“Many local churches suffer because the majority of its members only give a 10-20% commitment to the local church of which they are a part and an 80-90% commitment to other organizations and activities.”   I recently heard about a family in our denomination who drove nearly an hour to church every Lord’s Day for a number... Continue Reading

“Lately I’ve found myself pondering unity in the local church and considering that cracks in the unity of a church often begin at the bottom. They often begin at the foundation and work their way up to the roof. What I mean is that disunity often begins with the membership and spreads toward the leadership... Continue Reading

“Charles died in 1558, having placed other family members to administer the parts of the empire. The shifting political alliances continued throughout his life and beyond making political solutions impossible without strong military backing. And the hoped for reforms from the Council of Trent were slow in coming and received throughout the western churches with... Continue Reading

“Just a word to other guys who use their iPad. Check to make sure you have your notes before you leave your house or at least before the service starts. This point goes back to the assumptions and false security of technology. If we’re using technology then anticipate something going wrong and rejoice when it... Continue Reading

“A society that does not admit of and accommodate differences cannot be a free and democratic society — one in which its citizens are free to think, to disagree, to debate and to challenge the accepted view without fear of reprisal,” says the 66-page judgment. “This case demonstrates that a well-intentioned majority acting in the name... Continue Reading

Many of these churches were built for one big crowd one day a week one hour a week. They might have old and dated education and recreation facilities as well. Some of them are in worship centers with a capacity multiple times their actual attendance. They can have significant unused space and deferred maintenance. A... Continue Reading

One of the biggest influences on spiritual growth comes from the books we read. Who are the female authors you can recommend and promote within your congregation? At times, both men and women inadvertently use materials that teach doctrine contrary to the teaching of their church or denomination. Do you have a list of resources... Continue Reading

“One of the most crucial conversations during the Reformation concerned the marks of the true church. This is understandable. Prior to the Reformation the only church was the Roman Catholic Church. (In the West, of course, as the Orthodox Church dominated the East.) Then along came the Reformers, who raised the question: What is the... Continue Reading

“The act of encouragement is wonderfully simple and good, but extraordinarily difficult for sinners. So my encouragement to you (and myself!) would be to lean hard on the Spirit and ask for help. Reflect afresh on the gifts God has given you and think how those can be used in new and lively ways among... Continue Reading

“As Christendom collapses in the West, the church again finds itself marginalized, even exiled, in society and culture. An increasing number of church leaders are calling the church to recover the lost vision of the early church and return to the mode of witnessing as a faithful minority in a not-so-friendly world.”   Common sense... Continue Reading