Book Review: 9 Marks of a Healthy Church

This review is has been a long time in coming, I have been so busy lately that 5 minutes of reading is almost all I could muster on most days.  Why would I take time to read this book, you might ask?  Well, our pastor has recently confirmed the principles within this book as a concern for Midway Baptist to adopt as a guide to help its members to grow as believers.  No it will not and does not replace the written word of God but it does bring to light some very sound principles.


9 Marks is a very eye-opening read.  Every church member in every church in every corner of the world should take time to read this instructive message written by Mark Dever.  This is not a message strictly for the pastor, elder, deacon, or church staff but all who claim membership within a local body.  Dever addresses topics ranging from evangelism to church membership, from discipleship to church discipline. 


9 Marks methodically expounds upon:  Expositional Preaching, Biblical Theology, The Gospel, A Biblical Understanding of Conversion, A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership, Biblical Church Discipline, A Concern for Discipleship and Growth, and Biblical Church Leadership. 


The first and rightfully the most important is Expositional Preaching, basically this is rightly expounding upon the word of God as the Holy Spirit leads and not topically as the teacher sees fit.  As Dever says..."if you get this one right, all the others should follow.  This is the crucial mark."  The Chapters' titles speak volumes for themselves in that this stuff is so fundamentally profound that most of "believers/church members" seem to have overlooked or turned a blind eye towards the stuff spoken about within the chapters.  We have not only turned a blind eye but have adopted worldly narcissism and have thwarted biblical doctrine.


Biblical theology is thus nearly equally as important as Expositional Preaching but our views on biblical theology will give us glimpses of what is being preached from the pulpits.  If the sheep are not being guided through expository preaching, then sheep will not fully understand the fullness of God's character that He has revealed within the pages of Scripture.  Instead, we are at the mercy of a fallen and sinful human nature to characterized the God of creation to whatever whimsical ideas we conjure.  Along with biblical theology goes The Gospel.  If we don't overcome the fact that we cannot compartmentalize God into our own fallen fantasies, then will not understand the Savior of the Gospel.  Let me explain.  If we are taught that God only is a God of love, which is completely true, we miss out on the fact that He is also a God of righteous judgement. 


I could continue with multiple segments and tangents to explain the remaining chapters of Dever's disseration but I think that it is more important for someone to read the pages of this book for themselves.


Not in bragging, but on the contrary God had blessed me and my family with church family that we have been a part for the last 7 plus years.  The previous pastor was a firm expositional preacher that held a very high view of scritpure and has passed a lot of knowledge and wisdom to the congregation.  And thus, have chosen a new shepherd to lead us.  I thank God for this man and his high view of scripture.  I also look forward to serving him and with him in the days and years to come.