Ten Questions to Evaluate a Church

Joshua Harris’s book, Stop Dating the Church, is a call to commitment to the life and ministry of a local church. In the book, he gives a checklist to a prospective member who is trying to decide about membership in a church. The same list helps those who are considering a move to another church. I found the list helpful in evaluate my ministry and the church I serve.

1. Is this church where God’s Word is faithfully taught? (2 Tim. 3:16)

2. Is this a church where sound doctrine matters? (Acts 2:42; 2 Tim 4:3-4)

3. Is this a church in which the gospel is cherished and clearly proclaimed?

4. Is this a church committed to reaching non-Christians with the gospel? (Matt. 28:18-20)

5. Is this a church whose leaders are characterized by humility and integrity? (1 Tim. 3)

6. Is this a church where people strive to live by God’s Word? (James 1:22)

7. Is this a church where I can find and cultivate godly relationships?

8. Is this a church where members are challenged to serve? (Eph. 4:12)

9. Is this a church that is willing to kick me out? (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2)

10. Is this a church I’m willing to join “as is” with enthusiasm and faith in God?

For a little fun

Meet some fascinating people

William Cowper

 

Isaac Watts 

Fanny Crosby

Life preservers and crash helmets in church

Occasionally I run across something that expresses, in such a fresh way, what I am thinking – and I want to share it. Annie Dillard writes…

On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may wake someday and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return.” -Annie Dillard in Teaching a Stone to Talk

“The whole earth is full of his glory.”

The little birds that sing, sing of God; the beasts clamor for him; the elements dread him, the mountains echo him, the fountains and flowing waters cast their glances at him, and the grass and flowers laugh before him.”John Calvin, quoted in Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers, pages 192-193.

True Professionals

Think he might be lip-syncing?

 

 

The need for mutual confession

He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. …The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So, everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together.

How the Gospel Spread

I came across a description of the early church by the historian Eusebius (A.D. 260-340).  

At that time (about the beginning of the 2nd century) many Christians felt their souls inspired by the holy word with a passionate desire for perfection. Their action, in obedience to the instructions of the Savior, was to sell their goods and to distribute them to the poor. Then, leaving their homes, they set out to fulfill the work of an evangelist, making it their ambition to preach the word of the faith to those who as yet had heard nothing of it, and to commit to them the books of the divine Gospels. 

They were content simply to lay the foundations of the faith among these foreign peoples; they then appointed other pastors, and committed to them the responsibility of building up those whom they had merely brought to the faith. Then they passed on to other countries and nations with the grace and help of God. (Ecclesiastical History, 3.37.2-3)

The most important issue facing the church in 2008?

The most important issue facing  the church in 2008?” 

Having already suggested a renewed passion for world missions and the support of the growing church in the developing world, I would also like to consider the situation here at home.  I believe that one of the most pressing needs is for evangelical Christians to respond to our staggering failure to lead our children into a saving discipleship with Jesus Christ.  Both statistics and experience reveal that an appallingly low number of “Christian” youth are transitioning into adulthood with a living faith. 

I would suggest that the main causes of this are…

1) the way so many Christians live compartmentalized lives, with Christian discipleship relegated to Sunday mornings only, so that their children are turned off by the obvious lack of authenticity in their parents’ faith;

2) the superficial approach to everything, but especially youth ministry, in evangelical churches today;

3) parents’ failure to personally disciple their children in the faith. 

Given this dire situation and its alarming sources, I suggest that a need of vital urgency among Christians is for believing parents to recommit to a hands-on approach to the Christian nurture of their children.  The most significant way to address this is by a renewed commitment to family worship in the home.

From Rick Phillips’s blog

A prayer for pursuing God

I’m thinking and studying and teaching on what it means to seek the face of God. The more I read and study the Scriptures and Christian history, the more I see the singular focus of the men God used: the pursuit of God.

I’ve recently been reminded of a prayer that I first began to pray as a college student. It dates back to Richard of Chicester (1197-1253), and seems to express what I am yearning for these days:

Thanks be to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which Thou hast given us;

For all the pains and insults which Thou hast born for us.

O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,

May I know Thee more clearly,

Love Thee more dearly,

Follow Thee more nearly,

For Thine own sake.

The last words of a martyr

The following is a summary of a news report on the killers of the 3 Christian martyrs in Turkey last April. Please note the last sentence. The full news article is found here.

