01/31/18 FOR FOLKS NEEDING A BIBLICAL CHURCH
This addresses the problem of Christians not having a Biblical church to attend in their area. We do not need to see eye to eye on every minor and minute detail, but we must be in agreement with the basic doctrines of the local body and the leadership. Sometimes we cannot find a local church and/or pastor who is faithful to the fundamental and essential truths of the Bible, therefore we must be faithful to God and His word. This might require us to form the nucleus of a new local ministry, modeled after New Testament doctrine and practices, and led by the Holy Spirit.
I have a few thoughts that go together, but they have to be introduced and explained separately. I know I will not address every issue fully, and I know that I may leave a false impression with some folks. I hope you will be patient and kind. Well, here goes.
VIDEO CHURCHES ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A LOCAL CHURCH. (this definitely needs explaining)
I have seen "churches" spring up in recent years that do not have an actual pastor, but rather they are part of a network that meets to watch a teaching or preaching ministry on video, though they may have live music and some other ministries.
Here is my problem with this. God's plan is for a local church to have leadership as well as fellowship. The church may be in a situation that an individual man (yes, I said MAN) or a group of individual men (yes, I said MEN) serve and lead, other than a called and gifted PASTOR. That church should be praying for and looking for God's man to serve in that capacity. But a TV evangelist or preacher is not a substitute for God's plan. Neither is a Video "pastor" who is dedicated to being a video pastor. There may be good teaching and preaching in recorded format, but a pastor is a God appointed shepherd of a local body of believers, who cares for his parishioners as a shepherd cares for his sheep.
This is not to say that a pastor cannot use video, or that a pastor cannot lead separate local congregations. I am saying that a "video church" with a "video pastor" is not a substitute for an actual local church with an actual pastor. Until there is an actual pastor of a local church, then that congregation, that body of believers needs to have a someone serve and lead as one who is appointed by God. It is also accurate to say that God is in the midst of a group of two or three meeting in His Name. It is not necessarily true that such a group qualifies as a N.T. church. The objective for such a group is that they become a church.
If that group does not have Biblically qualified leadership at the time, then that group can and should still meet, rather than not meet. The man who leads such a group may become an Elder (meeting Biblical criteria) or a Deacon (also meeting Biblical criteria), as that group moves toward being a local church.
IT IS BETTER TO MEET IN A SMALL HOME GROUP THAN BE PART OF A GROUP THAT TEACHES AGAINST FUNDAMENTAL BIBLICAL TRUTHS.
I know this is a "hot button" issue. Some folks think that if a Christian does not attend an established, organized local congregation that they are not being Biblical.
There is no verse in the Bible that tells us we must meet with any group that teaches and preaches and lives contrary to the revealed word of God. In fact, we are told to come out from among those who are not faithful to God and His word.
Our allegiance is to God, His word, His Son, His salvation, His Holy Spirit, His Church.
The purpose of this article is not to examine the doctrines or practices of any given group. The purpose is to show the Biblical principle in meeting together with other Bible believers, whether as a church or as a group. The fact is that sometimes Bible believers do not have Bible believing churches in their area, which they are able to attend.
HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF BELIEVERS NOT HAVING LOCAL CHURCHES.
BELIEVERS IN THE FIRST CHAPTERS OF ACTS.
There were people who were visiting Jerusalem during Passover and got saved after the resurrection of Jesus and after the Day of Pentecost, in the book of Acts. When some of these new believers went back to their homelands, they did not have any Jewish Christians to meet with, and they certainly did not have a local church or pastor. They must have met with other friends or family, sharing the good news and seeking God together, as they studied the word of God. Many of the early converts were part of a Synagogue, but some were Gentiles, having no background or connection with the Christian heritage or mission.
CONVERTS ON NEW MISSION FIELDS.
There have been missionaries throughout history that have gone to unreached areas and people, making new converts. On occasions there have been great responses and on other occasions some believers were alone, having no other fellow believers or preachers or teachers. Those individuals became lone lights in a dark community. They had to evangelize, convert and disciple other people in the fundamentals of salvation. They did not have a local church to be a part of, initially.
Likewise, the converts made by the converts in new fields did not always have churches or pastors or elders. They were new converts that had to seek God alone, until they were able to gather other new converts together.
PERSECUTED BELIEVERS IN OPPRESSED LANDS
In the past and in the present, believers have suffered persecution in certain parts of the world. This could include social and even political attacks on local churches. Sometimes several or all of the pastors in a geographical region have been either imprisoned or killed (both are forms of martyrdom), leaving churches and individual Christians without pastoral leadership, and sometimes without fellowship. This resulted in the individual believers seeking God on their own or seeking and worshiping God as a small group of Christians, until they had leadership.
THE REMNANT OF BELIEVERS IN AN AREA THAT HAS ABANDONED THE FAITH, TURNING TO LIBERALISM OR HUMANISM OR SOME OTHER RELIGIOUS VIEW.
There are parts of the world that have become so antagonistic toward the Holy Bible and all that it offers, that only a few believers may exist in a community. Those few believers may not have a pastor, or even other believers living nearby. Those believers need to seek God and meet with whatever believers they can. Sometimes they are reduced to their own family or even themselves individually.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Sadly, there are communities in the USA where there are only a few faithful followers of Christ. The "churches" around them have become Liberal or they were based on false teachings from the beginning. Those who love Christ and His word still need to set aside a day for special focus on the word and fellowship and worship. Even when there is no like minded congregation or faithful pastor nearby, the believer needs to find and meet with other believers.
Some communities actually have a number of good churches and faithful pastors in their area. However, it is getting harder to find a true body of believers. Rather than going somewhere that will poison your mind, and the minds of your family and the minds of your friends and the minds of those that you lead to Christ, you need to get out of those religious institutions which are called Christian, but in reality are called, "Ichabod."
WHAT TO DO.
Well, this brings us back to the beginning of this post. DON'T settle for a "reasonable facsimile) and don't be herded into an anti-Bible group, just because others are less discerning than you are.
Meet weekly in your home. Study the word. Use the writings, and videos of solidly based teachers and preachers.
Look for someone who is well grounded in the truth and reflects the likeness of Christ, to help you lead your small gathering, your small group. Be praying for God to send you the pastoral leadership you need.
Reach out to other believers who are tired of the lies being taught by established religious groups in the area. Invite them to meet with you for prayer, praise, study, testimony.
Always be seeking spiritual guidance and Biblical leadership. Beware of cult leaders and groups. If someone comes in to your small group that brings a divisive message or attitude, just let them know that they cannot do that in your fellowship.
OKAY, I told you that you might not like what I have to say. I wish I did not have to say it. I wish that there was a good church in every community. I wish there was a good church in every region. But just in case there is not, or until you find one, you should not be submitting yourself or your loved ones or your friends to false doctrines that are damnable. Neither should you be giving your money or time or talents to that which is counter productive to the true message of God.
Your immediate responsibility is to worship and serve God and to keep yourself unspotted by the evil one. Your next and ongoing job is to find the fellowship and the leadership that will build you up into the local church God wants you to be. If you know pastors or other believers, in whom you have great confidence, seek their counsel. Don't be in a hurry to join any denominational group. There are good people and good churches that are part of some denominations, but today denominations are not of one mind and they are not always governed by Biblical directives. BE CAREFUL. There is no reason to jump readily into a potentially dangerous association.
Just in case I have not answered legitimate questions you may have, does not mean that they don't exist. Who knows, I might even know the answer, but just failed to write it down.
