Local Church

The early “infancy period” of the church is fascinating to read about in the book of Acts. In just a few years’ time, local churches of baptized believers were established in dozens of cities in the Mediterranean region.

A dream without a plan is a wish. So, as a pastor or local church ministry leader, it’s not enough to simply have a dream to make a big impact for Christ in your community and to see many people come to Christ. You need a developed plan.

Brian Shaffer pastors the same church he was called to preach in as a young boy. Born and raised in the Kansas City area, he never expected this is where his call to ministry would lead.

I’ll be upfront: as an independent Baptist pastor, I am concerned. Statistics bear that various groups are sliding, and every indication is that established independent Baptist churches are seeing fewer people added to the church by baptism.

I have learned in the ministry that things are always changing. Transition, change, and flexibility are good words for a church.

In 1989, First Baptist Church of Plattsmouth, Nebraska was on the brink of closing its doors. The church had been without a pastor for eighteen months. An elderly couple and one widow were the only church members remaining. But they decided to launch out by faith to call a new pastor. They believed God wanted their church to go forward, though many obstacles stood in the way.

There’s a lot of talk in our day about transparency. Some of it is just talk in which people try to create an illusion of transparency where there is none. But biblical Christianity is transparent and free of guile.

As those on the outside edges of the Israelites were more subject to attack, so are those on the outside edge of their local church.

We know that God is more interested in the spiritual health of a church than its numeric growth. A spiritually thriving church will be reaching people with the gospel and seeing people added to the church, but a church focused only on growth may be seeing people added without true conversion or spiritual maturity.

There is nothing more rewarding than to come alongside a new Christian and help ground him in God’s Word, encourage his faith, and guide him in new patterns of Christian living.

I believe the key reason for adult Bible classes in the local church is the organization to fulfill the purposes of the church. Dr. Lee Roberson used to say, “The Sunday school is the church organized to fulfill the purpose of the church.”

North Valley Baptist Church was started by Pastor Calvin Blanton in the downtown area of Phoenix, Arizona, in 1956. For twenty-eight years Pastor Blanton faithfully led his congregation until he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 1984.

For some reason, writers and preachers who should know better have said for many years (in one way or another) that a New Testament church runs pretty much as a pure democracy

If you’re like me, you’ve read plenty of books and opinions about church growth. People tell you everything from how many songs to have in the service to what types of doughnuts to serve.

How does a church not only stay intact, but grow so they are maturing in the Lord together?

As a Baptist pastor of a Baptist church, I believe that each of these distinctives are not only biblical, but they are vital. They are doctrinal. And doctrine matters.

Thirteen years ago, Anthony and Angela King sold most of their possessions to move from Hawaii to attend West Coast Baptist College and to serve the Lord. Now, they are serving the Lord as church planters in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii.

No building can be erected without tools. In fact, quality work depends largely on the right tools being available and in excellent condition. Several years ago I needed to saw some lumber for a drama set we were building.

Every pastor longs to see young men and women of the next generation serving the Lord in the ministry. What are the elements involved in that taking place? Why do some churches regularly see God calling teenagers and then those teens being trained and serving in ministry as young adults?

I’ve known for some years that the Sunday evening service in Baptist churches has been on the decline. But I read a recent statistic by researcher Thom Rainer stating that only 5 percent of churches have a Sunday evening service. That number startled me.