The local New Testament church is the instrument by which God is fulfilling his mission in the world today. It is a place of teaching, training, fellowship, and spiritual deployment. God has used the church for 2,000 years – in times of victory and persecution, in harvest and famine, to be his gospel ambassadors in the world.

Is it any wonder that the primary subject of Satan’s disdain is the bride of Christ? As we look at the state of the church, we discover quickly that she has not fared well in light of the enemy’s plot against her. For every two churches planted in the U.S., three churches close (Lifeway Research). Churches are dying but perhaps more concerning, they are dividing. They are dividing over culture and politics and over personal preferences. Today we have invited Pastor Troy Stogsdill, Pastor of First Baptist Church of New Philadelphia, OH to discuss how the church guards against disunity.

This week we have Pastor Joe McKaig of Decatur Baptist Church in Decatur, AL, who is the instructor of the Introduction to Homiletics course in the Living Faith Bible Institute. We are going to discuss what it means to be salt and light within the communities that we live.

What does it look like for the church to be a friend and support within their community? What does it mean for the pastor to shepherd the relationships they have with those outside of the church?

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