John MacArthur’s Latest Article On The YRR
The Grace To You blog has posted what Dr. John MacArthur calls his “final word of encouragement” to those in the YRR movement. The article is entitled Keep Reforming and you may read it here. It is a very good word from this faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. John MacArthur on the Future of the Reformed Revival
This is a portion of an interview Dr. MacArthur did with Christianity.com. This is simply outstanding.
Settle Down Don’t lose your passion and energy; take charge of it
Grace To You has posted the latest article by Dr. John MacArthur in his series dealing with the YRR movement. It is entitled Settle Down Don’t lose your passion and energy; take charge of it.
Dr. MacArthur has been receiving quite a bit of criticism from the YRR crowd over these articles. Some of the criticism has been downright rude. As someone who is not embarrassed to be labeled a Calvinist, I am very thankful that Dr. MacArthur is persevering and continuing to expose the dangers of the YRR movement. May God continue to use Dr. MacArthur for His greater glory and the good of His church.
Discussing the Controversy over John MacArthur’s “Beer” Posts
The Grace To You blog has posted another interview of Phil Johnson by Paul Edwards concerning John MacArthur’s recent articles on the Young, Restless, Reformed [YRR] movement. The interview took place on Edwards’ program, “The Center for the Study of God & Culture.” The subject of this interview is Dr. MacArthur’s most recent article, “Beer, Bohemianism, and True Christian Liberty.”
Commitment or Complacency
As a Pastor-Teacher I have the wonderful privilege of serving God and the people of God in a particular context–a local church. Now I realize that some people may wonder what is so great about the context of a local church, but when you stop to consider what the New Testament says about the local church, I think it is a wonderful privilege to serve in that setting. The New Testament makes it very clear that the local church is really the hub of the spiritual life of the believer. Throughout the New Testament when people are converted, they become a part of a local church. This is without exception. We see that it was a local church [the church at Antioch] that sent out the first global missionaries [Paul and Barnabas]. We find that it is in the context of the local church that believers worship the Lord, serve one another, and evangelize the world. The local church is not viewed in Scripture as some sort of useless appendage, but as important, necessary, and vital to the spiritual well-being of those whom the Lord chooses to save.
I think it is readily apparent that the prevailing view of the local church today is not in line with what we see in the Word of God. There are a great many, who by word and by action, view the local church as boring, outdated, and unnecessary. It certainly seems that far more people have an attitude of complacency toward the local church than an attitude of commitment. This is seen in various ways:
There are those who refuse to commit to any one local church. They are forever moving around from one church to another, looking for what truly strikes their fancy. They shop for a church in the same way they shop for an automobile: go from church to church until they find the one with the flesh pleasing features they desire.
There are those who refuse to wholeheartedly commit to the local church they attend because they allow the cares of the world to strangle their commitment to the Lord and His Church. Worldly pursuits reign supreme in the lives of these people and they are not about to allow a local church to get in the way. These people are usually quite adept at masking the true intent of their hearts by hiding behind all sorts of hypocrisy. More often than not, they use their children or their home situation or their employment as their cover for their lack of commitment to a local church.
There are those who simply believe that the local church is an outdated and antiquated relic that has long outlived its usefulness. They see it as having no importance. They believe that spiritual matters are individual and are best expressed in private or at home or some other setting. These people fail to understand the corporate nature of being a child of God.
All of that, as well as all of the others ways in which people express their disdain for the local church, adds up to a recipe for complacency toward the local church rather than the wholehearted commitment called for in the Word of God.
Test yourself on this, beloved. What is your attitude toward the local church? Are you even a member of a local church? What is your level of involvement? Are you faithful in your attendance on the Lord’s Day? Are you serving or being discipled to serve? Are you involved in the evangelistic efforts of the church? Are you a committed and involved member or an idle spectator? Is your attitude toward the local church one of heartfelt commitment or cold complacency? Where do you stand, beloved? Where do you stand?
Turning Away from the Truth
In 2 Timothy 4 Paul writes these penetrating words:
[2 Timothy 4.1-4] I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.
Along with the strong charge to be faithful to preach the Word of God is the solemn declaration that the day will come when people within the walls of local churches will fully and completely reject the sound preaching and teaching of God’s Word and will instead surround themselves with so-called preachers who will tickle their sinful and self-centered ears. People will deliberately turn away from the truth and they will find teachers who will feed their appetite for lies. The situation that Paul speaks of here is alive and thriving in America. A very clear example of this is the recent action of the Presbyterian Church USA to now openly condone what God so thoroughly condemns. What that apostate denomination has done is to take the truth of God’s Word and throw on the rubbish heap and replace it with the lies of the devil. Their action is nothing but a turning away from the Truth; it is a full and complete rejection of God and His Word.
