What greater purpose could we spend and devote our lives to other than God’s glory? How can we best accomplish this task? God has ordained that His children spend their lives for His glory through a local church. A.W. Tozer said, “The highest expression of the will of God in this age is the church which He purchased with His own blood.” Therefore, the church matters. It mattered in days of the Apostles and it matters in our present day. As we think about the church, what comes to your mind? White steeples? Brick buildings? How about that little rhyme you learned in VBS as a child – “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open it up and see all of the people.” Don Whitney once said, “When you join a church you make it clear whose side you’re on. You’re telling the family of God that youre part of the family too, and that you don’t want to be considered on the outside (1 Corinthians 5:12-13) any longer.”
As we think about the church, we must focus on several key things:
- People
- Preaching
- Theology
- Evangelism
- Discipline
- Discipleship
- Polity
- Gifts
It goes without saying – the health of a church is of massive importance for the community that it dwells in. The pastors should strive for faithful obedience, spiritual health, evangelistic passion, multiplication of disciples, theological purity, and a government structure that is rooted in the Scripture. The members of the church should be just as passionate about those same things.
John Flavel once said, “O be not too quick to bury the Church before she is dead.” Let us labor for God’s glory and ensure that the church is healthy and vibrant in our present evil age. May God be pleased to call out sinners from darkness to light through the faithful preaching of the gospel in our communities.
Join us in January 2014 as we examine the theme: “The Church: From a Biblical Perspective.” We pray that God will challenge us, mold us, and revive us as we focus on the subject of the church for an entire weekend. Will you commit to joining us? Send this to your friends and secure your seat by registering today. Remember, just like last year, we are limited to 1,000 seats. They will fill up quickly.
I look forward to seeing you in January!
Pastor Josh Buice
G3 Conference
