According to the New Testament, the church is primarily a body of people who profess and give evidence that they have been saved by God's grace alone, for His glory alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Mark Dever More Quotes by Mark Dever More Quotes From Mark Dever Pride causes us to care more about what our non-Christian friends think of us than what God will do to them in their sin. Mark Dever pride christian god Christian proclamation might make the gospel audible, but Christians living together in local congregations make the gospel visible (see John 13:34-35). The church is the gospel made visible. Mark Dever church christian together Your plans are fine, as long as you realize God has the right to change them. Mark Dever fine realizing long Every believer should evangelize. I know some Christians think that evangelism is only for people with special gifts for it, but I don't believe the New Testament teaches that. While Paul does say that some believers have the call to be evangelists, all of us have the responsibility of evangelism. Mark Dever responsibility christian believe God’s Word has always been His chosen instrument to create, convict, convert, and conform His people. Mark Dever conform instruments people A gospel that in no way offends the sinner has not been understood. Mark Dever sinner understood way When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn’t just join a local church because it’s a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it’s the expression of what Christ has made him—a member of the body of Christ. Mark Dever maturity spiritual christian Avoiding the doctrine of Hell is one step away from denying it altogether. Mark Dever doctrine hell steps The gospel of Christ has never needed the gimmicks of man to effect conversion in the soul Mark Dever gimmicks soul men I love Iain Murray's definition of worldliness: towards the end of Evangelicalism Divided, he says that worldliness consists of loving idols and being at war with God. I think that's true in the lives of too many professing Christians today. Mark Dever christian war thinking We are called to love others. We share the gospel because we love people. And we don't share the gospel because we don't love people. Instead, we wrongly fear them. We don't want to cause awkwardness. We want their respect, and after all, we figure, if we try to share the gospel with them, we'll look foolish! And so we are quiet. We protect our pride at the cost of their souls. In the name of not wanting to look weird, we are content to be complicit in their being lost. Mark Dever pride names people The truly changed, truly converted, truly Christian heart can say with John Newton, “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I hope to be. Yet I can truly say, I am not what I once was. By the grace of God, I am what I am. Mark Dever grace christian heart We mustn't be content to just sit around pointing out the errors in others; we actually need to be sharing the gospel and praying for people to be converted. Mark Dever errors people needs We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all. Mark Dever evangelism failing ifs Friend, the church finds its life as it listens to the Word of God. It finds its purpose as it lives out and displays the Word of God. The church’s job is to listen and then to echo. Mark Dever echoes church jobs T]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people - the new covenant, blood-bought people of God. That's why Paul said, 'Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Eph. 5:25). He didn't give himself up for a place, but for a people. Mark Dever spiritual blood people As long as quick numerical growth remains the primary indicator of church health, the truth will be compromised. Instead, churches must once again begin measuring success not in terms of numbers but in terms of fidelity to the Scriptures. Mark Dever growth numbers long A healthy church is not a church that's perfect and without sin. It has not figured everything out. Rather, it's a church that continually strives to take God's side in the battle against the ungodly desires and deceits of the world, our flesh, and the devil. It's a church that continually seeks to conform itself to God's Word. Mark Dever healthy church perfect Evangelism is not imposing anything on anyone; it is simply sharing the truth. Mark Dever evangelism imposing Our examples of enduring hardship are often more powerful than our stories of success and triumph. Mark Dever triumph powerful example
