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Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Archives for Church

On the importance of fellowship

Posted on May 30, 2021 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

Lately, I have run into a number of Christians who have dropped out of the habit of regular church attendance. Most of them have done so as a result of COVID-19 and churches being closed for “in-person” worship. It is so easy to do a live-stream service from the recliner with a cup of coffee […]

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: Church, fellowhip

Bigger isn’t always better

Posted on June 27, 2018 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

Bigger isn't always better

Certainly we should try to reach as many people as we can with the good news of Jesus Christ, but all the while, we should also remind ourselves that some of the people in our crowd will walk away and we should not be devastated when they do. Bigger isn’t always better.

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: better, bigger, Church, grow, growth, large

Who builds the church?

Posted on January 2, 2018 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

Construction Zone

When I am tempted to be overwhelmed by the problems in the church, I need to remind myself that it is not up to men to build the church. Jesus told us that he, himself, is the one who builds his church (Matthew 16:18).

Filed Under: Church Leadership Tagged With: build, Church, leaders, leadership

Benedict on church leaders

Posted on April 11, 2017 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

St. Benedict

In his book Turning Points, Mark Noll quotes from St. Benedict’s instructions on selecting an abbot. As I read it, I thought that it is very applicable to church leaders in any generation so I thought I would share it here.

Filed Under: Quotation Tagged With: abbot, Church, Leader, leadership

If you are discouraged about church . . .

Posted on October 13, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre 2 Comments

Blocks spelling the word Church

If you are discouraged about church, it may be that your expectations are too high.

Church is not a gathering of the mature. Church is not a gathering of the wise. Church is not a gathering of the beautiful.

Church is a gathering of those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Christian Life Tagged With: Church, discouraged, expectations

Church wounds run deep

Posted on September 19, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre 4 Comments

Church Wound

Recently I received an invitation from a missionary friend to a meeting to share the results from a recent trip. The event will be hosted by a church we previously attended. While I would like to support my friend, I am not welcome to attend any event at that church. I had to decline the invitation because of where it is […]

Filed Under: Church Leadership Tagged With: Church, Leader, leadership, pastor, wound

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Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Ashley Madison and Matthew 5

Some have expressed surprise and dismay that Christian leaders have been found to have their names on the list. But I don’t think that we should be surprised. The church is not filled with people who have it all together. We know this because they let us in and we do not have it all together. Whether our failures are obvious to others or not, we all fail.

Center Church

Tim Keller on being defectively orthodox

It is possible to get an “a” grade on a doctrinal test and describe accurately the doctrines of our salvation, yet be blind to their true implications and power. In this sense, there are plenty of orthodox churches in which the gospel must be rediscovered and then brought home and applied to people’s hearts.

I don’t have the chutzpah to pick up the first stone

I have heard it said that chutzpah is illustrated by the man who kills his mother and father and then pleads to the judge to let him off because he is an orphan. In other words, chutzpa is that behavior that knows no self limitation. This evening a friend sent me a link to a […]

Intentional

Intentional about Grace

The Church of Jesus Christ should be the most gracious place on the planet but often it is not. If we are not consistently preaching the Gospel, if we are not reinforcing our need for a savior, if we are not intentional about living under grace, then we will become what the world thinks we are.

Book Review: The Sky Is Not Falling by Charles Colson

Review I must say that I’ve had a difficult time writing a review for this book. Not because I didn’t like it (I did like it), not because it isn’t worth reading (it is), but because there are many facets to the critique of 21st Century American and how the Church responds to it. Mr. […]

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