When a person becomes a Christian, he doesnโt just join a local church because itโs a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because itโs the expression of what Christ has made himโa member of the body of Christ.
Mark DeverIf you are not a member of the church you regularly attend, you may well be going to hell.
Mark DeverI think that honesty in presenting the gospel goes out the window when you want people to respond to the message, but you are prepared to accept any sort of response. Of course, the only true response is heartfelt repentance and faith. However, if you don't feel the need to be honest in your presentation, then you will calibrate your presentation of the gospel to whatever gets the response you want.
Mark DeverOur culture is becoming more hostile to the gospel. This trend may be more established in Australia than in the USA, but it's now certainly the case that the postmodern mindset is dominant, particularly in the media. Therefore, when we start speaking in terms of certainties, we sound scary to other people.
Mark Dever