Friday, July 31, 2009

Drama, video and preaching

Well respected preacher John Piper makes some really interesting comments about the use of video and drama to suppliment preaching. I have from time to time used music and video to very good effect in assisting my preaching. But he raises a very serious question about our belief in the power of preaching.

check him out on youtube

Pipers comments get me thinking on another tack. The deeper question in my mind is what about the 'form' of preaching.

Let's say that preachers A and B both preach the exact same sermon to their respective congregations who are for all intents and purpsoes identical. But preacher A is not very engaging whilst preacher B is very dynamic. Which preacher is more powerful in being used by God to change lives?

I'd love to say that it is the content and not the form that is important, but more and more I am not enitrely conviced...

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Membership part II

OK so we're conisitently revisiting this membership thing and we've had some comments and some good suggestiosn made. On of the key issues is what does a follower of Jesus look like. If we know what a folower of Jeuss looks like then we can make teh entrance requirement the desire to strive towrds being that kind of person.

A follower of Jesus is NOT just someone who can say Jesus is Lord. Our churches worldwide membership lists are full of people who confess that truth but whos lives show no regeneration at all. They don;t fellowship, regulalry attend worship or live lives that seem to be changed by Jesus.

What do you think of what I believe that a fully devoted follower of Jesus would look like?

1. Repent of their sin and make public confession of a Trinitarian belief and be baptized

2. Regularly worship Jesus privately and publically

3. Live a holy and moral life

4. Study the Scriptures both Old and New testaments

5. Be diligent in prayer

6. Love the church through fellowship and community

7. Serve in ministry according to their gifts

8. Commit to witness to the lost

9. Would give financially to God’s work in this church and elsewhere

Friday, July 17, 2009

Church membership

We recently decided to tie together church membership with home group attendance. We are trying really hard not to create hoops for people to jump through. But what we do understand is that home groups are the key places where we live authentic Chrisitan fellowship and where we can serve those who are our brothers and sisters.

Of course this has not met with everyones approval - but we were prepared for that and we will continue to move forward with this becuase we think it is the most effective way to produce devoted followers of Jesus. As leaders that is our aim - names on a database is pretty meaningless.

What do you think?