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By Al Felder One of the clearest pictures the Bible gives of the church is a body. And bodies are meant to grow. Paul says the church is to “grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ,” and that the whole body makes “increase… unto the edifying of itself in love” when every part supplies what it should (Ephesians 4:14–16). So when a congregation becomes stagnant—no spiritual maturing, no new disciples, no steady strengthening—something is out of order. The

By Al Felder Jesus told several “kingdom” parables to help His people understand what the kingdom is like—how it grows, how it works, and what kind of spirit must exist inside it. Every time Jesus says, “The kingdom is like…,” He is also teaching how things function among God’s people and what will ultimately take place (Mark 4:26–29; Mark 4:30–32; Matthew 20:1–16). These three parables answer questions many Christians still wrestle with: Will the church endure and keep produ

By Al Felder Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares is one of the clearest kingdom teachings about life in a world where good and evil grow side by side—and even more, about why hypocrisy and lawlessness can exist among God’s people for a time (Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43). This parable doesn’t excuse sin. It warns the church. It also corrects a common mistake: thinking our main job is to “hunt tares.” Jesus shows that God will separate perfectly at the end, and until then, Christ

By Al Felder Jesus’ parable of the sower is one of the clearest explanations in Scripture for why people respond so differently to the same message. Some hear the gospel and dismiss it instantly. Others respond with joy, but disappear when the cost shows up. Others begin well, but slowly drift away as the world chokes the Word. And then there are those who truly hear, understand, and bear fruit (Matthew 13:1–23). This parable is often called the “Parable of the Soils,” becaus

By Al Felder Jesus told two short parables that cut straight to the heart of discipleship. One is about a man who stumbles upon treasure in a field. The other is about a merchant who searches until he finds a pearl of great price. In both cases, the conclusion is the same: once the value is recognized, everything else becomes secondary (Matthew 13:44–46). Then Jesus told another parable that explains how kingdom people must live once they’ve received God’s mercy—the parable o

By Al Felder Jesus told two back-to-back parables in Matthew 25 that press the same urgent question from two different angles: Will you be ready when the Bridegroom comes, and will you be found faithful when the Master returns? (Matthew 25:1–30). These are not parables aimed at atheists who openly reject God. They are aimed at people who identify with the kingdom—people who expect the Lord’s return and who would say they belong to Him. That’s why they are so searching. They w

By Al Felder Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son…” (Matthew 22:2–14). That parable is more than a story about a banquet. It is a picture of God’s invitation, man’s response, the consequences of rejection, and the only way someone can be accepted at the King’s table. What Makes the Invitation So Shocking? In Jesus’ day, it would have been unthinkable for subjects to ignore a royal invitation. Yet the parable begins

By Al Felder Why Jesus Used Parables So Often Matthew records that Jesus “spake many things unto them in parables” (Matthew 13:3). That wasn’t because Jesus wanted to confuse sincere seekers. It was because parables are a powerful teaching tool—simple on the surface, but rich with spiritual truth for those who will listen (Matthew 13:10–17). In the kingdom parables of Matthew 13, Jesus reveals “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). In Scripture, a “mystery” is

By Al Felder Why Jesus Used Kingdom Parables So Often Jesus repeatedly taught the “kingdom” through parables because the kingdom is central to God’s plan and often misunderstood. Matthew records many parables that begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (Matthew 13:24, 31, 33, 44–45, 47). Mark summarizes Jesus’ message this way: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). The parables were not entertainment. They

By Al Felder A Church Can Look Alive and Still Be Dying The Lord’s warning to the church in Sardis is one of the most sobering statements in all of Scripture: they had a name that they lived, and yet they were dead. (Rev. 3:1-3) The outward appearance remained. The assembly still existed. But spiritually, the life was draining away. Christ commanded them to wake up, strengthen what remained, remember what they had received, hold fast, and repent—because without repentance, ju

By Al Felder When the Body Doesn’t Function as One The Bible often describes the church as a body. That picture helps us understand what God expects from His people: coordinated movement, shared purpose, and mutual dependence. When the members of a physical body stop working together, damage follows. In the same way, when the members of the spiritual body fail to function as they should, the church suffers. Division fractures what God designed to operate in unity. Paul’s appe

By Al Felder Righteous Living Includes Order When Paul describes the righteous life in Ephesians, he does not limit righteousness to private devotion or internal character alone. Righteousness shows up in relationships—especially in the places where life is most demanding: the home and the daily responsibilities of society. That is why the Scriptures give clear teaching about an ordered life. God is not the author of confusion. He is the God of purpose, design, and peace. And

True Piety What Real Devotion Looks Like The word piety is often misunderstood. Some people use it to describe a religious “look”—the right vocabulary, the right habits, the right outward image. But Scripture teaches that true piety is deeper than appearance. It is devotion that is sincere, steady, and shaped by the will of God. In Ephesians 5:15–21, Paul ties the Christian life to careful, intentional living. He urges God’s people to walk wisely, redeem the time, understand

By Al Felder Faithfulness Is a Required Response Ephesians begins by describing God’s blessings for the church—blessings prepared by God, secured in Christ, and offered to all who come to Him. But Paul does not end the letter by leaving those blessings as mere information. He closes by calling the church to live in a way that matches what God has given. Unity. Righteousness. And finally, faithfulness. Faithfulness is not simply a personality trait. It is an obligation placed

By Al Felder Called to Live Differently When Paul turns to the practical section of Ephesians, he makes it plain that the blessings of salvation are meant to change the way God’s people live. The church is not only called to believe certain truths. It is called to walk in a way that reflects those truths. That is why one of the great obligations laid upon the church is righteousness. This obligation is rooted in the character of God Himself. God is holy, and the people who be

By Al Felder Called to Walk Worthy Ephesians 4 begins with a call for God’s people to live in a way that matches the grace they have received. Paul had already explained what God had done through Christ. Now he turns to what God expects from His people in response. One of the clearest obligations placed upon the church is the obligation of unity. This is not a minor issue. Unity is not an optional extra for especially peaceful Christians. It is part of walking worthy of the c

By Al Felder Brought to Life by the Mercy of God Ephesians 2 begins with a hard truth about the condition of man apart from Christ. Paul does not describe sinners as merely wounded or struggling. He says they were dead in trespasses and sins. That is the real condition of every person outside of Christ. Sin separates man from God, leaves him under condemnation, and places him in a condition he cannot fix by his own power. Paul describes that old life in unmistakable terms. It

The Five Biblical Ministries By Al Felder “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47) Most congregations talk about growth. Fewer congregations build the kind of ministry system that can actually sustain growth. But the New Testament makes the relationship simple: The church grows in proportion to its ability to carry out biblical ministry effectively and simultaneously. That last word matters: simultaneously. Many churches can get one “plate

A Biblical Plan for Growth By Al Felder “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4) No one has ever prayed this prayer: “Dear Lord, Please shrink our church because we are too large a congregation. Amen.” Every congregation wants to grow. The questions are more serious than the desire: How does a local church grow? What must be done to sustain growth? And how do we pursue growth without compromising Scripture or losing the spirit

A Faithful New Testament Church By Al Felder “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Every congregation wants to grow—spiritually, numerically, and in influence for good. But growth cannot be separated from faithfulness. We cannot preserve something unless we know what it is. And we cannot build something lasting unless we are building the thing Christ actually established. So before we talk about “unlimited growth,” we have to d