Showing results by author "Jonathan Leeman" in All Categories

Should we actually practice church discipline today? Is it unloving? Once an ordinary part of church life, churches gradually stopped practicing church discipline in the 20th century. But Jesus commands it. Paul practiced it. And churches benefit from it. Why practice church discipline? It shows love for the individual caught in sin, love for the whole church, love for non-Christian neighbors, and love for the glory of Christ.

Maybe you have been there: you’re running late to church, and you know it will be hard to find an empty seat. This is an all-too-frequent experience in a growing church. For churches experiencing this dilemma, a common solution is to add another service or location. This seems like a cost-effective fix. Besides, no one wants to turn away non-Christians. But is it the best option? Jonathan Leeman presents a series of biblical, theological, and pastoral arguments to help reorient our minds to a scriptural definition of church.

The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. Scripture calls on missionaries to start and strengthen churches where new believers—and more missionaries—can grow. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the missions cause. In this brief guide, pastors John Folmar and Scott Logsdon share their decades of experience working as pastors in Muslim countries. Showing how healthy churches are essential for fulfilling the Great Commission, they teach biblical ecclesiology and missiology with wisdom.

What's the big deal about baptism? Jesus commands his disciples to be baptized, and it's a glorious picture of a person's union with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. Still, many Christians feel unclear about the topic, having more questions than answers. This short work provides a biblical explanation of baptism. What is it? Who should be baptized? Why is it required for church membership? And how should churches practice baptism?

How can the church move forward in unity amid such political strife and cultural contention? As Christians, we’ve felt pushed to the outskirts of national public life, yet even within our congregations we are divided about how to respond. Some want to strengthen the evangelical voting bloc...

In every position of power lies the potential for life-giving leadership or destructive corruption. Driven by sinful pride or opportunism, many people abuse their God-given influence, harming the ones they’re called to lead and contributing to an intense angst against authority. The answer to bad authority, however, is not no authority, but good authority—the kind that, according to Scripture, causes those under it to flourish. In this compelling guide from 9Marks, Jonathan Leeman shows that authority, done biblically, is not only good, but is essential to human flourishing.

Why did Jesus give the church a meal to eat together? The Lord's Supper isn't just something churches do together, it's something that binds us together, making many into one. This accessible work biblically explains what the Lord's Supper is, how it relates to a local church's life together, who should celebrate the Lord's Supper, and how we should approach it.

The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. Scripture calls on missionaries to start and strengthen churches where new believers—and more missionaries—can grow. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the mission's cause.

In a time when many are shunning the practice of organized religion, Jonathan Leeman offers a short book on why church membership is a critical element in every healthy Christian's maturation. By offering a brief, straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it's important, Leeman gives the local church its proper due and builds a case for committing to the local body. Church Membership is a useful tool for churches to distribute en masse to new and potential members of their congregation.

Since a global pandemic abruptly closed places of worship, many Christians have skipped church life, even neglecting virtual services. But this was a trend even before COVID-19. Polarizing issues, including political and racial strife, convinced some people to pull away from the church and one another. Now it’s time to recommit to gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Every position of power—in homes, churches, and boardrooms—has the potential to strengthen people or to harm them. Bad leaders abuse their authority or abdicate it. And their actions breed distrust in authority generally. Yet what do godly authority and leadership look like—the kind that causes people to flourish? Many men today have lost their bearings when it comes to leadership. In this condensed version of his book Authority, Jonathan Leeman equips men to take hold of the authority they've received and responsibly steward it for the good of others.

God means to fulfill the Great Commission through local churches. How did the apostles and the churches of the New Testament obey the Great Commission? By gathering Christians together in churches. The church is God's plan for evangelism, discipleship, and the Great Commission. This connection between the Great Commission and the church dramatically impacts how both leaders and members should think about their work of making disciples. We do it together.

Election seasons can cause division on a variety of issues. But what happens when you disagree with someone in your local church community? Authors Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli propose that Christians should learn how to disagree on such issues with a spirit of gracious understanding by recognizing the importance of what binds us together as a local church body — the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In every position of power—from executives and world leaders to church elders and parents—lies the potential for life-giving leadership or destructive corruption. Driven by sinful pride or opportunism, many people abuse their God-given authority, harming the ones they're called to lead and contributing to a skeptical attitude toward leadership. The answer to bad authority, however, is not no authority, but good authority—the kind that, according to Scripture, causes those under it to flourish.

Does the phrase church discipline sound like an oxymoron? The church’s message is about grace, we reason, while discipline feels like the opposite of grace. In fact, Jesus taught his disciples to practice church discipline because it’s one way congregations grow in holiness and imitate God’s own love. In this audiobook, Jonathan Leeman presents biblical answers to questions about the nature and application of church discipline, conveying that Scripture presents church discipline as both loving and necessary.

Dans Redécouvrir l’Église locale, Collin Hansen et Jonathan Leeman expliquent pourquoi l’Église est essentielle pour les croyants et la mission de Dieu. À travers différents textes bibliques et plusieurs histoires personnelles, ils montrent aux lecteurs la véritable intention de Dieu pour les rassemblements d’Église : renforcer spirituellement les membres en tant qu’individus et en tant que corps du Christ. Redécouvrez pourquoi l’avenir de l’Église repose sur le rassemblement régulier des croyants en tant que famille de Dieu.

¿No es suficiente con que un cristiano siga la transmisión en vivo de un servicio de la iglesia? ¿Todavía vale la pena unirse a una congregación local? ¿En realidad es tan importante reunirse todas las semanas? ¿Por qué debería ir a la iglesia (de nuevo)? Collin Hansen y Jonathan Leeman abordan estas preguntas. Quieren ayudarte a redescubrir por qué la iglesia es tan importante. La iglesia es más que una transmisión en vivo; es una comunidad que, como pueblo de Dios, aprende a ser el cuerpo de Cristo. Necesitas a otros (y otros necesitan de ti) para ser cristiano.

Is het volgen van de livestream van een kerkdienst voor een christen niet voldoende? Is het nog wel de moeite waard je bij een plaatselijke gemeente aan te sluiten? Is het echt zo belangrijk om iedere week samen te komen? Collin Hansen en Jonathan Leeman gaan op deze vragen in. Herontdekking gaat over onderwerpen als de bedoeling van de gemeente, het belang van de preek, het lidmaatschap, de tucht en hoe we leden kunnen liefhebben die zo heel anders zijn dan wij. Jij hebt anderen nodig (en anderen hebben jou nodig) om christen te zijn.

The Mentoring Project’s flagship mentoring resource is its field guides. These long-form pieces provide practical guidance on various aspects of life as a Christian, like finances, purity, technology, work, and more. Written by pastors and other Christian leaders, these field guides provide a biblical framework for mentors and mentees to discuss these topics and grow together.