Paul, after describing an incestuous relationship permitted in the church, tells the Corinthian believers, “When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” (1 Cor. 5:4-5, ESV) This word from Paul bites the ears of the present-day believer. It is unimaginable to the church growth guru. I

When is the last time you heard a sermon on church membership? When is the last time someone asked you about joining a church? When is the last time you read an article on church membership? Have you ever considered what church membership is, let alone whether or not it is biblical? Perhaps church membership, in your eyes, is more a societal mark of good morals and upstanding character. Maybe you think church membership provides you with a good mark in the courts of heaven. W

In his small book titled, Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus, J. Mack Stiles defines evangelism as “teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.”[1] As we consider the health of the church, we cannot ignore evangelism, that form of communication with the goal of reaching people for Jesus Christ. It is the execution of Jesus’ words to His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptiz

A drunk who has spent years and enormous amounts of wealth. A compulsive buyer who cannot say “No” to a good bargain. A serial adulteress. An incontrollable liar. A politician. A lawyer. What does these have in common? Many answers could be offered, and most would more than likely be correct. However, one answer to that question has enormous impact on our understanding of the health of the church. These individuals, and many others like them, cannot change. That would be the