I’m looking for a new church. What should I be looking for?

QUESTION:
I’m looking for a new church. What should I be looking for?  Your checklist should include these 9 marks:

ANSWER:
1. Expositional preaching.
The pulpit is the rudder of the Church (2 Tim. 4:1-5).  As goes the pulpit so goes the ministry (Col. 1:28).  Does the pastor preach God’s Word, or his own ideas? Does he allow Scripture to set his preaching agenda, or does he pick topics by some other criteria? (2 Tim. 2:15, 4:2-2) Does he preach the full counsel of God or does he pick and choose which passages are important/relevant? Is the preaching text-driven, God-centered and reflect the intended meaning of the passage?

2. Biblical theology.
"Does the church openly confess key biblical doctrines? Do the leaders consistently teach sound doctrine? (Tit. 1:9-11)  Do they have a robust statement of faith or a small one?

3. A biblical understanding of the gospel.
Does the church clearly proclaim the good news about what Jesus Christ accomplished for sinners in his death and resurrection? Consistently? (1 Cor. 15:1-4)

4. A biblical understanding of conversion.
Does the church teach that people must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:1-8)? Does the church teach that in order to become a Christian, a person must repent of sin and trust in Christ, both of which are ultimately gifts of God? (Acts 11:18, 20:21)

5. A biblical understanding of evangelism.
Does the church preach the gospel to non-Christians and encourage its members to do the same? Does it understand that it’s our responsibility to preach the message of salvation yet God is the only one who can do the saving? (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 2:1-10)

A Word to the Older Men in the Church

"In Titus 2:2-6, Paul unpacks practically what it means for men and women to live in accordance with sound doctrine. And he starts with the older men of the congregation.  “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.” Titus 2:2

“Sober-minded” translates a term that describes moderation in the drinking of an alcoholic beverage. Its figurative extension in this verse means to be free from every form of mental and spiritual drunkenness—to be free from excess, passion, rashness, or confusion. It’s a call to be “restrained in conduct, self-controlled, level-headed” (BDAG).

“Dignified” describes a person who is worthy of respect and honor. It is a person who is noble, dignified, and serious (BDAG). The dignified person is so self-possessed and in control of his temper and fears that he elicits admiration from those who know him.

“Self-controlled” indicates someone who is thoughtful and in control of their passions. In Aristotle’s ethics, the term describes someone who avoids extremes and who gives careful consideration for responsible action (Aristot., EN 3, 15; BDAG). For Aristotle, the “self-controlled” person “is intent on the what, the how, and the when of doing what should be done.”

“Sound” literally means to be “healthy” or free from sickness. The extension of that meaning here means to be free from error. So “sound” in faith, love, and endurance means that older men have to believe in the right way, love in the right way, and endure in the right way.

Why the Church Needs to Stop Trying to Be Trendy and Hip: Raw Insights from a Young Widow

Why the Church doesn't need any more come as you are, causal everything, "lights, fog machines, couches on the platform" worship services.

Young widow, Kimberli Lira, explains how her husband's death has made her view church initiatives in a new way.  My social media feeds are full of churches boasting about the trendy new initiatives they have begun. I see pictures of Starbucks style coffee bars. I hear about lighting sequences that resemble a Broadway show. I read catchy sermon titles that incorporate movies and popular culture.

On 14th February 2017, my life changed. My husband passed away after a two year battle with cancer.

To say he battled cancer is an understatement. Over the first year he was hospitalized 18 times, for two weeks out of every month. He was rushed to the emergency room eight times and spent hundreds of days separated from our two children. Eventually the chemo, the treatment designed to get rid of the cancer, caused paralysis. For the last four months of his life he was paralyzed and confined to a bed.

But throughout the cycles of chemo, throughout the separation from his children night after night, throughout listening to doctors telling him bad news after bad news, he never once said how much he appreciated the coffee bar at church.

Not once did he say that he loved the lighting in the sanctuary.

He never told me how cool it was that they put a couch on the platform.

He didn’t boast about the use of graphics and props.

Is Your Church Christian or Christianish?

Each month I try and post some of the best articles and/or thought-provoking articles that I come across.  The following article by Christian blogger Tim Challies helps one consider whether or not your local church is Christian or Christianish?  The following piece helps one discern whether or not they are serving, worshiping, and attending the right kind of local church ministry (Eph. 4:11-16; Col. 1:28-29).

