The Church | AGW MINISTRIES

What’s More Important, Preaching or Helping People With Practical Needs?

September 15, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

preaching practical needs — And Jesus said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I have come.” Mark 1:38

In response to growing up in a dead church environment where the deeds often didn’t match the words, there is a movement in the American Church towards emphasizing social justice. If you ask most people about why they don’t like Christianity, hypocrisy is the number one answer. Nobody wants to be fake. It makes sense, then, of why Christians are seeking to live out their faith by helping the poor and less fortunate (besides the biblical command to do so).

This is right. Jesus clearly healed the sick, provided food for the hungry, and had a special affection for orphans and widows due to their helplessness. James 1:22, 27 states, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. . . . Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Jesus Actually Healed Less So He Could Preach More

With all of that said, helping people with their physical needs is not the main point of Christianity.

Honesty Is Not the Cure to Hypocrisy

August 21, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

cure for hypocrisy church — Galatians 2:20

Hypocrisy: the behavior of people who do things that they tell other people not to do: behavior that does not agree with what someone claims to believe or feel.

It’s not news to state that those who despise the Christian church the most typically do so because of the hypocrisy they feel is present within her. Christians themselves, especially those of us from the millennial generation, despise how hypocritical the church can feel at times.

We all know hypocrisy is a problem, but what’s the solution? What’s the cure for hypocrisy?

What Does the Bible Say About the Ends Justifying the Means?

August 14, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

What Does the Bible Say About the Ends Justify the Means — Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.-2 Chronicles 16:7

Does the Bible say that the ends justify the means? In other words, does God care about what we accomplish for him, how we accomplish it, or both? The Bible is very clear that in God’s eyes, the ends never justify sinful means.

24 Signs Your Church Is Super Healthy

March 11, 2018August 7, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

signs of a healthy church — Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:16

(This article was also published on ChurchLeaders.com)

Recent statistics show that every year in the US, 4000 churches close their doors while only 1000 new churches are planted. Among existing churches, half did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years. From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations dropped by almost 5 million members, while the US population rose by 24 million.1

These are alarming statistics!

Each church that shuts down represents real people who have lost their church family. So if you are someone looking for a new church, someone wondering if their church is built to last, or someone who would love to help their church improve, here are 24 signs of a super healthy church.

What Does the Bible Say About Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

July 31, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

When answering questions like “What does the bible say about those who have never heard the gospel?” or “How could God send people to hell if they’ve never heard the name of Jesus?” or even “How can a loving God send people to hell at all?” it’s impossible not to take a logical, textual approach.

The problem with that is these questions are wrapped up with all kinds of emotions, and rightfully so. Something is wrong if you are a Christian and you flippantly talk about the reality of hell. Hell is a horrible truth. But it is a part of the truth.

With that said, what follows is a biblically blunt answer to the question, “What happens to those who have never heard the gospel or the name of Jesus?”

Idolizing the Past

September 30, 2018July 24, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Sequels are usually not nearly as good as the original film or book in a series. Most sequels fail to live up to the greatness of the original story because they are trying to recreate the magic that happened the first time rather than building on the story. They try to go through the same plot progression as the first story, the characters end getting into the same trouble, and the whole point of the movie is simply to redo the first one under a different title.

Do you know that we can do that in our lives too? It’s good to look back at our past with fond memories. But there are countless dangers that come with idolizing our past.

3 Christian/Biblical Counseling Tips

November 26, 2018July 22, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Christian_Biblical Counseling Tips advice — Colossians 4:5-6

Most Christians desire to give biblical counsel to those in need. Christians have been given amazing insight to humanities’ problems through the wisdom of God found within the Bible. But knowing the truth and counseling other people to understand the truth are entirely different.

So here are 3 tips for Christians who desire to offer biblical counsel to those in need.

Tip 1: Christians Must Show They Care Before They Offer Biblical Counsel

During my years as a pastor, I had a reoccurring experience while counseling people at public places like coffee shops or restaurants. I would be right in the middle of offering biblical counsel to someone and a nearby Christian who neither of us knew would over hear our conversation and chime in with their thoughts.

Campaigning Vs. Proclaiming

July 17, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Sometimes I confuse the idea of being a disciple of Jesus with being a campaign manager. I often think instead of doing his will by following Jesus in an intimate way like a true disciple was made to do, I am actually here to promote God by playing politics.

But God isn’t running for office because he doesn’t need to be elected. Even though we often forget this fact, he’s the one who does the electing. He rules whether people would vote for him or not. He’s the Supreme King, not an earthly president.

It’s a dangerous and hurtful message when someone pleads with people to follow Jesus, as though Jesus is in need of people rather than the people being in need of Jesus. God isn’t campaigning. He’s already ruling. Proclaiming this is the Christians’ mission.

How to Forgive Someone Who Has Hurt You Deeply

October 29, 2018July 14, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

how to forgive someone who has deeply hurt you bible christian — (Matthew 18:21-35)

How do you forgive someone who has hurt you deeply? Sadly this is a question every human will have to answer if they hope to keep their heart healthy.

If you have close friends, relatives you love, a spouse, children, or any other significant relationship, the possibility for hurt will never leave and thus forgiveness will always be deeply needed.

Therefore, the first step in forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply is to prepare in advance before the hurt even happens.

Should a Christian Correct a Non-Christian?

January 23, 2017July 5, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Friendships are messy. No matter how good a person seems to be, eventually they will wrong you. So what should you do when someone sins against you? First off, the Bible makes clear that how we correct, or don’t correct, depends upon whether the offender claims to be a Christian or a non-Christian.

You Should Not Correct a Non-Christian as You Would a Christian

If he or she does claim to be a Christian, the Bible lays out clear steps on how address that person (Matthew 18:15-20 for peer-to-peer relationships, 1 Timothy 5:19-20 for church authority figures). However, when it comes to unbelievers, a different approach is advised.