Getting my Church gospel - centered

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LeeJUk

Puritan Board Junior
Hi there,

This is really a follow up topic from this sequence of events:
http://www.puritanboard.com/f22/prayer-my-pastor-55288/

This Lord's day I'm happy to say I heard a very great gospel presentation and I pray this will just be the beginning.

However there is a lot more to be done and me and my pastor are currently trying to find other ways other than just preaching to get the gospel basically permeating the congregation.

Some short notes on the congregation that may inform your suggestions:
- Old congregation, mostly people who grew up in the church of Scotland but never really met Jesus along the way.

- 60 or more people regularly attend.
- Had a liberal minister for years then no pastor for 2 years or more till Peter came along last year. I'd say they were gospel ignorant instead of really being liberals themselves due to these factors and from getting to know them.

Very hard to tell who is and isn't saved.


So one suggestion I have is I'm gonna stand with my pastor at the door when the service ends and as people are leaving hand out gospel tracts. I'll do this maybe one week every month just so people are consistantly confronted with the gospel and so it can saturate theie thinking, along with Peter's evangelical preaching.

I've discussed this one with Peter and he thinks its a good idea and I have his support.


Any other suggestions? Maybe things that your church does?
I'm really willing to tackle even the most outlandish or crazy suggestions you have.


I also want to thank you all for your praying and truly a work has begun and by God's grace it will continue.

Also I'm in good contact with my pastor by email, would there be any perhaps online resources, pdf files, sermons or things that would help him be encouraged and to lead him to be more gospel centered and evangelistic in the way he leads? For example "The Resurgance(acts29/mark driscoll/john piper)" recently provided a booklet called "Grow" that was very much centered on helping pastors be missional, gospel-centered etc...
Things like that can encourage him and you know give him vision for change in our church.

Thanks a lot Guys,

Regards,
Lee.
 
You remind us, those whom God has given a good church, of the blessings we have thereby. I've worked at starting a gospel centered church three times, and each time it was essentially the same ... prayer, Bible study, fellowship (around those two), God centered worship, and outreach. Find a church where those five things are present and God centered, and you will find a good church. Start a church with those five things, and the church will be strong and vibrant (by God's grace and providence).

I think of the characteristics of a strong, vibrant church, and what more could you want? If those that are leaders within a church prayer regularly for the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide the church; if they lead Bible study on a regular basis from a sound reformed perspective; if the whole of the church is commended to fellowship with each other around Godly principles so they hold each other accountable; if the worship is God centered on God and his glory, not on man -- then it is very likely the church will be strong, and her sons men of valor. I could ask nothing more.
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xiad6nKJCw]YouTube - Don't Waste Your Pulpit[/ame]


I take it Peter is your pastor?
 
Yes Peter is the pastor ^^.

I'm really looking for suggestions beside just the pulpit, that can be done, to get the current congregation centered around the gospel. I mean practical suggestions.

Sure outreach, but how? with the congregation I've described, many of whom do not know the gospel themselves?

The last bible study we started failed after 2 weeks because of having practically no numbers.
 
I'm dealing with a similar issue in my church regarding Sunday school attendance. While the pastor's preaching during the sermon is excellent, the Sunday School programs are for most part, in my opinion, lacking theological substance and SS attendance is only about 10% of the numbers we have in the service. We have Beth Moore studies :rolleyes: for the women, Rick Warren's "Purpose" (before I got here) :rolleyes:, Chuck Swindoll :rolleyes: on parenting, shallow studies of the epistles, etc., but notable absent are study of the Westminster Confession and Catechism.

I did have the opportunity to do a 2-week Sunday School on the Ch 1 of the WCoF while our regular teacher was on vacation It was well received by the folks attending in spite of my being told by another elder a WCoF study would clear the classroom.

My advice? Skip the modern, slick-production stuff and get back to basics which have built and sustained the church for centuries and pray for wisdom that you honor God with the teaching.
 
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