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Title: Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
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Manufacturer: Crossway Books
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| Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books Doctrinally Sound; Biblically Pragmatic | Mark Dever has done what so many others have failed to do: combine the delight of doctrine and biblical interpretation and join it with wise, pragmatic advice on what the church is, is to be and how it should function in order to be healthy. If another pastor or elder from another church asked me to recommend a book that would help their church, this would be one of the first I'd mention. While not exhaustive in content, Nine Marks is more than sufficient. The chapters I took greatest encouragement in where the first two: Biblical Exposition (something I believe in and seek to practice) and Biblical Theology (a concise summation of who God is and how this should impact the church). Perhaps the two most challenging chapters were: Understanding Biblical Church Membership and Biblical Church Discipline. I truly agree with the idea of a congregational covenant; it would be difficult to "pull off" in the Evangelical Free Church (we're just too fiercely independent). The matter of church discipline is one we neglect to our great detriment. Most often, we'd rather re-act to a bad situation than be proactive in spurring our congregants on to growth in Christ through positive forms of discipline. Much work to be done here; but thanks to Dever's work, the challenge and the "how to's" are there.
Read this book, especially if you're a pastor. If you're a pastor of a small church, read this book with your leaders and see what the Lord will do through you. If you're a pastor of a large church, read this book and see if there are biblical corrections you need to make, even if it means hosting a "membership drive" (see the chapter on membership and you'll get the attempt at humor here). Read this book with the Scriptures open next to you and I know you'll be blessed. | | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books The Church Reformed always being Reformed according to the word of God | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever is not a book about competence of operation or to have an entertaining church. Pages 35 through 39 talk about friendliness, entertaining music, starting church on time, a clear program, activities for the children, parking, the appearance of the sanctuary, comfortable seating, first impressions visitors get of the church, and the impression of the community. The author does not deny the importance of the church being retrospective about the nuts and bolts of the church, but argues over emphasis on these things and the idea that population of the pews can be unhealthy to the local body. Many have argued this book is a critique against the seeker sensitive mentality of today's church. This gives the reader a too narrow perspective: This book demands that a church give a comprehensive education to those who attend, biblical obedience to those who belong, and sanction against those who belong but do not participate within the church or are disobedient to the word of God. To teach the body in a competent manner and train its members in the Christian walk. The author does not give a number but my impression is that 90 percent of the churches in the United States would fail the physical. This book could be helpful for one who wonders which local church to join or what one should pursue in a Christian body.
The first mark is about expositional preaching. The pulpit is the major tool for church education and sets the tone for the other tools the church uses to educate her members. The whole church should go through the Bible verse by verse in consecutive order. Topical preaching should be used in a limited sense, because the pastor will avoid the harder tropics. The author uses the phrase "Ecclesia Reformata Semper Reformanda Secundum Verbum Dei. A reformation phrase meaning: Church Reformed Always being Reformed according to the Word of God. Mark Dever argues the church, as a whole should be refreshed by the word of God, continue to hear the word of God, to be refashioned and reshaped by the word of God. The preached word is the great imperative for the Pastor, not moral exhortations.
The second Mark is Biblical theology, the Author uses this term to argue the church must give witness to who God actually is and not what some want Him to be: An argument against preaching the common sentiment who God is, but who is the God presented in the Bible. How are the acts of God recorded in the Old Testament? Mark Dever compares the sacrificial system recorded in the Old Testament to the perfect atonement sacrifice recorded in the New Testament. The Author further argues for what this means about ones own sinfulness and that for man generally.
This leads the reader to Mark three. Consider mark two something people do not want to hear but must be convinced to consider the Gospel in its true light as the Good News. " The Bible utterly rejects the idea that we are okay, that the human condition is just fine, that everyone is really in need of accepting their current condition... that we simply need to look at the bright side of things." (Pg. 80) God is love, but love is defined by who God is. God is holy, sovereign, immutable, all knowing, and all-powerful. Jesus is our friend if one accepts Him as Lord and Savior. The relationship between God and man depends on what one does with Jesus in the context does one accept himself as sinner and the means God has provided to reconcile oneself to Jesus. The author goes into detail why Jesus must suffer and die, so man any man could reconcile himself to the Father. That is if one repents and accepts Jesus as Savior.
