Sharpening the Focus of the Church (Gene Getz)

Our pastor referred to this book, and so I checked if it was on our bookshelf and we had it! It's a good all-round summary of the things I had been learning from other books like "Why We Love The Church".

For instance:

In some churches if you dare change the order of the morning worship service, you get the distinct feeling you are tampering with the Scriptures themselves. Who is to say how a service is to be ordered? There is very little in Scripture to suggest specific answers to this question. – pg 160

How can all members of the body use the grace God has given them to build up the rest of the body, when they are consistently “forced” to sit and listen to one man teach or preach? – pg 204

Our failure to provide balanced New Testament experiences for believers has resulted in an emphasis on correct doctrine and a knowledge of Scriptures, but has neglected other important needs that create mature Christian personalities. – pg 204

I also liked this quote. If ever Karen and I are a part of a church plant, I will make sure we're together with other families!

Family units are the building blocks for a healthy church. Only churches that are built out of basic social units have the true health and the potential of rapid growth and steady expansion. The decisive question in founding a church is not how many people are interested in the project, but rather how many families form the foundation of the church. Churches founded by families have the potential to flourish.

And finally I'll posted a few lists from different chapters.

Chapter 4 – Principles of New Testament Evangelism

1. every local body of believers must be responsible for its own community
2. corporate evangelism is basic to personal evangelism
3. presenting the gospel to the unsaved is to take place primarily “in the world” – not “in the church”
4. the primary target for evangelism should be adults and consequently whole households
5. The church is responsible to identify those who feel especially called by God to carry the good news in a special way out into the community and beyond the immediate community – even to “the remotest part of the earth”
6. New believers as soon as possible should be integrated into the life of the local church.
7. The 20th century church must develop its own contemporary structures and approaches to evangelism utilizing the principles and purposes just stated as biblical guidelines.

Chapter 19 – Cultural Implications for the 20th Century

1. The church of Jesus Christ must develop a correct perspective regarding the multiple causes of our present North American crisis.
2. The church must develop a correct view of history.
3. The church must understand clearly why God has left us on earth, and strive with His help to fulfill that purpose. Our primary task is to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ, to both “make disciples” and to “teach those disciples”. We are to be everlastingly busy at this task until Jesus Christ comes again. – pg 229
4. The church must recognize it has a divine mandate to show a vital concern for our government leaders in the life of our nation.
5. The church must provide an atmosphere where Christians can relate to one another in a non-institutionalized environment.
6. The church must provide stability and security for people – something which culture is increasingly failing to do.
7. The church must help Christians to “live in the world” without being a “part of the world”.
8. The church must recognize, and understand and adapt to the cultural effects of the communications revolution.
9. The church must understand the cultural effects on lifestyle and learn to differentiate between what is a violation of biblical principles and what is a violation of cultural norms we have come to accept as absolute.
10. The church must do all it can to strengthen the home, and to counteract the devastating cultural attacks upon this basic of all institutions. The greatest contribution the church can make to our decaying society, is to help build the home. Strong families build strong churches, and together strong homes and strong churches can do more than any one thing to stabilize and revitalize our culture.

Appendix A – Why the Church Exists?
Why the Church Exists in the World = Evangelism (going – make disciples)
Why the Church Exists as a Gathered Community = Edification (baptizing – teach them)