Do you need the Church?

Alone time with God is important. No. It’s essential! But can spiritual transformation as intended by God occur in isolation? Is it enough to rely on quiet time with God?  Or, do you need other believers to be all that God intends for you to be? How important is the community of believers to spiritual [...]

Seven Ways to Pray for Your Shepherd

1. Pray that God would give your shepherd a discerning mind. Your shepherd needs to discern who the sheep, swine, wolves and dogs are so that he know how he and the church should respond.
2. Pray that God would give your shepherd thick skin. Critics can be merciless, and Judas-like friends can be even crueler. [...]

A Neglected Ministry in the Church: Watching Over One Another

by Steve Cornell
Those who turn to God to receive His gift of salvation can be confident that God will forgive them for their sins and preserve them as His children all their days on earth. This great truth has been titled, “The perseverance of the saints.” It is the belief that all who genuinely experience [...]

“Watching Over One Another” (Hebrews 3:12-14)

by Steve Cornell

Biblical Study of the Church by Steve Cornell

Introduction:
 
The earliest New Testament reference to the Church is found in Matthew 16:18. In this verse, Jesus promised, “I will build my Church.” The rest of the New Testament records how Jesus did this through the leadership of the apostles and those appointed by them.
 
I. The term “Church”
 
The word “church” (ecclesia) appears 114 [...]

A Great Church with a serious problem, conclusion (See pt. 1 & 2 below)

The Church that left its first love, Revelation 2:1-7 

“First love” for whom?  

For God?  

When Jesus rebukes them for leaving their first love, the question, “love for whom?” seems to be important. Is it their first love for God? If this was the case, then it would seem that they were serving God out of [...]

A Great Church with a serious problem, part 2

The Church that left its first love (Revelation 2:1-7) 

Jesus words to the Church in Ephesus are direct: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love” (v. 4). What does this mean? Answering this question is of great importance because Jesus warned that a failure to remedy the situation would threaten their existence [...]

A Great Church with a serious problem, part 1

The Church that left its first love (Revelation 2:1-7)

The Church in Ephesus was born out of adversity (see: Acts 18-20). It existed in the most popular city of the region of Asia. Ephesus was considered the “gateway of the Orient,” “the market place of Asia” and “the vanity fair of the ancient world.” It was a [...]

Surviving and Thriving in Leadership

By Steve Cornell
After more than 25 years of leadership, I’ve learned a few lessons about how to be effective. Most of my leadership experience has been in the context of one local Church. It’s been my privilege to help a Church grow from 10 to more than 500 people and from one small property to [...]

A Big Challenge to a complacent Church!

“The church has lost her testimony. She has no longer anything to say to the world. Her once robust shout of assurance has faded away to an apologetic whisper. She who one time went out to declare now goes out to inquire. Her dogmatic declaration has become a respectful suggestion, a word of religious advice, [...]