Now I fully realize that the example of the PCUSA is a rather extreme example and one that causes a great many professing Christians a high degree of consternation, but what of the myriad of examples of turning away from the Truth that are more subtle or sophistication and openly embraced. What I have in mind here are all of those so-called churches that have replaced the preaching of Gods’ Word with some sort of performance; that have shelved doctrine for drama; that have removed the confrontation of sin and replaced it with comedy. All of that and so much more comes under the umbrella of entertainment that hovers over so much of what passes for evangelicalism in America today. People do not want to go to church and be challenged by a sermon from the Bible, they want to be entertained by professional performers. And how do the churches respond to this desire? They give the people what they want because most churches are more concerned about attendance and finances than they are about Biblical faithfulness. This is one of the reasons why so many people have never even heard of expository preaching. And this is also why so many other people who heard of expository preaching want no part of it. They want to come to a church service and be placated and petted and entertained. They do not want to be challenged and confronted.
I would dare say that the majority of large and numerically growing evangelical churches are not bastions of Biblical truth, but dispensers of worldly entertainment and pop psychology. That is certainly the case in the town where I live. I do not know of a single large or numerically growing evangelical church in my community where the Word of God takes center stage and is being faithfully and unapologetically expounded week in and week out. I know of those where entertainment and worldliness rules the day, but not the Truth. I suspect that this is true across this nation. Is it any wonder that professing Christians are so ill-equipped to deal with the various issues of life? They have not been taught how to do so from the Word of God. They have been entertained by music and dramas and other performances, but they have not be taught God’s Word.
If entertainment driven churches were to suddenly put an end to the entertainment and start giving people a steady diet of Biblical Truth, they would soon be empty. Mark Dever notes in The Deliberate Church that whatever it is that a churches uses to win people, that is what they are going to have to use to keep them. If a church wins people with entertainment, they are not going to keep them with the Word. People won to a church with entertainment will simply move on to the next church with great entertainment. The end result of all of this is a massive amount of unregenerate church goers whose only concern is to have their ears tickled and to leave the church service on an emotional high.
Why did Paul tell Timothy to be faithful to preach the Word rather than to work hard to build up some sort of entertainment driven ministry? The answer is because the Gospel is not found in entertainment or performances; the Gospel is found in the Word of God. What is it that unbelievers need to hear? They need to hear the Gospel. They do not need to be entertained to death; they need to be confronted with Gospel of God’s Word. May we come to realize this before it is too late.
Commendation and Blessing
Several weeks ago my family and I spent a few days in the Orlando area. Orlando is only slightly more than two hours from our home in SW Florida, so it makes for a convenient get-away. We spent the better part of two days at Sea World; we make our first family visit to a Cold Stone Creamery; we celebrated my birthday and had a good time together as a family. The highlight of our time in Orlando, however, had nothing to do with tourist attractions, but rather, was the time that we spent with the Pastor and the wonderful folks of Cornerstone Baptist Church. Cornerstone is an incredible church. They are thoroughly Calvinistic in their doctrine, yet they are the most evangelistic church I have ever encountered, proving that Calvinism does not kill evangelism. As the Pastor of a relatively small church, I have reached out to other Pastors in the past for encouragement and fellowship but my efforts proved unfruitful as I simply did not encounter any Pastor who took a genuine interest in us and our struggles. My experience with Cornerstone and their Pastor, Dr. David Downs was refreshingly otherwise. From the first time we spoke on the telephone, Dr. Downs demonstrated a genuine concern for our church and a willingness to do what he could to encourage and help us. Our face to face meeting was no different. Here is a man of God with a growing congregation and many, many responsibilities, yet he took the better part of a day to talk with me and encourage me and offer suggestions on how I can help the church I pastor to move in the right direction. It was a time of great blessing and I thank God for the time spent with Dr. Downs. My family and I also had the privilege of worshiping at Cornerstone on the Lord’s Day and that too was a great blessing. Cornerstone is a church that is very serious about the things of God. Their worship was lively and heart-felt. The Word of God was boldly and faithfully proclaimed. All in all, it was a great blessing to worship with that congregation. I highly encourage anyone who visits the Orlando area to make plans to worship on the Lord’s Day at Cornerstone. I have no doubt that you will be blessed as my family and I were blessed.
