"Why shouldn't we have churches that are every bit as concerned about doctrinal accuracy and knowledge as John MacArthur, that love relational intimacy with Jesus as much as John Arnott, see miraculous healings that are every bit as dynamic as the ones the tele-evangelists claim to have seen, are as full of vision and purpose as Rick Warren, as skilled in leadership as Bill Hybels, as humble and committed to spiritual maturity as C. J. Mahaney, as relevant to practical life as the author of any self-help book you can think of, that impact social needs in the model of Shaftsbury, tackle political issues like Wilberforce, preach with both the passion for souls of Spurgeon and the passion for God's glory of John Piper, that hear from God as clearly as any modern prophet, are as aggressively missional as Mark Driscoll, have the apostolic drive of Terry Virgo, and yet somehow still feel as comforting as my wife's homemade apple crumble with custard?" [I added the bold ]I agree! Surely this is what Jesus wants his church to be like. Paul says that the church is on a growth path to maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4). We should settle for nothing less.
Monday, August 20, 2007
church
Andrew Fountain has a great quote from Adrian Warnock:
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2 comments:
Sounds good. Let me know when you find it...
I think this may be the first time I've commented here, so "Hi." Joel from Waterloo, Iowa, USA, here.
If all of the people mentioned in the quote are accurately described, then this is what Jesus' church is like. :)
My thought is that I don't think that each local gathering of believers (each "church") needs to have all of these things, as long as each gathering of believers has a group of individuals who are growing in who they are and in how they are gifted individually and as a group. Does this make sense? Each individual mentioned in the quote is/was probably walking in the works that God had prepared beforehand that they should walk in them, but I doubt that each individual personally gathers together with people who are similar to everyone else who is mentioned.
In other words, since it's God who places the parts of the body exactly where He wants them, then let's just be happy if people are doing what God has called them to do. :)
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