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Maarten Kuivenhoven

Those Toxic Non-Attenders - 9Marks - 1 views

www.9marks.org/CC/article/0,,PTID314526|CHID598014|CIID2496468,00.html

Practicing Church Discipline

shared by Maarten Kuivenhoven on 02 Nov 09 - Cached
  • THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF NON-ATTENDERS1. They Make Evangelism Harder
  • 2. They Confuse New Believers
  • 3. They Discourage Regular Attenders
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • 4. They Worry Their Leaders
  • everyone who bears the name of Christ, as affirmed by your church, yet who willingly chooses to live their lives apart from the covenanted community of believers is practicing identity theft. They've taken Christ's name, but they don't honestly identify with his body, the local church.
  • Non-attenders are not only reverse-witnesses, they're reverse models. They disregard and disobey countless passages of Scripture and fail to image God's character in even the most basic ways, even though they claim to be his adopted children.
  • Second, non-attenders confuse new believers. New believers are often a mess. Everything they thought was up is down, and everything they thought was down is up. There is great confusion in the first weeks and months and even years of a new believer's life. They need to be taught well.
  • Regular attenders sacrifice to keep their covenant with their local church. They give their money and their time to meet the needs of other members of the body, which is not easy to say the least. Non-attenders don't do these things, at least not with any regularity. So when a church allows non-attenders to remain members, they effectively gut the meaning of membership, which hurts and discourages the faithful.
  • Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account." In light of this verse, a faithful pastor or elder should feel responsible for the spiritual state of every member of his flock. Like a father worried about his son who hasn't yet come home late at night, a good shepherd doesn't rest until all his sheep are accounted for. Non-attenders makes this task nearly impossible.  
  • NOT ALL NON-ATTENDERS ARE ALIKE
  • Those who live in the area and are unable to attend: age or health prevent them. Such elderly or physically suffering members should be treated with special care. This article isn't about them. Those who live (temporarily) outside the area and are unable to attend: military or business assignments prevent them. Such (temporary) non-attenders should also be treated with special care since their travel for work places unique burdens on them and their family. This article isn't about them.  Those who live outside the area and choose to keep their membership with your local church: distance prevents them. Such non-attenders should be encouraged to join a local church they can attend. This article is about them. Those who live in the area and sporadically, infrequently attend: nothing really prevents them except their own choice. This article is especially about them.
David Murray

Unleashing the Word :: books, reading, reviews, scripture, worship :: A Reformed, Chris... - 0 views

www.challies.com/...unleashing-the-word.php

Ministry

shared by David Murray on 06 Nov 09 - Cached
  • If I had read this book a few years ago, it would have rocked my world, I think. It is only since I began attending Grace Fellowship Church that I’ve come to see the value of the public reading of Scripture not as a simple means to an end—a way to get us from the music to the sermon—but as an end in itself. In this church I’ve come to see the reading of Scripture as a core part of the teaching ministry of the church. The Word preaches; the Word is the
  • sermon before the sermon. And if this is true, then we ought to invest effort in reading it well. This can only be the case where the reading of Scripture is given prominence within the worship service and where the person reading is talented and passionate about what he is doing.
  • This is what he wants to see: talented individuals who make it their ministry in the church to participate in the worship service by reading Scripture. His tips range from how stand before a crowd and deliver an effective reading of Scripture to how to prepare a passage to how to breath when nervous to everything in between. He then provides some teaching on how to teach others to participate in this ministry before concluding with some more practical guidance on preparation, delivery and so on. It is in all ways a practical book. I love his vision here and would rejoice to see churches adopting it.
David Murray

True Woman | Help! Mommydom leaves me no time for God - 1 views

www.truewoman.com/?id=846

Family Life

shared by David Murray on 15 Oct 09 - Cached
  • 1. First, think through the last 48 hrs. Any time-stealers come to mind?
  • 2. Time with the Lord takes intentional planning
  • 3. Place Bibles in several spots around your house
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  • 4. Use the first few minutes of nap time to get rest for your spirit.
  • 5. Escape for a few minutes if you can after your husband gets home or right after dinner.
  • 6. Practice God's presence "in the midst" of your crazy days.
  • 7. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and discernment as you discover what will work for your family.
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