Discipleship

I don’t like the direction my church is heading. How can I know when it’s time to find another church?

9Marks

Every situation is different, and it’s impossible to speak precisely about any one situation. That said, here are some criteria worth keeping in mind in every situation:

I don’t feel like there are opportunities for me to get involved in my church. What should I do?

9Marks

Sometimes we get so fixated on programs and official positions in the church that it’s easy to miss opportunities right in front of our eyes. To help remedy that potential near-sightedness, here are two ways that you can always get involved in any church.

What should I look for in a church?

9Marks
Expositional preaching. Does the pastor preach God’s Word, or his own ideas? Does he allow Scripture to set his preaching agenda, or does he pick topics by some other criteria? (2 Tim. 2:15, 4:2-2) Biblical theology. Does the church openly confess key biblical doctrines? Do the leaders consistently teach sound doctrine? (Tit. 1:9-11)

How can a pastor best care for the members of his congregation who are physically ill?

9Marks
Pray for them personally. See James 5:14. Pray for them publicly. Be discerning here. Be careful that your church’s public prayers don’t become (if they aren’t already!) a mere recital of who’s got what. Perhaps consider praying in general for those who are ill in one of your pastoral prayers. Visit them if you’re able.

How can a preacher train his congregation to make the most of expositional preaching?

9Marks
Preach at a level that’s high enough to make them stretch, but not so high that the sermon flies over their heads. Apply the text to their lives specifically. Provide cards that list all the upcoming sermons, a blog post, or something similar that will inform the congregation of what biblical texts the preacher will cover in coming weeks. Encourage the church to study the biblical texts during the week before the sermon.

What are some important lessons for parents to learn about their children?

9Marks
Little kids need the strength of your youth; older kids need your wisdom (so have children while you’re young!). Pack in truth while your children are little and trust the Lord to unpack it in his time. Study your children. Know their “love language.” Consistent, loving, faithful discipline brings peace to the home. Inconsistency brings chaos.

What are some important lessons for parents to learn about themselves?

9Marks
To be a faithful steward of your children you must abide in Christ (John 15:5). Trickle-down theory: Mom’s daily devotions naturally trickle down to encouragement and instruction in the Lord for the children. Not listening to your children causes you to misjudge them (James 1:19-20). Our task list is not as important as our children’s thought life. Preach the gospel of grace, not self-discipline. Being parented is defining; parenting is refining.

What should I avoid in parenting?

9Marks

The one sentence answer is that parents should avoid wrongly provoking their children: “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged” (Col. 3:21). Again, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).

Here are ten ways to wrongly provoke your children:

What are some common temptations parents and families face?

9Marks
Sunday morning struggles. It seems that Satan often comes into our homes on Sunday mornings in order to make the Lord's Day a day of struggle. So pray, rise early, and be patient. Pressure from other people (other church members, Christian grandparents, etc.) to baptize your children. Resist such outward pressure. Instead, look for and test for a credible profession of faith in your child (Prov. 22:15).

How can I as a church leader help cultivate a culture of discipleship?

9Marks
Structure your own weekly schedule to include time with younger Christians (breakfasts and lunches, running errands, regular sermon reviews, etc.). If you lead a literate congregation, ask the church for a pastoral budget for book giveaways. Have a stack of books in your office ready for spontaneous giveaways. Encourage people to read them and then call you to schedule a time to discuss the book.

Why should a local church cultivate a culture of discipleship?

9Marks

The members of a local church should cultivate a culture of discipleship because they want to:

Should churches primarily view discipleship as a “program” or a “lifestyle”?

9Marks

Church should not primarily view discipleship as special event or a flashy program. Discipleship is not something that’s occasional or out of the ordinary, something that can be sealed off from the rest of our Christian lives. To be a Christian is to be a disciple of Christ. And being a disciple of Christ means

In practice, how can I disciple other Christians?

9Marks
Join a church. Arrive early at church gatherings and stay late. Practice hospitality with members of your church. Ask God for strategic friendships. If possible, include a line-item in your family or pastoral budget for weekly time with fellow Christians. Discuss this matter with your spouse. If possible, provide such a budget line for your spouse as well.

In principle, how does discipleship work?

9Marks

Discipleship works most essentially through instruction and imitation. Discipleship works best through love. As we lovingly instruct younger believers in the way of godliness and live commendable lives, they grow in Christlikeness by imitating our life and doctrine (see 1 Tim. 4:16).

How should a biblical understanding of conversion impact us personally as Christians?

9Marks

A biblical understanding of conversion should…

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