The Gospel
25 Years Ago, “Nine Marks” Was Born
By Mark Dever | 10.28.2016On 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.”
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 | 09.30.2016We asked three pastors to reflect on how the people of their nation—Brazil, Great Britain, and China—tend to respond to exercised authority.
The Compelling Community: What to Do Next?
By Jamie Dunlop | 08.04.2016Periodically, pastors read The Compelling Community, and then ask us where to start in putting its ideas into practice. Here are three thoughts for your consideration.
Race, Grace, and the Church
By I. Adams, J. Leeman | 07.22.2016Here’s everything I’ve learned about the race conversation in a nutshell: it has to start by building friendships across racial lines with other members of my church.
Four Biblical Foundations for Contextualization
By Zane Pratt | 07.18.2016The goal of contextualization is not comfort, but clarity.
Church Revitalization: Surviving a Plane Crash
By Mike Christ | 07.14.2016Four 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.
Praying as a Church for the World and Your City
By Phil Ryken | 9Marks Journal: The Church Praying | 06.21.2016If God rules over kingdoms, then kingdoms are our concern, and we should discipline ourselves to pray both for the world in general and our cities in particular.
Pastor’s Forum: Stories of Answered Prayer
By A. Menikoff, D. Newkirk, G. Conner, G. Kell, J. Vincent, S. Kelly | 9Marks Journal: The Church Praying | 06.21.2016A few brief stories of how God has answered church-wide prayers.
Reflections on the SBC Annual Meeting, Tuesday, June 14, 2016
By Grant Gaines | 06.15.2016After all that transpired today, I was left with appreciation for our denominational systems, with some lingering questions about our theology and practice, and with hopefulness in the area of racial unity
Is Meek Weak?—Pastoral Reflections on Gentleness
By Aaron Menikoff | 05.23.2016The pastor who feels the need to power his church to greatness through the exercise of his own gifts underestimates the power of the gospel.
Book Review: The Whole Christ, by Sinclair Ferguson
By Paul Alexander | 05.18.2016This book is an instant classic—historical theology at its best.
Book Review: Gospel Eldership, by Robert Thune
Review by Phil Newton | 05.06.2016Thune has put together a series of essays, exercises, and questions for aspiring elders to consider before embracing the office of elder.
How the Lord’s Supper Makes a Local Church
By Bobby Jamieson | 04.28.2016The ordinances make it possible to point to something and say “church” rather than only pointing to many somethings and saying “Christians.”
Churches in Madagascar: Growing Deeper and Wider
By Tim Cantrell | 9Marks Journal: Healthy Churches around the World | 04.27.2016Please join me in rejoicing at how God’s Word is at work in Madagascar, and also in praying for the spread of his Word in that needy place.
Confessions: Thick or Thin?
By Jonathan Leeman | 9Marks Journal: Confessions, Covenants, and Constitutions: How to Organize Your Church | 03.16.2016A good confession of faith builds a protective doctrinal house around a precious center: the gospel.
