9 Marks Churches

[joyousliving]

I have some out of town friends who are searching for a church home.

I have found recently that there is an official rating system based on the "9 Marks of a Healthy Church." I am wondering if any of you have personal knowledge about how rigorous is the examination of a church applying to become a member of the "9 Marks" club.

Any other thoughts related to your personal experience with an "official" 9 Marks church would be appreciated.

I understand that we all have a responsiblity when looking for a church home to find a place that is organized and run based on biblical principals. I am just wondering if this is a useful tool for finding good prospects in the church home search.

 

[BBAS 64]

Good Day,

The Nine Marks:

The Mission of 9Marks
We believe the local church is the focal point of God's plan for displaying his glory to the nations. Our vision is simple: Churches that reflect the character of God. Our mission is to cultivate and encourage churches characterized by these nine marks:
1. Expositional Preaching
This is preaching which expounds what Scripture says in a particular passage, carefully explaining its meaning and applying it to the congregation. It is a commitment to hearing God’s Word and to recovering the centrality of it in our worship.

2. Biblical Theology
Paul charges Titus to "teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Our concern should be not only with how we are taught, but with what we are taught. Biblical theology is a commitment to know the God of the Bible as He has revealed Himself in Scripture.</SPAN>

</SPAN>3. Biblical Understanding of the Good News
The gospel is the heart of Christianity. But the good news is not that God wants to meet people's felt needs or help them develop a healthier self-image. We have sinfully rebelled against our Creator and Judge. Yet He has graciously sent His Son to die the death we deserved for our sin, and He has credited Christ's acquittal to those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus' death and resurrection. That is the good news.
4. Biblical Understanding of Conversion
The spiritual change each person needs is so radical, so near the root of us, that only God can do it. We need God to convert us. Conversion need not be an emotionally heated experience, but it must evidence itself in godly fruit if it is to be what the Bible regards as a true conversion.

5. Biblical Understanding of Evangelism
How someone shares the gospel is closely related to how he understands the gospel. To present it as an additive that gives non-Christians something they naturally want (i.e. joy or peace) is to present a half-truth, which elicits false conversions. The whole truth is that our deepest need is spiritual life, and that new life only comes by repenting of our sins and believing in Jesus. We present the gospel openly, and leave the converting to God.
6. Biblical Understanding of Membership
Membership should reflect a living commitment to a local church in attendance, giving, prayer and service; otherwise it is meaningless, worthless, and even dangerous. We should not allow people to keep their membership in our churches for sentimental reasons or lack of attention. To be a member is knowingly to be traveling together as aliens and strangers in this world as we head to our heavenly home.

7. Biblical Church Discipline
Church discipline gives parameters to church membership. The idea seems negative to people today – “didn’t our Lord forbid judging?” But if we cannot say how a Christian should not live, how can we say how he or she should live? Each local church actually has a biblical responsibility to judge the life and teaching of its leaders, and even of its members, particularly insofar as either could compromise the church’s witness to the gospel.</SPAN>

</SPAN>8. Promotion of Christian Discipleship and Growth
A pervasive concern with church growth exists today – not simply with growing numbers, but with growing members. Though many Christians measure other things, the only certain observable sign of growth is a life of increasing holiness, rooted in Christian self-denial. These concepts are nearly extinct in the modern church. Recovering true discipleship for today would build the church and promote a clearer witness to the world.</SPAN>

</SPAN>9. Biblical Understanding of Leadership
What eighteenth-century Baptists and Presbyterians often agreed upon was that there should be a plurality of elders in each local church. This plurality of elders is not only biblical, but practical — it has the immense benefit of rounding out the pastor’s gifts to ensure the proper shepherding of God’s church. </SPAN>


In identifying and promoting these nine marks, we are not intending to lay down an exhaustive or authoritative list. There are other significant marks of healthy churches, like prayer and fellowship. We want to pursue those ourselves as well, and we want you to pursue them with us. But these nine are the ones we think are most neglected in most local churches today, with the most damaging ramifications. Join us in cultivating churches that reflect the character of God.


http://www.9marks.com/

Peace to u,

Bill

 

[aReformedPatriot]

I have some out of town friends who are searching for a church home.

