Tag: church
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Territorial Attitudes in the Church – Part 1
Perhaps the most pernicious problem I’ve encountered as a parachurch worker is the territorial attitude that plagues many congregations. First, imagine the ideal: churches of different denominations, as well as parachurch organizations, sharing the common goal of making disciples of Jesus Christ. They do not let minor doctrinal differences prevent them from working together to… Read more
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Out-of-Touch Oversight: Who Holds the Pastor Accountable?
The current institutional oversight in many denominations is too far removed from the goings-on in local congregations to provide proper accountability to the churches. I recently learned that, in the United Methodist denomination, the people to whom the pastor is accountable are the district superintendent and the bishop above him. There is a Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations… Read more
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The Biblically Illiterate Church
We Need More Expository Preaching. The church fathers, the apostles, and possibly even Jesus himself would be shocked and appalled by the lack of biblical literacy among Christians today. We carry around with us devices that contain the entirety of the scriptural canon – not to mention the myriad of commentaries, dictionaries, and other tools… Read more
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Church Discipline: The Solution to Church Hurt
As I’ve read and reread the New Testament, I am increasingly struck by the glaring lack of discipline today as compared to the early church. I cannot recall a sermon or teaching in my entire Christian life on the Matthew 18 process of confronting a believer who has sinned against you. In case you haven’t… Read more