Mailbag #25: Thinking through Church Budgets; My Congregation Demands an “Altar Call”; Tricky Membership Situation
By Jonathan Leeman | 12.22.2015— How do you lead a church through thinking through the budget in a way that obeys God? Further, how do you do this in a way that is “above-reproach” when leading the overall church through polity change? — My congregation begs for me to do a weekly “altar call,” but I am opposed to them. What should I do? — An elderly couple with health problems wants to join our church—but they won’t ever be able to attend. What do you think?
Mailbag #24: What Happens to Infants Who Die; Thinking through Civil Disobedience; Calling Out False Teachers by Name
By Jonathan Leeman | 12.14.2015— What happens to infants who die? Do they go to heaven? — How should Christians think through the category of “civil disobedience”? — Should pastors call out false teachers by name?
Mailbag #22: Thinking Through Pastoral Transitions; Loving Those Who Repeatedly Commit Sexual Sin; Declaring Membership Bankruptcy
By Jonathan Leeman | 11.30.2015— What are some best practices for thinking through pastoral searches? — If someone is repeatedly falling into sexual sin, yet repeatedly professes repentance and sorrow, is there ever an occasion to disbelieve them? — I’ve heard of churches deleting their membership rolls so that they can start over and have a membership that better reflects attendance. What do you think of this practice?
Book Review: How Church Can Change Your Life, by Josh Moody
Review by Josh Manley | 11.20.2015This is a helpful book on the church in our very anti-institutional age.
Mailbag #19: Baptismal Regeneration; What Makes a Legitimate Baptism; Relationship Between Baptism and Membership; Relating to a Registered Sex Offender
By Jonathan Leeman | 11.06.2015— What do you know about the Restoration Movement and their teaching on baptism? — When affirming someone’s baptism, what legitimizing factors do you look for in the baptizing church? — Is it wise to baptize someone without bringing them into church membership? — A registered sex offender wants to join our church. How should we respond?
An Anglican, Baptist, and Presbyterian Review Going Public
By B. Jamieson, C. Van Dixhoorn, S. Norman, T. Payne | 11.04.2015Editor’s note: In July, we released a book called Going Public: Why Baptism Is Required for Church Membership by Bobby Jamieson. We asked three pastor-theologians to review the book, each of them … keep reading…
Mailbag #18: Dealing with Anxiety; Lord’s Supper Question; Christians & Multi-Level Marketing; When A Church Member Moves Away
By Jonathan Leeman | 10.30.2015—How do I battle anxiety in my life? —Is it permissible to take the Lord’s Supper in small groups? Wednesday night Bible study? —Should Christians be involved in multi-level marketing organizations? —When a church member moves away, should they automatically be taken off the membership roll?
Mailbag #17: Renting Out Church Facilities; Too Busy to Elder; Transitioning to Closed Communion; Problems with Secret Societies
By Jonathan Leeman | 10.14.2015—How should we think through renting out our church facilities? —Is there ever a time when a man is too busy to be an elder? —Should ministry roles be restricted to members only? —As Christians, what should we think of secret societies like the Freemasons?
Mailbag #16: Dual Membership; Does Marriage Require State Involvement; How Much Agreement Among Elders
By Jonathan Leeman | 10.05.2015—What should I think about “dual membership”? —If marriage is created by God, does it require state involvement? —Must elders agree on every doctrinal matter? How much agreement is necessary?
22 Mistakes Pastors Make in Practicing Church Discipline
By Jonathan Leeman | 09.18.2015Church discipline should be practiced, but with care and a biblical focus.
Mailbag #15: Officiating Non-Christian Weddings; Meaningful Membership before Establishing Elders; Excommunicate for Not Giving Money; Transfer Membership
By Jonathan Leeman | 09.09.2015—Are pastors free to officiate a non-Christian wedding? —What should come first: meaningful membership or a plurality of elders? —Shouldn’t a refusal to give to your church result in excommunication? —Should a church accept transfer memberships from other churches at face value?
Mailbag #11—Why “Disowning” Family Members Isn’t an Option; Term Limits for Elders; Expedited Church Discipline; Can I Leave My Family’s Church?
By Jonathan Leeman | 08.07.2015—How should I treat my unrepentant father-in-law? —Should elders have term limits? —Is there ever a case where church discipline should be done immediately? —Can I leave the church I grew up in?
Mailbag #10—Lord’s Supper in Nursing Home; Christians Dating a Non-Christian; Role of Small Group Leaders; New Pastor in Need of Help
By Jonathan Leeman | 07.31.2015Lord’s Supper in Nursing Home » Christians Dating a Non-Christian » Role of Small Group Leaders » New Pastor in Need of Help » Mike, We get some version of … keep reading…
Book Review: The Prodigal Church, by Jared C. Wilson
Review by Alex Duke | 07.29.2015The Prodigal Church is more than just a demolition project. Atop the wreckage left by pragmatism and consumerism, Wilson attempts to rebuild scaffolding with different, yet more durable materials. In this, the book succeeds, though not perfectly.
A Conversation about Church Revitalization with Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman
By J. Leeman, M. Dever | 07.23.2015The more we reduce ministry to business, the more pastors are convinced to think like CEOs and less like shepherds.
