God's view of the church the importance and reasons for local church membership.

God's view of the church the importance and reasons for local church membership.

What is a church? What is the "universal, invisible church?" What are the marks of a true local, visible church? What are the images of the church the Bible uses to picture it? What is my role and responsibility to the church?

The distinguishing mark of the true believer according to the parables of Mark 4 is that the true believer “hears” the Word of God. Therefore, how you HEAR the God's Word is of utmost importance.

The distinguishing mark of the true believer according to the parables of Mark 4 is that the true believer “hears” the Word of God. Therefore, how you HEAR the God's Word is of utmost importance.

God acts in supernatural ways to accomplish His purpose. We need His divine revelation to discern and understand His supernatural acts so we can response in faith and obedience. Through Jospeh's perspective of the nativity story we learn 3 lessons about how God's plan relates to our plan.

Parables are a part of Jesus' Kingdom preaching. About 1/3 of Jesus' teaching was with parables. Jesus told parables not only to confront people with the character of the Kingdom, but also to invite them to participate in it through discipleship. Find out, through Jesus' parable of the soils, what kind of hearer you are and what that says about your spiritual condition.

Parables are a part of Jesus' Kingdom preaching. About 1/3 of Jesus' teaching was with parables. Jesus told parables not only to confront people with the character of the Kingdom, but also to invite them to participate in it through discipleship. Find out, through Jesus' parable of the soils, what kind of hearer you are and what that says about your spiritual condition.

In the second of this two-part study, we see how Jesus modeled relationships with Kingdom priorities: Third by contending with the contrary by confronting their criticisms, vv. 20-30, and fourthl by considering spiritual kin closer than physical kin, vv. 31-35.

In the first of this two-part study, we see how Jesus modeled relationships with Kingdom priorities. First, by caring for the crowds with compassion and common sense, vv. 7-12. Second, by calling the core to carry out His commission, vv. 13-19.