For Christ & His Church

  Part 2 of the book focuses on fostering community. Chapters 5 and 6 emphasize that a community with supernatural breadth and depth can only be achieved through supernatural faith, which is cultivated by hearing God’s Word and through prayer, respectively. Chapters 7 and 8 highlight the importance of building a culture of spiritually intentional relationships and address the structural obstacles to achieving a biblical community, respectively. Chapter 5 exposed a critical mistake in my pastoral approach. Despite my dedication to preaching expository sermons each Sunday, I failed to see that my congregation was not truly saturated with God’s Word. I was burned out, and while I do not entirely blame the congregation, I recognize my role in this failure. This book has convinced me of the vital role of discipling in the local church and revealed my shortcomings. The authors emphasize that a single Sunday sermon cannot nurture a church community effectively. To cultivate genuine sp...

  Thabiti M. Anyabwile’s Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons is a classic for aspiring pastors, those already in pastoral ministry, and deacons alike. The author’s straightforward approach, avoiding unnecessary fluff, is a key reason I admire this book. It is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on selecting deacons and their unique roles in the church. The second part addresses finding reliable pastors, discussing their qualifications concisely yet meaningfully. The third and final part outlines what good pastors do, detailing scriptural mandates for faithful and fruitful shepherding in a clear and concise manner. In my hometown churches, deacons were chosen through a straightforward process, often based on criteria such as wealth, regular attendance, or employment status. Growing up in this context, I overlooked the true significance of the deacon’s role. However, the author, on page 21, illuminates the loftiness of this office through Scripture (Acts 6). He highli...

  In Part 1 of The Compelling Community , Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop present a vision for the local church community, distinct from smaller gatherings often called community groups. In Chapter 1, “Two Visions for Community,” the authors contrast a gospel-revealing community (a supernatural community) with a gospel-plus community. Chapter 2 explores what makes a supernatural community truly supernatural. Chapters 3 and 4 then examine how to cultivate the two defining characteristics of this community: its depth of commitment (Chapter 3) and its breadth of diversity (Chapter 4), reflecting the gospel’s ability to unite diverse people. On page 25, the authors affirm my vision of church community in a beautiful, biblically rooted way. They state that a gospel-revealing community is remarkable for its breadth and depth. They explain that it unites diverse groups, like Jews and Gentiles, who would not naturally come together, demonstrating God’s power to create unity. This aligns with...

  Bobby Jamieson's The Path to Being a Pastor is a valuable guide for aspiring pastors. The book is organized into three parts: Finding the Path, Walking the Path, and Approaching the Destination. Its target audience is primarily those pursuing pastoral ministry. I have greatly benefited from reading this book. Below are my reflections: On page 20 of the book, the author presents two implications for my desire to be a pastor. I agree that Scripture clearly speaks about financially supporting preaching and teaching pastors, even instructing us to give them double honor. The author’s question that deeply resonates with me is, “Are you a sufficiently gifted preacher of God’s Word that a church should pay you to preach?” The New Testament ties financial compensation for pastoral work to special labor in teaching, which assumes a notable ability in teaching (1 Tim. 5:17–18; Gal. 6:6). As an aspiring pastor, I expect the church to compensate me for pastoring, as I have decided this wil...

  Jonathan Leeman's Understanding Congregation’s Authority, as the title indicates, focuses on the authority of church members. The book is structured into five chapters. In the first chapter, he presents the elder-led congregational form of government as a discipleship program, dividing it into two halves: congregational responsibility and elder training. The second chapter addresses the big picture of what elder-led congregationalism looks like in the life of a church. The third and fourth chapters focus on the congregationalism half (the job of the congregation), and the final fifth chapter focuses on the elder-led half (elders' job training). On page 7, Leeman’s brief clarification on the term Congregationalism has challenged me. He describes it as a mixed government: “part monarchy (rule of the one), oligarchy (rule of the few), part democracy (rule of the many).” After reflecting deeply on this definition, I find it compelling, particularly in light of his explanation t...

  Mark Dever’s book Discipling emphasizes the essential role of discipling in the lives of Christians. The book is divided into three parts: The first part argues that discipling is other-oriented, involving initiating relationships in which we teach, correct, model, and love. The second part explains that discipling occurs within the local church, where pastors disciple members and members disciple one another. The third part explores how to disciple effectively. Having read numerous books during this season of my life and gained countless insights through both reading and being part of Grace City Church, one vital lesson stands out as essential for church planting ministry: the discipling life. In the chapter “Oriented Towards Others,” the author writes: “The discipling life is an others-oriented life. It labors in the power of God to proclaim Christ and present others mature in Christ.” After joining GCC and having read this specific book, I firmly resolved to make the discipl...

  In his book Conversion, Michael Lawrence explores the biblical teaching on conversion and addresses common misconceptions. He argues that conversion is primarily and fundamentally God’s work in us, while also emphasizing that we have a role and responsibility in the process. He explains that conversion requires more than a mere decision, it demands a complete reorientation of the heart toward worship through repentance and faith. The latter parts of the book examine the implications of conversion for our individual lives, our churches, and our approach to evangelism. On page 25, while discussing “Our Inability,” the author made a statement that deeply resonated with me: “Even when we do the right thing morally, we do it for the wrong reasons—to justify ourselves and bring ourselves glory… Like a dead person, we are incapable of loving God for God’s sake. This took me back to my own upbringing as a Christian. I obeyed my parents, submitted to leaders, attended church faithfully...

  Jonathan Leeman's Church Membership urges readers to move beyond merely joining a church to embracing heartfelt submission to the church. Leeman robustly defends formal membership through vivid biblical metaphors—church as family, body, temple, and vine—revealing members' role, unity, and mutual dependence we share in Christ. He talks about who should be the members and provides insightful guidance on how members submit to their local church, extending this responsibility to include holding pastors accountable when necessary. Finally, Leeman eloquently addresses church discipline, illustrating through examples from his congregation how it embodies a holistic act of love for the individual, the church, the watching world, and Christ Himself. Below is my reflection: Jonathan Leeman's words on page 30 struck me deeply: "Christians don't join churches; they submit to them." This reminds me of my time translating the Bible along the Indo-Myanmar border. I eager...