Devoted to God's Church
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If Sinclair Ferguson comes out with a new book the wise thing to do it get it! Just recently Banner of Truth published Devoted to God’s Church: Core Values for Christian Fellowship. There are many books out in the market on the topic of church. Most of them are filled with strategies and ways to lead or grow your church. This book is not one of those. Instead, Sinclair in a very lovingly but direct way teaches on some basic principals that apply to every Christian.
As you read you will find yourself nodding your head in agreement while at the same time feeling convicted or challenged. In his chapter, What Is The Church?, Ferguson explains that the church is not an added extra to the Christian life. If we are God-centered, Christ-centered…then we must also be church-centered. Ferguson writes:
“Our life in the church lends its atmosphere to our social life; it energizes us in our vocational life to be salt and light in the world; and it is a basic dimension of, not merely an optional add-on to, our family life…If push comes to shove, Christ and his people come first.”
Sinclair explains that Jesus is the one who sets our ultimate priorities. He comes first. In his chapter on reading God’s Word he talks about how in some countries the Bible is a banned book and so government agents hunt down Bibles and confiscate them. Then he asks the question: Would there be enough recent fingerprint and DNA evidence on your Bible to bring charges against you for being a Christian? (Talk about convincting!)
The Christian life cannot thrive in isolation and individualistic living. Being a Christian, by definition, involves belonging to the church.
Some of the other chapters include the topics: Being a Disciple, What Is A Member?, Worship, Prayer, Christian Witness and World Mission.