Gateway Podcast: Episode 122

You can listen to or watch Gateway Podcast Episode 122 here.

In this episode we are discussing Chapters 1-2 of The Compelling Community by Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop.

Questions

Page 25-26 - What are some other purposes that churches strive for with their community? And how does these other purposes compete against or elevate the ultimate purpose of making God’s glory visible? (7:50)

Page 27 - Last paragraph on page — Is this where we are at Gateway? (14:20)

Page 29 - paragraph above new section — What are we currently doing well to foster church community and not gospel plus community? What are we not doing well? (20:50)

Page 47 - In what ways do you feel we have ascribed to this pattern at Gateway? And where have we seen undesired results of us having encouraged nominal Christians to halfheartedly participate in our church community? (24:00)

One of the things this book is having us question is the assumption that if we get people connected to Gateway then they’ll be committed to Gateway. What the book argues is that commitment comes first; then connectedness. Otherwise the committed constantly have their connectedness disrupted by the uncommitted. Another book I’ve recently read states that a commitment to discipleship fosters a healthy church community. Not the other way around. (31:30)

Final Thought