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25. Part of a Movement LONNIE: Welcome to Exploring the Word. JEANNIE: Thanks for joining us as we dig deeper into the riches of the Bible. LONNIE: Today we’re going to talk about finding a church that’s right for you. We get quite a few questions on that topic, don’t we Jeannie? JEANNIE: We sure do Lonnie. A lot of people write in wanting to know what we think about the Catholic Church, what we think about various denominations. Here’s an e-mail from J.D. He says his dad is a Methodist, his mom is a Baptist, and his step-dad is a Mormon. LONNIE: Wow. JEANNIE: So of course he has a lot of questions. LONNIE: When I’m out speaking I run into a lot of people who are trying to sort through the claims of different churches. JEANNIE: And they also want to find a church that really nurtures them. You know, a healthy place for their families. LONNIE: Instead of just giving our opinions about this or that denomination, maybe we could focus on what the Bible says a healthy church is, the distinguishing marks of a healthy church. JEANNIE: Right, our homework assignment was a good place to start. Did you read Galatians 2:6-23? Paul really zeroes in on what matters and what doesn’t. LONNIE: When we get a clear picture from the Bible, then people can make their own decisions about where to fellowship. This is an important issue because churches can definitely become unhealthy; congregations can turn into cults. There are definitely unhealthy churches out there. And a lot of people have been disappointed by their church, in big ways and in small ways. Sometimes they just drop out. Sometimes they take a break from fellowship. But most of us realize we need other people. The Bible clearly tells us we need other believers to keep us strong, to help us grow. So how do you find a church that’s truly healthy? How do you tell the difference between a church that’s following Jesus and a church that’s going in an unhealthy direction? Remember, you can get additional information on this vital topic in our Discover Bible Guide number twenty-five, “Can I Find God’s Church Today?” Interestingly enough, the Bible gives us one basic guideline. It’s found in the book of Isaiah. And it offers us a simple, basic way of knowing how we can keep walking toward the light. Let’s look at an essential difference between healthy and unhealthy churches. Here’s how you can know a church is on the right track. The most important clue comes to us from the prophet Isaiah. He was concerned about God’s people seeking guidance from the wrong sources, from mediums and wizards. And he said this: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. Now let’s think about what “the law” and “the testimony” really mean here. Now this is the most important test for any church on the planet. You’ve got to start right here—Scripture. What are the basics? What are the essentials? What does it emphasize? What does it spotlight? Listen, if any church or religious group does not line up with the basic principles, the ABC’s of the Bible, watch out! What this book spotlights. That’s the place to start—wouldn’t you agree? That’s something you can drive a stake into. Drive it in deep – my church has got to line up with the basic Word of God — “the Law!” If it deviates, fudges, tries to make excuses for the Word and say, “Well, times have changed; we can’t really believe that part of the Bible” —you can know that church is in trouble. It’s failing the basic test. It’s going off course. Now let’s look at that second phrase: “the testimony.” A church or group must also conform to “the testimony.” This is the second major guideline for all truth, for checking out all preachers, for evaluating any church or organization. By saying that we must also consult “the testimony,” Isaiah is pointing us to the truths of all of Scripture—all of the inspired testimony to God’s truth that has been set down for us in His Word. So, what do we have here? What do we have with this principle that truth must conform to “the law” and “the testimony?” We have a simple two-part formula for re-discovering God’s genuine church. This is not about my denomination or your denomination. This is not about my favorite minister or your favorite minister. This is about God’s truth and how is it revealed to us throughout Scripture. This is about how we re-discover the light. A healthy church, first of all, lines up with what Scripture teaches, what Scripture emphasizes—no exception. That’s always at the center. It doesn’t put something else at the center. Excuse me if I step on some toes here. It doesn’t proclaim that the truth revolves around positive thinking. It doesn’t insist that the gospel is really about “name it and claim it.” It doesn’t major in what you eat or what you wear. It doesn’t put some hobby horse or some side issue at the center. No, a healthy church focuses on the basic ABC’s of Scripture—all of Scripture, not just a text here and a text there. It spotlights what the Bible spotlights. Its beliefs and practices are in harmony with what the Bible clearly teaches. That’s basic. That makes sense, doesn’t it? When we talk about “the law and the testimony” we’re talking about all of the Bible, but it also points us specifically to God’s law—written with His own finger on tables of stone—the Ten Commandments. A healthy church, a true church will align itself with God’s Ten Commandments—all ten. Listen, if a church is guiding you into all truth, then it needs to pay attention to all the law and testimony of Scripture, and that includes all of the Ten Commandments. That’s an excellent guideline. And it’s a good thing! Pastors all over America, and evangelists like Billy Graham are telling us—we need to get back to God’s Ten Commandments. We’ve downplayed the law. We’ve de-emphasized God’s unchanging principles far too long. Friends, we’ve been hearing the catch-phrase: “We’re not under law, but under grace” for a long time. And we’ve misinterpreted what it really means to be under grace. Here it is plain as day in Isaiah 8:20. This is as clear as it gets on how to find God’s true church. Now let’s try to be clear. This text doesn’t say, if they don’t speak according to the law and the testimony there’s no truth in them. Many different people, many different groups have some truth. Many churches, many