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Sep 16
Love0

Marks of a Healthy Church (and why you need it)

By Church, Community, Gospel, Ministry No Comments

What would you do to avoid going to church? Years ago, seven-year-old Preston Scarborough was so desperate to bypass the Sunday morning gathering that he stole his family’s white Dodge Intrepid in order to skip town. His actions led to a 40-mph car chase across Plain City, Utah, where the boy ran a stop sign, circled a high school parking lot, and nearly hit a motorist. Eventually, he drove home, jumped out of the car, and ran inside.

When authorities asked why he did it, Preston offered a remarkably simple explanation, “I didn’t want to go to church.” The local news anchorman summed up the public’s sentiment: “What jury would convict him for running from a long sermon?” While most would never take such drastic measures, plenty of Americans no longer see the value of congregating with other believers. Somewhere along the way, Christians have lost the sense that belonging to a local church is a sacred privilege.

 In a world of constant comparison and criticism, people have stopped asking “How can I contribute to God’s kingdom?” and focused more on “What can this church do for me?” Evaluating the music, critiquing the preaching, scrutinizing the programs, and measuring everything according to our personal preferences is par for the course in an age where people change churches almost as frequently as they change clothes.

Contrary to these trends, however, the New Testament pictures the church as a family that serves, encourages, teaches, gives, prays, worships, and carries the gospel into the world. The Apostle Paul’s description of the ekklesia in Thessalonica casts a biblical vision of how a healthy assembly will function (1 Thessalonians 1).

 First, a healthy church will demonstrate consistency in its membership. The Thessalonian Christians bore at least three tangible evidences of genuine salvation. Paul remembered their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope (1 Thess. 1:3). In other words, their walk matched their talk. These descriptions serve as the reminder that the best church members are the saved ones (shocker, I know)!

Though God saves us by grace through faith, good works are the visible fruit of life-change. According to James, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Though we do not work in order to earn salvation, we do strive to obey God with a deep sense of gratitude for His forgiveness (Rom. 6:1-2). Genuine love will consistently motivate the people of God to serve strenuously with an abiding hope that enables perseverance in the faith (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Healthy churches have members who do more than occupy pews. God works among and through transformed people whose lives demonstrate the reality of their confession.

 Second, a healthy church will possess conviction about its message. The earliest congregations preached the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and with great conviction (1 Thess. 1:5). In a culture that foolishly celebrates the value of every individual’s “truth,” the mandate of the church is to proclaim “the truth.”

 Christ’s death on the cross, along with His burial and resurrection, does not represent a way, or even the best way to know God. No, according to the Scripture Jesus is the ONLY way and the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Churches do not exist to entertain, preserve tradition, or push political agendas. We cannot improve upon the gospel, and we dare not replace it in our efforts to be relevant. Simply put, biblical content matters.

  Houses of worship that shy away from or stubbornly deny what the Bible openly declares do more harm than good. Those that promise forgiveness without repentance, laud material prosperity over eternal reward, and jettison scriptural teaching on marriage, gender, and sexual morality may draw large crowds, but their buildings will not house biblical churches (Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3).

 Third, a healthy church will display confidence in its ministers. Granted, no pastor is perfect and every servant makes mistakes (1 Tim. 1:15). Spiritual leaders have no right to demand blind loyalty or to abuse their God-given authority. Yet, Paul reminded the Thessalonians how he and his companions lived among them, remembering that they became imitators of the apostle and the Lord (1 Thess. 1:6). Similarly, the Apostle Peter instructed pastors to be “examples to the flock” as they serve (1 Peter 5:3).

 For every wolf in sheep’s clothing who exploits those under his care, there are dozens of faithful shepherds who do not lord over their congregations but daily impart both the gospel and their very lives to the people they minister to (1 Thess. 2:8). Every leader who carefully watches over the souls of those whom he oversees deserves the support and cooperation of his people (Heb. 13:17). Thriving churches understand this.

 Finally, a healthy church will maintain commitment to its mission. Despite tremendous persecution, the Thessalonians refused to remain silent and “the word of the Lord sounded forth” from their midst (1 Thess. 1:8). The vivid description depicts a trumpet blasting its message so clearly that everyone hears it.

  Taking the gospel to the “highways and hedges” is the core assignment for those called to be Christ’s witnesses (Luke 14:23; Acts 1:8). Evangelism seldom happens accidentally. Compassion ministries and social efforts have their places, but the main business of the church is to make disciples who make disciples through the spread of the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). Our primary goal is to help people turn from idols to serve the living God (1 Thess. 1:9-10).

May the Lord bless you with a healthy home church to worship, serve, and spread the gospel!

