Counterpoints 02

The Counterpoints series has a parallel component on church life.

1. Who Runs the Church?: 4 Views on Church Government (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Steven B. Cowan (Paperback - 1 Sep 2004)
2. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: 5 Views (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Elmer L. Towns, Craig Van Gelder, Charles Edward Van Engen, and Gailyn Van Rheenan (Paperback - 1 Oct 2004)
3. Understanding Four Views on Baptism (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Paul E. Engle and John H. Armstrong (Paperback - 1 Feb 2007)
4. Exploring the Worship Spectrum: 6 Views (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Paul F.M. Zahl, Harold Best, Joe Horness, and Don Williams (Paperback - 1 April 2004)
5. Remarriage After Divorce in Today's Church: 3 Views (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Gordon J. Wenham, William A. Heth, and Craig S. Keener (Paperback - 1 May 2006)
6. Understanding Four Views on the Lord's Supper (Counterpoints: Church Life) by Russell D. Moore, John Hesselink, David P. Scaer, and Thomas A. Baima (Paperback - 19 Oct 2007)

Carey 2010 1

The opening session was taken by an old friend of the conference Kees Van Kralingen from the Netherlands 9from Papendrecht near Dordrecht just south of Rotterdam). His subject was the church and the Word. After a little gentle humour he earthed his remarks firstly in the context of current attacks on the doctrine of the church and of Scripture. He had three points

1.The church in Ephesus

This involved a description of Ephesus itself (250K and where the statue of Artemis was found, the Ionic games took place and where there was much wickedness) and then of the planting of the church by Paul as recorded in Acts. Paul's stay there at first was brief but he was followed by Apollos. Later Paul came for 2 or 3 years and lectured for some time. There was much opposition but soon the gospel had gone out to all of Asia. It is a very encouraging story. Paul's final address to the elders in Acts 20 is also of great interest. It seems that Paul did actually revisit Ephesus despite his fears. We get some idea of Ephesus from 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy as Timothy worked there. Epaphras at Colosse and John also had contacts with the church. In Revelation we read of their later heretical tendencies. The letter also makes clear how there were always problems to be faced.
2. The church and its biblical position and role
1 All we say of the church and what it should do must be dictated by Christ, the Head of the church. Too often today this is forgotten. Think of the images used in Ephesus and elsewhere - the body, the household of faith, Temple, etc.
2 The church is a pattern of the kingdom to come
3 It is the church that is God's instrument for bringing the gospel to the world
Hence the need for holiness, the Word, etc. The ministry of the Word is also very important as we see in Ephesians 4 (the chapter read by Erroll Hulse in the beginning).
3. Application
1 Keep the right view of the church and an emphasis on preaching of various sorts. This includes house to house visitation of different sorts.
2 Do not forget the importance of boldness or forget the importance of emotional involvement.
3 He referred finally to Revelation 2 and the way that the Ephesians forsook the Lord because they ceased to keep Christ as their first love
A short discussion followed.

Grace Assembly 09 9

Our final address was given by Phil Arthur from Lancaster. He began by referring to the case of Dr Lloyd-Jones and his 'crazy' move to Aberafan. Phil can identify having left teaching for a northern backwater. Has he too thrown his life away? It all depends on your view of the local church.

He then took us to 1 Timothy 3:14-16. After putting things in context he spoke appropriately on what the church is and what it is for. No doubt much of it was based on what he has preached in Lancaster in the past. Phil's audio sermons on 1 Timothy can be found here.
The church is, of course, God's household, the church of the living God and the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Phil was eloquent on the importance of the local church. When one is absent from a community the impact is devastating.

As for what the church is for we turn to verse 16. Paul speaks of the mystery of godliness being great. Mystery here is, of course, God's revealed plan of salvation. In Ephesus they spoke of Diana being great but the really great message to hold up is the gospel, summed up here in six short statements. There is some debate about how the statements for together but the main point is clear - proclaim Christ.

He appeared in a body the incarnation
was vindicated by the Spirit at many points but especially in the resurrection
was seen by angels, as he ascended, especially
was preached among the nations, beginning at Jerusalem
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory probably not the ascension but the return of Christ.
It was good to be reminded of these vital truths stressing the importance of the local church and calling us to press on in proclaiming the gospel for the honour of Jesus Christ.

Spurgeon on the church's perpetuity

Listening to Iain Murray today. He always has good anecdotes from church history and excellent quotations. Here's one from Spurgeon:

But why all this, dear friends, why is it that we have seen the Church endure to this day? How is it that we are confident that even should worse times arrive, the Church would weather the storm and abide till moons shall cease to wax and wane? Why this security? Only because Christ is in the midst of her. You do not believe, I hope, in the preservation of orthodoxy by legal instruments and trust deeds. This is what too many Dissenters have relied upon. We certainly cannot depend upon creeds; they arc good enough in their way, as trust deeds are too, but they are as broken reeds if we rely upon them. We cannot depend upon parliament, nor kings, nor queens. We may draw up the most express and distinct form of doctrine, but we shall find that the next generation will depart from the truth unless God shall be pleased to give it renewed grace from on high. You cannot, by Presbytery, or Independency, or Episcopacy, secure the life of the Church—I find the Church of God has existed under an Episcopacy—a form of government not without its virtues and its faults. I find the Church of God flourish under a Presbytery, and decay under it too. I know it can be successful under an Independent form of Church government and can decline into Arianism quite as easily. The fact is that forms of government have very little to do with the vital principle of the Church. The reason why the Church of God exists is not her ecclesiastical regulations, her organisation, her formularies, her ministers, or her creeds, but the presence of the Lord in the midst of her; and while Christ lives, and Christ reigns, and stands and feeds his Church, she is safe; but if he were once gone, it would be with her as it is with you and with me when the Spirit of God has departed from us, we are weak as other men, and she would be quite as powerless.

(From Sermon Christ is Glorious—Let Us Make Him Known March 20th, 1864)