Tell people honestly that if they repent and believe they will be saved- but it will be costly. Mark 4 is about the nature of conversion and turning away from their old way of going against God's will. Mark five is about evangelism as a practice by those who are members of the church. To tell people the Gospel that one is in rebellion against God, one needs to repent, and is in need to accept Jesus as Savior. It is not about taking the unsaved to a church service. Evangelism is not apologetics. Evangelism is not personal testimony. High growth rate may not mean good biblical evangelism. Evangelism is about sharing the Gospel; it should be acted upon based on obedience to God, love for the lost and a love for God.
Mark Dever makes clear there are consequences to those who do accept Jesus as Savior and there are consequences to those who accept Jesus as Savior. Becoming a Christian is an intellectual assent that one is a sinner and there is need to change behavior. The implication is one cannot view, do certain things, and have a correct walk with God. Mark four is about responsibility of the members of the church. Healthy churches have membership and those who belong actually attend worship services regularly and are obedient to God. "If we really want to see our churches grow, we need to make it harder to join and to be better about excluding people." This includes excluding members who do not attend services- excommunication. Mark six is about Church membership and mark seven is about discipline in the church.
The author goes into detail about a Christian never discipled properly. To not have a regular prayer life or scripture study. To believe a Christian life is a moral life instead of living for a sovereign God. Concern more for one's safety and children then building up the body of Christ. Proper discipleship is mark eight. Mark nine is good leadership in the church and the members of the body to obey the anointed leadership in the church- even though they are sinners.
| | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books Dump Church Growth for Church Health!!! | Dr. Mark Dever's 9 Marks of a Healthy Church is must reading for 21st century pastors and lay leaders. It is an excellent book (however, I still think the best book on the church is Dr. John MacArthur's The Master's Plan for the Church), which I read in less than 72 hours--not normal for me at all.
9 Marks gives its readers "a plan for recovering biblical preaching and church leadership at a time when too many congregations are languishing in a merely notional and nominal Christianity" because the "purpose of too many churches has fallen from one of glorifying God simply to growing larger, assuming that that goal, however achieved, must glorify God" (25). Because of this, Dr. Dever's goal is "to call attention to some important aspects of church life that have been overlooked or even forgotten in modern American Christian life" (148).
So, for churches who have glorifying God as their highest goal and health as their desired description, what are the 9 Marks Dr. Dever prescribes:
1. Expositional Preaching
2. Biblical Theology
3. The Gospel
4. A Biblical Understanding of Conversion
5. A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
6. A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership
7. Biblical Church Discipline
8. A Concern for Discipleship and Growth
9. Biblical Church Leadership
While reading the first five chapters, the one thought that kept coming to my mind was "Thank God for the seminary I went to (The Master's Seminary) because from day 1 and for all 4 years, these values were firmly and effectively hammered into our brains so that the first 5 chapters ended up being a very good review.
For instance, I could not agree more with Dr. Dever that "the main role of any pastor, is expositional preaching" (39), which is preaching that "takes for the point of the sermon the point of a particular passage of Scripture" (40) and that if "you are looking for a good church, this is the most important thing to consider" (52). Oh that Christians would get this!
In his chapter on the gospel he has this great quote from J.C. Ryle which summarizes one of the worst problems in the American church: "There is a common worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough--a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice--which costs nothing, and is worth nothing" (92). If your church produces this, run away fast.