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith – Of the Church
Chapter 26 – Of the Church
26.1 The catholic or universal church, which(with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.1
[1] Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:10,22-23; 5:23,27,32.
26.2 All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any error everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints;2 and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.3
[2] 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26.
[3] Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22.
26.3 The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error;4 and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan;5 nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in Him, and make profession of His name.6
[4] 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Revelation 2:1-29; 3:1-22.
[5] Revelation 18:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.
[6] Matthew 16:18; Psalm 72:17; 102:28; Revelation 12:17.
26.4 The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father all power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner;7 neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.8
[7] Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:11-12.
[8] 2 Thessalonians 2:2-9.
26.5 In the execution of this power wherewith He is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto Himself, through the ministry of His Word, by His Spirit, those that are given unto Him by His Father,9 that they may walk before Him in all the ways of obedience, which He prescribeth to them in His Word.10 Those thus called, He commandeth to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which He requireth of them in the world.11
[9] John 10:16; 12:32.
[10] Matthew 28:20.
[11] Matthew 18:15-20.
26.6 The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing(in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ;12 and do willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.13
[12] Romans 1 :7; 1 Corinthians 1:2.
[13] Acts 2:41-42; 5:13-14; 2 Corinthians 9:13.
26.7 To each of these churches thus gathered, according to His mind declared in His Word, He hath given all that power and authority, which is in any way needful for their carrying on that order in worship and discipline, which He hath instituted for them to observe; with commands and rules for the due and right exerting, and executing of that power.14
[14] Matthew 18:17-18; 1 Corinthians 5:4-5; 5:13; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8.
26.8 A particular church, gathered and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church(so called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which He entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.15
[15] Acts 20:17,28; Philippians 1:1.
26.9 The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself;16 and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein;17 and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.18
[16] Acts 14:23.
[17] 1 Timothy 4:14.
[18] Acts 6:3,5-6.
26.10 The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in His churches, in the ministry of the Word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him;19 it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things, according to their ability,20 so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs;21 and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others;22 and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.23
[19] Acts 6:4; Hebrews 13:17.
[20] 1 Timothy 5:17-18; Galatians 6:6-7.
[21] 2 Timothy 2:4.
[22] 1 Timothy 3:2.
[23] 1 Corinthians 9:6-14.
26.11 Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the Word, by way of office, yet the work of preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.24
[24] Acts 11:19-21; 1 Peter 4:10-11.
26.12 As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular churches, when and where they have opportunity so to do; so all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church, are also under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule of Christ.25
[25] 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15.
26.13 No church members, upon any offence taken by them, having performed their duty required of them towards the person they are offended at, ought to disturb any church-order, or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church, or administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ, in the further proceedings of the church.26
[26] Matthew 18:15-17; Ephesians 4:2-3.
26.14 As each church, and all the members of it, are bound to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ,27 in all places, and upon all occasions to further every one within the bounds of their places and callings, in the exercise of their gifts and graces, so the churches, when planted by the providence of God, so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it, ought to hold communion among themselves, for their peace, increase of love, and mutual edification.28
[27] Ephesians 6:18; Psalm 122:6.
[28] Romans 16:1-2; 3 John 8-10.
26.15 In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, wherein either the churches in general are concerned, or any one church, in their peace, union, and edification; or any member or members of any church are injured, in or by any proceedings in censures not agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do, by their messengers, meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned;29 howbeit these messengers assembled, are not intrusted with any church-power properly so called; or with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves, to exercise any censures either over any churches or persons; or to impose their determination on the churches or officers.30
[29] Acts 15:2,4,6,22-23,25.
[30] 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 John 4:1.
