An Epistle on Church Planting

JParker

Demetrius, a fellow worker for the truth, to Georgias, whom I love in truth.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son.

It is my greatest desire that you walk in the truth that our brother John received from Jesus Christ, handed on to me, and which I am now handing on to you. My time of labor is almost over, but I commit this to you now so that you may be able to teach others also.

In order to abide in the tradition, you must understand that God is light; therefore, those who have fellowship with him must walk in the light. In order to live the tradition, you must understand that God is love; therefore, those who know him must walk in love. These underlying principles are true throughout all of creation, and they form a basic presupposition for everything I say to you: God’s nature must control how we live if we are to achieve the purpose for which we were created and redeemed. To say this in another way, everything God created has a nature and a purpose, and it must operate according to that God-given nature and purpose if it is to thrive. This is also true of the church you are seeking to plant. You must know what the church is, what the church is for, and what obligations that creates for you.

Discussion

Why Do They Leave Fundamentalism? Part 1

Dan Miller

Is the Grass Greener?

“It’s nice of you to come, but we are not coming to your church. Your music is awful.” That’s what she told him. She was on morphine, lying in a hospital bed after abdominal surgery. He said some kind words that would not be remembered and left his card on her bedside stand. In a couple of hours, this green_grass.gifcard would be confirmation of a conversation she hoped had not actually taken place.

Discussion