Posts Tagged ‘Church Life’
Clapping vs. Amen — Which Will Win?
Wally Morris The increase in clapping of the hands in churches as a response to musical ministries and even preaching is one of the obvious changes taking place in many churches. What I find intriguing is why? What is behind this growing preference for hand clapping as a sign of approval rather than “Amen”, “Praise…
Read MoreGreatest Strength and Weakness of Independent Baptist Churches
John Van Gelderen Last week on the Revival Focus Facebook and Twitter accounts, we asked what people considered to be the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of Independent Baptist churches. Regarding the greatest strength, for the most part the responses indicated a high view of the Word of God, such as preaching, teaching, doctrine,…
Read MoreChurch Attendance
George Stiekes And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 I knocked on the door of a couple in…
Read MoreSleeping in Church
George Stiekes And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight… And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul…
Read MoreGood Preaching vs. God-Honoring Preaching
Jerry Sivnksty As I travel across the country as an evangelist, I have noticed a disturbing trend that grieves my heart. It has to do with churches that use contemporary Christian music: they’ve gotten rid of the hymnals and instead flash their music on large screens to the background of worldly beats. Then the minister…
Read MoreThe Value of Small Churches
Don Johnson Last week we published “The Significance of Small Church Ministry,” where I began to look at the subject of small churches. In that article I was focusing mostly on numbers and their implications. I plan to return to that theme in the future, but today I want to talk about the value of…
Read MoreHolding Fast
Jim Oesterwind Hebrews 10.23-25 As a pastor, I’ve often thought that church would go so much better on Sundays if certain people stayed away. Most notably, people who feel guilty if they miss, people who feel pressured to be there, and people who go just because they have always attended. I’m convinced that these three…
Read MoreCreating a Culture of Evangelism
Mike Sproul The culture of a New Testament church must focus on evangelism and discipleship. Every organization, including churches, has an often nonverbalized set of cultural values. I fear many churches have cultures that encourage many good Christian activities but do not have a culture that encourages evangelism. A culture of evangelism and discipleship is…
Read MoreDeath by Lovelessness
By Matt Recker Revelation 2:4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Many churches die a slow, cold death. The significant and unvarnished divine diagnosis by the Lord Jesus Christ regarding the church of Ephesus is that they had left their first love. In spite of his words commending…
Read MoreChurch History Teaches…
Edward M. Panosian It is fashionable to deny that history “teaches” anything, yet there is ample opportunity for any observant person to find fundamental principles and patterns in history. The Bible-believer who studies the history of the Church of Jesus Christ cannot but be impressed with certain basic and recurrent truths concerning that Church.
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