How Parachurch Ministries Go Off the Rails

By Carl Trueman | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 03.01.2011

The parachurch is not the church. It does not do what the church does, and it should not supplant the church in the minds and lives of those involved in its work.

Are Parachurch Ministries Evil? Bad and Good Arguments for the Parachurch

By Aaron Menikoff | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 03.01.2011

The failure of particular local churches may be the best, most enduring reason for the need for solid, gospel-centered, evangelistic parachurch ministries.

For the Parachurch: Know the Difference Between Families & Soccer Teams

By Byron Straughn | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 03.01.2011

The gospel helps us to see that belonging to a church is like belonging to a family, while working for a parachurch is more like playing for a soccer team.

Praying for Parachurch Ministries

By D. A. Carson | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 03.01.2011

Should there be any difference between the way we pray for a local church and the way we pray for a parachurch organization? No and yes.

Leadership Interview with Mark Dever

Culture of Discipling

By M. Dever, P. Van Steenburgh | 02.18.2011

Mark Dever explains why he prioritizes building relationships like he does—in the church, between Christians, and among pastors.

Book Review: Almost Christian, by Kenda Dean

Review by Matt McCullough | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 02.18.2011

This book is worth your time as a penetrating indictment of quasi-Christianity and a source of some helpful advice about how to fight back.

Book Review: The Tangible Kingdom, by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay

Review by Bobby Jamieson | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 02.02.2011

I celebrate the willingness to throw anything overboard that gets in the way of reaching others with the gospel, but I fear some of what’s getting tossed is actually precious cargo.

Book Review: Christ-Centered Worship, by Bryan Chapell

Review by Josh Manley | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 01.31.2011

If you are a pastor or church leader with responsibilities for worship or want to better understand this massive topic in Scripture, you should read this book.

Book Review: Wired for Intimacy, by William Struthers

Review by Deepak Reju | 9Marks Journal: Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes? | 01.31.2011

Struthers’ research helps us to understand how pornography rewires the brain.

Committing to One Another

By Bobby Jamieson

Church Membership This study answers the question: Why join a church? By seeing the scriptural reasoning for becoming a church member, participants will also learn what it looks like to … keep reading…

Growing One Another

By Bobby Jamieson

Discipleship in the Church Discipleship was one of the central themes of Jesus’ teaching, yet it is not a major emphasis today for many churches. This short study guide explores … keep reading…

Built Upon the Rock

By Bobby Jamieson

The Church Only right theology can lead to right worship and right obedience. Every church should strive to believe, confess and live in light of a truly biblical theology and … keep reading…

Leadership Interview with Mark Dever

Understanding the Bible and Ministry

By B. Winter, M. Dever | 01.01.2011

New Testament scholar Bruce Winter jumps into the fray over cultural contextualization in ministry, the importance of historical background for interpreting Scripture, and bad contemporary ideas of leadership.

Book Review: The Hospitality Commands, by Alexander Strauch

Review by Brent Thomas | 12.30.2010

The heart of the book is a consideration of Scriptural commands to practice hospitality.

Book Review: Church 3.0, by Neil Cole

Review by Geoff Chang | 9Marks Journal: Pastoral Moves | 12.23.2010

If you want to acquaint yourself with a leading voice of the house church movement, read this book, but then turn elsewhere for what Scripture teaches about the local church.