Pastor Timothy showed a good video about how we can fall into behaviors that hinder the church. Any relation to your behavior or mine is purely convicting. #3 is my biggest problem. Et toi?
In case you don’t have time to watch it, here’s my summary:
- It is all about you and what you get out of church. The purpose of the church is to serve you.
- Only go when it is convenient.
- It is the responsibility of the church to get your heart ready for worship.
- You know more than the leaders in your church, but don’t use the knowledge to teach others. The knowledge you have is to criticize, not advance the Gospel.
- Criticize any potential theological errors of your pastor publicly, not privately.
- Make sure you get credit for what you do. Otherwise, don’t help.
- Never let doctrine divide. Don’t study it yourself.
- Church hopping is always an option. Don’t persevere through rough times.
- If you are convicted of sin then accuse the church of being legalistic.
- Always demand an emotional experience, as that is a true test of the effectiveness of a church.
Eternity Matters 
Church hopping… the trump card of every congregant whether they have taken vows before God or not, to support the local body they have joined!
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What a great list!!! I think a good way to stop walking further down one of those wrong paths is to ask yourself if what you are doing helps glorify God.
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Thanks for this – yes, I’d have to say #3 also might be the one I get stuck in. Not consciously, of course; I know very well the church is just the gathered assembly and not responsible for getting my heart right before God. (Duh). But it is an easy mind-set to fall into, especially with the professional praise team being ready to go…it’s like an entertainment that sometimes I’d rather skip. If that makes sense.
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The list is excessively focussed on doctrine and public meetings. This is only a very small part of the church; it is also ‘leader’ centric; another very small part; because, you see, without love, its just empty. How to kill a church is to not love: to have selective friendships, to play favourites, to not support the weaker or needy brother or sister, to not commit to and engage in prayer together and for those in need; to not share your lives openly, unremittingly, sacrificially and joyfully, without pretence and preening.
I get hot on this because during my families’ battle with post-natal depression we were treated like plague carriers; avoided, not supported, spurned, not embraced. My wife was touch and go suicidal for months and the church (not just the paid Christians) was like a bunker: impossible to move! Oddly the best support we got was from a Muslim woman, a grandmother, who came to us from a secular, publicly funded community support group; and not the church.
It seems to me that in some churches, if its not nice and neat, suitable for polite conversation, it’s avoided.
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Great points, Clive. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
The list above is important for some churches, but as your blog point out, many churches need to get back to right teaching on the essentials before they even get to this list.
I’m sorry to hear your problems were ignored. That is truly sad. One thing we’ve loved about our church is how they do amazing things when people need help.
It isn’t even just for long time or even active people or even members. One visitor lost his wife while she was delivering their second child. He was showered with countless hours of help, child care, meals, etc. for many months. It was touching when he joined, especially as he felt very welcome as a minority in a largely white church.
An Indian couple, now good friends of ours, had been ignored at a different church but were immediately embraced at ours. They have a thriving home Bible study and have led many former Hindus to Christ. They are very grateful for how “at home” they felt at our church.
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