In the late 80’s Mark Dever received an informal letter from a friend in Boston. His church needed a pastor, and he was asking Mark for feedback on what the pastoral search committee should be looking for in a potential shepherd for their flock. Fearful that they were looking for the wrong things, Mark responded with a careful letter listing nine different ideas that he believed were important for any faithful pastor to impart to the people under his care. That list turned into nine different articles for a church newsletter. The newsletter expanded into a booklet, the booklet was enlarged into a topical sermon series, and the sermon series eventually came to fruition in a full-size book published in 2000 by Crossway, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church.

After years of pastoral experience, seismic cultural upheaval, and the passing of countless ministry fads, the list of nine hasn’t changed. Of course, the list was never intended to be exhaustive. We freely acknowledge that there are other ingredients critical to the health and holiness of the local church (e.g. prayer, The Lord’s Supper). But these nine seem to be increasingly neglected in many modern churches. We view them as essential.

All this is to say that 9Marks was born out of a desire to assist local church pastors and lay leaders. We are not “professionals” trying to build a para-church ministry or a business. We are not ecclesiastical consultants angling to exact a fee, or spiritual salesmen seeking to hawk our religious wares. We are simply local church pastors and leaders seeking to help other local church pastors and leaders in our common commission to edify and equip healthy churches. 9Marks simply serves as a convenient venue for the exchange of ideas.