LIFE IN THE FATHER’S HOUSE (REVISED AND EXPANDED), by Wayne A. Mack and Dave Swavely

A Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance

by Steve West

 

Table of Contents

Foreword John MacArthur
Introduction
1. Realizing the Importance of the Local Church
2. Committing Ourselves to Church Membership
3. Choosing a Good Church
4. Relating to Church Leadership
5. Fulfilling Our Roles as Men and Women
6. Participating in Worship Services
7. Using Our Spiritual Gifts
8. Confronting One Another in Love
9. Preserving Unity in the Body
10. Praying for One Another
Conclusion: The Heart of the Matter

 

Summary

 

Chapter 1: Realizing the Importance of the Local Church

In the 1960s and 70s, many parachurch movements began which took countless people and leaders out of service in the local church and put them into parachurch ministry. In the 1980s and 90s there was a reported surge in church attendance, but this was often fueled by market-driven seeker sensitive approaches that were insufficient to retain people in church. Every week tens of thousands of people who had gone to church left for good. In the 2000s more and more people engaged in ministries and privatized devotions with no connection to the local church. This attitude is against the wisdom of the church and its leaders throughout its history. More importantly, it is against the teachings of Scripture regarding the church. Rather than being an option, “the church is the primary means through which God accomplishes His plan in the world.”

Jesus said that he would build his church, and the church is prominent both in the content of the NT, and in the fact that NT epistles were written to churches. 1 Timothy 3:15 is a key verse, and it contains four vital images about the nature of the church. First, the church is the “household” of God. This term denotes that the church is God’s dwelling place, and it is also his family. Second, it is the church of the living God. The accent is on the fact that the source and life of the church comes from the only true God. Every person of the Trinity is responsible for the church’s life. Third, the church is the pillar of truth. Amazingly, God’s church holds up God’s truth. The church supports the truth by proclaiming it and preaching the gospel. It is the context in which the Word is properly administered, and it is the place where false teaching is refuted. Fourth, the church is the support of the truth. This sounds similar to being the pillar, but there is an important nuance in the term, and it is best taken as a foundation. By God’s power, the church is permanent and stable; it is the one institution that God promises will last forever. The church serves Christ forever. We must learn to love and value the church the way that God does. . . .

[To continue reading this summary, please see below....]