Francis Schaeffer

Our Confession of Faith, Chapter 28, Section 5, makes it very clear that our subordinate standards do not teach Baptismal Regeneration: "Although it be a great sin to condemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated."
Too often they have failed to show the beauty of love, the beauty of Christ,the Holiness of God, and the world has turned away.

Is there no way to make the world look again -this time at true Christianity. Most Christians continue to stand with arms folded presenting to men and women, a tarnished image of God- a shattered body of Christ
God's Word will never pass away, but looking back to the Old Testament and since the time of Christ, with tears we must say that because of lack of fortitude and faithfulness on the part of God's people, God's Word has many times been allowed to be bent, to conform to the surrounding, passing, changing culture of that moment rather than to stand as the inerrant Word of God judging the form of the world spirit and the surrounding culture of that moment. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may our children and grandchildren not say that such can be said about us.
Out of learning why churches fail, we also learned why they succeeded. The churches that were healthy, growing spiritually, and socially vibrant have significant aspects that set them apart from the failing churches. These factors are displayed in order of relevance and importance. Each one of these factors creates a harmony, contentment, and atmosphere for a churchgoer to come to church services and fellowship, and then to invite others.
Are you crying out to God asking why things are not going right in your church? Dealing with apathy and ineptitude? Is your church on the path of self-destruction and ineffectiveness? Are people lining up for war in various factions and sides while conflict and discontent are running amok? Are some people gossiping while others are being ignored? Is Christ outside knocking on your door, but not getting in? Instead, have you replaced Him with what you think is relevance and attractiveness to the Gospel but in fact,
The problems of Church can be solved and used for His glory!

The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
Under Schaeffer's guidance and vision, ITW and FASICLD were started in Carmel California as a think-tank and Bible literacy project. This endeavor came into fruition the late 70's to strategize how to reach and train pastors and church leaders to focus on Christ centered principles.
Are you willing to take an honest look at some of the reasons why people are not coming to your church?

1,103 churches surveyed and tracked for 12-plus years
The question before us is what the Christian life, true spirituality, really is,and how it may be lived in a twentieth-century setting.
We compared over 1,103 churches for 15 years to what constitutes a healthy church from our other research.
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