“[Jesus’] followers are a visible community; their discipleship visible in action which lifts them out of the world–otherwise it would not be discipleship. And of course the following is as visible to the world as a light in the darkness or a mountain rising from a plain. Flight into the invisible is a denial of the call. A community of Jesus which seeks to hide itself has ceased to follow him.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. – Matthew 16:18
The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. – C.S. Lewis
The Church: An amorphous concept that conjures up images in the public mind ranging from white buildings with steeples to tyrannical theocracies. Yet the true Church stands in stark contrast to many of the images promoted by the world. The Church, as God designed, holds the esteemed position of prophet, servant, and sanctuary. God intended for His Church to make disciples, uphold truth, care for the widows, orphans, and infirm, and provide refuge for the oppressed.
As Jesus Christ’s representative on earth, the Church should be a beacon of light that intentionally and sacrificially serves its community. It should speak truth and bring hope to the dire situations facing its neighbors. It should lay down its life to see God glorified and His Kingdom expanded. The Church should be defined by John 17, Romans 12, and Acts 2.
The Church, unified, loving and guided by the Holy Spirit, transforms communities. Citizen statesmen, make no mistake, the Church is not a building or the pastorate; it is comprised of each person who proclaims Christ as Lord.
The following resources are provided for informational use only and are not necessarily endorsed by Salt & Light Global. They should always be examined against Scripture, our primary resource. If you would like to add resources to this list, please contact us.
Books, Articles, & Journals
- “A Model of Christian Charity“, Governor John Winthrop
- Being the Body, Charles Colson
- Building up one Another, Gene Getz
- Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City, Timothy Keller
- The Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal, Charles Swindoll
- City of God, St. Augustine
- Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- “Entrepreneurship & Youth: The Critical Role of the Christian Community in Development”, Ruth Entwistle
- In the Ruins of the Church: Sustaining Faith in an Age of Diminished Christianity, R.R. Reno
- “The Christian Theologian’s Reading List: 99 Important Books”
- The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out, Mark Driscoll
- When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself, Brian Fikkert & Steve Corbett
- The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen
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