Church Boundaries: Keeping Christ Whole!
Church, I Love You
Cyprian
Children of God and COVID–19 A Resource for Christians Navigating a Global Pandemic
Three Types of Pastors Who Help the Church
In what ways are pastors to help in building the church? This article considers three responsibilities of pastors in working for the benefit of the church.
Three Types of Pastors Who Hinder the Church
How to Engage the Culture without Losing the Gospel
Through questions and answers, this article discusses the challenging question of how the church can engage the culture without losing the gospel.
Three Reasons You Need the Church
Is it necessary for a confessing Christian to belong to a church community? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 provides three reasons why life is better together than alone.
What It Means for a Church to Be Spiritual
What does it mean for the church to be spiritual? This article discusses Ephesians 2:13-22, to provide a helpful biblical teaching regarding the meaning of a spiritual church.
Why Is Our Church So Messed Up?
Do you ever ask yourself if the church of Christ is truly united? Churches across the world confess the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church, but this truth is not clearly visible. The article describes what needs to happen for this unity to be visible in the church.
Why Not Fitting in at Your Church Might Be a Good Thing
We tend to look for a church that has people like us. This article considers why not fitting in at your local church may be good for you.
Nine Ideas for Leading a Church through Change
Leading the church through change is challenging. How can you help the church go through a change in a good way, when needed? Here are nine ideas for leading a church through change.
Twelve Signs of Mediocrity in a Church
How do you know if your church has settled for mediocrity? Here are twelve signs.
Bats, Frogs, and Worms?
Ruthless Grace!
The church is not dependent on money for survival; the church's well being rests on the all-sufficient God, who is abundant in his care for his church. This article focuses on the sufficiency of God and his grace.
I "Believe" One Church
Calvin on the Church as Our Mother
The WW2 Generation Helping Generations Y and Z
Consequences of the Kingship of Christ The Lordship of Christ over His Church (2)
Contributing To Build God's Temple
Marks Of The Church: Church Discipline An Act of Love
Christ & The Church
Divine Institutions in Society
The Church in the Old Testament
This article considers the topic of the church in the Old Testament.
The Members of the Church
A churchless Christian is a contradiction in terms. When you are a Christian, you have to be a member of the church. What does church membership look like? This article offers three points on the matter.
A Pastor’s Reflections: Widows
The Submergent Church
Calvin on Piety: Ecclesiological Dimensions
The Church Built Upon This Rock Matthew 16
The Confession of Faith Article 27 Of the Catholic Christian Church
Well Ruled Who shall Lead, Teach and Pastor the Church? Scripture is Clear
Revelations of Spiritual Growth
Bringing Young and Old Together
The church is the household of God, which consists of different generations. How do you overcome generational gaps and build bridges through the gospel? You can do three things to create an inter-generational church ministry.
Response to Your Baptism: Chapter 4 – Taught Here in This Church
Belgic Confessions Articles 30-32 (2): The Offices
Belgic Confession Articles 27-29: The Church (3)
Belgic Confession Articles 27-29: The Church (1)
Christ and the Identity of the Church
The Church’s Builder The Life of the Church Series: Sermon One
The Church as the Light of the World The Life of the Church Series: Sermon Seven
Why Join a Church?
This article provides some reasons why Christians need to be members of a church.
Why Church?
Why should Christians go to church? This article explains.
The God-Appointed Agent of Evangelism
God uses the church, both its leadership and its members, as his agent of evangelism.
One Holy Church, One Covenant of Grace
There is only one holy church of God. This article explains that this one holy church of God finds its root in the covenant of God and his promises.
Ecclesiology: The Study of the Church
Ecclesiology is the study of the church. This article explains the meaning of the church as the body of Christ, the relationship between the universal church and church as institute, and the church as God’s household.
Paul's Conversion and Luke's Portrayal of Character in Acts 8-10
The background to this article is the view sometimes still promoted that Paul was not converted, and that the Damascus Road experience was only a call to ministry. However, the way Luke portrays Paul in Acts 8-Acts 10 shows Saul to lack a right relationship with God.
Christ and the Future of the Church
The New Testament Belief in an Old Testament Church
What is the relationship between the New Testament church and the Old Testament people of God? Can we speak in any way of an Old Testament church? The thesis of this article is that throughout the history of the church there was a strong emphasis on the unity of the church with the Old Testament people of God. These convictions are expressed in most of the confessions produced in the time of the Reformation.
Paul's Use of the Analogy of the Body of Christ with Special Reference to 1 Corinthians 12
This article takes a fresh look at the apostle Paul's reference to the church as the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12 . He argues that this is just one of a number of images and analogies and that one should not press the analogy beyond the limits of Paul's intention.
To Be Church: Upholder of the Truth
What is the essence of the church? From 1 Timothy 3:15 this article shows that the essence of the church is that she upholds the truth. This article shows how the church upholds the truth in her worship, confessions, preaching, and eldership.
The Nature of the Ministry According to Paul
What is the nature of the ministry of the church in relation to the nature of the church? In this paper, the author wants to present an accurate picture of the nature of the Christian ministry as Paul conceived of it.
Further Reflections on "Some Pauline Pictures of the Church"
Is Luke an Exponent of "Early Protestantism"? Church Order in the Lukan Writings
How is the church portrayed in the book of Acts? Giles responds to the idea that Acts represents a form of early catholicism. He argues that in such things as baptism, communal meals, and forms of leadership, the theology of Luke is simple and non-sacramental.
Christ Himself in the Assemblies of His People
This article explains what it means that the Lord Jesus is present in the midst of those gathered as his church. In the explanation, the author includes describing this gathered group as an institution of God's redemptive grace. Also included are the requirements needed to constitute such a gathering and the promises that God gives to his people who are part of such a gathering.