I could not agree more with this assessment from his chapter on evangelism:
"We need to see an end to a wrong, shallow view of evangelism as simply getting people to say yes to a question, or to make a one-time decision. We need to seen an end to the bad fruit of false evangelism. We need to see an end to worldly people having assurance that they're saved just because they once took a stand, shook a hand, or repeated a prayer. ... We need to see the end of this debilitating, deadly coldness to the glorious call to tell the Good News. And we need to see a renewed commitment to, and joy in, the great privilege we have of sharing the Good News of Christ with the lost and dying world around us" (143-4).
The chapters I liked most were 6, 7 and 8 on church membership, church discipline and a healthy church's concern for discipleship and growth.
He convinced me in ch. 6 that church membership is biblical and therefore, absolutely essential for having and maintaining a healthy church. It should have a high commitment, and should be taught on and encouraged regularly. Membership is the environment where edification is supposed take place, which means it is a travesty that we can find so many "Christian books that talk about growing as a Christian but completely ignore the role of the church" (157).
Chapter 7 is an excellent and truly convincing explanation of and defense for church discipline. It should be done for the glory of God in obedience to Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17 with the attitudes of "humility and love, and want[ing] to see good come" (187) for the promotion of holiness, the health and witness of the church and the ultimate good of the person disciplined.
Finally, I will sum up Dr. Dever's excellent chapter on discipleship with "a healthy church is characterized by a serious concern for spiritual growth on the part of its members" because in "a healthy church, people want to get better a following Christ" (198). If you do not go to a church where this is a major goal of the people involved, find another one as fast as you can.
In the midst of all the chapters, the greatest strengths of this book come from Dr. Dever's insightful descriptions of modern American church life and his devastating critiques, which are made with equally insightful expositions and applications of Scripture. He does this over and over again throughout the book and it is masterful!
In the end, you cannot go wrong in reading this book (I do tend to disagree with his congregational form of church government thinking what Strauch presents in Biblical Eldership is more biblical), and I am convinced that if pastors dumped the unbiblical and irrelevant church growth and emergent movements and joined the Church Health Movement (as outlined in this book) that they would be far better off on their day of judgment (James 3:1; Hebrews 13:7). | | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books Good theological type reference book | | This book is a good reference with lots of important information; however, it is written in theological terms and sometimes hard to follow. | | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books Church Health | Pastor Mark Dever writes from Scripture and from pastoral experience. He writes to pastors, elders, and all committed Christians reminding readers that church health must precede church growth.
"Nine Marks of a Healthy Church" is counter-cultural. That is, it moves counter to the Christian culture of the day that promotes a watered-down version of Christianity and Church life.
Dever combines the rare ability to write prophetically (challenging current Christian culture) while still writing enticingly (encouraging change rather than promoting division and antagonism). He also combines the greatest of skills: relating biblical truth to daily life and relationships.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , "Biblical Psychology," and "Martin Luther's Pastoral Counseling." | | Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Crossway Books Product Description | What makes for a healthy church? A large congregation? Plentiful parking? Vibrant music? You may have read books on this topic before—but not like this one. This new expanded edition of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church is not an instruction manual for church growth. It is a pastor’s recommendation of how to assess the health of your church using nine crucial qualities that are neglected by many of today’s churches. Whether you’re a church leader or an involved member of your congregation, you can help cultivate these elements in your church, bringing it new life and health for God’s glory. “If you are a Christian leader, be careful of the work you are now holding in your hand: it may change your life and ministry.”
—D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School “This is a foundational work which I highly recommend.”
—John MacArthur, Pastor-Teacher “I want God’s word about the church. I turn with hope and confidence to Mark Dever’s radically biblical commitment. Few people today have thought more or better about what makes a church biblical and healthy.”
—John Piper, Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bethlehem Baptist Church “This is the best book I have read on this topic of critical importance.”
—C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries “Nine Marks of a Healthy Church is required reading for my students in ecclesiology.”
—Paige Patterson, President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary “[This book] belongs in the hands of every faithful pastor and all those who pray for reformation in this age.”
—R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary “Nine Marks of a Healthy Church is a biblical prescription for faithfulness.”
—J. Ligon Duncan III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS |
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