Kevin Williams
I was reading Ingrid Schlueter comments over at SliceofLaodicea, about this piece by Jim Elliff, and whilst I agree with Jim (and Ingrid) that we should not forsake the gathering of the Saints, I strongly agree with Ingrid (as I virtually always do) that Jim's (normally excellent) article this time misses the mark.I think there are two main reasons why people don't go to church:
1) They are not true Christians.
2) They haven't got a good church near to them where it is not a sin to be in.
In fact, I think the real problem is that too many Christians are willing to compromise, and stay in an unbiblical church. The biggest blessing we can give to lukewarm and apostate practices is entrusting our families with them every week.
For the most part, it is not the believers that are forsaking their local churches, but rather it's their local churches that have apostatised.
-How many churches today don't practice church discipline?
-How many churches allow the carnal practice of dating and kissing before marriage, despite Jesus clearly teaching that unrepentant lusting outside of marriage is a sin punishable by Hell?
-How many churches practice decisional regeneration?
-How many churches practice easy-believism?
-How many churches don't believe in Lordship Salvation and instead embrace the heretical 20th century teaching of the carnal Christian?
-How many churches don't know the difference between Christianity and Catholicism?
-How many churches allow women teachers in their pulpits, and give them authority over men?
-How many churches have a pagan worldview when it comes to a Biblical family and Biblical manhood?
-How many churches replace the role of the Father with a carnal youth pastor?
-How many churches segregate families during worship?
-How many churches have Pastors with disobedient 'PK's and are therefore disqualified?
-How many churches don't preach the Bible and instead give short sermons, and said rituals?
-How many churches that do open their Bibles are man-centred giving sermons about man's felt needs?
-How many churches allow Charismatic Chaos with many people at once chanting in claimed 'tongues'?
-How many churches have no passion for the lost?
-How many churches are unsupportive of the Biblical practice of homeschooling?
-How many churches operate a 'quickly get-in get-out' as if it's a fast food restaurant with hardly any 'fellowship' anyway.
Father's should be protecting their wife and children from those environments.
The fact is that the New Testament church which was on fire for God, quite literally, didn't even assemble in local large buildings, but met in homes. Now I'm not saying you can't have a larger church, as someone could have a big house, but true believers need to get together and start Biblical churches (in their homes if need be) where there aren't any, and not compromise with compromisers, otherwise the salt has lost it's saltiness and their lamp is hid under a basket.
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