THE CHURCH - God's vision for his family the church

EXPLORING CHRISTIANITY - THE CHURCH

THE BIBLE
Can we trust a book written 2000 years ago?

EYEWITNESS
Did the writers of the New Testament get their picture of Jesus right?

GOD - MAN
Is Jesus really God?

RESURRECTION
Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

RELIGIONS
With so many religions, why Christianity?

SUFFERING
If there is a God, why is there so much suffering?

TRINITY
Understanding the Trinity.

SCIENCE
The complementary nature of Science & Christianity.

FORGIVENESS
What it is and why it matters?

GUIDANCE
How does God guide?

REPENTANCE
What it is and why you can't get to heaven without it.

BORN AGAIN
What does it mean to be converted and born again?

SAVING FAITH
The kind of faith that will get you to heaven

ASSURANCE
Can I know for sure that I am going to heaven?

TRUTH
What is truth and does it matter?

MORALITY
Does it matter how we live? A Christian view of morality.

THE CHURCH
God's vision for his family, the Church. A call to the churches of the new millennium.

PURPOSE
How can I find a great purpose for living?

IDENTITY
Who am I; Finding my true identity as a human being and as a child of God.

SELF-ESTEEM
How can I feel good about my self? The Christian basis for proper sel-esteem.

LIFE AFTER DEATHChristianity's Hope & Challenge.

THE CROSS
Why did Jesus Die? What the Bible says about the Cross.

Grace
The importance of grace in the New Testament.

Foreword

Dick Tripp writes with clarity and insight. I have enjoyed several of his books and this one is no exception. In tackling the subject of the Church, he has chosen an important topic. There is no doubt that the Church today is under pressure. Declining numbers and ageing populations in some mainline congregations, divisions and splits in other congregations, pastoral dropout rates, and many Christians opting out of Church life or drifting from congregations with very little commitment, all threaten the health and viability of modern day congregations. What will be the face of the church in the year 2020? An interesting question, I would suggest. We are living in a post-denominational era; the average under-35-year-old has very little denominational allegiance. What will this mean for denominational structures and budgets in the next millennium? Dick's book gives an excellent summary of the essential features that need to be considered as we address the topic of the Church. Starting with the crucial questions of what a Christian is, and the nature of the relationships of the Trinity, Dick progresses to a discussion of the Church, spending considerable time on the centrality of relationships (a topic close to my heart). His focus on the mission of the Church is a timely reminder of the fact that the church that does not focus outwards, already has within it the seeds of death.

Brian Hathaway MSc(Hons), DipTchg
National Principal Bible College of New Zealand