MALATYA, Turkey, January 23 (Compass Direct News) – The first of five young Turkish Muslims on trial for torturing and killing three Christians in eastern Turkey took the witness stand last week, vigorously denying that the group had planned to kill the evangelicals. In chilling testimony of the final hours of Necati Aydin, Ugur Yuksel and Tilmann Geske, accused killer Hamit Ceker stated before Malatya’s Third Criminal Court on Monday (January 14) that during the savage attack on Zirve Publishing Company’s office on April 18, he saw leading suspect Emre Gunaydin slit the throats of two of the Christians. Although Ceker testified that they had brought along guns, a lengthy section of rope, and that each of them carried a newly purchased knife, a pair of plastic gloves and an Islamic jawshan (protective prayer inscription), he insisted the purpose of the operation was to seize incriminating evidence against the Christians, not to kill them. He said he saw Gunaydin kill Geske and Aydin but was unaware of how Yuksel died. “I didn’t see how Ugur was killed,” Ceker said. “I just heard him cry out, ‘Jesus!’”

Fascinated – and wondering

   

This fascinates me –  The line includes 6,000 dominoes, 10,000 books, 400 tires, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars.  Can you imagine a father asking, “Son, can you explain why the family car is standing on-end in the back yard?”

This makes me wonder -What would happen if such creativity and patience and energy and cooperation and expense were put to the proclamation and advancing of the Kingdom?

10 Big Concerns for American in 2008

With the 2008 presidential election nearing, The Barna Group investigated what issues concern America the most. What are the biggest problems that the nation is facing? Here is what they found:

1. Poverty
   >> 78% of Americans
   >> 78% of U.S. Born Again Christians
2. Personal Debt
   >> 78% of Americans
   >> 79% of U.S. Born Again Christians
   >> 81% of U.S. Evangelicals
3. HIV/AIDS
   >> 76% of Americans
   >> 77% of U.S. Born Again Christians
4. Illegal Immigration
   >> 60% of Americans
   >> 68% of U.S. Born Again Christians
5. Global Warming
   >> 57% of Americans
   >> 33% of U.S. Evangelicals
6. Abortion
   >> 50% of Americans
   >> 67% of U.S. Born Again Christians
   >> 94% of U.S. Evangelicals
7. The Content of Television and Movies
   >> 45% of Americans
   >> 60% of U.S. Born Again Christians
   >> 79% of U.S. Evangelicals
8. Homosexual Activists
   >> 35% of Americans
   >> 49% of U.S. Born Again Christians
   >> 75% of U.S. Evangelicals
9. Homosexual Lifestyles
   >> 35% of Americans
   >> 51% of U.S. Born Again Christians
   >> 75% of U.S. Evangelicals
10. The Political Efforts of Conservative Christians
    >> 23% of Americans

What I find most surprising about this research is that American born again Christians, particularly Evangelicals, are more concerned about personal debt than are non-Christians. With such a high percentage of Christians concerned about personal debt, one cannot help but wonder how many Christians are bound by debt to such an extent that it hinders them from doing anything great for the cause of Christ.

Dreams of Jesus

Ever wonder if a dream might be from God? I woke up this morning with a vivid dream in my mind. Was it a word from God?

Our wonderful Father  has revealed himself fully in the Living Word (Jesus) and the Written Word (Holy Scripture). On occasion, God reveals himself through extraordinary means: dreams, visions, prophesies, audible voice, strong impressions, miracles, tongues with interpretation, etc.

On several occasions, I  have received life-altering direction from dreams. I have learned…

Any number of things can stimulate our minds to dream: pizza, worries, the day’s activities, medication, experiences, unfulfilled longings, Satan, or Jesus. In other words, all dreams are not from God, but some are.

I believe we can, and should, ask God for peaceful sleep.

I believe we can and should ask God to speak to us while we sleep.

I believe we are wise to keep track of our dreams – write them down, ask God to make them clear.

Most important – any extra-biblical revelation must be tested by the Bible and will never contradict the teaching of God’s Word.  Also, any extra-biblical revelation should be evaluated and affirmed by wise and godly spiritual leaders.

Check here for accounts of Muslims who have dreams of Jesus

Junky Car Club

I recommend you consider joining the Junky Car Club. The Club was begun by a couple of guys in California who want to encourage good stewardship.

 Conditions for membership – drive a car 10 years old or more, and paid for. Instead of making car payments, you are freed up to give more to Kingdom causes. 

  Yes, I’m a member – 1997 Expedition, 170,000 miles and still running.