What do you look for in a church?
What SHOULD you look for in a church?
Maybe you have left one behind and now what? Maybe you are new to Christianity and now faced with a dilemma of which of the long list of churches advertised in the phone book to attend. Maybe the church you were part of split, fell into immorality, or was just "dead and dry". Maybe their was financial hanky-panky and the pastor's new BMW did not look good parked next to your Ford Focus.
What determines a “good” church?
Is it good music, contemporary worship, a church that is "comfortable", non-judgmental, people friendly , a nice charismatic pastor, adult programs, kids programs, good Bible teaching, Spiritual gifts, a good youth group?
How about a place where you can meet successful business men, a pastor with impressive credentials and a degree, a nice clean, attractive building, or one that doesn't ask for money?
Or is it one that does good works, feeds the poor, or preaches a good "God Bless Conservative America" sermon with a dose of right-wing politics tossed in?
How about a "church" that gives you repeated ritual and tradition, has a big denomination, gives you communion and then stays pretty much out of your life so you can live like the world most of the time?
Does it really just mean go inside a building on Sunday for some songs, announcements, passing the plate, and a sermon?
If you think in terms of Institutional Churchianity it might be so.
But if you stop for a moment and try to think OUTSIDE THE BOX of what and where "assembling" is, then you might be on the way to understanding what we see may not be what it is.
Do you realize that for most of our lives we were all conditioned to think of a church as a building where services are held?
Although that was somewhat true in the Old Testament with the temple in Jerusalem, the building of "synagogues" was also a common practice at the time of Christ. There was no command or instruction under the Old Covenant to build synagogues, in fact, it may have been another manmade attempt at going beyond "that which was written in the law of the LORD".
The next thing we know, the tradition of the Sabbath assembly in a synagogue was established and became an institution.
In my opinion, the synagogue system was one of the symptoms of ancient Israel's apostasy as there was no instruction given in the Old Covenant for them to build them. -At least I have not found the verses for that as yet.
The structure of the synagogue gave rise to "one man show" in the personage of "the ruler of the synagogue". There is nothing inherently evil about the building structure itself, but it has become a false substitute for what God said the NT temple really is. Why else would churches spend a cool 40 or 70 MILLION on remodeling?
The Church of Scripture:
Although the believers of the early church should be our role models, very, very, very, few people ever think to look first at the Acts of the apostles to observe what a church may look like.
Don't you think these descriptions of the early church are far more important than the music, kids programs, building, and a smiling pastor?
1. Belief and faith in Jesus Christ according to actual scripture: Jn 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:, Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. John 3:16 ... you already know that one.
Ok, we have some nice easy-to-believe-in Jesus so far...
So far, so good...
2. Repentence would be preached. Remission or forgiveness of sins would be preached in the name of Jesus. The first time the gospel was preached was in the Book of Acts 2. In verse 38 Peter included repententance and baptism for the remission of sins. Repentance? hmmm, the road just narrowed.
REAL repentence means real change and turning away from sin. People repent in Godly fear, yes, even Hell may be mentioned in a good repentence sermon.
Uhh, now we have a few folks walking outside to find something more "comfortable" and less "judgemental".
3. Baptism (full immersion) would be followed QUICKLY after belief:
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. The church obeyed this command: Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 22:16
Well, some folks think that is not important or that a little sprinkling will suffice..
4. Signs would accompany believers, these are the most commonly reported to us from scripture: Mark 16:17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Here are some fulfillments:
a. casting out of demons: Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
b. speaking with tongues as Jesus said: Mk 16:17, Acts 2:4, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:6. The church at Jerusalem, the church at Ephesus, The Church at Corinth, all the apostles, the church at Caesaria, the apostle Paul, ALL the other apostles, and even Mary the mother of Jesus are listed among the believers of scripture who all spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
c. healing: Luke 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Mark 3:15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Acts 28:9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: 1 Corinthians 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
When is the last time a demon was cast out of someone at your assembly?
The average church has become a very safe place for unclean of spirits and devils to "hang out" in.. After all, if you don't believe in them or they are never mentioned, why be concerned about their influence?
5. They were baptized with, and filled with the Holy Spirit:
John 7:39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The early church walked in this promise of Spirit filled power: Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:15-16-17, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:2-6.
Now we have more than half of the Protestant church world making excuses why not....
6. The Word OF GOD was preached with the power and demonstration of the Spirit as in:
Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
1 Cor 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1 Cor 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
About 97% of the preachers somehow missed this in Bible College, but they did learn to teach tithing....
7. When the saints gathered themselves, no one office of ministry was elevated above the rest, as Jesus instructed in Mat. 20:25
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
26 Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;
27 and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:
Eph. 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Jesus called the clergy-laity system the "Nicolaitane error which I hate". Unfortunately, this is the typical church government.
8. Holiness and death to self, ego, ambition, and selfishness.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mark 8:35 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it.
Luke 14:27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:33 So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Now those are some passages you won't hear Sunday morning because if they did, some of the good pew warmers and visitors might not come back, and then what happens to the building program?
When we realize very few modern assemblies even come close to this rudimentary model of the church Jesus desired, and that the modern, fragmented, competitive, program driven church world will NEVER recover itself from where it is fallen, it should be no wonder God is calling His people OUT of the church mess around us.
If because of tradition or desire for fellowship you find yourself in a building called a "church", and it is not walking in the power and authority of scripture, you ARE in a babylonish church.
God is preparing His Bride outside the camp of Institutional Christianity, yes, it is time to "come out from among them"...
