The apostle Paul gave us our top priority: “What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3).
I’ll begin with some important prefacing remarks. I am absolutely committed to the centrality of local churches in God’s kingdom agenda. Organizations such as EPM are secondary and supplemental to the work of local churches. I was a local church pastor for fourteen years and my heart will always be with the church. As a friend of mine puts it, “The church is God’s Plan A, and there is no Plan B.”
When it comes to church involvement, many in previous generations struggled with legalism. Today many struggle with the opposite–license. Legalists need to learn Christian liberty. Those struggling with license–freedom abused–need to learn not liberty per se, but spiritual discipline.
So how does this “revolution” foster the spiritual discipline of submitting to authority and following leadership we don’t always agree with? Instead, does it substitute biblical leadership with self-leadership, which means doing whatever you want, i.e. not having to submit to someone else because “I know better”?
In this audio clip from an interview with Hank Hanegraaff, Randy Alcorn answers the question, "What was your experience of taverns compared to churches when you were growing up?"
A message on pastors and giving at the Exponential 06 Pastors Conference
To say that churches should receive the firstfruits does NOT mean they should keep them. They should set the example for their people by giving more to missions and the poor than they keep.
Randy Alcorn answers the question, "What do you see as the greatest need of the church today?" at a Cannon Beach Conference Center Retreat. (Includes brief comments on Brian McLaren’s books, Paul Young’s The Shack, and the need to be true to God's Word)
Randy Alcorn speaks about the more subtle practice of redefining truth.
Randy Alcorn speaking about Heaven at Oak Hills Church in 2010.
In this six minute clip, Randy Alcorn answers the question, "Why should the local church be important to us?" at a Cannon Beach Conference Center Retreat.
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