The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (9Marks)

Mark Dever aims to provide a basic primer on the doctrine of the church. He argues that the doctrine of the church is the most visible part of Christian theology. This book aims to show that the visibility of the church is the Gospel of which it practices. Dever writes, “the church arises only from the gospel. And a distorted church usually coincides with a distorted gospel.” The visibility of the Gospel is more than just the speaking and proclaiming it is the living out. He again says, “To put it another way, Christian proclamation might make the gospel audible, but Christians living together in local congregations make the gospel visible (see John 13:34-35).” He ends the book saying, “the church is to be the appearance of the gospel. It is what the gospel looks like when played out in people’s lives. Take away the church and you take away the visible manifestation of the gospel in the world.”Dever accomplishes this goal by asking four fundamental questions regarding what Christians are to do together. He asks, 1) what are we supposed to do, 2) what are we supposed to believe, 3) what are we supposed to do together in church, and 4) How are we supposed to make decisions.StrengthsOne of the strengths of this book is its explanation of the kingdom and the church. Dever writes, “the relationship between the kingdom and the church can therefore be defined: the kingdom of God creates the church.” Dever relies upon the work of George Ladd who explains that the kingdom is not a place or a political entity but rather a rule of God. The church then is a society of people who are ruled by God. This explanation is helpful in explaining that the kingdom of God is separate from the people of God. This is probably where Dever shows his non-dispensational Amill hand. He stresses, along with other amillennials, the rule of God’s kingdom where dispensationalists stress the place of God’s kingdom.Unfortunately, Dever’s biblical claims to this distinction falls flat. He cites Matt 16:19 specifically where Jesus promised to give “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Dever says, “whatever he precisely means by promising the keys of the kingdom, the power of the kingdom is certainly entrusted to the church. ‘The kingdom is God’s deed. It has come into the world in Christ.’” The biblical defense from Matthew 16:19 is lacking.Dever also says, “Jesus fulfilled explicit promises of God in the Old Testament and even patterns found there. He is the fulfillment of the temple and its priesthood, of the land and its rulers, even of the nation of Israel as a son of God.” No specific explanation is given by Dever as to how Christ is the fulfillment of the land promises given.Dever’s chapter on the marks of the church were very clear and straightforward. Dever lists two main marks of the church. Preaching and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s table. Another strength would be the chapter on membership which is both clear and persuasive to be members of a local church.Dever’s chapter on the polity of the church was very helpful. I found myself wishing he would go further in explanation I realized that this book is not an exhaustive work but a primer on the doctrine of the church. His explanation of the different offices of the church and responsibility of the members of the church was very well laid out. I found his distinction between elder-rule and elder-led to be a clarifying statement on why churches differ on their leadership. Dever’s own combination position I found intriguing. He says, “on matters that are important and clear, the elders and congregation should normally agree; and when they do not, the authority of the congregation is final. On matters that are less clear, the congregation should trust the elders and go along with them, trusting God’s providential work through them.” He later expands his view calling it Elder-led, Congregationally Governed. He explains that “the congregation’s authority is more like an emergency-break than a steering wheel. The congregation more normally recognizes than creates, responds rather than initiates, confirms rather than proposes.” This position maintains the plural elder leadership while involving the congregation in weighty matters. I can see how this can be helpful in situations where the elders may not be united in an issue like direction for a church building or possibly the unfortunate division in a church discipline matter. I would like to see how this is effectively implemented.Dever’s chapter on the hope of the church thoughtfully encourages the church to serve its local community in good deeds. He says, “Churches should teach and pray for and expect their members to be involved in a wide variety of good works… this can be done without leading the congregation as a whole to own or support those particular ministries (by congregationally funding or staffing them).” We practice this model in our church and found it to be liberating since church members are free and not bound to a church committee or support. They can serve locally with the joy of the Lord and in a variety of ways the Lord has gifted them.The most helpful would probably be the historical chapters in the book. The section on the rise of denominations was enlightening. Dever comments on Calvin’s stance on truth over unity saying, “the Reformers recognized that the cost of unity at the price of truth was a bad bargain. Correct division should be preferred over corrupt unity.”Overall I would recommend this book as a easy to read primer on the topic of the Church.