Dr. Adam B. Dooley

September 16, 2026

Nov 05
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For the Bible Tells Me So

By Bible, Christian Living, Gospel, Scripture No Comments

“Do you really believe a fish swallowed Jonah?”    

The question came after I preached a chapel service at a “Christian” college. Frankly, the inquiry startled me. I was much younger then, and though I had heard about liberalism which undermines the authority of Scripture, I had never met a professed believer who espoused such views, much less a professor of theology. His next statement rattled me even more.

“We try to focus on Jesus instead of arguing over Old Testament mythology.”

For nearly thirty minutes thereafter I listened as he insisted that Adam and Eve were not real people, Noah and his ark were fictional, and that Moses’ Red Sea crossing was imaginary. Instead, he proposed, wise students of the Bible should focus on Jesus’ words exclusively. “If Jesus did not say it,” he shrugged, “why worry about it?”

All the while I kept thinking to myself, “But Jesus spoke directly about every Old Testament incident you have mentioned.” How can we dismiss the historicity of Jonah and the fish when Jesus compared His death, burial, and resurrection to the prophet’s ordeal (Matt. 12:40)? In other words, Jesus obviously believed that a large sea creature swallowed His rebellious prophet, so why shouldn’t we?

Furthermore, our Savior quoted directly from Genesis 2, referring to Adam and Eve, in order to emphasize the permanence of marriage (Matt. 19:4-6). Additionally, Jesus compared His Second Coming to the days of Noah during the flood, specifically mentioning the ark he built (Matt. 24:37). And while Jesus did not mention the Red Sea crossing specifically, he did affirm the Jewish belief in Moses as a justification for belief in His Messiahship (John 5:46).

Any notion that Jesus denied or dismissed the historicity of the Old Testament, including its supernatural elements, is patently false. Yet, as I recall the exchange and the assertions of that misguided professor, it occurs to me that he said out loud what I suspect many churchgoers secretly believe. Some will rush to affirm the words of Scripture written in red but will be just as quick to quibble over the Bible’s miracles and morality. Whether it’s the record of Israel’s antiquity or the assertions of the Apostle Paul, some are eager to eliminate everything outside of Jesus’ life and teaching.

But is doing so wise? How did Jesus view the Old Testament? And what did He anticipate about the Scriptures that would follow His ministry? Is it reasonable to hold a high view of Jesus’ teaching and a low view of the rest of the Bible?

A focal passage from the lips of Jesus answers questions like these clearly. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insisted, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished (Matt. 5:17-18).”

Jesus never spoke about any Old Testament event or miracle as if it did not happen. With complete confidence, He trusted everything the prophets previously wrote. Thus, following Jesus while rejecting the authority of His Scriptures is nonsensical. He not only quoted the Old Testament repeatedly but also claimed to be the fulfillment of its entirety.

And how did He fulfill what was written beforehand? Our Lord kept God’s Law perfectly, He taught Jewish doctrine correctly, and He fulfilled Messianic prophecies completely. Jesus’ virgin birth in Bethlehem, His subsequent journey to Egypt, the miracles of His ministry, His betrayal and abandonment, and His tragic death on a cross along with His ensuing resurrection were all predicted with precision before our Savior’s incarnation. Why would we reject the very Scriptures which so accurately pinpoint the details of our Savior’s life before they unfolded? If Jesus trusted the Old Testament, so should we!

But what about the New Testament? How do we know Jesus had confidence in the writings of the apostle who followed Him? Thankfully, our Savior promised about the New Testament exactly what He proclaimed about the Old Testament. While anticipating the Holy Spirit’s arrival, Jesus assured, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you (John 16:13-14).”

Stated simply, Jesus guaranteed that the coming revelation would carry the same veracity as the former revelation. Down to the smallest letter (the jot) and tiniest Hebrew marking (the tittle), the Old Testament was and is fully reliable. Likewise, the New Testament brought with it the same perfection because it, too, is the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:20-21, 3:15-16).”

The bottom line is that if we cannot trust the content of the Bible, then neither can we trust Jesus, who clearly had the highest view of Scripture possible. Thus, when we give our lives to the Savior, we should adopt His view of the Bible and rest knowing that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).

So, the next time you claim, “Jesus loves me this I know,” remember that the reason for your confidence is, “for the Bible tells me so.”

Adam B. Dooley
November 5, 2025

Sep 24
Love0

Erika Kirk and the Scandal of the Gospel

By Christian Living, Forgiveness, Gospel, Grace, Grief, Sin, Tragedy No Comments

Her words were just as shocking as the tragic events that took place eleven days earlier. As 70,000 people packed into State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and an additional 20,000 gathered in overflow venues like Desert Diamond Arena, over 100 million onlookers joined the memorial service by streaming it online while another 20 million tuned in through traditional television means. All were there to honor the remarkable life of Charlie Kirk, and a holy hush fell over the gathering when his widow, Erika Kirk stood to offer a few words.

