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I have met and heard Mark Dever at many conferences, I see this web site as a point of growth for the serious Christian leader.




Dear Friend,



Have you ever considered what it means for a church to be healthy? Have you ever thought about how that health is nurtured and sustained? If so, have you reflected on why you answer those questions the way you do?



These are the questions that have captured us at 9Marks. Perhaps you've been mulling over these same questions in the context of your own church for a while now; or maybe this is the first time you’ve ever encountered them. Either way, we'd like to personally invite you to think with us about the health of the local church and the methods God has designed to promote it.



Contrary to much popular wisdom, we think that God has spoken clearly in the Bible regarding the purpose, leadership, organization, and methods of the local church. So we want to challenge you to join us in reconsidering the clarity of God's Word when it comes to the healthy growth of local congregations. We believe God designed the church to be fundamentally a display of His own glory and wisdom (Eph 3:10). And we think He has deliberately structured that display in the shape of a loving community that illustrates for a watching world the close fellowship of the Trinity and the redemption that He has accomplished for us in Christ Jesus (John 13:34-35).



Our goal is not simply to point out all the problems with the church; nor do we intend to suggest a fresh approach to "doing church". In fact, there is nothing really new or innovative here at all. Rather, our goal is to point the way back to healthy church life by calling attention to the timeless Biblical priorities, principles, and methods that God has ordained for the maturity of the local church - God’s work, God’s way. Whether you read as a concerned member or as a vocational pastor, we hope that what you discover here is not just a plug-and-play method, but a God-centered mindset. We're glad you're here. Welcome to the website of 9Marks – the Word building the church.



Your brother in the Lord,

Mark E. Dever