Churches in Partnership

The seventh edition of the Sovereign Grace Journal is here: Churches in Partnership. It’s written by Sovereign Grace pastors for the pastors and members of Sovereign Grace Churches.

“One of the Seven Shared Values of Sovereign Grace Churches is that we are united in fellowship, mission, and governance. In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed that his people would be one, so that the world would embrace the good news of Christ. We believe this unity should find expression through churches partnering together for the gospel. This partnership we see throughout the New Testament, and is God’s design for the church today. It is through the interdependence of local churches that Christian unity is beautifully displayed, relationships are enjoyed, congregations are protected, and the message of the gospel advances in power. This issue of the Sovereign Grace Journal is devoted to the happy theme of partnership among churches. Be sure to read Mark Prater’s article which tells the story of why he is part of Sovereign Grace. Ben Kreps draws lessons on partnership from Philippians and Steve Whitacre does the same from the book of Acts. Riley Spring has provided a valuable explanation of what partnership means for church members. The articles in this issue explain each aspect of our unity: united in fellowship, united in mission, and united in governance. It is our hope that pastors and church members celebrate each of these aspects of partnership. One of my favorite parts of this issue are the partnership stories. These stories could be greatly multiplied, and they illustrate the central theme of this issue: churches are stronger together.” ~Jared Mellinger, Senior Pastor, Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA.

We hope you will enjoy reading it. All articles are linked on the website, or you can purchase a hard copy on Amazon or download the PDF.

In an age when church attendance is considered quaint at best and hateful at worst, faithful Christians continue to gather with the people of God. But sometimes off-key singing, sparsely attended prayer meetings, and odd assortments of people can cause us to wonder, “Is this really worth it?”

In A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church, author Megan Hill answers with a resounding “yes.” She challenges readers “to see the church as God sees the church and then to embrace the privilege of being part of it”. Rather than leaving us with this general goal, she takes us on a tour of the epistles, highlighting the details of our calling as the beloved people of God, the eternal fruitfulness of our simple gatherings, and the importance of being good sheep and good shepherds.

As a longstanding member of a Sovereign Grace church, I assumed this book would be a quick review of what I already knew. However, it accomplished what its subtitle promised and convinced me not simply to like, or to attend, or to serve my local church, but to love it. Why? Because my dear savior loves it with a passion so great he gave his life for it, “And what God loves, we must love”. “Do you want to grow in Christlikeness?” Hill asks. “Come to church and love the people you find there”.

Celebrate Ordinary

When we focus too much on numerical growth or cultural influence, we miss what God is doing all around us.

When people in the church encourage one another, teach one another, serve one another, and pray for one another in dozens of small and large ways, we ought to rejoice. This is a sign of God-given life and a mark of his blessing.

Hill reminds us to move our focus from what the world loves to what God loves: namely, his people united to praise his name. As unimpressive as our gatherings may seem, God delights in them. By aligning our perspective with his, we can embrace what might otherwise discourage us and celebrate the “ordinary” works of God in our “ordinary” churches.

Anticipate Glory

The church is not merely a pastor’s job or a member’s duty, it’s the purpose of God lived out on Earth. As his people unite under his rule and reign, the triune God makes himself known. The smallest earthly gathering resounds in eternity, and each local body, thriving or struggling “can rightly be called a colony of heaven”. The faithful mundane is blindingly glorious.

A Place to Belong cleans our lenses so we can see the church rightly: beloved, precious, glorious, God’s very own. There truly is no better place on earth. Reader, don’t assume with a sigh that you already “get” the local church. Allow this book to refresh your vision so you can throw yourself into building God’s church with a new and appropriate joy.

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Trish Donohue, Director of Women’s Ministries, Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA)

Reposted from the Sovereign Grace Journal, March 2023.

The church of Christ in many ways appears ordinary, weak, and unremarkable. Yet we know from God’s Word that the church is the most important institution in history, the greatest display of the wisdom and beauty of God in the world today, the focal point of God’s plan to save sinners, and the dearest place on earth. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). God is passionate about his church, and he calls his people to share his passion.

The theme of this issue of the Sovereign Grace Journal is “A Passion for the Church.” Several articles focus on what particular books of the Bible contribute to our understanding of the church: Acts, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, and 1 Peter. Standard ecclesiology topics are covered, such as the marks of the church, the role of pastors and deacons, church membership, the importance of the Sunday gathering, and the mission of the church. We also selected less common topics that we were eager to address: singles and children in the church, ethnic harmony in the church, developing leaders, and more.

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Jared Mellinger, Lead Pastor, Covenant Fellowship Church (Glen Mills, PA)

Reposted from the Sovereign Grace Journal, March 2023.

The Sovereign Grace Journal is a publication of original theological, practical, and devotional articles written by Sovereign Grace pastors around the world, to equip our pastors, strengthen members of our churches, and celebrate the gospel values we share. It includes book reviews, resources, and more.

We publish the Sovereign Grace Journal with the hope that it will influence generations to come. I dream of a day, long after I’m gone and in glory, when someone reads the Journal and knows what it means to be in a Sovereign Grace church. May the power of the gospel produce that kind of gospel heritage, and may the power of the gospel produce that kind of gospel fruit found in these articles for generations to come, all for the glory of God.

There are five editions of the Journal now with more than 80 articles to equip and strengthen you and celebrate the gospel we share.

Christ Our Treasure (Spring 2021)

A Christ-Centered People (Summer 2021)

Our Statement of Faith (December 2021)

Our Shared Values (June 2022)

Our Shaping Virtues (October 2022)

I am excited to let you know that the fourth edition of the Sovereign Grace Journal is here, devoted to our Seven Shared Values. These seven values shape who we are, helping to define how we do do life together in our local churches regardless of what nation our church is in. I am excited for you to read Jeff Purswell's article about the importance of our shared values and Mickey Connolly’s article about their purpose. And then the bulk of the journal are articles touching on our specific values. After working through each value, we asked some of our friends outside of the United States to talk about how the values work in their cultures. Abelardo Munoz talks about the seven shared values in Mexico, Christian Wegert from Germany, and Jeff Jo in the Philippines. Gary Ricucci then wrote an article about praying through the seven shared values. It's excellent. And per usual, Jeff did an excellent job with an article on resources to go with each of our shared values. Enjoy!