The fact that she was able to speak at all was just as remarkable to me as whatever she intended to say. Frankly, I am not sure what I expected, but I was unprepared for what came next. “On the cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they not know (sic) what they do.’ That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it’s what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do.” She continued, “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer, we know from the gospel, is love. Always love. Love for our enemies. Love for those who persecute us.”

The moment was breathtaking. But may I be painfully transparent for a moment? Initially, those words were just as insulting as they were inspiring to me. I am ashamed to admit it, but in my weakness, forgiveness is the last thing I wanted to hear from Erika Kirk. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit quickly convicted me.

Forgiveness, you see, ranks near the top of the things we are most grateful to receive and near the bottom of things that we are most willing to give. Idioms like bury the hatchet and let them off the hook remind us that showing compassion is tough primarily because it seems equal to diminishing the pain others cause us. Yet, for Christians, unforgiveness is not just unbiblical, but also irrational due to the sheer magnitude of God’s grace in our lives.

The scandal of the gospel is that God the Father chose to pour His wrath upon His own Son in order to set vile sinners free (Isa. 53:10). Because all of us are like sheep that have gone astray, Jesus was smitten and afflicted by His own Father as our transgression, iniquity, and chastening fell upon Him (Isa. 53:4-6).

Granted, some sins are more offensive than others, but all sins leave us guilty and without excuse before a holy God. Thus, the just suffered for the unjust. The righteous died for the unrighteous. Christ pleaded for our forgiveness even as He purchased it on the cross. The moment you feel deserving of grace while assuming that others are not, you only prove that you do not understand grace. Erika Kirk powerfully reminded us that those who receive grace ought to be the most eager to grant it.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times we should forgive those who sin against us, he expounded his question with what he thought was a gracious suggestion. “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? (Mat. 18:21)” Though the number seems arbitrary to us, Jewish rabbis taught that believers were only required to forgive the same offense three times. By suggesting amnesty as many as seven times, Peter was more than doubling what common sense seemed to require.

Wishing to deepen our understanding of God’s mercy toward us, Jesus intentionally exaggerated, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven (Matt. 18:22).” His point was not that after 490 acts of leniency our benevolence should run out. To the contrary, our Savior’s expectation is that we forgive again and again because this is exactly how God treats us. We might be quick to retort, why would anyone repeat the same offense over and over? What kind of fool would be so ridiculous? Indeed. And yet, our continued rebellion against God follows the same predictable and absurd pattern. In order to forgive others as God has forgiven us, there can be no limit to the grace we are willing to show.

Admittedly, practical questions emerge, as we try to be faithful to Jesus’ directive in the real world. Are we obligated to forgive a person who does not want our forgiveness? Or someone who does not repent of their wrongdoing? At this point, there are no indicators that Tyler Robinson has any remorse whatsoever for his sinful transgression against Charlie Kirk. Therefore, understanding the difference between giving and receiving forgiveness is crucial here. Remember, God offers grace to multitudes that refuse to welcome it. We, too, should be willing to give what others are unwilling to receive (Matt. 6:14-15).

Aside from the theological consistency of doing so, letting go of our grievances toward others is also good for us. Apart from forgiveness, you will continually think about the offense that caused you harm, keeping you emotionally bound to the person who hurt you. Waiting for an apology that never comes is like repeatedly tearing the scab off a wound. Why should we be willing to give those who scar us so much control over our lives? When a root of bitterness takes hold of your heart, you have allowed your enemy to prevent your continued growth in the Lord (Heb. 12:14-15).

But shouldn’t there be consequences for sin? Simply put, yes. The fear of diminishing what happened to us creates reasonable longings for justice and even vindication (Amos 5:24). We must realize, however, that granting a person forgiveness is not the same as setting them free from outcomes of their actions. Employees who steal ought to lose their jobs. Students who cheat ought to fail. Those who break the law ought to go to jail. Assassins who murder innocent citizens ought to face the death penalty. Though counterintuitive, consequences can be a blessing that leads us to repentance and life change. Ultimately, we should trust the Lord to decide the repercussions others face for their sins (Rom. 12:19-21).

But what if I cannot forget what happened to me? Chances are, you won’t. Perhaps no other cliché has done more damage to our understanding of forgiveness than the notion of forgive and forget. Putting painful experiences out our minds is often impossible. Thankfully, biblical forgiveness does not require us to be gullible or naïve. Refusing to dwell on the offenses of our enemies does not mean that we should repeatedly put ourselves in harm’s way. Even when consequences must remain, we can choose not to be bound by the past wickedeness of others and even pray God’s best over their lives.

