A PART OR APART?

A PART OR APART?
BibleStudyTools . com shared an article addressing three reasons (excuses) people avoid churches. There are excuses people use in their avoidance of church attendance. However, the article cause me to write the following thoughts.

DLG says,
No one is more staunchly committed to the importance of being part of a local body of believers than I am, and yes, there are people who excuse their failure to be part of a local body (local church) for selfish and un-Biblical reasons.

IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL CHURCH
The Church (universal, regional and local) is the plan of God (Mt. 116:18; He. 10:25), in fact it is the Body of Christ (Ro. 12:4-5), Bride of Christ (Ep. 5:31-32), and Building of Christ (Ep. 2:20-22; 1 Pe. 2:4-6). Christ died for believers individually and for the Church (Ep. 5:25-27). The offices and leaders of God's people are given to the Church (Ep. 4:11-12; Ac. 14:23). The gifts of the Spirit are given for the edification (upbuilding) of the church (1 Co. 12:7). Evangelism (domestic and foreign) should spring from, and be supported by, the local church. Discipline of believers should happen in the local church. Teaching, perfecting, and encouragement should take place in the local church.

BIBLICAL CRITERIA
However, not every group that clams to be a legitimate local church is worthy of our time, treasure, or talent. We must be wise enough to know what qualifies as a Biblical church. There are entire mega-organizations that claim to be an association of Bible churches, and there are individual groups that claim to be local bodies of believers, but they do not qualify, either because of their doctrine, their moral standard, their organizational structure, or their ministry profile. Some groups started as legitimate churches, but no longer meet the Biblical criteria. Remember, it is possible for a church or churches to be disqualified from their position by having their lamp stand removed, thus losing the glory of God (Re. 2:5).

It is possible for a person to be led to Christ through the ministry or work of an unworthy ministry. However, when a person understands that the local church does not meet Biblical standards, then the believer must either find a Biblical church or be willing to seek God with other believers, as He forms a local church through their availability.

Without going into much detail, here are some reasons that I would not attend a "steeple house" or "brick pile," though it claimed to be a "church."

DOCTRINAL
The obvious and fundamental doctrines of God and Christ must be preached, such as the Unity and the Tri-unity of God, along with the other basics of God's Biblical traits (such as, eternity, asceity, omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, love and justice, veracity). I would not be part of a Oneness group or a SDA or a JW or a LDS group. I would not be part of a group that taught sinning religion or OSAS, or a group that was amillennial, or works righteousness, or denied entire sanctification or taught Baptismal Regeneration or the necessity for speaking in unknown tongues. There are other Bible truths that I would not compromise. I would thoroughly investigate before I discounted a group. This is not requiring that a church be absolutely perfect in every area, but it is requiring that a church be Biblical in the basics.

MORALS
Though people grow in grace and knowledge at differing rates, there is no excuse for living in open sin, whether it is found in the ministry leaders or the congregation. If moral sin is allowed, for whatever reason, to continue in the life of the leaders or allowed to exist without confrontation in the laity, then that group is not acceptable. Churches will have problems and will have to deal with sin and will have problem people from time to time, but it must not be the norm or acceptable.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND MINISTRY PROFILE
God allows latitude in these two areas, to a degree. However, if the governmental model and/or the ministry model contradicts the Scriptures, then a solution or a change must be found. A church that is based on law rather than love is not valid. A ministry that ignores the Divine order of home and church ministry is not valid.

Notice, I did not make "programming" a criteria. Programs (in general) or specific ministries are important, but they are not essential to Biblical churchman-ship.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION
The answer to some of these problems can sometimes be found and applied in a local church. The objective is not to be "church-less" but to be Biblical. We may have to compromise on the non essentials, but we should stand firm on the basics. The solution is not simply avoiding the un-Biblical model, but rather seeking to either find or establish the Biblical model in our own community.

NEXT STEP
If you cannot find a valid church ministry in your area, you should relocate yourself near a Biblical church or you should seek the leadership and encouragement of a local body in another community to help you plant the seed for a Biblical ministry through your own sacrifice and submission to authority.

The objective is never to be apart from a local church, the objective is to be a part of a local church.