Dr Paul Allen

Lack of growth is sad to see in anyone or anything. It is especially tragic in Christians , but unfortunately too many believers don’t seem to be growing very much in their faith. The major cause of their lack of growth is failure to read and study God ’s Word. In 1 Peter 1:23–2:3, the great apostle compares God’s Word to two things that are vital for life and growth: an imperishable seed and the milk of the Word. As Christ taught in His parable of the sower , God’s Word is like a seed that brings about new birth. Just as a seed contains the power and energy of life, so does God’s Word. Before a Christian can get the most from feeding on God’s Word, he or she needs to get rid of the “junk food diet” that is so tasty to the flesh that all believers still have within them. Peter describes this junk food diet as the evils of worldly malice, the guile of deceitfulness, and the phoniness of hypocrisy, the self-centeredness of envy, and the slander of gossip. If we want to change our d...

It’s a familiar scene. Two families, a few college students, and an elderly couple are spread across the couches in the living room. I ask, “Is there anything we can pray for one another?” One student timidly shares about troubles at home between his parents. An older member mentions the sudden death of an old high school friend. Another person shares about woes in searching for a job. After prayer, the small group disperses, and a member pulls me aside to ask for specific prayer for a struggling marriage. Bear Each Other’s Burdens People turn to their churches when they are dealing with difficulties, struggles, and sins. In my experience, I find people are often quick to share what’s troubling them, sometimes even non-churchgoing people. It is our duty and privilege as fellow believers to help one another carry the heavy loads we call life: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ ” (Galatians 6:2). We are not meant to struggle alone i...

Image via Wikipedia NOT ALL NON-ATTENDERS ARE ALIKE Since not all non-attenders are the same, churches should treat different kinds of non-attenders differently. Here are four different kinds:  Those who live in the area and are unable to attend: age or health prevent them. Such elderly or physically suffering members should be treated with special care. This article isn't about them. Those who live (temporarily) outside the area and are unable to attend: military or business assignments prevent them. Such (temporary) non-attenders should also be treated with special care since their travel for work places unique burdens on them and their family. This article isn't about them.  Those who live outside the area and choose to keep their membership with  your   local church : distance prevents them. Such non-attenders should be encouraged to join a local church they can attend. This article is  about them. Those who live in the area and sporadically, infr...

Tony Morgan: When considering who should be on the senior leadership team, many times we try to answer the wrong questions. Sometimes we ask, “What positions should be represented on the team? ” In church world, we may think the “Pastor” or “ Director ” title or people with certain positions automatically qualify. That’s not always the case. Sometimes we ask, “Who has been around for the longest?” Tenure does not necessarily equate with the profile of the person you want serving on this team. In fact, I’d argue that if you’re stuck and fresh perspective is one of your needs, sometimes the newest person may be who should be on the team. It’s not about positional leadership or length of ministry. It’s not necessarily the people at the very top of your current organizational structure . However, once you identify the right people for your situation, you should build your structure around your senior leadership team. In other words, every person and every ministry needs to be c...

Hitch hikers ask for free rides. They don't pay, contribute, tithe, give an offering, give of themselves or offer their spiritual gifts for the body. They only want to receive a free ride and enjoy the luxuries. Here are 6 principles of giving to remedy the plague of miserliness: 1. Give to your local church first. The Bible commands churches to meet the needs of poor believers, support widows and orphans , evangelize globally, pay pastors, and many other costly responsibilities. The financial contribution of members to their local church enables it to obey, and simultaneously grafts the members into a partnership in that obedience. Do you care for orphans? Widows? Do you evangelize the world? Well, if your church is, and you are giving, then yes you are. 2. Give regularly. As frequently as you’re saving, spending, and investing, you should be giving. For some, giving resembles a the once-off ordinance of baptism. Rather, giving should be a regular part of your devotional lif...

A local church is not built by one man, or even a few men, but by every believer being actively involved in ministry through evangelizing the lost people in their lives and serving their fellow Christians . A quick glance at the practice of the New Testament church reveals that they thought very little about programs and very much about relationships. Consider the disciple-making that would naturally take place in the life of a local church if every believer would practice the loving, one-another ministry that the early churches first read about in the instructions they received from the apostles: Be devoted to one another ( Rom. 12:10 ). Give preference to one another ( Rom. 12:10 ). Be of the same mind toward one another ( Rom. 12:16 ). Accept one another by withholding judgment ( Rom. 14:1 ). Accept one another by showing deference ( Rom. 14:1–5 ; 15:7 ). Esteem [highly regard] one another in love ( Rom. 14:5 ; Phil. 2:3 ). Build up one another ( Rom. 14:19 ; 1 Thes. 5:11...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia For many, church-shopping has become a fad that feeds our consumer-craving; to get it all when we want, how we want, and from whatever churches we want. A safe distance is kept, where people can get to know me, but not too closely so that I can safely live how I want and consume where its convenient for me, all the while robbing ourselves and churches of spiritual growth and health. When challenged, a defense is often put up: “Well, the Bible never says I need to commit to one church.” While there is no verse that says that, everything about NT life in Christ implicitly declares it. Four shepherd pointers were given to help us shepherd shoppers towards the joy of commitment to one local church . Here are the remaining four: 5. We are saved into the body of Christ . The “body” is one of the NT’s favorite analogies to describe the organic and mutually-dependent r...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Perhaps you have heard (or maybe said) before, “Scripture never says that I need to be committed to only one local church .” The “attend everywhere, but committed nowhere” is a common trend among Christians when it comes to local-church commitment. But it is also one that is damaging to all parties. Church-shopping is OK to a point, but the point of shopping is to eventually end the process. Too often though, shopping becomes the norm. And not all who believe in multiple-church-attending are to blame. It’s a prominent trend all over that is sometimes even encouraged by church leadership. So, why shouldn’t we be committed to more than one local church? In some sense, for the same reason we should not be committed to more than one spouse. Because there is great design, purpose, and benefits associated with exclusive commitment. I am not saying that adultery and non-commitment to one local church are equal moral violations, nor that church-hoppin...

Image via Wikipedia It is not an easy thing to discern where a given soul is headed. The elders of the local church are called with the task of determining the credibility of the professions of those under their care. Because we are all sinners , the presence of sin in a man’s life does not answer the question. Because we all profess Christ , the theological accuracy of ones grasp of the gospel does not answer the question. It is a sticky business indeed. In our day we, as with every other day, suffer from syncretism, the blending together of the worship of the living God with the worship of the spirit of the age. There are many who profess the name of Christ, who in turn lie like, think like, feel like, hunger like their unbelieving neighbors. Will these prove to be skin-of-their-teeth Christians , or will they prove to be wolves amidst the flock? Though by no means a cure-all for this challenge, one unexpected test may be found amidst the surfeit of wisdom found in James 5. Wh...