I recently picked up a copy of Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck’s recently published work, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion (July, 2009).  I’ve only read the first few chapters, but so far I’ve enjoyed and agreed with pretty much everything.  You can learn more about the book from its website.  Also, you may want to check out Tim Challies’ review of it over at Discerning Reader.

On pages 32-36 DeYoung elucidates the necessity of the gospel to the life of the Church by way of positing several questions that churches need to ask themselves concerning how they handle the gospel.

Here are those questions:

1. Are we getting in the way of the gospel?
2. Are we believing the gospel?
3. Are we relying on the power of the gospel?
4. Are we getting the gospel out?
5. Are we getting the gospel right?
6. Are we adorning the gospel with good works?
7. Are we praying for the work of the gospel?
8. Are we training up our children in the gospel?
9. Are we trusting God’s sovereignty in the gospel?

These are questions we all need to be asking of ourselves as well as of our churches.  (Just in case there’s any uncertainty as to what the gospel is, I ‘d suggest checking out this “Gospel Definitions” resource from Trevin Wax’s, Kingdom People blog.)

The first half of the book has proven very beneficial.  I’d recommend it to anyone, but most especially to younger people or anyone who ministers to younger people (”younger” = teens to mid-thirties).

The books only $10.  You can get your own copy through the link below.