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Life of the Church

At the Lord's Supper, Christians eat and drink together. We call it communion because by it we are unified in Christ. This togetherness—this community—is central to the life of the Church. Its distinguishing feature is not multiplicity, but oneness: "There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:4-6).

Like all good stories there is unity to the story of the Church. It looks much different now than it did in the first century, but it's still the same Church. Part of its life is this story: where did it come from, who keeps it together, where is it going? While there are all kinds of interesting particulars, there is really only one answer to these questions: Christ. He is the founder of the Church, He is its sustainer, and He is the goal toward which it is progressing. History will culminate in the absolute glorification of Christ before all creation, and the Church's primary task is to prepare the way for Him. The Church is healthiest when Christians are most dedicated to this task. This doesn't mean the death of denominations, it simply means they will be working humbly together. Just as the men of Israel worked together to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Neh. 3), so all Christians regardless of denomination must build the kingdom together.

To be successful the Church must be healthy internally. Its worship must reflect the standards and guidelines found in the Bible, and its observance of the sacraments cannot be taken lightly or neglected. The Church is to be the one consistently safe place for Christians in a mostly hostile world. This is not to imply the Church is a location or building but that it is a spiritual presence providing refuge for the people of God.

The apostle John made it plain how the Church is to hold itself together. The world will know us by our love, he said. "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11). The Church is at its best when it is filled with the selfless love of Christ and is sharing that love with the world.

It is the Church's responsibility to spread the kingdom Christ set up during His lifetime. This kingdom is spiritual and its citizenry is increased whenever someone is baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but it exists in a physical world and will lead to the transformation of all civilization and culture. While this goal often seems hopeless and beyond reach, God has promised that the Church will triumph:

"On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." — Matthew 16:18
Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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Anointed Expository Preaching
by Stephen F. Olford, with David L. Olford, Foreword by Adrian Rogers
from Broadman & Holman
for Adult
in Preaching the Word (Location: XWO-PRE)
$29.00 (1 in stock)
Ashamed of the Gospel
by John F. MacArthur jr.
First Printing, Underlining from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
At the End of the Santa Fe Trail
by Sister Blandina Segale
4th Printing from Bruce Publishing Co.
for Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Atlas of the Islamic World
by Francis Robinson
from Facts On File
for 9th-Adult
in Historical & Cultural Atlases (Location: HISRF-ATLAS)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Being the Body
by Charles Colson, Ellen Santilli Vaughn
First Edition from Word Publishing
for Adult
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Biblical Theology
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Biblical Theology (Location: XTH-BIB)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Book of Psalms for Singing
by Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
from Crown and Covenant
for 7th grade-Adult
in Hymnals & Psalters (Location: XWO-HYMN)
$16.80
Built to Last
by David Macaulay
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-6th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$24.99
Cantus Christi
by Canon Press
from Canon Press
in Hymnals & Psalters (Location: XWO-HYMN)
$29.99
Children's Illustrated Jewish Bible
by Laaren Brown & Lenny Hort
Revised Edition from DK Children
for 1st-6th grade
in World Religions, Cults and Sects (Location: XAP-WRCS)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Church Discipline
9marks: Buliding Healthy Churches
by Jonathan Leeman
1st edition from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Church Government (Location: XWO-GOV)
$14.99
Church Membership
9marks: Buliding Healthy Churches
by Jonathan Leeman
1st edition from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$14.99
Dangerous Calling
by Paul David Tripp
1st edition from Crossway Books
for 11th-Adult
in Church Government (Location: XWO-GOV)
$22.99 $9.50 (2 in stock)
Discourse Concerning Love
by Nathaniel Vincent, Edited by Don Kistler
from Soli Deo Gloria
for Adult
in Puritan Writings (Location: XCH-PUR)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Doctor in Buckskin
by T. D. Allen
from Harper & Brothers
for 8th-Adult
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Dragon Tales
by Celia R. Brines
3rd edition from Pacific Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Exhortations
by Doug Wilson
from Charles Nolan Publishers
for Adult
in Worship & Sabbath (Location: XWO-SABB)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Experience Jesus Today
by Charles Singer
from Oregon Catholic Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Bible Study & Reference for Kids (Location: BIBR-STU)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Fight for Jerusalem
by Dore Gold
from Regnery Publishing, Inc.
for Adult
in History for Adults (Location: ADU-HIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya
by Ruth Tucker
2nd edition from Zondervan
History of missions for 11th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$32.99
Gashmu Saith It
by Douglas Wilson
from Canon Press
for Adult
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$16.95
Gospel
9marks: Buliding Healthy Churches
by Ray Ortlund, Foreword by J.I. Packer
1st edition from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Church Government (Location: XWO-GOV)
$8.00 (2 in stock)
Gospel Comes with a House Key
by Rosaria Butterfield
from Crossway Books
for 11th-Adult
in Hospitality (Location: SS-HOS)
$21.24 $7.20 (1 in stock)
Gospel Worship
by Jeremiah Burroughs
from Soli Deo Gloria
for Adult
in Puritan Writings (Location: XCH-PUR)
$35.00 (1 in stock)
I Will!
by Thom S. Rainer
from B&H Books
for Adult
in Church Ministry & Service (Location: XWO-MIN)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
In His Service
by R. J. Rushdoony
from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
for Adult
in Practical Christian Living (Location: XCL-PRAC)
$19.55
Jesus the Evangelist
by Richard D. Phillips
from Reformation Trust Publishing
for Adult
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Knots Untied
by J. C. Ryle
from Banner of Truth Trust
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$29.00
Mecca
by Desmond Stewart
from Newsweek Books
for 8th-Adult
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Mosque
by David Macaulay
1st edition from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 4th-8th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Operation World
by Jason Mandryk, Patrick & Robyn Johnstone
7th edition from InterVarsity Press
for 9th-Adult
in Prayer (Location: XCL-PRAY)
$25.00
Preaching & Teaching with Imagination
by Warren W. Wiersbe
from Victor Books
for Adult
in Preaching the Word (Location: XWO-PRE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Preaching the Cross
by C. J. Mahaney, J. Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, R. Albert Mohler Jr.
1st edition from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Preaching the Word (Location: XWO-PRE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Princess Adelina
by Julie Sutter
from Vision Forum
Historical fiction / Irish missions for 7th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Pulpit Aflame
by Joel R. Beeke & Dustin Benge, editors, numerous contributors
from Reformation Heritage Books
for Adult
in Preaching the Word (Location: XWO-PRE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Radical Disciple
by John Scott
from InterVarsity Press
for Adult
in Discipleship & Community (Location: XCL-DIS)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Religion of Peace?
by Robert Spencer
from Regnery Publishing, Inc.
for Adult
in Islam & Sharia Law (Location: XAP-ISL)
$19.00
Saints: Lives and Illuminations
by Ruth Sanderson
from William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
for 4th-9th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Scary Close
by Donald Miller
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Spiritual Leadership
by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby
from B&H Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Stories of the Saints
by Carey Wallace, Illustrated by Nick Thornborrow
from Workman Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$26.95 $14.00 (1 in stock)
Surprised by Hope
by N. T. Wright
from HarperOne
for 9th-Adult
in Eschatology & Prophecy (Location: XTH-ESCH)
$24.99
Tale of Two Rice Birds
by Adapted by Clare Hodgson Meeker, Illustrated by Christine Lamb
from Sasquatch Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
To Transform a City
by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams
from Zondervan
for Adult
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Twelve Challenges Churches Face
by Mark Dever
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$15.99
Unconditional Surrender
by Gary North
4th edition from Dominion Press
for Adult
in Ecclesiology (Location: XTH-ECC)
$25.00
Understanding the Times
by David Noebel
2nd edition from Summit Ministries
for 9th-12th grade
in Old Edition Bible (Location: ZCLE-BIB)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Vintage Church
Re:Lit
by Gerry Breshears, Mark Driscoll
from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
What is a Healthy Church Member?
by Thabiti M. Anyabwile
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Who is Jesus?
9marks: Buliding Healthy Churches
by Greg Gilbert, Foreword by Trip Lee
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Jesus Christ (Location: XTH-JES)
$7.00 (2 in stock)
Window on the World (old)
by Daphne Spraggett & Jill Johnstone
from Paternoster
for 2nd-7th grade
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
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