Paul taught the leaders of the church in their own homes. He did not go from house to house attempting to witness to or persuade whomever opened the door.

The announcement of 'good news' brought by the Messenger Jesus Christ from the Father was not about Jesus, but about the soon-coming Kingdom of God.

'Kingdom of God' describes God's dominion, rule, and governance. Jesus points to a future establishment of God's Kingdom on the earth, yet it also rules now.

The true gospel includes the complete revelation of God of His plan to reproduce Himself. If a gospel does not produce repentance and faith, it is false.

A major clue for discerning false gospels is that any teaching attempting to change the nature of God or Christ or their doctrines is anti-Christ and false.

There are many 'gospels' in the world but only one true gospel—the message that Christ brought about the good news of His coming Kingdom!

For good or ill, John Winthrop's 'city on a hill' imagery has come to pass in the United States — but the light it is emitting is feeble at best.

On this 11th anniversary of CGG, John Ritenbaugh reflects on the expectations, the accomplishments, and the prospects for the future of our part of God's work.

If we lose sight that Jesus is the head of the Church, we will forget that Christ is currently purifying His Church, sanctifying those called to be His family.

Members, co-workers, and subscribers can all be tallied, yet who save God can track the increase of faith or the building of character of members of a church?

To understand Jesus' command, we need to examine what else He said to the same people. We should also determine just whom He commissioned to preach.

Judging the quality of our work by numeric standards is not a measure of spiritual growth, and to equate it with spiritual growth in rank Laodiceanism.

The hardest part of God's work is the feeding of the flock the full counsel of God, to get the called-out ones ready to enter the Kingdom of God.

The preaching the gospel to the world is at best the beginning of a complex process of creating disciples through steady feeding and encouragement to overcome.

God has been planting seeds of truth through His servants for millennia. These seeds are awaiting watering by His Spirit in the future.

We should concentrate on reversing the church's serious spiritual decline before we presume to go to the world.

Billy Graham was dubbed 'America's pastor.' Four traits that endeared him to people were persuasive oratory, courage, morality and humility.

The Western emphasis on growth has taken root within Christianity. 'Success' for a church is measured in income and membership, which are deceptive metrics.

The true church is a unique educational institution, teaching the way of God and amplifying His Commandments, in contrast to the churches of this world.

The easiest part of God's work is preaching the gospel to the world. Much more demanding is the feeding of the flock, producing life-changing faith.

What should the church be doing during this time of scattering and doctrinal confusion? Is the gospel limited to preaching to the unconverted?

The work of God does not always stay the same, continually shifting media, techniques, and approaches, similar to the Israelites following the Cloud.

The idea that the 'work of God' is equated with 'preaching the gospel around the world as a witness' severely limits the awesome scope of God's work.

To preach to the world and ignore a disintegrating flock is like a husband and wife paying attention to other people while the family is falling apart.

A Statement of Purpose and beliefs of the Church of the Great God.

Even as Hebrews prepared the first century church for persecution, so it is also relevant to today's church as it faces an increasing assault on God's law.

In Acts 13, the false prophet Elymas is cursed with blindness, providing the witness prompting the Proconsul Sergius Paulus to become converted.

The book of Acts could have been an exculpatory trial document designed to vindicate Paul and the early church, showing that Christianity was not a threat.

Our historical and theological roots are advanced in a polished, chronological narrative (Acts), perhaps designed as a trial document authored by Luke.

We can always expect new challenges, including persecution, and must never be content with standing still, but must press on to spiritual maturity.

The largest portion of the great commission demands that the lion's share of time, money, or energy ought to be invested in feeding the flock.

Success in spiritual things does not consist in growing large and powerful, but humbly living by faith, overcoming, and yielding to God's shaping power.

The primary focus at this time is the repair of the faith once delivered that has seriously deteriorated because of heresy, apostasy, and Laodiceanism.

On Paul's second evangelistic campaign, he preaches in southern Turkey and western Greece. He tries to go north but is prevented.

The responsibility given to the church Christ has called out of this world is to expand His teachings, magnifying them and making them clear and honorable.

The scattering of the church was an act of love by God to wake us from our lethargic, faithless condition. The feeding of the flock is the priority now.

The function of the church is like a teacher's college, preparing the firstfruits and providing them with the needed education and character development.

Agrippa was knowledgeable about Jewish customs, so Festus brought him in to hear Paul's case, which lincluded his conversion and ministry.

Paul demonstrated inner peace during turmoil, showing consistency in times of instability and faith in God during persecution, fulfilling the role God gave him.

The socio-cultural milieu before the writing of Hebrews created difficulties for the Jewish converts to the Gospel, who were deemed to be traitors.

Each member has been gifted by Christ. We must not go beyond the gifts that have been given to us, but must use them humbly, employing them to edify.

Neglecting to feed the flock has been detrimental to preaching the gospel to the world. Because of neglect, members succumb to feeling insignificant.

As technology becomes more available, the material world threatens to crowd God out of the picture. The information age will destroy us unless we manage it.

Jesus came with a message of salvation, called 'the gospel of the Kingdom of God.' Here is the relationship between the gospel and Christian works.

Acts 15 focuses upon the Council of Jerusalem, discussing the controversial subject of circumcision and its relationship to salvation.

Those who follow Christ are the true Israel, the Elect, and the Chosen, called by God to precede unfaithful physical Israel in the salvation process.

Herbert W. Armstrong was single-minded about preaching the Gospel. The scattering of the church could have been caused by members making him a type of idol.

Paul and Barnabas developed the church in the cosmopolitan city of Antioch, the location from where the term 'Christian' originated.

What appeared to be a series of judicial set-backs for Paul was actually the outworking of God to place him before even higher levels of secular leadership.

As God has His eye on the sparrow, He has had His eye on us through the entire process of scattering so the tests we have endured will bear good fruit.

The Scriptures are largely silent about the exploits of the apostles other than Paul. We have only general comments concerning their spheres of activities.

The book of Hebrews clarifies that the persecution on the early church did not come directly from God, but He did stir the pot that caused the persecution.