Nine Marks of a Healthy Church By Mark Dever – Marks 1 & 2 Reflection:
Before you begin reading, what would you say are important marks that signify a healthy church?
Just off the top of my head, I came up with the following list.
- Discipleship
- Fellowship
- Evangelism
- Service
- Worship
- Sound Biblical teaching
- Strong leadership
- Generosity
- Love
- Patience
- 1Cor 13
- Acts 2
What is expositional preaching in your own words? Do you agree that this is an important mark of a healthy church?
Expositional preaching is preaching that puts God’s word at the center. The preacher shapes his message according to what God has to say through scripture and within its context.
Mark One, in this week’s reading, contrasts expositional reading with topical preaching. In topical preaching, a preacher puts a specific topic at the center and shapes his message around it. The preacher uses scripture to support the message. Topical preaching can be but is not always expositional.
Without question, expositional preaching is an important mark of a healthy church. I do believe topical preaching certainly has value as well, but as the author points out, expositional preaching produces more growth, both for the preacher and the church.
In topical preaching, we approach scripture with an agenda. Seeking to find confirmation in things we already believe or know to be true. The problem with consistent and repetitive use of this approach is that it makes it more difficult to hear God speak. It’s as if we have blinders on that prevent us from seeing the whole picture that God has painted for us.
Expositional preaching removes the blinders and is as if to say, ‘Here I am Lord, tell me what you want me to say.’ It is this attitude that produces the most growth. Expositional preaching is the preacher’s best effort to step out of the way, to attempt to remove his humanness from the message, and simply let God speak. Transforming lives is God’s work, and if we want to be used by Him in that work, sometimes we have to step out of the way and just let Him speak.
What is the fruit of good biblical theology in the church?
Theology, as defined when we began 23 Ministry, is; The study of who God is and what He is like. Therefore, the fruit of good biblical theology in the church is a church with a better, more complete understanding of who God is and what he is like. I would also add that a better understanding of who God is and what He is like also gives us a better understanding of who we are, what our purpose is, and how we can better serve and glorify Him. Lastly, we are ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). The more we understand who He is and what He is like, the better and more accurately, we can represent Him to the rest of the world.