I have found recently that there is an official rating system based on the "9 Marks of a Healthy Church." I am wondering if any of you have personal knowledge about how rigorous is the examination of a church applying to become a member of the "9 Marks" club.

Any other thoughts related to your personal experience with an "official" 9 Marks church would be appreciated.

I understand that we all have a responsiblity when looking for a church home to find a place that is organized and run based on biblical principals. I am just wondering if this is a useful tool for finding good prospects in the church home search.

My Church is a propent of the "9 Marks" as being a basic and healthy guideline. The Pastor and several Seminary Students who attend are from Capital Hill Baptist Church and are friends with Mark Dever (the pastor), the author of the 9 Marks. Having studied them I can agree with them but think that they leave out a "proper understanding of the ordinances." That would make it "10 Marks" and could already fit under "Biblical Theology," but is a category I think could be highlighted better.

In anycase, I have never heard anything about an official rating system.

www.auburndalebaptist.com

 

[bradfordl]

Yeah, that's what I notice, the lack of a "mark" concerning the sacraments. I've always held to at least these three:

1. Biblical preaching of the word.

2. Biblical administration of the sacraments.

3. Biblical administration of church discipline.

All are hard to find, but the third is almost non-existent in American churches. Even those that are faithful in the first two avoid the last, its the one that requires the most courage, and contrary to the non-confrontational character of most of what is called "Christianity" in this country today. One example is the PCA's allowing churches to "drop" members from their rolls after non-attendence for an amount of time. Just cowardly. There are three ways to leave a church - by transfer, by death, or by excommunication. But the GA just didn't want the poor sessions to have to carry out such unpleasant duties.

 

[joyousliving]

Sorry, I should have posted what the 9 Marks are. Thanks to BBAS for clarifying that matter.

I agree that the 9 attributes don't constitute a means of replacing doing our own homework when we find ourselves looking for a home church. I am just wondering for the sake of my young friends (both spiritually and chronologically) if taking a look at churches that have past this test would be a decent way to begin the process of looking for a church home.

 

[joyousliving]

Yeah, that's what I notice, the lack of a "mark" concerning the sacraments. I've always held to at least these three:

1. Biblical preaching of the word.

2. Biblical administration of the sacraments.

3. Biblical administration of church discipline.

All are hard to find, but the third is almost non-existent in American churches. Even those that are faithful in the first two avoid the last, its the one that requires the most courage, and contrary to the non-confrontational character of most of what is called "Christianity" in this country today. One example is the PCA's allowing churches to "drop" members from their rolls after non-attendence for an amount of time. Just cowardly. There are three ways to leave a church - by transfer, by death, or by excommunication. But the GA just didn't want the poor sessions to have to carry out such unpleasant duties.

I agree. It goes against our desire for independence to promote the idea of church discipline, especially in the United States.

My own church has had some ugly meetings this year (both session and congregational) for the sake of discipline. It's unfortunate, but pretending that the issues don't need to be addressed is just plain dysfunctional.

 

[edie19]

I'm sorry to say that my memory isn't as good as it once was - but, one of the SR participants is a member at Capital Hill Baptist - I just can't remember who it is.

I do remember talking with ____________ about Mark Dever and his thoughts about the church though. One thing that struck me - they are very careful about who joins the church (which is a good thing). One of the requirements was to attend the various services throughout the week. Not that they were being legalistic about it - but that members should desire both the worship time and the fellowship with other believers.

BTW - my pastors believe that church discipline is one of the marks of a true church (along with teaching the Gospel and rightful administration of the sacraments) and while no one has been asked to leave our congregation - I do know that "gentle counsel" has occured.

edie