A resource-rich follow-up on The Church

Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Dear DCC,

We recently completed our series, The Church: God’s New Humanity, in Jesus. I hope you found it helpful, clarifying, and surprisingly edifying. To further press these realities into our shared life, I thought it would be helpful to follow-up with a single list of additional resources on the topics addressed in this series. For example, if you heard the sermon on “baptism” and desire to learn more, I encourage you to read one (or more) of the resources below, organized from “basic” to “advanced”. Perhaps consider printing this out, tucking it in your bible, and integrating reading about the church into your regular reading diet. It is through the church the manifold wisdom of God is made known (Eph. 3:10)!

Many of these resources are already available in our bookstore and all of the Church Question booklets are available by the Connect Desk in the commons. You can find the entire series on our mobile app and on the series page. By way of reminder, the topics we covered were as follows:

#1 The Local Church as God’s New Humanity
#2 What is the Mission of the Church?
#3 Who Leads the Church?
#4 What are the Keys of the Kingdom?
#5 What is Baptism?
#6 What is the Lord’s Supper?
#7 What is Church Membership/Discipline?
#8 What is a Healthy Church Member?

Additional recommended resources:

The Church (general)

Understanding the Great Commission, Mark Dever (beginner)
What is a Healthy Church, Mark Dever (beginner)
The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ, Ray Ortlund (beginner)
The Church: The Gospel Made Visible, Mark Dever (intermediate)
Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age, Eds. Dever & Leeman (advanced)

Mission of the Church

What is the Church’s Mission? (Church Questions), Jonathan Leeman (basic)
What If I’m Discouraged in My Evangelism? (Church Questions), Isaac Adams (basic)
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, Mark Dever (beginner)
Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus, Mack Stiles (beginner)
Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global, Andy Johnson (beginner)
What is the Mission of the Church?, Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert (intermediate)

Church Leadership/Keys of the Kingdom

Who’s in Charge of the Church? (Church Questions), Sam Emadi (basic)
Understanding the Congregation’s Authority, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
Understanding Church Leadership, Mark Dever (beginner)
Church Elders, Jeramie Rinne(beginner)
Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism, Jonathan Leeman (intermediate)

Baptism

Why Should I Be Baptized? (Church Questions), Bobby Jamieson (basic)
Understanding Baptism, Bobby Jamieson (beginner)
Going Public, Bobby Jamieson (intermediate)
Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ, Eds. Schreiner & Wright (advanced)

Lord’s Supper

Why Is the Lord’s Supper So Important? (Church Questions), Aubrey Sequeira (basic)
Understanding the Lord’s Supper, Bobby Jamieson (beginner)
The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, eds. Schreiner & Crawford (advanced)

Church Membership

Why Should I Join a Church? (Church Questions), Mark Dever (basic)
Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
40 Questions About Church Membership and Discipline, Jeremy Kimble (intermediate)

Church Discipline

Is It Loving to Practice Church Discipline? (Church Questions), Jonathan Leeman (basic)
Understanding Church Discipline, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus, Jonathan Leeman (beginner)
See also Kimble under “Church Membership"

Healthy Members

What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian? (Church Questions), Sam Emadi (basic)
How Can I Serve My Church? (Church Questions), Matthew Emadi (basic)
How Can I Find Someone to Disciple Me? (Church Questions), Garrett Kell (basic)
Why Should I Give to My Church? (Church Questions), Jamie Dunlop (basic)
What if I Don’t Feel Like Going to Church? (Church Questions), Gunner Gunderson (basic)
What is a Healthy Church Member?, Thabiti Anyabwile (beginner)

May the Lord use His Word—and these secondary resources that seek to unpack what is found therein about His church—to stir in us an even deeper love for Him, one another, and His mission in the world. Can you believe we get to be a part of this together?

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam

An Invitation to Women’s Discipleship Day (Saturday, March 11th)

Event | by Deacon Jen Keogh

Dear Ladies of DCC,

I invite you to join us on Saturday, March 11th, for our annual Women’s Discipleship Day! This year, we'll be in 2 John as we consider what it means to be Knowing and Walking in the Word. Learn how other women prioritize time in God’s Word and discipling relationships; gain tools to grow in your understanding and hungering for God’s Word. It is our prayer that all women who attend will leave with a greater desire for God’s Word and be propelled to discipling one another.

Why participate in Women’s Discipleship Day?

