Real Change

By Bobby Jamieson

Conversion There is great hope in God’s power to change, and everyone needs to be changed. This study explores what God does when he saves someone, answering questions such as: … keep reading…

Book Review: Marks of the Messenger, by J. Mack Stiles

Review by John Starke | 9Marks Journal: Pastoral Moves | 01.03.2011

Stiles reminds us that we may not have the power of persuasion, but if we are faithful to the biblical message, we have the power of God.

Why We Should Evangelize

9Marks | 12.08.2010

At a conference in Dubai, Mark Dever and Mike McKinley gave five messages based on the contents of Dever’s book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.

Why We Don’t Evangelize

9Marks | 12.07.2010

At a conference in Dubai, Mark Dever and Mike McKinley gave five messages based on the contents of Dever’s book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.

The Church’s Role in Evangelism

9Marks | 12.07.2010

At a conference in Dubai, Mark Dever and Mike McKinley gave five messages based on the contents of Dever’s book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.

What Is Evangelism?

9Marks | 12.07.2010

At a conference in Dubai, Mark Dever and Mike McKinley gave five messages based on the contents of Dever’s book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.

Book Review: When Helping Hurts, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

Review by Steve Boyer | 9Marks Journal: Book Reviews on the Mission of the Church | 10.25.2010

If you are experienced with helping the poor, you may already be familiar with much of this book’s content. But if you’re new, then this book will be especially useful

Why Hell Is Integral to the Gospel

By Greg Gilbert | 9Marks Journal: Hell: Remembering the Awful Reality | 08.20.2010

Why is it that when people think about hell, they always conclude that God must be at fault and not themselves?

What are some common mistakes churches make in partnering with missionaries in other nations?

9Marks
They partner with missionaries who are not theologically likeminded. They partner with missionaries who are not practically likeminded. They partner with missionaries whose character they know insufficiently. They give a little money to a lot of missionaries rather than substantial support to fewer missionaries. They provide only financial support. They are too quick to cut support when there is little apparent fruit.

How can a church know when to affirm an individual’s desire to do overseas missions?

9Marks

A church should be willing to affirm an individual’s desire to do overseas missions when they are confident that the person:

Can someone be genuinely converted and contentedly live in sin?

9Marks

Generally speaking, no.

How should a biblical understanding of conversion impact our evangelism?

9Marks

How should a biblical understanding of conversion impact our evangelism? A biblical understanding of conversion should lead us to:

What are some relevant factors in thinking about a church missions budget?

9Marks

The Bible teaches that our love for the gospel is verified in part by our love for supporting gospel work beyond the sphere of our own church (see 3 John). Therefore, we should discipline ourselves to give faithfully to advance gospel work beyond our local church. With that in mind, here are a few ideas that might be worth considering.

How should churches get involved with and think about short-term mission trips?

9Marks
Churches should view short-term mission trips as an opportunity to serve workers they support. This means that churches should begin by asking whether or not the missionaries want them to come on a short-term trip. Next, churches should ask the missionaries how they can best serve them, and then be willing to do whatever they ask, even if it’s a week of childcare so that the workers can train or plan together.

Should a church equally support all church members who desire to do foreign missions?

9Marks

Churches have limited resources. This means that churches will have to make tough decisions about who to support, and how much. To help think through those tough decisions, here are some factors to consider:

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