"Three little letters make a world of difference. Together i, s, and h distinguish Christian from Christianish and mark the difference between right and wrong, life and death, heaven and hell. There is nothing better for your spiritual wellbeing than to be in a Christian church. There is nothing worse for your spiritual wellbeing than to be in a Christianish church. Here are a few marks of each.

A Christian church teaches the Bible. It is committed to the inerrancy, sufficiency, clarity, and authority of the Word of God and therefore preaches it week by week with confidence and consistency. A Christianish church teaches about the Bible. It is committed to imparting life lessons and uses the scriptures as a starting point to teach people how to live lives of success and fulfillment.

A Christian church admits the deep depravity of human beings. It acknowledges that we are all deeply disordered so that not one of us has even the least righteousness to plead before God. A Christianish church proclaims the inherent goodness of humanity. It acknowledges that we aren’t what we could and should be, but encourages us to believe that with enough effort we can get there.

A Christian church makes its core declaration the finished work of Christ. The good news of grace frees us from the impossible task of earning our own salvation and instead simply receives what Christ has already accomplished. A Christianish church has its core declaration the unfinished work of humanity. The bad news of works becomes the brutal and impossible path to impressing God with deeds that will catch his eye and win his favor.

Choosing a Church: 10 Things That Matter Most (pt. 1)

In a recent conversation someone asked me, "How do you determine what to really look for when it comes to choosing a local church?"  "When it comes to selecting a new church what is most important?"  How do you know when it's time to transition from one "Christian assembly" to another?

As with marriage, it is essential that we Christians grasp which things are non-negotiable and which things are preferential.  For example, in dating or in courtship it may not be wrong to wait for a blonde haired, blue eyed, single Christian to providentially come your way; but you better not settle for a lukewarm believer simply because they enjoy the same hobbies you do and are physically attractive.  If you have lived long enough you know exactly what I mean.  The Scriptures informs us in Proverbs 31 that "charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised."  A spouse with noble character and who possesses an undying love for Christ is worth more than great wealth.

The same principle is true in regards to choosing a local church.  If we place finding a church that offers a certain musical style, or one with a certain size children's or youth ministry, on par with finding a fellowship with a Word-dominated/full counsel of God pulpit with Trinity-centered worship we have obviously missed the biblical mark; (note Eph. 4:11-16; Acts 2:42; Heb. 5:12-14; Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Tim. 3:15-4:5).

In order to solidify our core ecclesiastical convictions the first mini-series I preached in my new church (Lake Country Bible, WI) was on us maintaining "a (thoroughly) Biblical Philosophy of Ministry."  In Colossians 1:28-29 Scripture provides us with the Apostle Paul's inspired mission statement.  Wherein Paul writes, and thus we (continually) proclaim Him,  admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.  I believe that no less than four essential components of a biblical philosophy of ministry are given to us in this amazing text. (I thank God that my former mentors Drs. Rick Holland and Jerry Wragg helped show me the importance of these essential ministry components).

Having inherited a spiritually healthy congregation from my now "retired" predecessor (Pastor Sal Massa) I told Lake Country Bible Church that by the grace of God, we must continue to:

What Is a HEALTHY Church (and what it's not)?

 “A healthy church is not a church that’s perfect and without sin. It’s a church that continually seeks to conform itself to God’s Word.”  

Mark Dever

True Joy (a Healthy Church)! Amen!

Why Freeport Needs a Church Like This...

After 7 1/2 years I’ve come to see that the community in which I reside doesn’t really need me; Having said that, I’m equally convinced that the city of Freeport desperately needs a local church like this (notwithstanding our own warts and blemishes).

As I read and reread the New Testament I appreciate with greater clarity what a healthy church looks like (her priorities, her philosophy of ministry, her overarching passions, her chief goals, her doctrinal standards, etc).

Is it too elementary for me to remind you of what some of those defining marks are?  A healthy church is a Word-driven, Christ-centered, teaching and preaching community of believers wherein sound doctrine is highly prized, Spirit-filled obedience is actively pursued, and where evangelism and discipleship is both modeled and practiced.

We don’t have time to read every biblical proof text but I do want to highlight a few passages:  Every local church that is on point is shaped by the following New Testament passages.  These verses are the spiritual life blood of healthy congregations.