God's original purpose for the church and why it matters

Disagreements and church splits can be disillusioning, both to those within our churches and to seekers. Some want to relax church standards in order to be more relevant to the surrounding culture. Others rigidly adhere to traditional lines. Both have strong arguments to back up their views. Who is right?

Many of us have wondered at times, Is church life, as I am experiencing it, really what God had in mind? How can ongoing friction accomplish God's plan? Some have decided it's not worth it and have checked out, thinking it easier to worship at home than to deal with the personalities and opinions in the larger church. Others keep attending church but are constantly on the lookout for something else—something a little more compatible with their view of church.

In Church Matters, Gary Miller compares the current state of the church with God's original vision as seen in the book of Acts. His examination of God's purpose for your congregation is a thought-provoking challenge to complacency and drift, and to the conflicts and struggles that keep us from reaching others with the Gospel.

Table of Contents

Part One: The Purpose of the Church

• 1. Modern Evangelical Christianity
• 2. Are We on the Right Track?
• 3. The Vibrant Church: A Coordinated Contradiction
• 4. Church: What Did God Have in Mind?
• 5. What Kind of Music Is Your Church Producing?

Part Two: Church and Culture

• 6. When the Symphony Goes Sour
• 7. The Challenge of Culture
• 8. Culture: Examining Our Relationship
• 9. Culture: How Much Should We Embrace?
• 10. Finding Moderation Without Compromise

Part Three: Business and Brotherhood: Rethinking the Relationship

• 11. Business and Brotherhood: The Problem
• 12. Is Business a Blessing?
• 13. Business: Understanding the Potential
• 14. Connecting Vocations with Vision

Part Four: Are We Limiting God?

• 15. Limiting God
• 16. Current Challenges
• 17. Current "Christian" Cultural Challenges
• 18. "So Send I You"
• 19. Programmed Evangelism

Part Five: The Power and Purpose of Oneness

• 20. Last Word: Famous or Forgotten?
• 21. The Devastation of Divorce
• 22. Grounds for Divorce?

Part Six: What Is God's Vision?

• 24. How Big Is Your Vision?
• 25. Strong versus Weak Churches
• 26. The Christian Community Commitment
• 27. Honesty About Who We Are
• 28. A Path Forward

• Endnotes
• About the Author
• Additional Resources by Gary Miller