Are our churches really churches if...

This Sunday night, I will be arguing that the central mission of a New Testament Church is the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to sinners.

If your average church is filled with a majority of members who either will not share their faith with anyone in the next year or cannot share their faith with someone in the next year, then does a true New Testament Church really even exist?

It seems to me that after four years of pastoring, this seems to be the chief shortfall of many churches, namely the absence of church members sharing the gospel with unrepentant sinners. And if this is, as I argue, the chief mission of the Church, I do not think God's blessing will ever fall until the Church is willing to proclaim the gospel outside of our Sunday meeting places.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration

This is one of the finest expositions on the gospel that I have read. I read it previously, years ago, but came across it once again reading through Getting the Gospel Right by R.C. Sproul, and was captured by how well written this statement is. You can find and read the statement here.

I am thinking about introducing this statement into the confession of faith at the church which I pastor.

An interesting note:
Robert Gundry wrote an article reasoning why he would not sign The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration. He argued that the doctrine of Christ's righteousness being imputed to believing sinners needs to be abandoned. This challenge and a few other reasons led to the birth of the book Counted Righteous in Christ by Dr. John Piper.

Grace Greater than All Our Sin

Both my Sunday morning and evening texts illustrate the depravity of mankind at its worse.
This morning we examined the denial of Jesus by Peter found in Mark 14. Peter confidently boasted to Jesus, though all the other disciples fall away, he would not. Peter said he would not deny Jesus, and that he would even die with him. Sadly, this disciple who had walked along with Jesus throughout his ministry, and had been witness to many great miracles, denied even knowing Jesus three times in one night.

This evening we began by surveying David's affairs with Bathsheba and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11-12. David breaks the last five commandments during this affair:
1. He orders Uriah's murder
2. He commits adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba.
3. He steals Uriah's wife.
4. He bears false witness by attempting to coax Uriah into having sexual relations with his wife in order to cover up Bathsheba's pregnancy.
5. He covets another man's wife.

Remarkably, both these men are forgiven of their sins. And both of these men are restored by God. Peter's restoration is found in John 21:15-19. David's sins are forgiven, as noted in the Samuel narrative. His reflection and confessions of this affair are found in Psalm 51.

It is truly amazing that God would forgive Peter, David, you and me of our sins. It is truly amazing that God would restore us and reconcile us to himself. But this is in fact what God does through the death and resurrection of his Son. And the Holy Spirit which David pleaded for God not to take away, is sent to unbelievers to create in us clean hearts.

The great hymn writers do not fail us here. In fact they so often put into words what the Scripture reveals. Julia H. Johnston writes,

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look, there is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Grace Greater than Our Sin, The Baptist Hymnal, p 329.

Neglect of the Trinity?

The Trinity is one of the most distinguishing doctrines Christianity possesses. It sets us apart from every other religion, and it especially differentiates us from Islam and Judaism. So my question is: Do we neglect this great doctrine in our churches?

Nobody would argue that we emphasize what Christ has accomplished:

The Son of God redeems us from the curse of the law and becomes a curse for us (Gal 3:13).
The Son of God absorbs the wrath of God for those who believe by faith (Rom 5:9; 1 John 4:10).
The Son of God is our ransom (Mark 10:45).
The Son of God is our righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).
The Son of God provides forgiveness for our sins (Eph 1:7).

We could go on, but I think you get the point. I might add, pastors rightly emphasize these blessings in Christ, however our salvation is brought about by our Trinitarian God. How often do we preach on:

How the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4)?
How the Father predestined us to adoption through Christ (Eph 1:5)?
How the Father draws us to Christ (John 6:44)?

How often do we preach on the Holy Spirit's work in Regeneration and Sanctification?

A recovery of the entire gospel will do our churches well. This also will help the church to understand why the Bible talks about salvation in past, present, and future tenses.