They did what?? 575 Members Removed!
One of the essentials of my ministry is communicating the importance of meaningful church membership. It has been on my radar since before I entered the pastorate, and has been the subject of many posts, sermons, newsletter articles, committee discussions and private talks since becoming the Pastor of a local church. Many people resist the idea of meaningful church membership, resist any idea of accountability or submission to a body of believers. For many Americans, there is a tendency to emphasize rights while neglecting responsibilities; to lack commitment because of its inconvenience. This sad condition is glaring in many local churches where the listed membership generally far exceeds the number of members actually serving, giving and furthering the...
Read MoreThe Office of Deacon: Co-Ed or Not?
A few months back I took a poll via the Twitterverse and Facebook asking whether or not my friends/followers supported the role of women deacons. I asked this question for two reasons: (1) I was working on a sermon on biblical church government, and (2) had recently overheard some pastors in my local Baptist association referring to the concept of deaconesses with no small amount of derision. The responses I received were not wholly unexpected. RESPONSES TO MY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL Several responded in the negative, sadly without giving much biblical support for their position. Meaning, they are against the concept of deaconesses, but didn’t really articulate why. There were a few affirmatives cast. Of the affirmatives there were two primary qualifiers. One...
Read More9Marks on Deacons
I have always appreciated and benefitted from the work of Mark Dever and the entire 9Marks crew. They’ve produced another great eJournal on the office of Deacon. You can find it here… Read it, and pass it on. You’ll be blessed!
Read MoreSpiritual Disciplines of a Healthy Church – Meaningful Membership
A healthy church understands the importance of, and practices, meaningful church membership. It is through active, meaningful membership in a local church that Christians live out the commands of Scripture.
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