading and preaching of the Word “feeds the sheep”

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Sola Gratia!

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