Pure Church

Recently there has been a growing concern for the health of gospel churches. But very often that concern comes down to the introduction of a few new items to the church agenda - a Christian foundations course here or a discipleship course there. The agenda of this book is different. Its vision is that the whole way a church should be formed, run and led should work for the health of all its members and the thriving of the church as a community of God's people. It is a church with an intentional mindset throughout. It is a church where all the dots are joined up. The church of Christ will be completely pure only in the new creation. But local churches are to be a colony of that 'Pure Church' now. This book is a call to work towards that purity. Through a series of essays it defines, illustrates and commends biblical teaching on: the visible church, conversion, baptism, membership, the Lord's supper, discipleship, discipline, independency, leadership and gospel unity.