The Deliberate Church: Buildiing Your Ministry on the Gospel

"Here is one of the most faithful and insightful pastors of our time, addressing the most crucial issues of church life. Mark Dever refuses to separate theology and congregational life, combining pastoral insight with clear biblical teaching. This book is a powerful antidote to the merely pragmatic approaches of our day-and a refutation to those who argue that theology just isn't practical." -R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"This book is the perfect example of what a truly practical book on church health and growth should be-it gives concrete guidance for and examples of biblical principles being put into practice in the life and ministry of the local congregation." -J. Ligon Duncan III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi

"Rare indeed are books on the church that begin with the Gospel. Rarer still are books that derive methodology for building the church from the Gospel. This excellent book does both." -C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries

"The Deliberate Church shares many of the ministry lessons that Dr. Dever and his colleagues have learned from Scripture and sought to implement in the life of their church community. This book is for anyone who wants to get serious about following the biblical pattern for the church and is looking for down-to-earth practical help." -Philip Graham Ryken, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia

"Here is a novel idea: use the Bible as a handbook to gather and guide the church And The Deliberate Church is a novel volume indeed, standing amid the spate of 'church-as-corporation, pastor-as-CEO' manuals that glut church life. Here is a book that wafts a radical, refreshing breeze from the pages of Scripture that will breathe life into the church. A crucial read." -R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor, College Church in Wheaton (Illinois)

“"We want to be careful about allowing God's Word to set our trajectory, power our progress, and govern our methods."”

Mark Dever is senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and president of 9Marks. He holds degrees from Duke University (B.A.), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Theol.), and Cambridge University (D.Phil.).

The church is God's design, not ours. So everything a church does must be grounded in His Word. With all endeavors, church leaders must be thoughtful, deliberate, and above all, faithful to the Gospel. Pastors Mark Dever and Paul Alexander provide a model of a biblical church in this resource for pastors, elders, and anyone interested in the health of their church. They invite church leaders to examine seriously their motivations and methods, then ask: are they consistent with the Gospel? Though highly practical, this book doesn't propose a program to be implemented, but an attitude to adopt--an attitude of complete reliance on and submission to the Gospel in building a healthy church.

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