Church purpose versus church growth

The opposition between God’s purpose for the Church and numerical growth as a purpose for churches

The Underlying Truth: The Church is One, Invisible Body – What is Missing is Visible Unity

All of our questions about the oneness of the Church, as a present reality, are answered if we truly recognize Christ as its Head… However, our choice for or against the truth does not affect the reality that Christ died to make us one with Himself and with each other. His work is done, and our oneness is a present, completed truth that should influence all of our conduct.

Is God Waiting to See our Oneness before Jesus Returns?

This post will draw no conclusions, but will simply briefly raise a question: is the Church acting in oneness one of the conditions that must be met before the Lord returns?             This question arises from two independent lines of scriptures. First, in Matthew 24:14 (NASB), Jesus stated that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole…
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An old dream about dirges, Sunday school classes, and the expectation to hide problems

How a dream about the word “dirge” led me to recognize two of the major problems of modern Western churches: our insistence on hiding problems to preserve our “witness” rather than dealing with them in the Spirit (hypocrisy) and our one-way, “fact”-intensive teaching style.

Friends, Angels, Perspectives and Overcoming my Prejudices

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. Hebrews 12:1-3. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves…
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The Period of High Creativity that Followed, 2000-2006

He wants to talk us through doing his will, instructing us every step of the way, as we learn to trust him. He is the one with the whole picture. Learning to hear his voice and trust him is the whole point of our friendship (the word “relationship” is entirely too sterile) with him on the present earth. This is what restores his image in us. Accomplishing his work is only a by-product.

The next step in a long process of understanding

In this blog, I will be seeking comments on material I have written about a cluster of subjects that that involve generally the meaning of Jesus’ statement that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand. (Matthew 4:7 and 10:7). This cluster of subjects arises from my past writings and my recent reading and thought. It includes the practical aspects…
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