Why Should We Love the Local Church? E-Book

Dustin Benge

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Union
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

How Christians Can Rediscover the Beauty and Glory of the Church Dear. Precious. Lovely. The Bible describes the church in extraordinary ways, even using beautiful poetry and metaphors. How does this compare to how Christians today describe the church? Unfortunately, many believers focus more on its mission, structure, or specific programs than on its inherent beauty. It's time to spark a renewed affection for the church. In this concise version of The Loveliest Place, Dustin Benge urges Christians to see the holy assembly of God's redeemed people in all its eternal beauty. He explains what makes the church lovely, including the Trinitarian relationship, worship, service, and gospel proclamation. For those who have never learned to view the church as God sees it, or have become disillusioned by its flaws, this book is a reminder that the corporate gathering of believers is a reflection of God's indescribable beauty. - Concise and Accessible: Dr. Dustin Benge examines what the church is and why it exists - Full Version also Available: Why Should We Love the Local Church? is the concise version of The Loveliest Place - Part of the Union Series: Inviting readers to experience deeper enjoyment of God; other volumes include Rejoice and Tremble, Deeper, and The Loveliest Place - Looks Beyond Methodology: Focuses on the beauty, not just the biblical function, of the church   

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“Dustin Benge provides us with an absolute gem—a beautiful condensation of all that is good about the local church. With ease of prose, Benge introduces us to the multicolored facets of what the church is and how she functions to grow us into the people of God. A marvelous read.”

Derek W. H. Thomas, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries; Chancellor’s Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary

“The true and faithful church is the beautiful bride of Christ. In the experience of reading this refreshing treatment, all who love the church will rejoice in the realization of her beauty. Many people are concerned about how the world views the church. The world will never have the right perspective until the church itself sees her beauty. Surely this is what the apostle Paul meant when he said in 2 Corinthians 11:2 that he desired to present the church as a chaste virgin to Christ. This book is a much-needed gift to the people of God.”

John MacArthur, Pastor, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California; Chancellor, The Master’s University and Seminary

“This is a rich reflection upon the nature of the church. Benge rightly shows us the way the church is viewed from heaven and from the eschaton. If we could only grasp the glorious beauty of the church in the light of these two perspectives, the negativity that too often crosses our lips and permeates our minds about the triune God’s beloved would be replaced with wonder and awe. Warmly recommended.”

Michael A. G. Haykin, Chair and Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“A little more than a decade ago I said I’d never seen such a profound unity in the church. What has happened? Leadership failures, unresolved conflicts, high-profile apostasies, political division, social upheaval, a global pandemic, theological controversy, and more. Is greater church unity possible again? Of course it is, but any movement toward unity must be dependent on the Holy Spirit and based on God’s truth. May the Lord use this book, in which Dustin Benge faithfully sets forth the glories of God’s truth about the church, to rebuild our unity.”

Donald S. Whitney, Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Do you consider the church to be lovely? Jesus does. He looks at his blood-bought bride with deep delight and desires that we do the same. In Why Should We Love the Local Church? Dustin Benge introduces us afresh to the church in a way that rekindles affection and renews commitment. Many books tell us about the church, but few help us love the church. This important work refreshes the soul and inspires worship.”

Garrett Kell, Lead Pastor, Del Ray Baptist Church, Alexandria, Virginia

“Beholding the true beauty of the church can often be a challenge because many times she is torn asunder by various scandals and divisions. Dustin Benge nevertheless calls us to view the church from the divine perspective as the chosen bride of Christ. Only through this corrective lens can we recognize how precious she is in the sight of our triune God. May God give us eyes to see her radiant glory as she is clothed with the glistening garments of Christ.”

Steven J. Lawson, President, OnePassion Ministries; Professor of Preaching, The Master’s Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries

Why Should We Love the Local Church?

Union

A book series edited by Michael Reeves

Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord, Michael Reeves (2021)

What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?, Michael Reeves (2021, concise version of Rejoice and Tremble)

Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners, Dane C. Ortlund (2021)

How Does God Change Us?, Dane C. Ortlund (2021, concise version of Deeper)

The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church, Dustin Benge (2022)

Why Should We Love the Local Church?, Dustin Benge (2022, concise version of The Loveliest Place)

Why Should We Love the Local Church?

Dustin Benge

Why Should We Love the Local Church?

Copyright © 2022 by Dustin Benge

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Jordan Singer

Cover image: “New England Scenery” (1839) by Thomas Cole (Wikimedia commons)

First printing 2022

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7498-6 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7501-3 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7499-3 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-7500-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Benge, Dustin W., author.

Title: Why should we love the local church? / Dustin Benge.

Other titles: Loveliest place

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2022. | Series: Union | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021023824 (print) | LCCN 2021023825 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433574986 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433574993 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433575006 (mobipocket) | ISBN 9781433575013 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Church.

Classification: LCC BV600.3 .B46252 2022 (print) | LCC BV600.3 (ebook) | DDC 262.001/7—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023824

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021023825

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2022-01-21 11:42:58 AM

To Nate Pickowicz,

my friend, brother, and co-laborer in the gospel

Contents

Series Preface

Introduction

1  You Are Beautiful

2  The Household of God

3  Our Father and Friend

4  Our Savior and Head

5  Our Helper and Beautifier

6  A Pillar and Buttress of Truth

7  In Spirit and Truth

8  Shepherding the Flock

9  Feeding the Flock

10  Good News

11  In Remembrance

12  Walking Worthy

13  Blessed Persecution

14  We Are One

Epilogue

Notes

Scripture Index

Series Preface

Our inner convictions and values shape our lives and our ministries. And at Union—the cooperative ministries of Union School of Theology, Union Publishing, Union Research, and Union Mission (visit www.theolo.gy)—we long to grow and support men and women who will delight in God, grow in Christ, serve the church, and bless the world. This Union series of books is an attempt to express and share those values.

They are values that flow from the beauty and grace of God. The living God is so glorious and kind, he cannot be known without being adored. Those who truly know him will love him, and without that heartfelt delight in God, we are nothing but hollow hypocrites. That adoration of God necessarily works itself out in a desire to grow in Christlikeness. It also fuels a love for Christ’s precious bride, the church, and a desire humbly to serve—rather than use—her. And, lastly, loving God brings us to share his concerns, especially to see his life-giving glory fill the earth.

Each exploration of a subject in the Union series will appear in two versions: a full volume and a concise one. The concise treatments, such as this one, are like shorter guided tours: they stick to the main streets and move on fast. You may find, at the end of this little book, that you have questions or want to explore some more: in that case, the fuller volume will take you further up and further in.

My hope and prayer is that these books will bless you and your church as you develop a deeper delight in God that overflows in joyful integrity, humility, Christlikeness, love for the church, and a passion to make disciples of all nations.

Michael Reeves

series editor

Introduction

We all have special places we visit, either in person or in memory. For me, one of those treasured places is the farm of my grandparents. Running through freshly plowed fields, climbing majestic oaks, and sitting at the table of my grandmother’s cooking—there’s no place I would rather be. This place evokes a sense of joy, comfort, and home.