Preaching

Churches in Spain: A Smoking Flax He Will Not Quench

Though many of the churches in Spain often confuse or lose the gospel in their preaching, there is a small and growing network of churches who love gospel clarity and church health.

A Guide for Praying Nation by Nation

By Jonathan Leeman | 9Marks Journal: Healthy Churches around the World | 12.12.2016

One of our hopes for this Journal is that it will spur you on in prayer for our brothers and sisters around the globe. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of prayer requests from our contributors.

Churches in the United Arab Emirates: Lights in the Desert

By J. Mack Stiles | 9Marks Journal: Healthy Churches around the World | 12.09.2016

Through the faithfulness of Christian doctors a generation ago, God gave churches favor in the eyes of the rulers of a nation in the heart of the Middle East. Through the recovery of one church, now many healthy churches are springing up in this desert country.

Preach About the Church to the Church

By Keith Collier | 11.16.2016

But despite the trend of growing expository preaching, what if a blind spot—a byproduct of 20th-century evangelicalism—exists in our preaching?

Neither a Republican Nor a Democratic Church

By Mark Dever | 11.14.2016

The Christ we share is more important to us than the politics we don’t.

Reflecting on 30 Years of Ministry at the Same Church

By Tom Ascol | 11.01.2016

I’m now more convinced than ever that consistently applying the grace of God in the gospel to my own heart is the most important and most difficult responsibility that I have as a pastor.

25 Years Ago, “Nine Marks” Was Born

By Mark Dever | 10.28.2016

On October 30, 1991—25 years ago this Sunday—Mark Dever wrote a letter to a church in Massachusetts. They needed a new pastor and wanted to know what they should be looking for. Mark responded with a list of nine must-haves—a list that has since become known as “nine marks of a healthy church.”

Is It Self-Serving to Teach on Your Own Authority?

By B. Johnson, J. Yong | 9Marks Journal: Authority: God's Good and Dangerous Gift | 09.30.2016

We asked two pastors the question: Is it self-serving to teach on a pastor’s authority? If not, then how should you do it?

Views of Authority from around the World

By J. Fang, M. Gilbart-Smith, R. Hsu, T. J. Santos Filho | 9Marks Journal: Authority: God's Good and Dangerous Gift | 09.30.2016

We asked three pastors to reflect on how the people of their nation—Brazil, Great Britain, and China—tend to respond to exercised authority.

Four Biblical Foundations for Contextualization

By Zane Pratt | 07.18.2016

The goal of contextualization is not comfort, but clarity.

Church Revitalization: Surviving a Plane Crash

By Mike Christ | 07.14.2016

Four years ago, when I began this church revitalization, I believed my main goal would be to preach, pray, and stay, and included in “stay” is to develop personal relationships with people and pour into discipleship. That’s the same advice I’d give now.