If you think who your pastor/teacher regards, follows, imitates, promotes, admires, emulates, or reads doesn’t matter, you might not grasp how it impacts a ministry!   How it can and does change a church’s DNA.

Here is but one example!!!! — and I mean but one example — from one of the most prolific leaders in “reformed” theology.

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This article is based on . . . .

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. (Ephesians 5:25–26).

Let me just point out that the article is hardly an exposition of what this passage teaches!

It is BIZARRE Theology that will be repeated by others of the same stripe and thinking!
And some wonder why we have lost our platform and influence!

One of the appropriate responses was . . . .

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There are pastors and teachers across America who have been following the writing, preaching, teaching, books, conferences, and publishing of DesiringGod ministries and John Piper for decades!  It is his theological-ideology that undergirds such a bizarre statement!

How’s that been working out?

Church Been Growing? [1]

Part of what we are seeing in many local churches — a continued decline in growth — is the product of a “renewed” emphasis on an extreme Calvinistic ideology propagated for decades!

As recorded in the book of Acts, the early church never got caught up in this extreme theological-ideology, and souls were “added to the church.”[2] I know, “numbers don’t matter,” even though the repeated mention was part of the inspired record for a reason! [2]

God causes His work to GROW.

GROWTH has been part of His DNA since the Creation of His world.

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1. Yes, there are many other factors to examine in church ministry, and all of them should speak of a growing church!

• Believers marked by increasing faithfulness & service?
• Greater separation from the things of this world?
• Teens and young adults staying connected?
• More outreach?
• Are disciples effectively sharing the Gospel?
• Discipleship resulting in consistent personal evangelism?

2. The most obvious are Acts 2:41 (3,000) and Acts 4:4 (5,000).  However, the Scriptures repeatedly speak about the many who responded to the Gospel!

Acts 4:4 —  b
Acts 6:7 – and many
Acts 9:42 – and many
Acts 11:26 – a great many people
Acts 12:12 – where many were gathered
Acts 13:48 — and many followed
Acts 14:21 – had made many disciples
Acts 17:4 – a great many
Acts 17:12 – and many believed
Acts 18:8 — and many heard, believed, baptized
Acts 21:20 — and many thousands

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How about this one . . . .   Yep — this is what “precious stones” means!