Here's some notes that I took at a recent church conference that I attended. Enjoy!

Mark Driscoll

What is the church

• church members today focus on living a victorious life instead of being a church on mission
• the church should be the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of followers of Jesus
  
• preaching should be the first thing a church should do
  - we must get over the fear of men
  - most churches when they preach Christ, preach him as a means to an end
• a Biblical church must have...
  - regenerated church membership
  
  
  • regeneration is the key mark of a new believer
  - qualified leadership
  
  
  • all God's people are equally saved by God but there are leaders who guide them
  • qualified leaders are humble leaders
  - gatherings for preaching and worship
  
  
  • we must stop doing and receive what Christ has already done!
  - sacraments rightly administered
  
  
  • show people that church is a priority
  • too many churches do too little
  - unified by the Spirit
  - church discipline
  - obey the great commandment to love
  
  
  • obey by giving
  • demonstrating our love for one another
  - evangelize to make disciples
  
  
  • the church exists to bridge the nations
  • God's people are a going people

Ministry Idolatry

• the opposite of Biblical worship is idolatry
• you become like what you worship so if you worship Jesus, you will become more like him
• most of the time we worship things that are essentially good and in worshiping them, we make them our god and that makes them bad
• idols give people identity and you build your life on your identity
• the Bible is about the theology of the cross - what Christ did for us. many Christians create a theology of glory - what I do for Jesus; acts of becoming more righteous
  
• those who idolize also demonize - they demonize the opposite of what they idolize
• Common idolatries
  - money
  
  
  • attitude of "God will bless me if I'm rich/poor"
  - family
  
  
  • seek loving, secure relationships that will never end; seek love, affection, acceptance, and identity - THESE THINGS SHOULD ONLY COME FROM GOD
  • single people seek a spouse that will save them from their singleness ~ their spouse is their savior!
  - sexuality
  
  
  • getting to disobey continually is the ultimate wrath of God ~ Romans 1:24
  - substance
  
  
  • drugs/alcohol/food <--- Christians will stay away from alcohol but will be gluttons! - morality >worship performance
  • think that God loves them because they obey Him
  - people
  
  
  • focus on fear of man, disapproval ~ this makes people timid and cowardly instead of bold
  - attendance
  
  
  • for pastors or church leaders -- are you happier when church attendance is high and sadder when it is low?
  - gift
  
  
  • attitude of "God uses me because of my skills!"
  - fruit
  
  
  • attitude of "God must love me because of all that He put me in charge of"
  - tradition
  
  
  • family, background
  - method
  
  
  • church's methods and ministries are worshiped over God
  - office
  
  
  • for pastors -- is it more important for you to be known as a pastor or as a Christian?
  - success
  - ministry
  
  
  • walk with God only because of your job
  - innovation
  
  
  • focus on the uniqueness of your church or ministry instead of God
  - leader
  
  
  • people leaders are your idols
  • want to be more like your leader than God
• Answer to be free of these idols is repentance
• repentance is not what we preach, it's what we practice

There will be more to come..