Saturday, 20 March 2010
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In What Ways Are Churches Not Following Scripture?
By Justin at BeDeviantBen Arment has the infamous “Wednesday Morning Run-down”.
Stuff Christians Like has “Serious Wednesdays“.
In light of our latest Ellen posts, I’m thinking BeDeviant needs “Controversial Wednesdays”.
I’m just warning you: This could be a potential barn-burner. A friend suggested this question to me the other day and I loved it. I pose to you what he posed to me:
In what ways are churches NOT following Scripture?
The suggestion he gave was church elders. I’m extrapolating on his suggestion, but the classifications for who an elder should be is pretty stringent:
- Beyond reproach.
- Faithful in marriage.
- Not violent or a heavy drinker.
- Likes having people over to visit.
There are more, but chances are you can already see where some of your elders (or deacons or council) don’t fit the bill.
So let’s tackle this head on:
Where do you see churches not following the commands of Scripture?
What is a helpful suggestion to “correct the course”?Ready? Go. Let us know in the comments.
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About the Author
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- From: bedeviant
- Name: Justin
- About Me: A religious deviant who enjoys coffee, reading theology, graphic design, and spending time with his wife while creatively exploring the riches of the Spirit of Christ.
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Comments (12)
wouldn't it be easier to ask which ways the church IS following scripture?
My church elders seem to fit the bill from all I see and know.
How about by being "churches" when there is no such thing in Scripture (that is, more than one in a city)?
@brerjohn_lives@xanga - When they were being persecuted by Nero, and hiding in houses. The early Christians would have bible studies in multiple houses. So the thought of just one church to a city is false
To answer the question. I think one way they don't follow scripture is that we don't take care of the widows and the orphans and the poor like we should, and instead leave those groups to welfare and Government programs.
eating pork, especially bacon, is a sin.
Regardless how they were grouped together in a city, they were still one church under one leadership. The fact that Christians are separated into various denominations and "non-denominations" within one city is certainly against Scripture. Paul made that clear enough when he asked the Corinthians "Is Christ divided?" Jesus prayed "That they all may be one that the world may know..."
Persecution actually serves to drive Christians into oneness by making those reasons for the division suddenly seem to be lower on the list of priorities.
1. By not addressing speaking in tongues.
2. Old Testament laws - which ones are altered or eradicated by Jesus, and which ones aren't? Specifically I'm thinking of tattoos and piercings (Leviticus 19:28).
how about the qualifications for elders wives??? there are stipulations for them as well, so if a wife flunks the test, the man can't serve -- but we don't see that happening!
@brerjohn_lives@xanga - So what's your solution?
@OngishLyOngLee@xanga - That's a joke, right?
@brerjohn_lives@xanga - One Church under one leadership, amen. That's how we've been doing it since day one!
@ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake@xanga - They were doing far more than reading Hebrew scriptures and reading letters from the Apostles and other leaders at the time (the Bible did not yet exist under Nero, not until years after St. Constantine declared Christianity the religion of the Empire). Remember that one of the chief charges against Christians was "cannibalism," because they were thought to literally be eating the flesh of Jesus (a misunderstanding that people have of Catholics and Orthodox yet today). They didn't understand that the Eucharist yet retained all the accidentals/appearances of bread and wine, though the Christians knew that it was truly His Flesh and Blood. The early Christians gathered chiefly to celebrate the Eucharist ("love feasts" they called them back then), and for this they were persecuted cruelly and gladly went into the mouths of wild beasts rather than renounce their beliefs. There are still terrible persecutions in places of the world, like Vietnam, today.
I see churches focusing on themselves as a church versus training up their members to go out into their communities and be lights for Christ. Take the church Cornerstone in Simi Valley pastored by Francis Chan as an example of what a church
shouldbe doing. They give at least half of their income away to the community and relevant world needs rather than spending this income on themselves. What a great witness for a church to have in their area as well as the world!