Jan 14
Building community is all the go in churches these days. Although not a phrase used in Scripture, the disciples of the early church devoted themselves to fellowship (Acts 2:42). God’s people are a community. The Bible uses the metaphors of God’s family and kingdom, but a community of God’s people is a more contemporary expression. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.5icm.org.au/blogs/2019/01/14/community-or-disunity/
Permanent link to this article: https://www.5icm.org.au/blogs/2011/06/19/church-identity/
Jun 19
A difficulty we have in understanding church identity is that denominations refer to themselves as churches. Even the Roman Catholic Church, from the orthodox and protestant points of view, is just another denomination. Denominations are essentially organisations of like-minded local churches that provide such things as corporate structure, cohesiveness, and pooled resources for the member …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.5icm.org.au/blogs/2011/06/19/the-church-as-denomination/
Jun 19
Sometimes pastors say that they will not associate with another church because they are “preaching another gospel”. This is a reference to Paul’s warning to avoid any gospel other than the one that he preached (Rom 16:25; 2 Cor 11:4; Gal 1:6, 9; 2 Tim 2:8). It should be noticed that in these passages Paul …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.5icm.org.au/blogs/2011/06/19/another-gospel/
Jun 19
Churches cooperating in mission is a good thing, it is a promising start on the road to church unity, but it should not be thought of as a sufficient goal in itself. Tolerance between churches is not what Jesus had in mind for his universal church. It is not sufficient to say that your church …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.5icm.org.au/blogs/2011/06/19/cooperation/
Jun 19
Church Identity
19/06/2011
When we think about church unity we need to be clear on what the church is. My understanding of the church is a community of sinful people saved by God who strive to continue Christ ‘s mission in the world. If we see the identity of the church in terms of (1) a community of …
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