The Deliberate Church

Title: The Deliberate Church
Authors: Mark Dever and Paul Alexander
Publisher: Crossway, 2005
Pages: 202
Begun: January 18, 2009
Finished: January 23, 2009
Rating: *****

The subtitle of this book, "Building your ministry on the gospel," explains the title and the purpose of all 21 chapters. These authors' statements in the introduction give a flavor of what is to follow for the rest of the book:

"The structure we're building, then, is fundamentally God-centered--it is a Godward structure, designed to display the glories of God's character and the truth of His Gospel (26). The Gospel itself is God's constructive power for building the body of Christ. The Word builds the Church (27). The Gospel alone contains the theology that must drive our ministry methods" (28).

The authors divide the book into four sections: 1. Gathering the church, 2. When the Church gathers, 3. Gathering the elders, and 4. When the elders gather. Each section begins with a theological framework from which Dever and Alexander flesh out with specific applications and helpful suggestions. Throughout the book, the focus on the Gospel as the foundation and driving power of the Church is never lost. Consider these statements:

Regarding personal discipleship, "Members need to know that spiritual maturity is not simply about their quiet times, but about their love for other believers, and their concrete expressions of that love. A healthy by-product of non-staff members discipling other members is that it promotes a growing culture of distinctively Christian community, in which people are loving one another not simply as the world loves, but as followers of Christ who are together seeking to understand and live out the implications of His Word for their lives" (38).

"Yet the Gospel is not ultimately about me. It is about God making His holiness and sovereign mercy known. It is about God's glory, and gathering worshipers for Himself who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. It is about God vindicating His holiness by punishing Christ for the sins of all those who repent and believe. It is about making a name for Himself in the world by gathering a people and separating them to Himself for the spread of His fame to the nations" (56).

"The biblical hallmarks of church health--holiness, faith, love, sound doctrine--are cultivated in us as we are captivated by Him" (195).

"What is needed most today is a commitment to being deliberate about setting forth the truth plainly, because the truth as we gaze on it in Christ is what transforms us, what builds us up and sets us free" (197).

"The local church is the major player, under God's providence, in the accomplishment of God's purposes in human history, and His ultimate vision for the church actually surpasses even the global stage" (200).

I could continue with a plethora of other thought-provoking statements, but these represent the core message of The Deliberate Church. I found the book insightful, encouraging, and stimulating. Anyone currently involved in church ministry (including laymen) should seriously consider reading and studying The Deliberate Church.