Hunting Calvinists in Tennessee Revisited
Yesterday I posted an article about an effort that is taking place in Tennessee to identify and remove Calvinistic/Reformed pastors from Southern Baptist Churches in that state. What I wrote yesterday was meant to be a biblical critique of the whole matter and to show that such a theological witch-hunt is sinful, it does not honor God, and it is very damaging to local churches. Today I want to briefly post on another important consideration in this matter and that has to do with the honesty and integrity of pastors and other church staff members who embrace the doctrines of grace [a term I much prefer to the "Calvinistic" label]. It is beyond question that the Word of God calls the people of God to act with impeccable honesty and integrity in all matters. Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ are to be completely truthful in all of their dealings. This includes the matter of theological convictions. If a pastor or staff member is being interviewed by a church as a potential candidate for a position with that church, it is incumbent upon that man to be honest and forthcoming with that church as it concerns his theological views. He must not keep those things to himself with the thought that after he has come to that church he will reveal his theological convictions bit by bit over the course of time. Now I am not saying that he should burst into his meeting with a pastor-search committee screaming, "I am a Calvinist, I am a Calvinist," for that surely would cause much confusion and I rather doubt that most people would have an accurate understanding as to what the man was trying to convey. It is quite likely, at least in some Southern Baptist churches, that if the members of the committee have ever even heard the "Calvinist" it was in a very negative light. Rather, the man should make certain that the committee understands, for instance, that God is fully sovereign over all of the affairs of man; that God has decreed all things whatsoever that come to pass, yet in such a way that He is not the author of sin; that God has chosen a people for Himself from before the foundation of the world; that man is sinful/depraved to such a degree that he has no regard for God or the things of God; that man cannot and will not come to God unless God moves upon him to do so; that those upon whom God moves to hear the Gospel will respond with repentance and belief; that God will save all who call upon Him; that God will eternally keep all those whom He saves; that God has called His people to walk in Godliness and holiness; that God has commissioned His people to go into the world with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; and that all of this depends upon God and it is all at His initiative. All of the aforementioned are clearly taught in the Word of God and embraced by those who are labeled "Calvinists." The man who holds to those theological convictions needs to be very careful that he presents them as being biblical and simply as a part of a man-made theological system. In other words, make sure that the church sees that those things are taught in Scripture and are not the innovation of man.
Should a man tell the church that his theological position is labeled Calvinistic/Reformed if the church makes that inquiry? Again, we are called to be completely honest. So, yes, he must answer with all honesty and integrity. If he is not called to that particular church on account of his theological views, then he has most likely been spared from a great deal of misery. He must then trust our Sovereign God to open a door of ministry to him elsewhere.
The bottom line of what I am trying to say is this: there is no place for dishonesty in this matter [or any other matter]. If the man of God is to be blameless [1 Timothy 3.2], then he must be honest. Do not hide the truth of your theological convictions. If God has brought you to a particular understanding of His Word, do not be dishonest about the matter.
Finally, let me also say that all of this must be done in a spirit of humility and gentleness. I wrote yesterday that I know that there are some who hold to the doctrines of grace who do so with great arrogance. That is to their shame. That sort of attitude only adds fuel to the fire and reinforces the image of Calvinists that some already have in their minds. Let us keep in the mind the words of one who believed in the doctrines of grace–the Apostle Paul:
The Lord’s bond-servant must no be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. [2 Timothy 2.24-26].
Community or Isolation?
I must be getting old. I read some of the ideas that are being put forth by Christian leaders who are described as being on the cutting edge [whatever that means] and I cringe. I recently read where some are saying that Christians and the local church must reach out and embrace the various forms of technology that has infiltrated society today and see those technologies as venues for what they call Christian community. I think that they use that particular term as a reference to what is most often called fellowship. The thinking is that believers can have wonderful fellowship with one another via technology without ever being in the presence of one another. I tweet you and you tweet me and we have fellowship. You go to someone’s page on Facebook and engage in a wonderful time of fellowship. You read a blog or watch a video on YouTube or a streaming webcast of a church worship service, and you have fellowshiped with other believers. Throw in text messaging, PM’s and I think you get the picture. Now what I do not get is this: how can this be fellowship?
I do not want this post to be a polemic, so I will not mention the post at another blog that provoked me to think about this issue. I simply want to respond to what I perceive to be a great fallacy: we can have fellowship with other believers though various forms of technology while remaining physically isolated.
As I have stated in previous posts, I have nothing against technology. As a matter of fact, I have always been intrigued by technology. My only gripe with technology is that we keep it in its proper place. All of the tools I mentioned above [Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and so forth] are good means of disseminating information. They are good tools for the transmission of information from one person or group to another. However, they are poor tools for building or strengthening fellowship.
Look at what Paul wrote to the Romans. In his letter to them, he told them that he was not content to simply send them a letter, which was certainly cutting-edge technology for that day, but that he longed to visit them and see them face to face [Romans 1.11-15]. He understood that he could convey in person what could never be conveyed by a letter. He understood the need to be with them physically. In our hunger and thirst to be creative and on the cutting edge of all things technological, is this something that we have forgotten?