At this point, if you do not believe God is doing something remarkable in our nation, you just aren’t paying attention. I am thankful for Erika Kirk’s bold forgiveness and for the scandal of the gospel. The Lord is using a grieving widow to remind us all just how desperately we need grace.

Adam B. Dooley
September 24, 2025

Jun 26
Love0

What Happens to Those Who Never Hear the Gospel?

By Evangelism, Gospel, MIssions, Uncategorized No Comments

What about the person in the deepest jungle who has never heard the name of Jesus? Or the man stranded on an island throughout the entirety of his life? I have been asked about similar scenarios more than once. Varying versions of these questions abound, but the heart behind each inquiry is the eternal destiny of those who never hear the gospel. If I may state the dilemma bluntly, do people who know nothing of Jesus and salvation spend an eternity in hell?

The simple answer is yes. But why?

Biblical Christians have long recognized that persons who reject Christ will face eternal judgment and condemnation. Some hesitate, however, at the mention of those who with no perceived opportunity to respond to God’s grace. For many, fairness seems to necessitate a redemptive invitation. Without it, some insist, the poor soul who genuinely desires to know God and worship Him will be unjustly anathematized.

The Bible paints a much different picture, though. The fictional person longing to know the true God if only someone would tell him simply does not exist. How do we know? Because Scripture reveals two forms of revelation that all people in all places reject. In other words, it is no mystery what the heathen will do with fullerrevelation when they repeatedly reject the basic revelation they already possess.

In what way do pagans resist the Lord? The Bible indicates that apart from their awareness of the gospel, unbelievers “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). Creation bears witness not only of God’s reality, but also of His “eternal power” and “divine nature,” leaving all people without excuse (Rom. 1:20). Stated plainly, every ocean horizon, autumn mountainside, and daily sunset celebrates that God is real for anyone paying attention. Intrinsically, all people know this to be true, yet unbelievers reject it, nonetheless.

Despite the physical clues to the most important eternal truth, those without the gospel are not daydreaming about the opportunity to know who God is in order to worship Him. To the contrary, their futile speculations lead to darkened hearts (Rom. 1:21). Practically, this means that primitive humanity elevates creation above the Creator, worshipping what God made instead of God Himself (Rom. 1:23, 25). Idols carved from wood or crafted with gold litter history as evidence mankind’s common dismissal of the divine Author behind the cosmos.

More recently, the presentation of evolutionary theory as historical fact, though entirely unverifiable, is but the latest atheistic effort to elevate what was made above its Maker. As secularists scoff again and again over the veracity of the Genesis record, these supposed experts reveal the blindness of their hearts. Truly, professing to be wise, they become fools as the ignore the divine fingerprints that adorn nature (Rom. 1:22).

In addition to the beckoning of the universe, the internal conscience written on the heart of every human being is yet another refused witness to God’s existence. Those who never hear the gospel still possess a basic sense of right and wrong. Every culture and society condemns lying, stealing, murdering, etc., as unacceptable due to the common morality God placed within all people (Rom. 2:14).

Yet, time and time again, we do not find anyone who eagerly obeys the internal guidance within us. Quite the opposite, the reoccurring experience of men and women everywhere is the rejection of our inner decency and principles. Thus, on the day of judgment, our conscience will accuse or defend us as God judges the secrets of men through Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:15-16).

Granted, the general revelation of creation and our conscience do not divulge the breadth of Scripture’s specific revelatory claims, but the insistence that some people have no opportunity of any kind to respond to God is deceptively false. Furthermore, our overconfidence that those who never hear the gospel somehow desire to know God and sense a deficiency without Him reveals more about ourselves than our Savior. We are far too quick to dismiss our sinfulness and to call God’s holiness into question.

Some will push back, desperate to find an exception. What about the person who always obeys his conscience without exception and sincerely longs to worship his Creator as he observes creation? Will God allow THAT person into heaven if he never hears the gospel? If that person were real, the answer would be yes. But Scripture is thoroughly clear, THAT PERSON DOES NOT EXIST. The Lord would never turn those who are truly righteous away, but apart from His grace there are none righteous nor any who seek after God, not even one (Rom. 3:10-11).

No wonder Jesus instructed his followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20).” If salvation is possible apart from explicit faith in Christ through the proclamation of the gospel, these are the cruelest words recorded in the Bible. Sending missionaries is an act of hatred instead of an expression of love if salvation is attainable through ignorance.

But, if there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12); and we must confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9), the greatest gift any Christian can share with another person is that Jesus saves! If those who live in ignorance cannot call on Jesus if they do not believe; and they cannot believe on Him if they have not heard; and they cannot hear unless someone who is sent shares (Rom. 10:14-15), we better get serious about sharing the gospel in every place, every day.

Adam B. Dooley
June 26, 2025

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