“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” – Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV
Welcome to the 27th weekly devotional recap of the year. We’re halfway into the year already! This week’s articles contained wisdom to guide the believer’s search for a local church. Each devotional contained one mark of a good church.
On Monday, we learnt that the first mark of a good church is its doctrine on the gospel, which is the foundation upon which everything else is built (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). A good church properly understands the gospel and communicates it.
The believer’s spiritual health depends on consistently hearing the right message, and God’s will is a church built on the solid foundation of the gospel. Pray for guidance in finding or supporting a church that rightly divides the word of truth.
Tuesday’s devotional emphasized the importance of a church’s doctrine on the charismatic. A good church must align its teachings with God’s word, emphasizing what the early church emphasized. Mark 16:17 clearly says that miraculous signs will follow the believer, and it is important that you attend a church where you see the possibilities of God in your life displayed and are equipped to function in them.
On Wednesday, we learnt about the importance of a mission-minded church. Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19-20 emphasise that the Church’s purpose is to reach the lost and make disciples. A good church is mission-minded, understands this divine mandate, and actively participates in it, equipping its members to be ambassadors of Christ. Every believer is called to be part of God’s mission to save the lost (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), and you should attend a local church where your personal drive for evangelism increases.
Thursday’s article focused on the importance of a church rooted in love and having family-mindedness. Love is an important attribute of God (1 John 4:7), and the Bible emphasises love as the hallmark of a true Christian community ( John 13:35). A good church embodies this commandment by having members who genuinely care for and are actively involved in each other’s lives. Look for a church where you can contribute to and experience this loving community.
We rounded up the week on Friday with one last mark of a good church: its doctrine on money. Jesus taught a lot about money, and so a good church also doesn’t shy away from teachings on money and finances. A good church must teach the right idea about money from the Bible’s perspective and not from the world’s (Matthew 6:21, Matthew 19:21, Acts 20:35). It is important that you attend a church that knows to put money in its place, ensuring it is not a focus but rather a tool for God’s work and helping the needy.
Dear believer, God desires that you grow and mature in the faith, and the church is God’s structure for this. You must be discerning and intentional about choosing and submitting to your local assembly.
Bible Reading Plan Catchup