Over the years, I've grown weary reading books that relate to ecclesiology. Recent works that focus on the church are either driven by pragmatic presuppositions, man-centered principles, or church growth techniques that compromise the essence of the gospel, not to mention the mission of the church. Mark Dever's newest book, The Church: The Gospel Made Visible is a totally different kind of book. He steers clear from the usual drivel that saturates many books devoted to ecclesiology. Indeed, the church is should be thankful for such a work.Part One: What Does the Bible Say?The first section focuses on the nuts and bolts of the church. Dever leaves no stone unturned. The nature of the church is explored, membership is reviewed, polity is discussed, church discipline is covered, among other things. Each section is rooted in the biblical text. The writing is clear and compelling. The reader walks away from the first part with a clear understanding on what Scripture says concerning the church.Part Two: What Has the Church Believed?Part two explains the classical distinctions between the visible and invisible church and the local and universal church. The author includes a helpful discussion on the rise of denominations.Also included is an illuminating discussion on the history of ordinances. A wide variety of traditions are surveyed. And the various positions are presented for the Lord's Supper as well as baptism.Part Three: How Does it All Fit Together?The final section discusses the marks of the church, namely - the faithful preaching of God's Word and the faithful administration of the two ordinances. Dever includes a helpful section on church membership. He writes, "Churches that submerge difference of age, race, status, background, or employment give witness to the power of the gospel."One of the most helpful chapters is devoted to developing a biblical leadership model. Dever's holds to an elder led/congregationally affirmed leadership structure. He adds, "The most coherent way to understand the New Testament's presentation of local church polity is to recognize the role of both individual leaders and the congregation as a whole." He does not minimize the role of the congregation. Dever writes, "The congregation is not in competition with the elders. The congregation's authority is more like an emergency brake than a steering wheel. The congregation more normally recognizes than creates, responds rather than initiates, confirms rather than proposes."In the final analysis, "a right ecclesiology matters for the church's leadership, membership, structure, culture, and even character. Ultimately, a right ecclesiology touches on God's glory itself ... Therefore, getting the doctrine of the church right becomes a benefit to the people, as the truth about God and his world is more correctly known, taught, and modeled."The Church: The Gospel Made Visible should receive a wide readership and will be a tremendous tool in the hands of faithful pastors and shepherds!4.5 stars

Mark Dever is Baptist, not Anglican, but this is a curates egg of a book.I am a Dever fan and over the past few years have found him and his 9 Marks (...) organisation tremendously helpful. He has helped me to sharpen up my ecclesiology and to think more carefully through such subjects as church membership and discipline. The church I pastor is historically Baptist, so I also have that direct connection with Dever.In The Church Dever seeks to set out a clear doctrine of the church, and as such this is a very useful book. I shall certainly be recommending it when I teach ecclesiology in our leadership training program. In three sections Dever explores what the Bible says about the church; what the church has believed about the church; and how this should all fit together in the local congregation. It is all good stuff, and zips along nicely, giving plenty of material while not getting too bogged down in detail.Dever has a real passion for the church, as all Christians should. He has devoted his life to serving a local congregation and his love for the body of Christ shines through. I am with him all the way on this. As the first sentence of the first chapter puts it, "The church is the body of people called by God's grace through faith in Christ to glorify him together by serving him in his world." Amen!So, so far so good.Where I found The Church less satisfying is that it reads very much like a detailed membership course for people looking to join Dever's church. It could do with being more engaging and lyric, while no less factual. Also, almost inevitably, Dever comes to the conclusion that the ideal expression of the local church is the type of church that he leads! I think we all do this - if we didn't, presumably we would join a church with a different ecclesiology - so I don't blame Dever for it; but it becomes irritating at those points where his arguments are not so strong as he tries to contend. This is especially the case with his defense of Congregationalism.Dever argues for `elder led' rather that `elder ruled' congregations (despite the fact that I should think his word is pretty much law at Capitol Hill Baptist) but highlights the flaw in his model when he writes, "On matters that are important and clear, the elders and congregation should normally agree; and when they do not, the authority of the congregation is final." The problem with this, of course, is who gets to define `important and clear'? I think it is very hard to argue from the New Testament that local congregations were the ones who determined doctrine. Instead, local elders, under apostolic authority, have responsibility to guard the truth and guard the flock.In the churches I am most familiar with I think the congregational aspect of ecclesiology has often been underplayed - largely as a swing against the terrible abuses of Congregationalism that many of an earlier generation experienced in Baptist churches. At the church I lead we have been working to rectify this, placing increased emphasis upon membership and members meetings; in the role of the whole congregation in exercising church discipline and recognizing new members; and so on. However, rather than Dever's pure congregationalism I would argue for a blend of Congregationalism and Presbyterianism - a congregation which exercises its proper responsibilities, led by a team of elders who have recognized spiritual authority, who in turn choose to submit to an external presbytery (or, in our case, `apostolic' ministry).But of course, I would say that, wouldn't I.

Great!