Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: February 27, 2005
WHAT KIND OF CONGREGATION DO I ATTEND?
Gary W. Summers
It is no secret that many congregations have changed over the years. Some of
those changes have reflected spiritual growth and maturity. Other changes denote
clear departures from acceptable worship (e.g., the addition of instrumental music,
vocal sounds that imitate instruments, humming, and/or clapping). The result of
these innovations is that Divinely authorized singing is hijacked from its spiritual
purposes (praising God and edifying one another) and forced downhill to a more
carnal destination (merely what pleases the ears of mankind).
Amazingly, some brethren offer little or no protest when the church of which they
are members begins to fellowship various denominations (which practice is a
massive departure from the faith). However, in many instances the forsaking of
the Word of God is less obvious. How does a congregation become apostate? How
is it possible to tell where God’s people are headed? Are there any signs that may
indicate a shift in direction? Those who are genuinely concerned about the
faithfulness of the congregation they attend should consider the two criteria
discussed below.
Criterion Number One
First, are Bible classes Bible-centered? A teacher may choose a number of ways
(all of which may have certain strengths) to present material to his adult class.
Topical studies have their merits, and sometimes scrutinizing belief-systems that
contradict Biblical teaching (e.g., evolution, New Age ideology, world religions,
cults, etc.) are also worthy of attention. However, nothing can replace the value of
periodic verse-by-verse study. This approach is preferable because it insures that
almost all subjects are eventually brought up and examined. The weakness of
moving solely from one topical study to another is that vital material may be
omitted. Many denominations, for example, use workbooks that provide verses for
general discussion. They only study a portion of the Scriptures with this method
— not the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
Entire sections of God’s Word may be overlooked (such as the book of Acts and
what it teaches about salvation) by this approach. Why is “baptism for the
remission of sins” so foreign-sounding to some? Why have they not read Mark 16:
15-16? Why do they know so little about the Lord’s Supper (I Cor. 11:22-29)? In
many cases the reason is that they have studied selective texts/topics year after
year rather than complete books of the Bible.
Some of “our” congregations have followed the lead of the denominations by doing
topical studies continually, thus banning (in effect) certain subjects from
discussion (e.g., marriage, divorce, and remarriage.) This approach also allows for
emphasizing frequently certain concepts (e.g., grace, love) while ignoring altogether
others (marking false teachers?). To evaluate one’s congregation, a member should
ask, “Is there balance? Do we study all of the Bible?”
Criterion Number Two
Second, although preachers vary in the styles they have of communicating the
Word — which is expected and acceptable — nevertheless, the listener must ask,
“How Bible-based is the message?” Quoting one verse and then telling a story or
several stories to illustrate it may be an advantageous method once in a while, but
the Bible contains the apostles’ doctrine, in which members need to continue (Acts
2:42). A lack of balance would be seen in the preacher who covered a different
proverb every week for three years. The lessons might be Scriptural, beneficial,
and uplifting, but much fundamental teaching would be passed over in the process.
Some “preachers” seem to frown on citing passages or quoting Scriptures (“book-
chapter-verse” preaching). After such a one leaves a congregation and a guest
speaker comes in with a real Gospel sermon, some older members will often
remark afterward that the congregation “has not heard preaching like that for
twenty years.” Yet what was preached to them that day was only what should have
been a typical sermon! Imagine the young people growing up under those
conditions. An entire generation has become ignorant of the fundamentals of the
faith because there has been so little emphasis in so many places on real Bible
preaching.
Members in such congregations need to question and evaluate the preaching that
they hear. Has a lesson on one of the following subjects (and others like them)
been presented within the past five years?
“The Church in Prophecy”
“The One Church”
“The Distinctive Nature of the Church”
“Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth”
“Contending for the Faith”
“The Authority of the Scriptures”
“Singing”
“Why We Do Not Use Instrumental Music in Worship”
“God’s Plan of Salvation”
“The Role of Baptism in Salvation”
“Are People Saved by ‘Faith Only’?”
“The Need for Repentance”
“Maintaining Good Works”
“The Great Commission”
“The Moral Teachings of the Scriptures”
“The Two Covenants”
“The Inspiration of the Scriptures”
“The Significance of the Silence of Scripture”
“Does Truth Exist?”
“Can We Understand the Bible Alike?”
“Whatever Happened to the Concept of Sin?”
“Does God Exist?”
“Is The Bible the Word of God?”
“What Did Jesus Teach About Hell?”
“What Did Jesus Teach About Heaven?”
“What Is The Path of Biblical Unity?”
“The Second Coming of Christ”
The question is, “Is there a Biblical emphasis on the basic teachings of the
Scriptures?” Do we meet for the significant purpose of offering up worship to God
and to learn, or is the worship assembly treated more like a social gathering? Is
there a tendency toward worldliness in the congregation? Are things geared toward
pleasing people instead of pleasing God? Are the leaders of the worship
introducing things that are different just to be different, or is there a Scriptural
and spiritual purpose and emphasis for their actions?
There are many other ways to determine if a congregation is headed in the wrong
direction, but a loss of Biblical emphasis in the preaching and teaching efforts is
one of the most noticeable ones. With watered-down sermons, people slowly lose
the spiritual strength that had once dwelled in them, and younger members never
receive the sustenance they need. A strong Bible emphasis is crucial.
Theoretically, the elders will be at the forefront, insisting that the flock be fed food
with nutritional value. If a congregation has no elders or if existing elders have
failed to do their job, then the mature members must speak up and insist on a
proper spiritual diet — so that all may be built up in the Lord (Acts 20:32).
— via “The Gospel Journal,” Jan. 2001