Christ declares that his kingdom is explosive in its growth. The kingdom of heaven is like a tiny mustard seed, which explodes in growth and produces massive growth. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman hides in flour. A tiny lump of leaven leavens the whole loaf. The Gospel is like a contagion that cannot be stopped, and Christ’s rule is irresistible energy. The kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ is unshakable, unstoppable, unquenchable.

The trip started in Istanbul (I write from Izmir fka Smyrna). We saw the spectacular Aya Sophia, the former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum.

Mr MacMillan voiced his concern that there were only 19 adult baptisms and less than 100 infant baptisms last year. Although there were no concrete ways forward, it was acknowledged that church plants had a better track record in reaching out to the “un-churched” and that the Free Church has a responsibility to take the Gospel to where the people are

Concerns about moral values during the sexual revolution…galvanized evangelical leaders into action, said the Rev. George Grant of Parish Presbyterian Church [PCA] in Franklin. “There was a great deal of alarm about the future of our world,” he said.

But for those who blatantly disagree with the school's theological view and act against its policy, "we will live in a state of tension," Grace said. If they persist, even after conversations with the faculty, the students will be violating their signed contract. In that case, Grace tells them: "This isn't the place for you."

The answer is yes! Baptists historically have held to covenant theology; the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith makes this fact plain (see chapter 7)

Given data that was presented at the meeting — which convincingly showed that almost half of America’s protestant pastors hold or strongly lean toward a belief in a universe less than 10,000 years old — there was a deep concern for the church not only in America, but also worldwide.

On February 13, 1980, Bethlehem members voted to approve Piper as their pastor. The vote was 149 yes, 17 no (89.7%), Piper stated in his letter.

In 2006, Mississippi became one of the first PCUSA presbyteries to renounce the denomination’s property-trust clause. Its policy states the presbytery will not fight a member congregation that “would ask the courts of the State of Mississippi to clear its property of any claims made by higher governing bodies against that property"

The roots of evangelism are embedded in the local church which derives its life from Christ, as he is set forth in the whole of Scripture. The members evangelise as they are nourished by the preaching, strengthened by the corporate prayer and worship of the church and encouraged by fellowship