Tag: Church Growth

“Growing a Local Church”, Church Discipline and Church Growth (Dr. Tom Ascol)

Sep 27

Andrew J. NicewanderSouthern Baptist Founders Conference Southwest Church Discipline, Church Growth, God's Glory, Repentance, Sin 182No Comments2008-09-27+15%3A30%3A12Andrew+J.+Nicewander

The final session has completed. This last session was on Church Discipline and Church Growth, by Dr. Tom Ascol. Tom spoke on the two forms of Church Discipline, Formative and Corrective, as well as the two forms of Church Growth, Numerical and Spiritual Formative Church Discipline is something that should happen all the time within the church. It is that educational, instructional learning that every member of a Church should be experiencing. Corrective Church Discipline, then, is necessary when when formative discipline is not happening in a member, and when that member remains unrepentent of his/her sin. He made a very good point about corrective discpline in that it is NOT in response to sin, but rather in response to a lack of and unwillingness to repent of that sin. It should be done in love and with reverence, never out of hatred or spite. In talking about Church Growth, Tom made the point that in the current evangelical culture we exist in, where the Church Growth Movement has run totally amock, we sometimes are too reactionary and that we SHOULD seek for numerical growth, but Biblical Numerical Growth. In addition, Tom spoke of the Spiritual Growth that should be happening in a church, wherebye her members are made more like her Savior. Finally, Tom made a Biblical and Historical connection between Church Discipline and Church Growth. If Church Discipline is not happening, then Biblical Church Growth is not happening. Likewise, if a Church is practicing Biblical Church Discipline, then some form of Biblical Church Growth should be expected. Overall, very good session and good conclusion to the conference. I’ll try to put together a summary of my thoughts of the conference maybe later today or tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the quotes and pictures. I think I screwed up the video for this session, so you’ll have to content yourself with the mp3 when it is made available. Rath Dé ort!

Church Discipline is absolutely necessary for Church Health.

Church Discipline is the process of maintaining and training the principles and practices of Jesus Christ in the Church.

Church growth is that which happens in the life of the congregation when the Lord manifests his blessings.

The Faithful practice of Church Discipline…has often been followed with wonderful seasons of Church Growth.

Our modern forgetfulness of Church Discipline practically screams out a ‘Practical Atheism’

When a Church takes the name of Jesus Christ and yet refuses to obey the simple, clear teachings of Christ that church is at best clouding over the glory of God in Christ.

We should never expect Revival to come without Reformation.

Soli Deo Gloria!

“Growing the Local Church”, 1 Corinthians 3 (Pastor Steve Garrick)

Sep 26

Andrew J. NicewanderSouthern Baptist Founders Conference Southwest Calvinism, Christ, Church Growth, Reformation, The Church 178No Comments2008-09-26+22%3A29%3A37Andrew+J.+Nicewander

This session was preached by one of my pastors, Pastor Steve Garrick, on the Foundation of the Church, namely Jesus Christ. I’ve provided a few quotes below for your digestion, as well as the video of the sermon and some pictures, like always. :-) Enjoy! Slán go foill! 1 Corinthians 3

Is it acceptable for us as Human Beings to define the Church to begin with?

Your Christology determines your Ecclesiology.

The Church is evaluated on this basis: Have I preached Christ?

Calvinism, if I can use that word, is necessary in understanding the Church.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1602628&w=425&h=350&fv=autoplay%3Dfalse]

“Growing the Local Church” – Evangelism and Church Growth (Pastor Jason Montgomery)

Sep 26

Andrew J. NicewanderSouthern Baptist Founders Conference Southwest Church Growth, Evangelism, God's Grace, Missions, The Church 171No Comments2008-09-26+15%3A32%3A51Andrew+J.+Nicewander

My notes verbatim from “Evangelim and Church Growth” by Jason Montgomery: (remember, my words, NOT JASON’s :-) ) Did Jesus have to die for the Church to grow? (first question) This is a question that needs to be considered by every faithful preacher of the Word of God. The Gospel is absolutely unexpected. The Word of the Gospel should not be received by anyone in the World. This is foolishness to the World. - the world depends on its own word If you want something that works, preach the Gospel! -if you wanna be innovative, PREACH THE GOSPEL!!! God takes nobodies and makes them into somebodies in his own economy. The Gospel is not some amazing sign that the world is expected to be enamored with. - we are in danger of operating out of an understanding of the Gospel, as well as an understanding of people that are taught in the Word of God. - People DON’T LIKE JESUS 3 Observations from the Passage (1 Cor. 1:18-2:5) “The Gospel of the Cross of Christ arrives in unexpected offense” “The Gospel of the Cross of Christ delivers un unexpected impact” “The Gospel of the Cross of Christ in proclaimed in unexpected weakness” The Gospel of the Cross of Christ arrives in unexpected offense -The Gospel not only lacks cultural sensitivies -In fact, it has cultural insensitivities -it is counter cultural! -it is folly to those who are perishing -we go into the world to destroy unbelief -man does not tell God what Truth is -man fancies himself a god in his own right until they see God -no man can stand before God and say that He did not make His Truth available -His glory HAS been made available! -you want Drama? Set the Gospel on stage. “What men are wanting us to do is come and stroke their idols” The Gospel of the Cross of Christ delivers an unexpected impact God uses the foolish things! “From the world’s perspective we are no prize. Yet from a heavenly perspective, these are the kinds of people God endeavors to save” God does not target the world’s elite with His Gospel The Gospel of the Cross of Christ is proclaimed in unexpected weakness Paul’s logic warns us against separating the message from the methods Celebrity evangelism shows that we are in danger of losing sight of the power of the Spirit driven Gospel

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1601488&w=425&h=350&fv=autoplay%3Dfalse]

“Growing the Local Church” – The Pastoral Office and Church Growth (Pastor Larry Vincent)

Sep 25

Andrew J. NicewanderSouthern Baptist Founders Conference Southwest Church Growth, Founders Ministries, Pastoral Ministry 164No Comments2008-09-25+23%3A14%3A50Andrew+J.+Nicewander

Excellent session from Pastor Larry. The name of the message was “The Pastoral Office and Church Growth”. Working from Ephesians 3 and 1 Timothy 3, the primary point that Larry made was the point of 1 Corinthians 3, namely that the minister is called by God to plant and water and rely on the Lord to provide the increase of the fruits of his labor. Ministers are NOT to worry about the number or rear-ends in the seats on sunday morning (my words, no Larry’s :-) ), they are to preach and teach the word and trust the Lord to use it as He sees fit. Well, my notes are not copying over from Word correctly so I’ll give you a few highlights.

The politicians, the governments, the educators are not guardians of the Truth, the Church is.

Pastors are to concern themselves exclusively with planting and watering

They are field laborers. They can only work in the dirt. They cannot make the rain fall from the sky, nor can they make the plants grow, nor can they make the seeds germinate.