Crossway has partnered with 9Marks for a series of books entitled “Building Healthy Churches,” they are an expansion of Dever’s incredibly useful 9 Marks of a Healthy Church. Each entry elaborates on one of the nine marks in a short and readable book.

If the first three books already published are a faithful representation of what’s to come, the Building Healthy Churches series will be one of the most useful resources available for the church – members and leaders alike. Here are the books already in print or soon to be in print.¹

9MARKS: BUILDING HEALTHY CHURCHES

Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus by Jonathan Leeman. “Church discipline is essential to building a healthy church. So how exactly do we practice church discipline? Jonathan Leeman helps us face the endless variety of circumstances and sins for which no scriptural case study exists, sins that don’t show up on any list and need a biblical framework to be corrected appropriately in love. Here is a contemporary and concise how-to guide that provides a theological framework for understanding and implementing disciplinary measures in the local church, along with several examples of real-life situations and the corresponding responses.”

Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus by Jonathan Leeman. “Why should you join a church? Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions. Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it’s important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.”

Sound Doctrine: How a Church Grows in the Love and Holiness of God by Bobby Jamieson. “How do you feel about doctrine? Whatever answer comes to mind, this book will not only convince you that sound doctrine is vital for living a godly life, it will also explain the essential role of theology in the life of a healthy church. After all, thinking rightly about God affects everything, from guiding us in practical issues to growing a church’s unity and witness. This short, readable book shows how good theology leads to transformation, life, and joy.”

Church Elders: How to Shepherd God’s People Like Jesus by Jeramie Rennie. “What does effective church leadership look like? In this conversational book, Pastor Jeramie Rinne sets forth an easy-to-understand “job description” for elders drawn from the Bible’s teaching on church leadership. Offering practical guidance for new elders and helping church members better understand and support their spiritual leaders, this succinct volume will encourage elders to embrace their calling with grace, wisdom, and clarity of vision.”

Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus by Mack Stiles. “Evangelism is more than a program. Every few years, churches jump into the latest evangelistic fad. Leaders administrate the new program, and members go on a raid. But picture a church where evangelism is just part of the culture. Leaders share their faith consistently and openly. Members follow, encouraging one another to make evangelism an ongoing way of life. Such is the way of evangelism presented by this brief and compelling book. No program here. Instead, it just might give your church a new way to live and share the gospel together.”

Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today by David Helm. “What makes for good preaching? In this accessible volume—written for preachers and preachers in training—pastor David Helm outlines what must be believed and accomplished to become a faithful expositor of God’s Word. In addition to offering practical, step-by-step guidance for preachers, this short book will equip all of us to recognize good preaching when we hear it.”

The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ by Ray Ortland. “How does the church portray the beauty of Christ? The gospel is a theological message. But this message also creates human beauty—beautiful relationships in our churches, making the glory of Christ visible in the world today. In this timely book, Pastor Ray Ortlund makes the case that gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture. In too many of our churches, it is the beauty of a gospel culture that is the missing piece of the puzzle. But when the gospel is allowed to exert its full power, a church becomes radiant with the glory of Christ.”

I hope these book don’t fly under the radar, but are used mightily by God to build His church.