Sep

29

Resources: 9marks.org

Filed Under Resources 

I’m taking another Friday post to highlight a web resource we have listed in the links section of our website.  Today I wanted to bring your attention to 9 Marks ministries.  It is a ministry headed up by Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church.  The site idea grew out of the book that Mark Dever wrote, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church.  These nine marks are principles that define what a healthy church looks like.  They are

  1. Expositional Preaching (preaching through the Bible)
  2. Biblical Theology
  3. Biblical Understanding of the Gospel
  4. Biblical Undrestanding of Conversion
  5. Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
  6. Biblical Understanding of Church Membership
  7. Biblical Understanding of Church Discipline
  8. A Concern for Promoting Church Growth and Discipleship
  9. Biblical Church Leadership

While a Presbyterian is going to disagree with a Baptist on certain points of church government and worship, there is an overwhelming amount of commonality we share in the Biblical need, design, and function of the church.  So stop by 9marks.org and take a look around, you won’t regret it.  I leave you with 9marks.org’s own justification for why they exist and what they are after:

The mind-boggling flood of recent literature and conferences acclaiming innovative ministry methods has sent many churches reeling with methodological vertigo. Pastors get spun from one model to another in search of a meta-method that ties it all together and enables them to see “success” in doing God’s work. The Aqua-Church, The Alpha Course, Mosaic, FAITH, The Emerging Church – how do you sort through all the alternatives without becoming hopelessly disoriented? How do you evaluate them? How do you know which one is right for the local church in which you serve? And once you settle on implementing one, what are the criteria for “success”? Increased numbers? Indicated decisions? Emotional intensity? A well-funded diversity of programs? How can we navigate the method maze?9Marks wants to help local churches re-establish their biblical bearings and re-think their ministry methods. We exist to help local church pastors and leaders in the discovery and application of the biblical priorities that cultivate health and holiness in the local church. Kick around below and to the right to learn more about the people of 9Marks, how they understand the problems confronting the church today, and the solutions they propose.

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