A man I respect said there were not enough established churches doing the work of the Lord, and I could not agree more. The subject of my last post was built around the premise is the last thing we need is more churches which are not doing the work of the Lord.
What are the indications of a true, living church? Juan Carlos Ortiz, in his groundbreaking book "Disciple" said that God uses a stethoscope, not a multiple-choice test. If He hears the heartbeat of His Son, He has found a child. The same can be said of congregations. Is the fruit of the Spirit there? (Not just externally, but in the heart.) Is God glorified, or man? These are the indications of a true, living church.
But, you may well ask, what of Right Doctrine? Is it not important? Yes, it is vitally important! It is an INDICATOR of a living church (NOT a fourth member of the Godhead). A church which loves Christ above all will diligently search God's Word like the Bereans, seeking the truth so that they can serve God with greater perfection. Growth happens when God's children sit and search the Word together, using their differing views as bridge toward a more perfect understanding.
Good article Ken. I think the problem with many independent churches is that they emphasize doctrines to be believed as their main focus while neglecting the practical applications such as loving each other, sharing the faith and serving others. My fault with some of the new churches is reverse all practical application little emphasis on foundational doctrines. A healthy church has both.
ReplyDeleteNothing to disagree with here, Ken. We need doctrine that's solid enough to put us in touch with the real God, not a doctrine so corrupt that we miss him. The line between good-enough doctrine and harmful doctrine is invisible, and different believers and different church groups draw it at different places.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post, Ken. I've actually come back to it a time or two before posting a comment because--of course--who wants to minimize the value of good doctrine?!? Having said that--if an accurate statement of faith were so all-fired important, why didn't an all-wise Father simply include one in Holy Writ? Or perhaps He did. Verses like Galatians 5:6 come to mind--"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Or perhaps 2 Corinthians 3:6--"...the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." Or 1 Corinthians 13:13--"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
ReplyDeleteI'm of the opinion that where God's life is present, He's always at work shaping sound doctrine. But where my definition of sound doctrine becomes the fundamental perogative for acceptance by me of a brother or sister in Christ, the abundant life that Jesus promises is squelched.