Sharing in the Sufferings of Christ

The title and subject matter of this message is not what some church-growth experts would recommend. Many would say that if you want to grow a church, your sermons should appeal primarily to the felt needs of people. In practice, that often means catering to the consumer—giving people what they already want to hear so they will keep coming back.

But the call of Christ is not mainly about growing the size of the Sunday morning gathering. It is about making disciples who spread His fame. And that will not happen unless we are willing to share in His sufferings. (2 Timothy 1:8–12)