TAG   |   church growth

Life and Growth

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye...

Christ's Church in Today'...

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son o...

Risk-Takers, Caretakers,...

1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Introduction My friend Dr. Robert Cox told me that almost every institution, organization, or movement eventually goes through three stages. They start out as risk-t...

A Trust to Keep

12 That is why I am suffering here in jail, and I am certainly not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to safely guard all that I have given him until the day of his return. 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed...

Helping New Converts to G...

9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; 10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? 11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. 12 And the Lord make...

Be a Multiplier

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Introduction There are more than a billion lost people in the world today. How many people is a billion? It is impossible for most of us to even...

God’s Gamblers

25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction Deacon Chairman Bob Cox and I were talking and he shared with me that there are three stages or phases that most individuals and most instituti...

Evangelize or Fossilize

There was a time when I thought that all churches wanted to grow. In fact, I had grown up in a church that was progressive and dynamic. I thought that my church was typical of all churches. Then I went to be the pastor of a church. I was meeting one night with the long-range planning committee, and we were discussing a new building. I said to that committee, “Me...

How to Keep a Church Heal...

A lady once wrote to Horace Greeley, the founder of the New York Tribune, to describe the distressing financial straits of her church. She said to him, “We have tried everything that we know to keep our church alive. We have had oyster suppers and grab bags and cakewalks and everything in between. Can you suggest some new idea that can keep our struggling church...

Today's Devotional

The Cement of Civilization

George E. Jones, former deputy editor of U.S. News, once raised the question, “Whatever became of belief in America?” He went on to point out that belief in America is being replaced by pessimism, distrust of leaders, and laxity in standards. The old certainties are passing away and skepticism and cynicism abound everywhere. Then he called belief “the energizer of progress” and the “cement of civilization.” Jones is right. People who believe nothing do nothing. Without belief people won’t take a stand for righteousness. They just don’t care enough. When a lack of belief is widespread enough, a nation can’t even muster up enough people to defend itself against the enemy. Belief is the cement of society. It holds the home, the school, the community, and the nation as well as the individual together. Without belief, convictions, and values they all fall apart.

The falling apart of society we are experiencing is in reality a crisis in belief. Easy divorce, crime, suicide, alcoholism, youth runaways, abortion, drugs, and the like are all expressions of the emptiness of our lives. We don’t believe anything and so nothing matters.

Carl Henry said we are approaching what he calls “the absolute autonomy of man.” Man thinks he does “not need God either to know the truth or to do good ... whether he wishes to walk on the moon, cure cancer, or bring peace on the earth.” That’s a joke. We might be able to walk safely on the moon without God—but we sure can’t walk safely on our own streets. We might eventually be able to cure cancer without God, but we can’t cure crime, depression, rebellion, or alcoholism.

Friends, let’s face it—we are as helpless to deal with our real problems as our forefathers were. That’s why we must get back to the faith of our forefathers. We must get back to the Bible.

Why not get yours out and dust it off today. If you don’t have one, buy one. Begin to read it, study it, and live it. Go to church and take your family with you. Humble yourselves before God. Believe him.

That’s our only hope.

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