Nine Marks of a Heatlthy Church - Mark Dever

There are tons of books on the market on how to get a church to grow. Many deal with marketing strategies and ways we can Christianize fast food marketing techniques. "If only you will do these seven things at your church, it will be the next mega church." Some talk about the charismatic visionary leadership skills you just have to have or you will get nowhere. But are we seeking an end when the Bible is screaming for a means.

In Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever describes the biblical truths that shape whether or not your church is healthy, and it's not about an interesting church image or a new type of leadership style. He simply reviews the biblical guidelines for church. Ultimately, a healthy church will grow both spiritually and numerically, but being a healthy church has far more to do with the attitudes and convictions of a church than with its programs and techniques.

Mark sets up what he calls the "Nine Marks" of a healthy church. This is not an exclusive list of healthy things a church must do, but it is what he considers crucial things that must be present for a church to be biblically healthy.

Mark 1 Expositional Preaching
The church must make the Word of God the center of all the endeavors.
Mark 2 Biblical Theology
Where will our understanding of God come from, the Bible, or popular philosophy? The healthy church must place all its theology within in the confines of Scripture.
Mark 3 The Gospel
The Gospel changes people; it doesn't make them feel better.
Mark 4 A Biblical Understanding of Conversion
Rom. 1:16 does not say the Gospel is the power of persuasion. It is the Power of God for salvation. Conversion is His work.
Mark 5 A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
Our concern should be the message, not "drawing the net."
Mark 6 A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership
Membership should matter. If your not "active," why call you a member at all?
Mark 7 Biblical Church Discipline
Believe it or not, Church Discipline is both biblical and good for church growth. We need to get back to making membership a responsibility.
Mark 8 A Concern for Discipleship and Growth
The common saying is that we Baptists dunk'em and let 'em drip dry on the pew. Growth is not about adding church members. It is about maturing our church members.
Mark 9 Biblical Church Leadership
Two heads are better than one. Build a team of elders who can faithfully lead the church.

Dever's book is encouraging and convicting at the same time. This is my first book from Dever, but will certainly not be the last. Check it out. You will come away believing that God will grow His church.