I've recently been reading this book called 9 Marks of a Healthy Church, by Mark Dever, and he listed out these 9 marks that he thinks every healthy church must have. He is not saying that healthy churches are limited to just these 9, since he even admits that there can be more marks that can be added (for example, he knows prayer and missions can be considered to be in those 9 marks, but he didn't because he either incorporated them within those marks, or these 9 marks would lead to that point)
He also reminds us that there is not such thing as a perfect church, but there is such things as healthy churches and unhealthy churches, as we can see from the letter written by the Apostles to the churches and the 7 examples of churches from the Book of Revelation.
Most of these marks are about having the right understanding of something, and some might think that understanding is one thing, but actually doing it is another thing, which can be true, but if someone has true understanding of these marks, it would lead to action.
Overall, I agree with what Pastor Dever has to say, and I HIGHLY recommend anyone who is thinking of leading a church, starting a church, or just plain someone who goes to church to read this book.
Here are the 9 marks: (In order, since each mark builds off from previous marks)
1. Expositional Preaching
2. Biblical theology
3. The Gospel
4. A Biblical understanding of Conversion
5. A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
6. A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership
7. Biblical Church Discipline
8. A Concern for Discipleship and Growth
9. Biblical Church Leadership
So what do you think? Do you think there should be more marks or less? Do you have these in your churches? Since this book is about 300 pages long, he definitely has more to say for each chapter (Every chapter starts with an outline of the chapter), so if anyone wants some clarification from one of these marks, I can provide some as requested.
I've recently been reading this book called 9 Marks of a Healthy Church, by Mark Dever, and he listed out these 9 marks that he thinks every healthy church must have. He is not saying that healthy churches are limited to just these 9, since he even admits that there can be more marks that can be added (for example, he knows prayer and missions can be considered to be in those 9 marks, but he didn't because he either incorporated them within those marks, or these 9 marks would lead to that point)
He also reminds us that there is not such thing as a perfect church, but there is such things as healthy churches and unhealthy churches, as we can see from the letter written by the Apostles to the churches and the 7 examples of churches from the Book of Revelation.
Most of these marks are about having the right understanding of something, and some might think that understanding is one thing, but actually doing it is another thing, which can be true, but if someone has true understanding of these marks, it would lead to action.
Overall, I agree with what Pastor Dever has to say, and I HIGHLY recommend anyone who is thinking of leading a church, starting a church, or just plain someone who goes to church to read this book.
Here are the 9 marks: (In order, since each mark builds off from previous marks)
1. Expositional Preaching
2. Biblical theology
3. The Gospel
4. A Biblical understanding of Conversion
5. A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
6. A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership
7. Biblical Church Discipline
8. A Concern for Discipleship and Growth
9. Biblical Church Leadership
So what do you think? Do you think there should be more marks or less? Do you have these in your churches? Since this book is about 300 pages long, he definitely has more to say for each chapter (Every chapter starts with an outline of the chapter), so if anyone wants some clarification from one of these marks, I can provide some as requested.
"In the morning, when I rise, Give me Jesus.
When I am alone, Give me Jesus.
When I come to die, Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus."
--Word from the song, Give me Jesus
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