10 of those

What is Church Matters?

Church Matters is a quarterly journal for pastors. Each issue works to equip and encourage biblical thinking among pastors for the purpose of helping them build healthy churches.

Is Church Matters just another 9Marks book?

No. It may look and feel like a book, but Church Matters is a journal with 1000 to 2000 word articles. The unique benefits to the journal format are at least three-fold for pastors: 

1. Range and specificity. The journal format allows 9Marks to treat in briefer compass a wider range of subjects than would often be considered for books (i.e., Christian Nationalism, Catholicity, Seasons in a Pastor’s Life etc.). Each issue treats a topic from dozens of different angles ranging from theology to practice. In short, journals cover more topics closer up and from many different angles. 
2. Written by practitioners. Each issue of Church Matters depends on the hard-won insights of 25-plus practitioner-pastors. This many trusted authors naturally means a diversity of perspectives due to geography, demographic, church context, and so forth. In short, the Bible’s authority provides unity of thought, while the variety of experiences offer a diversity of application.
3. Written for practitioners. 9Marks has always aimed to write for pastors. This is nowhere more clearly seen than in Church Matters. Whether covering foundational subjects like church membership or more time-sensitive topics like Christian Nationalism, each issue aims to equip, encourage, train, and support healthy pastoral ministry. In short, Church Matters is unique because it’s for pastors.

Volume VII: The Ordinance - The Church Made Visible

It has been said that baptism and the Lord’s Supper make the gospel visible. That’s true. These ordinances portray Christ’s saving work, allowing everyone to see what Christ has done—he died and rose again. And yet, baptism and the Lord’s Supper also make the church visible. That is, the ordinances allow everyone to see who Christ has saved from their sins—those who repent of their sin and trust in Christ. What does all this mean? Well, for one it means that the ordinances are about more than you and Jesus. They’re about you and Jesus and Jesus’s people. This issue of Church Matters will explore the corporate implications of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. By rightly understanding and practicing the ordinances in the context of the church, churches grow not only in their love for Christ but also in their love for one another.