preachers, present quite a bit of truth. Almost everyone in fact, even atheists, can reflect some truth in some way—sometimes unwittingly. But here’s the key. If people are backing away from “the law” and “the testimony” then the light is going out. That’s not where you’re going to find spiritual illumination. That’s not the place where you want to grow. If people are making excuses for what the Bible teaches and constantly revising it—the light is going out! If people are neglecting God’s Ten Commandments—the light is going out! Have you noticed that? It has happened and it will happen again. At one point in history the Christian church decided to revise that little commandment about worshiping graven images or idols. The church in the Middle Ages was heavily invested in all kinds of images of the saints and the Virgin Mary. So church leaders actually split the tenth commandment—the one about coveting—into two commandments and passed over the second commandment—the troublesome one forbidding bowing down to idols—in their lists of the commandments. What do we see happening in the Middle Ages? The law of God being modified to fit human desires—buried under human traditions, based on human ideas and human authority instead of God’s authority. It stayed buried for centuries. So what about today? Not many churches want to delete the commandments about adultery and murder. But think about this. What about the fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment? What about the command to honor the seventh-day Sabbath established at Creation? Are some churches revising that commandment? Are some churches essentially deleting it? Something to think about. Now let’s look at ways in which we can apply this basic guideline—according to the law and the testimony. Revelation gives us glimpses of the struggles between God’s people and the Antichrist and his followers in the last days. It pictures the final conflict between God’s true church and a false church. And it presents us with stark figures who grab power and wield authority ruthlessly. It shows us a false prophet who performs great signs in order to make people captive to the power of the beast. “This beast is given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority. . .” (Revelation 13:5) This beast, symbol of false religion, has the appearance of a lamb, but speaks with the voice of a dragon. Many images in Revelation make this basic idea very graphic. False churches center around HUMAN authority and power. Some powerful figure replaces God in people’s imaginations. And there are dark forces behind this charismatic leader who draws great crowds after him. Now for the contrast. In the book of Revelation a healthy church, God’s true church, is represented by a pure woman. Look at Revelation 12:1: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” This woman appears in contrast to the harlot dressed in purple. She is as pure as the light of the sun. She is uncorrupted by the beast and false prophet and dragon. In other words the woman is in the light, clothed with the sun. How do we get in the light? Remember Isaiah. By speaking according to the “the law and the testimony.” The pure woman is standing in the light of the pure Word of God. People who belong to the true church are empowered by the Word. Look at Hebrews 4:12. Here the author is talking about what Scripture can actually do in a community of faith: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . .” Heb. 4:12 The Bible is meant to be a living thing. It’s meant to pierce us, to reveal our innermost thoughts, to deliver insights, to shake things up! The living Word turns a church into a movement. A healthy church is empowered by the Word’s authority. And it, in turn, empowers people. How does an unhealthy church invest its energies? In a religion of coercion. A healthy church is centered around the authority of God’s Word. It’s speaking according to “the law and the testimony.” It’s standing squarely in the light. It’s not caught up in power struggles; it’s caught up in the momentum of sharing the gospel. In healthy churches, Jesus Christ remains the center of attention. Unhealthy churches tend to focus on a charismatic leader. Find a church that emphasizes what the Bible emphasizes. Find a church that honors God’s Ten Commandments, all Ten Commandments. Find a church where the authority of God’s Word is stronger than any human authority. Churches that empower members with God’s Word are standing in the light. That’s where you want to grow. That’s where you want to belong. I thank God that He’s shown us clearly what His church is all about, what a healthy church looks like. Each one of us can recognize it. Each one of us can find a fellowship that builds us up in God’s truth. JEANNIE: Lonnie I think a lot of people have been disappointed in church, as you mentioned before. They’ve been shaken by things that have happened in a congregation. But isn’t it also true that many people need to be shaken up. That is, sometimes we settle for what’s comfortable instead of seeking what’s true. Sometimes a problem in church points us to a problem we haven’t really dealt with ourselves. LONNIE: In other words it’s not just a matter of how bad things are out there, but about problems in here. JEANNIE: Exactly. And so maybe we need to take the next step in our journey. LONNIE: Sometimes people who have to give up on a certain church are tempted to give up on God; they're tempted to give up on faith. I would just urge you, please, please make the effort. It’s worth it. God wants us to have more than just complaints about the past. God wants us to be able to talk about more than just disappointment. The familiar isn’t always the best. What we’re used to isn’t always what’s best for us. Maybe God is trying to shake you out of complacency. Maybe you were far more comfortable than converted. If you haven't yet found a church home where your faith can be nurtured I Let’s do that right now as we pray. JEANNIE: Next week we’ll be looking a little deeper into this topic of the right kind of church. We’ll be looking at the message God wants His last-day people to proclaim. So we’d like you to look at it ahead of time. LONNIE: Until next week, God bless you. Never stop exploring the Word, and remember, God really does love you.
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