The new 9Marks E-Journal is out on the church and counseling.

I dug out this old sermon and listened to it yesterday and again, it was fresh and alive in new ways. (I say old as if it is a classic, but it was given at SG Ministries’ 2004 Leadership Conference).

Wayne Grudem on Keeping Your Heart with All Vigilance

Download and enjoy!

In his book Breaking the Missional Code, Ed Stetzer and David Putnam encourage each church to ask themselves the following question:

“Are we faithfully proclaiming the faith in the place in which we find ourselves today?”

This question gets at the core of the modern missional mindset. So, are you? And are we?

What continues a series of posts on the book Total Church on Tuesdays leaves us here today at the chapter on Church Planting. Tim Chester and Steve Timmis write about the need for church planting in the conclusion to this helpful chapter:

The New Testament pattern of church life implies a regular transplanting of churches. This creates a missionary dynamic in which new leaders can emerge and the church can re-invent itself. Church planting is part of normal church life. At present church planting carries a certain mystique. Church planters are portrayed as a unique kind of rugged pioneer. But we need to create a culture in which transplanting is normal. Every local church should be aiming to transplant and raise up church planters. (pp.97-98)

What strikes me with this chapter is how foreign it is to much of the way I was raised to think. In our age of the mega-church, we often don’t think in terms of reproduce and transplanting ourselves but as growing ourselves to some huge structure that others can oo and awe at. The NT paints a different picture, though. The church was consistently reproducing itself and establishing new congregations. This is quite a thought. Is your church aiming at transplanting itself and raising up church planters? Just a thought.

Over at The Henry Institute, Phillip Bethancourt has written an interesting commentary which would make for good discussion on our Marriage Monday:

Next generation technology and its impact on family life: “…researchers reported that family life has not been weakened, as many had worried it would, by new technology. Rather, families have compensated for the stress and hurry of modern life with cellphone calls, emails, text messages and other new forms of communication.” How are you building techno-discernment in the community to which you minister?

What we cannont compromise on is the priority that our families should have in our lives. Whether it is being devoted to being an excellent spouse or parenting your children well (and usually it’s both), we have to cope for the stress and hurry of modern life and redeem technology for the glory of God. Is this taking place for you?

Previewing the evening service involves looking at the character of a man named Demas, who “in love with this present world, deserted [Paul] and went to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10).

There were some effects of pursuing the love of the world. That’s what I hope to expose from God’s Word on Sunday PM.

This week as we look at Jesus interact with religious leaders again, after they bring up some outrageous example to counterfeit the truth, Jesus says:

“Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mark 12:24)

Then He concludes all discussion by saying, “You are quite wrong” (Mark 12:27).

Interesting isn’t it?

That’s right, my Black Trutone ESV Study Bible arrived 2DAY! What I didn’t realize was that I get free access to the ESV Study Bible online, which looks to be a very cool tool for those of us who enjoy electronic media coupled with print media. You can check out the features of this here.

Sinclair Ferguson serves as Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. You can access sermons of his here. Enjoy!

Continuing our series on Total Church, today we look at what they said about social involvement. I think they are spot on in their assessment of evangelicalism in this chapter. They are discussing why it matters to discuss these things and they summarize by saying:

It matters because we are failing to reach the working class with the gospel. Evangelicalism has become a largely middle-class, professional phenomenon. When we invite people to our dinners and our churches, we invite our friends, our relatives, and our rich neighbors. We do not invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. What is at stake is the grace of God.

After this assessment, as with many chapters, they go on to discuss how we wield the gospel word to the poor and marginazlized and then discuss how we can extend community to them. These are really compelling points and arguments. In our own church, for instance, our small groups are seeking to do some ministry projects this fall. Are these groups of people (poor and marginalized) even on our radar? These are good things to think about and, better yet, do something about.