Psalm 46 Devotional by Lisa Leidenfrost God is our refuge and strength. He is our protection from the storm but also our strength to go through it. He is both at the same time. A very present help in trouble. I love this. He is right down there with us even in the darkest night. […]
Eclectic or Affinity-based Small Groups
As fallen people, we want a group to meet our needs and keep us from getting uncomfortable. Jesus, however, brought together fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, and Pharisees. He challenged them to look beyond the external and their own comfort. He drew people together who had to be reconciled through his blood in order for them […]
saturating the city with the gospel
The goal of the neighborhood approach can be summed up by the idea of saturating the city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Community groups have the ability to fill every nook and cranny of our city as outposts of the gospel (Brad House, Community, p. 106).
gospel-centered community group
Then, out of that identity, we worship; we “proclaim the excellencies” of Christ. Through Jesus we have been reconciled to God and to one another. Once we were not a people, but now we are God’s people through the mercy of the cross. Therefore we ought to be a people who point to and worship […]
Who We are Vs. What We Do
In taking the time to describe the life of a disciple, we must be careful not to build our identity on doing these things, but rather understand these expressions as who we are. We have been conditioned to find our identity in what we do. However, Scripture tells us that we are children of God […]
The Church is Vital To Biblical Counseling Ministry
“Biblical counseling must not only be church based; it must also be church driven and church saturated. One of the critiques often leveled against biblical counseling is that we can leave observers thinking that all you need for successful counseling is a godly counselor, a Bible, the Holy Spirit, and a willing counselee. All biblical […]
Does Your Church Have a Mission?
So what is the mission of your church? Can you articulate it? Does it instill passion in you that causes you to live your life differently? How about the rest of your church? Do your church members display passion and ownership of the mission, or do they finish their pancakes? (Brad House, Community, p. 71).
Primary Vehicle For Care In The Church
For Mars Hill Church this means that community groups are the primary vehicle for care in the church. We still provide one-on-one counseling for cases that require it, but we want the majority of that care to take place as the church loves one another and lives out the Gospel together. To illustrate this, we […]
Responding to Confrontation
Just as there is a biblical way to confront, there is also a biblical way to respond to confrontation. If someone confronts you about a sin or offense, you can help in several ways to ensure the process has a genuinely redemptive outcome First, humbly and prayerfully. Second, confess and ask forgiveness where possible. If […]