12 Challenges Churches Face


Book Description

Division. Disobedience. Legalism. These are just a few of the many problems that plague churches today, just as they plagued the Corinthian church in the first century. That's why, out of his great love and concern for this young church, Paul addressed these issues boldly, offering the Christians at Corinth much-needed admonition, instruction, and encouragement. If you have ever witnessed a church split or a denominational dispute, you know firsthand that the same sort of struggles impact our churches today. In Twelve Challenges Churches Face, pastor Mark Dever-a leading authority on the subject of church health-tackles this and eleven other major challenges we must fight to overcome. These twelve challenges, if left unchecked, can cripple a church and stifle its ministry to a needy world. But if individuals and churches immerse themselves in God's Word and heed Paul's instruction, God will heal even the sickest church and transform it into a powerful vehicle for proclaiming the gospel of Christ.




Pressure Points


Book Description

Each generation of believers faces numerous challenges to the mission of the church. In Pressure Points J. D. helps us see how we can prevent these global issues from pushing the church off its biblical moorings, so we can absorb the pressures while responding in a way that remains faithful to the church's calling and mission.




Revelation


Book Description

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.




Called to Stay


Book Description

Will You Stay? Caleb Breakey prays to God you do. In Called to Stay Breakey takes a refreshingly honest look at the church, the problem of Millennials leaving, and the stark reality of why the church desperately needs them. He holds nothing back as he unleashes an ambitious rallying cry to heal the church and inject his generation’s desire for truth, passion, and conviction into other believers. Caleb knows that answering the challenge of his own generation leads to a transformed church. And a changed church can change the world.




What Is a Healthy Church?


Book Description

Key Traits of a Healthy Church to Develop within the Local Body What is an ideal church, and how can you tell? How does it look different from other churches? More importantly, how does it act differently, especially in society? Many of us aren't sure how to answer those questions, even though we probably have some preconceived ideas. This book answers those questions and many more. Author Mark Dever seeks to help believers recognize the key characteristics of a healthy church: expositional preaching, biblical theology, and a right understanding of the gospel. Dever then calls us to develop those characteristics in our own churches. By following the example of New Testament authors and addressing all members of the church, pastors and laity alike, Dever challenges all believers to do their part in maintaining the local church. Part of the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series, What Is a Healthy Church? offers timeless truths and practical principles to help each of us fulfill our God-given roles in the body of Christ. Offers an Ideal Church Model: Encourages pastors and members to implement healthy church qualities within their local body Written by Mark Dever: Pastor, bestselling author, and president of 9Marks From 9Marks: Other titles in the Building Healthy Churches series include Church Discipline; Deacons; and Church Membership Replaces ISBN 978-1-58134-937-5




Jesus Never Said to Plant Churches


Book Description

"Church planting is hard. Very hard. No, extremely hard. But no one ever told that to Trinity Jordan when he and his wife set out to plant Elevation Church fifteen miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah. What started with three families and a dog named Carson meeting in a house has now grown into multiple house churches and two public gathering locations, with more being developed. But those early days (well, even the current ones too) would not have been so tough had Trinity been forewarned and wall-armed to face the challenges ahead. A new generation of church leaders have begun planting churches in droves and at breakneck speed, which is wonderful in and of itself, but with this movement comes the need to understand all the pitfalls, hurdles, and challenges often overlooked. [This book] reveals the secrets on church planting so leaders will have the insight and confidence to complete their mission to see God's glory reflected in changed lives." -- page 4 of cover.




The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind


Book Description

Winner of the Christianity Today Book of the Year Award (1995) “The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind.” So begins this award-winning intellectual history and critique of the evangelical movement by one of evangelicalism’s most respected historians. Unsparing in his indictment, Mark Noll asks why the largest single group of religious Americans—who enjoy increasing wealth, status, and political influence—have contributed so little to rigorous intellectual scholarship. While nourishing believers in the simple truths of the gospel, why have so many evangelicals failed to sustain a serious intellectual life and abandoned the universities, the arts, and other realms of “high” culture? Over twenty-five years since its original publication, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind has turned out to be prescient and perennially relevant. In a new preface, Noll lays out his ongoing personal frustrations with this situation, and in a new afterword he assesses the state of the scandal—showing how white evangelicals’ embrace of Trumpism, their deepening distrust of science, and their frequent forays into conspiratorial thinking have coexisted with surprisingly robust scholarship from many with strong evangelical connections.




Church in Hard Places


Book Description

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, paying particular attention to the downtrodden and the poor. As followers of Jesus, Christians are called to imitate his example and reach out to those who have the least. This book offers biblical guidelines and practical strategies for reaching those on the margins of our society with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The authors—both pastors with years of experience ministering among the poor—set forth helpful “dos” and “don’ts” related to serving in the midst of less-affluent communities. Emphasizing the priority of the gospel as well as the importance of addressing issues of social justice, this volume will help pastors and other church leaders mobilize their people to plant churches and make an impact in “hard places”—in their own communities and around the world.




Church Planting Is for Wimps (Redesign)


Book Description

This book tells the story of the revitalization of Guilford Baptist Church in northern Virginia. Weaving together scripture and biblical principles with humor and personal anecdotes, author Michael McKinley asserts that a pastor's faithful exposition of God's Word, passion for sharing the gospel, and care in the training of other godly leaders are more important than the size of his church. McKinley honestly shares his own fears and rookie mistakes, along with encouraging stories of how God moved at Guilford Baptist. We are reminded that God uses weak and fearful pastors in plants and revitalizations; church planting is indeed for "wimps." For pastors and seminarians considering a church plant and those already struggling in their own fledgling congregations, this book is a thoughtful and encouraging resource.




Nine Marks of a Healthy Church


Book Description

A must-read for church leaders and members alike, this book outlines nine essential marks that distinguish a healthy, biblical church. This classic book is now revised with a new foreword, a fresh cover, and updated content, illustrations, and appendices. Third edition.