The Reconsecration of Man
The road to consecration begins with the cultivation of a humble attitude of thankfulness for the gospel and for those who show forth that gospel in their own lives.
Can any other creature on the face of the planet be grateful? When I express gratitude to God, I acknowledge my personal dependency upon him, I also act as a person myself, and I am inclined to acknowledge his image as found in those around me. Gratitude is both profoundly theological and personally transformative. It... Continue Reading
Why the Global Church Still Needs the Creeds
The creeds are universal not because they’re disembodied and atemporal truths but because they’re a moment in the organic growth and development of a concrete body of Christ, his church.
The creeds emerged from the gospel’s encounter with a broader cultural context, through missionary expansion. The development of doctrine, as Alister McGrath notes, was “partly on account of the need to interact with a language and a conceptual framework not designed with the specific needs of Christian theology in mind.” Doctrine and creeds arise from... Continue Reading
Statements of Faith
Evangelicals concerned with keeping the whole counsel of God are driving a renewal of interest in confessions.
Pastor Justin Perdue launched Theology Night in 2022, believing that “under the shag carpet of contemporary evangelical teaching lies a beautiful hardwood floor of confessional doctrine and the ancient creeds of the church.” He says the church movements of the 20th century have produced a generation of people who are “frustrated and disenchanted with the... Continue Reading
Leading Together: Elder Teaming Together to Shepherd the Flock
An excerpt from “The Elder-Led Church: How an Eldership Team Shepherds a Healthy Flock” by Murray Capill
Team leadership of a church has some utterly unique dynamics. In this chapter, we will explore how a group of elders leads the church together. We will think about how the team operates, consider the relationship between the elders and the pastor or pastors, and observe the distinct differences between a shepherd- leader model and... Continue Reading
Local Evangelism and Global Mission: Maintaining Focus on the Ends of the Earth
Let us not deprive our churches of a rich opportunity to be encouraged by and become a part of the work God is doing to the ends of the earth.
From the earliest days, local churches have demonstrated concern for the establishment and edification of God’s kingdom beyond their immediate proximity. The Ephesians and Colossians were renowned for their love for all the saints (Eph 1:15; Col 1:4); the Philippians’ koinonia in the gospel was praised and celebrated by Paul (Php 1:5); the generosity of... Continue Reading
Women and the “Most Diabolical Lie”
As women, we are to bring life into every corner of our homes and work for its flourishing.
Probably the most wicked lie of all is that children stand in the way of a woman’s purpose and self-satisfaction. There is no doubt that our culture holds children in derision, for they are literally sacrificed through abortion in the name of self-advancement. Children bear the brunt of “progressive ideas” that disrupt the pattern that... Continue Reading
One of the Toughest Ministry Lessons I’ve Had to Learn . . . and Why I Love Having Learned It Today
None of us is as strong a leader as we think, and not one of us is effective in ministry apart from His power.
I live in the tension of wanting to give my best for God’s work while not worrying about whether others recognize my best. My goal ought to be that only the name of Jesus gets glory before, during, and after I’m in my current seat of ministry. So, the work goes on, even beyond us,... Continue Reading
Mission in the 21st Century: When It’s for God’s Glory…and When It Isn’t
If mission is ultimately about the glory of God, we will think carefully about what we do and how we do it.
If our desire in mission is to bring glory to God, what we do and how we do it must be God-glorifying. Mission as listening has lots of useful things to teach us–but God is not glorified if we only listen and never proclaim the gospel. Similarly, mission as growth has lots of useful things... Continue Reading
God’s Blueprint for His Mission
Churches are to use the ordinary means of grace in the ingathering and upbuilding of saints.
If we are to do well at church planting, denominations, presbyteries, synods, or networks will be needed for spiritual, prayerful, and financial support. When Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, God’s plan continued to be revealed. Christians fled Judea. The temple could no longer be the focal point of assembly. The church was decentralized, and this... Continue Reading
The Mission of God as the Grounds of Church Planting
In one sense, the church’s mission is simply to claim the prize that the Lord Jesus has already won.
Having accomplished His mission, Christ has been awarded all authority in heaven and on earth. He has authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom the Father gave to Him (John 17:2). He will build His church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). The ordinary ministry of... Continue Reading
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