The Work of Shepherds (8)

But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?” Psalm 50.16, 17

Christianity and Liberalism
J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
“…the evangelical Christian is not true to his profession if he leaves his Christianity behind him on Monday morning. On the contrary, the whole of life, including business and all of social relations, must be made obedient to the law of love. The Christian man certainly should display no lack of interest in ‘applied Christianity.’”
Good works of love are not something we do merely as part of some program at church. The programs of the church must equip us for lives of good works in every arena and with all the people among whom we have our “as you are goings” (Matt. 28.18-20). How much of what we teach in Sunday school, Bible study group, or other church programs has staying power on the ground in the everyday lives of God’s sheep? As in ancient Israel, so today there are people sitting in our pews each week who listen politely, sing along with the rest of the congregation, greet the pastor at the door, and promptly forget everything they’ve heard and done. Monday morning comes, and off the sheep go into their world, completely unchanged and hardly ever thinking about the application of the Gospel to the daily activities of their lives. God confronted such misguided sheep. Do we?

What means does your church employ to help your members live out their walk with the Lord day by day?

T. M. Moore

Mission Partners Outreach
The Lord calls all His sheep to be His witnesses, but being a witness for Christ doesn’t just happen. The flock of the Lord must be equipped for this calling, and Jesus has set shepherds over the flock to do that work. How can we equip the sheep to live for Christ and be His witnesses? Our Mission Partners Outreach provides the resources and framework for making witness-bearing disciples in your church, and all the training and resources are free. Want to learn how it works? Watch this brief video, then contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1923, 1974).