Begg’s Blog

In 2 Corinthians 4:1–6, we find Paul making a series of great declarations concerning the ministry of the Gospel—declarations that stand to encourage today’s pastors in their vital work:

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For pastors, the Gospel ministry is not always smooth sailing. Jesus said we should anticipate hardship, and when we look at the lives of the apostles, we discover that is exactly what they faced. In 2 Corinthians 4:1–6, however, we find Paul making a series of great declarations concerning the call to ministry—declarations that stand to encourage today’s pastors in their vital work:

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How does a local church share the good news of the Gospel to those outside its congregation? And how does that compare to the standard given by the acts of the apostles? In this final segment looking at the marks of an effective church, Alistair reminds us how God works to add to the number of those who are being saved. If you've benefited from this series of brief talks, listen to all eight full-length messages in the study Seven Marks of an Effective Church.

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Have you ever been reluctant to sing wholeheartedly at church? Alistair reminds us that singing gives God the glory that's due to His name. Learning the marks of an effective church from the book of Acts, we discover how foundational praise was to the first-century believers and how it remains essential for us today when we gather in our local churches. Click here to hear more about the importance of a worshiping community.

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In the book of Acts, we see Jesus' followers adopting an entirely new pattern of community life that extended to their pocketbooks! As Alistair continues this series of short talks on the attributes of an effective church, he describes the dramatic change that declaring Jesus as Lord has on how we view our possessions. Click here to hear more teaching from Alistair on this topic.

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Many of us are very familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, a series of verses in both Matthew and Luke in which Jesus provides His disciples with an example of prayer to use in their own lives. In this prayer, Jesus reminds us how important it is not only to seek from God our most basic physical requirements but also to cry out to Him for our primary spiritual necessity—namely, forgiveness:

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For the apostles, prayer was a fundamental aspect of their relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Alistair comments on how important it is for a church to follow the apostles' pattern of prayer described in the book of Acts. Continuing a brief look at seven marks of an effective church, Alistair encourages us to say yes to prayer as a church family. Click here to learn more about the priority of prayer in the early church and its necessity in our churches today.

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What important practices marked believers in the first century? Continuing his series of talks on church life according to the New Testament, Alistair describes the essential role of baptism and the Lord's Supper in the local church. Click here to learn more about how devotion to the Sacraments is foundational in a Christ-centered church.

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Within a local church that's faithful to Scripture, we'll find a remarkable sense of unity among a widely diverse group of people. Alistair continues looking at the marks of a biblical church. In this second segment of seven, he explores fellowship in Christ. Click here to find extended teaching on this subject.

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Alistair sits down to explain the characteristics that mark an effective biblical church. In this first of seven brief talks, he addresses the importance of a church's devotion to the apostles' teaching—the proclamation of the good news of God's Kingdom. Click here to learn more from Alistair on this topic.

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