Imagine what would happen if a married couple tried to relate to one another only by means of the technologies I mentioned above. They tweet back and forth throughout the day; they talk on Facebook; they blog about one another; they send lovely text messages to each other. They do all of those things, but they are never together physically. What sort of marriage would that be? There would be a great deal of isolation, but no intimacy. This, I fear, is also what happens when we substitute physical presence with technological presence. We breed isolation, not intimacy.
The better route is the Biblical route. We need to keep in mind and obey what the writer to the Hebrews put forth in Hebrews 10.24-25:
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
Fellowship, or community, cannot be built apart from our assembling together. The people of God need to be with the people of God in a physical sense and not just in a technological sense.
So I say, use Twitter and Facebook and blogs and other forms of technology, but do not let them substitute for being with other believers physically. Make sure you are in the Lord’s House with other believers on the Lord’s Day. Spend time in God’s Word with other Christians. Pray together, eat together, minister together, share the Gospel together. Build intimacy, not isolation.
Book Review: What Is A Healthy Church Member?
Over the past ten to twenty years a number of books have been written to describe, discuss, or discover what constitutes a healthy local church. Some of these books have been helpful and some have proven to be not so helpful. One book of this type that I found to be helpful, insightful, and, most importantly, Biblically-based was a book written by Mark Dever in 2001 titled, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. The book was not written or marketed to be simply another church growth ‘gimmick,’ but was meant to be a book that took a Biblical look at what constitutes a spiritually healthy church.
What Is a Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti Anyabwile is a part of the 9Marks series of books that are based on the above mentioned book by Mark Dever. The series preface states that the 9Marks series of books is premised on two basic ideas. First, the local church is far more important to the Christian life than many Christians today perhaps realize. Second, local churches grow in life and vitality as they organize their lives around God’s Word. By this, it should be obvious that each of the entries in the 9Marks series strives to put forth a Biblical presentation of its subject matter as well as to challenge Christians to listen to and follow the Word of God.
To that end Anyabwile has written this little book for the purpose of painting a Biblical picture of what characterizes a healthy church member. This is a book about individual church members, not entire congregations. This is not a subject that has many offerings. In fact, in my library, I have only one other title of this sort, a short pamphlet by John Angell James entitled The Duties of Church Members to their Pastors. It would seem, then, that Anyabwile is treading upon somewhat uncharted waters.
Be that, as it may, this little book [120 pages] is an excellent resource. In the introduction to the book, Anyabwile writes, “This little book is written in the hope that you might discover or rediscover what it means to be a healthy member of a local church, and what it means to contribute to the overall health of the church.’ I can say from firsthand experience that such encouragement is greatly needed in the local church today as more and more people are beginning to view the local church through a lens that is something other than Biblical.
To make his case for what constitutes a healthy church member, Anyabwile sets forth and expounds upon the following ten marks of a healthy church member.
- A healthy church member is an expositional listener.
- A healthy church member is a Biblical theologian.
- A healthy church member is Gospel saturated.
- A healthy church member is genuinely converted.
- A healthy church member is a Biblical evangelist.
- A healthy church member is a committed member.
- A healthy church member seeks discipline.
- A healthy church member is a growing disciple.
- A healthy church member is a humble follower.
- A healthy church member is a prayer warrior.
As he goes through each brief chapter his goal is to enable the reader to discover how he or she can contribute to the positive spiritual health of their local church. After reading this book, I think that the principles put forth will truly enable the Christian who follows and implements them to reach that goal of being a healthy church member.
Other reviewers of this book have pointed out that there is very little that is original or novel in its chapters and that is true. But that is not a bad thing. For far too long local congregations and individual Christians have been fascinated, perhaps even obsessed, with fads, novelty, originality, and creativity, while giving little, if any, thought to adherence to Biblical principles and precepts. That is where this book excels. Each chapter is based upon principles that can be found throughout the Word of God. The author’s goal was not to be original; his goal was to point his readers to the Word of God. In that he has succeeded.
I highly recommend this book for individual or group study [each chapter closes with a series of questions]. Each local church would greatly benefit from its members putting these principles into action.
Rating: [Rating:5.0/5.0]
Welcome to my blog. I am Mark Fuss and I serve as Pastor-Teacher of Sovereign Grace Bible Chapel in Englewood, FL. I have been married to my wonderful wife, Kristy, since 1986 and we have three beautiful daughters and one precious granddaughter.