ARCIC 2 – Salvation and the Church: Pastoral and Spiritual Implications
This article examines an important document that functions in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations. The document was produced by ARCIC, i.e., the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission. Their statement on salvation and the church was generally received with little criticism.
A Diagnosis
The author discusses the evils of error, heresy, ignorance, and dissension that can be found in the church. As far as error is concerned, the author is convinced that no one hardly lives without error of some kind.
J. Gresham Machen, the Reformed Tradition, and the Transformation of Culture
In this article, the contribution of J. Gresham Machen to understanding the relationship between the church and contemporary culture is discussed. His vision of Christian involvement in cultural life was different from the pietistic and revivalistic otherworldliness of many fundamentalists of his time.
The Church's Chief End
What exactly is the mission of the church? This article suggests there are three aspects: the church exists to glorify God, build up the saints, and evangelize the world.
The Gathering of the Church
Christ promised to gather his church. This article explains that the gathering of the church in this earth points to the separation of believers from unbelievers.
Do You Take Care of the Body?
Why did God use the metaphor of the body to describe the church? This article looks at 1 Corinthians 12:12 to show how understanding this metaphor helps in finding your gifts.
Show No Pity
Why the Local Church Really Matters
There are six reasons why the local church matters. Does the local church matter to you? Check the reasons for the importance of the church.
Ephesians 6:10-18 – A Call to Personal Piety or Another Way of Describing Union with Christ?
What is the function of the imperatives in Ephesians 6:10-18? Are they simply a call to personal piety? Reinhard argues that it is important to understand the larger message of this pericope that comes from its relationship to the rest of the letter. Individuals are empowered as members of the church to strive to become who they already are in Christ. Believers should recognize their place within the body of Christ.
The Ministry of the Church
What's the Purpose of ... the Church?
The church does not exist for evangelism nor for discipleship. What then is the purpose of the church? This article explains.
The Body of Christ: Prophet, Priest, or King?
What is the church? The author wants to reflect on what he calls the "essence of the church," by which he means something more than just the functions of the church. He wants to look at the church in terms of carrying on the mission of Jesus. He develops his approach following the paradigm of the offices Jesus fulfilled while he was on earth: prophet, priest, and king. His purpose is to give a Christological understanding of the church.
1 and 2 Thessalonians – To the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1)
Chapter 1 is a commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Themes touched upon are Christian encouragement, the significance of the church as being in God and in Christ, and the peace that the gospel brings.
What Is Biblical Theology – The Church's Setting in the Story
The church is the temple of the Holy Spirit. As such it is to be a preview of what the world is going to become. The church is a beginning of the new temple. In Chapter 12 Hamilton considers this aspect of the church’s identity.
What Is Biblical Theology? – The Church's Identity in the Story
Chapter 11 considers the identity of the church, the bride of Christ, in the bigger story of God’s dealings with man and creation. Hamilton takes a look at a few metaphors that Jesus and the apostles used to indicate the church’s identity.
What Is Biblical Theology? – A Song for the Lady in Waiting: The Bride of Christ and Biblical Theology
Chapter 10 considers the place of the church, the bride of Christ, in the bigger story of God’s dealings with man and creation.
The Work of the Holy Spirit upon the Church
Schleiermacher's Test for Truth: Dialogue in the Church
Whose task is it to do theology? How and where must it take place? Friedrich Schleiermacher's views on revelation as feeling and dialectical conversation are critically discussed.
The Identity of the Church
Communion Of The Saints
The Church The Westminster Confession of Faith
Practical Guidelines for Ministry to Children in the Church
How to View Children in the Church
The Descent of the Eschatological Temple in the Form of the Spirit at Pentecost Part 1: The Clearest Evidence
In this article Beale argues that some Old Testament and early Jewish references to a heavenly temple in the latter-days have contributed to the depiction of the Holy Spirit appearing as fire and other associated features in Acts 2.
The Descent of the Eschatological Temple in the Form of the Spirit at Pentecost Part 2: Corroborating Evidence
This article continues the argument that certain Old Testament and early Jewish references to a temple form the background for the Holy Spirit appearing as of fire and associated features in Acts 2. It examines a number of Old Testament citations in Acts 2 in order to determine whether or not they relate to a temple theme.
Sound Doctrine – Sound Doctrine Is for Life; The Life of the Church
The author states that sound doctrine is a God-given roadmap for living the Christian life. He reflects also on the nature and function of doctrine. It is for life in the church.
With Reverence and Awe – The Church and the World
Chapter 1 is an exposition of Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 21, Q&A 54. The authors seek to understand from the Catechism what the relationship between the church and the world is in worship. Should the aim of the church be to make worship accessible to the world? Should worship be one occasion where the church displays her otherworldliness?
Sojourners and Strangers – Introduction to Ecclesiology
What is a church? Allison presents a working definition of what the church is.
The Role of the Church and Its Place in Our Thinking The Role of Office-Bearers in Our Thinking
A Broad Church or a Narrow Church?
Life Together
The Holy Spirit in the Church
Size or Spiritual Health? Listening to the Lord on Church Growth
Another Look at the True Church
Being the Church in a Post-Christian Culture
The Relevance of Article 29 of the Belgic Confession for Today
Israel and The Church Three Models for the Relationship
Stuck in Adolescence?
God's Preservation in Time of Persecution A Look at Third-Century Rome
The Feminine Virtue of Submissiveness
Word + Spirit = Church! Considering Acts 2:42-47
A Well-Ordered Church - The Church's Relation to Christ
This book discusses the identity, authority, mission and ecumenicity of the church. This chapter focuses on the identity of the church. The author maintains that one cannot think about the church without thinking about Christ, and one cannot confess faith in Christ without being a member of the church.