This message is based on Jude, verses 20-25. The focus of these verses is on being a Faithful Church. Jude How to Be a Faithful Church 20  But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;  21  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy [...]

I read an excellent article this morning that I wanted to pass on. Kevin DeYoung discusses the issue of measuring numbers in the church. He rightly says that we are prone to pass judgment on large churches and that we are just as likely to dismiss small churches as irrelevant. DeYoung advocates a balanced approach [...]

I have often thought that, in most churches, pastors get more credit than they deserve and more blame than they deserve. Most of the time, the third grade Sunday School teacher isn’t showered with compliments every Sunday and gifts at Christmastime, but neither is he or she asked why the sanctuary is so cold or [...]

Once, when a new pastor came to a church where I was a member, I overheard another member say, “I finally feel like I have a pastor. _____________ (the last pastor’s name) was a preacher but he was not a pastor.” I have often thought about that distinction made between pastor and preacher. The stereotype [...]

Yesterday I was watching an interview with the great baseball player Reggie Jackson.  Jackson is a Hall of Famer who hit more than 500 homeruns.  More than anything, he was known for his brash manner and his winning ways.  Jackson was a part of 5 World Series winning teams and went to the playoffs in [...]

Over the last several months our church leadership has been working its way toward presenting a “Mission and Focus” document to the church for approval next Spring.  What I have realized in this process is how many real issues there are in understanding what the Bible says about the church.  Really, the New Testament from [...]