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August 03, 2006

David Wells Introduces 9 Marks

by mdever

Well, not exactly.  But in the last chapter of his book Above All Earthly Pow'rs, David finishes by calling for reform in our churches as a necessary component in reaching our postmodern culture.  When I read it I felt that he had written a perfect introduction for what we're trying to do at 9marks.org.  What he calls for is exactly the burden that I and others here have, and it is what Sovereign Grace ministries, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Twin Lakes Fellowship all have in common.  We might flesh it out in somewhat different ways, but it is our burden and life-goal to see God glorified in local churches.  This is fundamental to our evangelism.  The VISIBLE CHURCH commends the AUDIBLE GOSPEL. 

Here' what David says:  “The postmodern reaction against Enlightenment dogma
will not be met successfully simply by Christian proclamation. 
Of that we can be sure. 
That proclamation must arise within a context of authenticity. 
It is only as the evangelical Church begins to put its own house in order,
its members begin to disentangle themselves from all of those cultural habits
which militate against a belief in truth,
and begin to embody that truth in the way that the Church actually lives,
that postmodern skepticism might begin to be overcome. 
Postmoderns want to see as well as hear,
to find authenticity in relationship as the precursor to hearing what is said. 
This is a valid and biblical demand. 
Faith, after all, is dead without works,
and few sins are dealt with as harshly by Jesus as hypocrisy. 
What postmoderns want to see, and are entitled to see,
is believing and being, talking and doing, all joined together in a seamless whole. 
This is the great challenge of the moment for the evangelical Church. 
Can it rise to this occasion?”  David Wells, Above All Earthly Pow’rs (2005), p. 315.

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