Women’s Discipleship Day is a time set apart for the women of our body to worship, learn and pray together. It’s a space to slow down from busyness of everyday life and focus on your walk with Jesus. It’s a unique time for women to learn from other women and to encourage and strengthen one another.

What can I expect from this day?

You will sit under the teaching of trained and experienced women from DCC who will share more about how they prioritize time in God’s Word and discipleship in their lives. We’ll praise our God together in musical worship and prayer, as well as spend time in personal reflection and table discussions. You'll be able to text in your questions during our Q&A session.

What if I have plans?

We only gather like this once a year, so consider rescheduling to prioritize Women’s Discipleship Day. This rich time spent in scripture, prayer, and fellowship with one another is of great worth to your soul.

What if I don’t know anyone?

Don’t worry – you’re not the only one! This event is a great opportunity to meet other women in DCC and build or strengthen relationships here. Consider inviting a friend; you don’t have to be a member to participate. One of our prayers for this day is that each woman will find the beginnings of a deep, discipling relationship with others in our body.

What does the $25 registration fee include?

The cost includes a light breakfast, coffee throughout the day, lunch, materials for the day, parking, and a book giveaway. If this presents a financial hardship – just let us know in the registration form, as there are scholarships available!

Will Cornerstone Kids be provided?

Cornerstone Kids will not be provided as we’d love for this time to be focused and fruitful for the ladies. We encourage husbands, family, or friends to help care for children during this time.

Event Details

When: Saturday, March 11th
Where: DCC Building – 2333 Western Ave, 98121
Time: 9 am to 4 pm. Doors open at 8 am for registration and light breakfast.
Lunch: Lunch included with registration.
Parking: Free parking is available in both lots next to the building.

Click here to register
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to email .

In Christ,
Jen Keogh
Deacon of Women’s Discipleship

An Invitation to Men’s Training Day (Saturday, February 11th)

Event | by Pastor Justin Keogh

Men of DCC,

Saturday, February 11th, will be our next Men's Training Day in just over two weeks! As Pastor David reminded us on Sunday, this will be our 7th Men's Training event, and there aren't many good excuses to miss out!

This year, we're looking at God's good design for men as his image-bearers, from Genesis 1-3—what it looks like for us to become godly men who strive after Him, growing in Christlikeness. While growth in godly manhood is a perennial need, we live in a moment where confusion abounds about what it means to be a godly man. This training day will help us in our daily discipleship as we live as brothers, friends, fathers, husbands, and sons of God.

Our training day will include two main sessions covering Godly Masculinity and Godly Sexuality, we'll have breakouts on Discipleship and Relationships, and we'll have opportunities to make and deepen relationships with others in our body. There will also be times of worship, prayer, and pastoral Q&A. These six hours on Saturday, February 11th, will encourage, challenge, and strengthen your walk with the Lord. You won't regret spending this time together with brothers pursuing our King and His everlasting kingdom!

Who should attend? 

Men of DCC! Whether you've been a Christian for decades or for days, there'll be something to stir your mind and faith. Whether you're brand new to DCC or have been around for 10 years, there'll be good opportunities to connect and deepen your relationships.

What is unique about this event? 

A training day is a cross between a retreat and a boot camp. There is an aspect of refreshment as you are reminded of what is true of you in Christ and encouraged by the friendship of brothers in the gospel. And there is an aspect of training and equipping for our fight of faith.  

Why should I attend?

For the sake of your spiritual health and the good of your brothers at DCC. "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Tim. 4:7-8)

Will Cornerstone Kids be provided?

Unfortunately, no. While we understand that this can be a sacrifice for your family, we encourage you to consider this time as an investment in your spiritual health, which will undoubtedly pay dividends in your spiritual leadership and service to your family.

Okay, I'm in! What are all the details?

When: Saturday, February 11th
Where: DCC Building – 2333 Western Ave, 98121
Time: 9 am to 3 pm. Doors open at 8 am for registration and light breakfast.
Registration: $25 covers a light breakfast, coffee throughout the day, lunch, materials for the day, parking, and a book giveaway. If this presents a financial hardship—just let us know in the registration form, as scholarships are available!
Lunch: Lunch is included with registration.
Parking: Parking is included with registration in both lots next to the building. Register Here

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at .

In Christ,
Justin Keogh
Pastor of Communities & Mercy Ministries