Biblical Q&A – How Can I Tell if a Church is Biblical?

2 Timothy 4:3: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”

The Church at Auvers, Vincent Van Gogh 1890

2 Timothy 4:3: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”

In this week of The Inevitable Truth’s “Biblical Q&A” we explore what Christians should know about churches. What is a Biblical Church? And, is your church Biblical?

Do you go to a church as envisioned in the Bible, or is your church simply the most popular congregation attended by all the soccer moms? Believe it or not, it makes a difference, but how do you evaluate it? Let’s look at the contemporary trend in American Churches and then evaluate the Church according to the Bible. Here’s a situation where too many choices may not be a good thing.

The Landscape of American Churches

America is nothing without its many choices, and churches are no different. The variety is almost unlimited. But, to appeal to the greatest number of people, churches have to make compromises. See if you can identify some of the following in your community.

The “seeker-friendly” or “seeker-sensitive” church is a popular approach to church services and ministry that aims to make the church more accessible and appealing to people who may not be familiar with or who may feel alienated from traditional church settings. The main goal is to create an environment where non-believers or “seekers” feel welcome and comfortable exploring the Christian faith. How? Usually, by watering down the gospel.

Here are some key aspects of this movement:

• Inclusivity: Seeker-friendly churches strive to eliminate barriers that might keep non-believers from attending. This includes using accessible language, avoiding church jargon, and creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

• Contemporary Worship Style: Contemporary worship styles often incorporate modern music, technology, and multimedia presentations to engage attendees. Are you down for heavy drums, lights, and smoke?

• Relevant Sermons: Sermons are designed to be practical and relevant to everyday life, often focusing on topics that resonate with common challenges and life experiences. I refer to these as Sermonettes for Christianettes. How about seven ways to make your kids love you? Sound interesting?

• Casual Environment: The overall environment is typically casual, from dress codes to the layout of the church space, making it less formal and more approachable.

• Community Focus: Emphasis is often placed on building community, with opportunities for small groups, social gatherings, and volunteer activities that encourage connection among attendees.

• Outreach-Oriented: Seeker-friendly churches may focus heavily on outreach and service projects, aiming to show the love of Christ through action and foster a positive presence in the broader community.

• Non-threatening Evangelism: Evangelistic strategies are non-confrontational and focus on building relationships and encouraging exploration of faith rather than confrontational or high-pressure methods.

• Engagement with Culture: Efforts might be made to engage with contemporary culture and address current issues, making the church relevant to the society in which it exists. Social justice, anyone?

Here’s about another popular approach, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). This church seeks to bring about spiritual renewal and societal transformation by emphasizing a return to what its leaders perceive as the practices and offices of the early church, particularly the roles of apostles and prophets. It is important to note that the NAR is not a formal denomination but a loosely connected network of churches and leaders who share similar beliefs and practices. They are very popular and very politically active.

Some of the stated goals and characteristics associated with the NAR include:

• Restoration of Apostles and Prophets: One of the primary goals is to restore the offices of apostles and prophets, which they believe were lost early in church history, to lead the church today.

• Influence in Society: NAR adherents often aim to transform society by gaining influence in various spheres of culture, such as government, business, education, and media—sometimes referred to as the “Seven Mountain Mandate.”

• Spiritual Warfare: Emphasizing spiritual warfare, they believe in actively engaging in spiritual battles and prayer to overcome demonic forces and bring about God’s will on earth.

• Revival and Miracles: The movement often focuses on revival, emphasizing miraculous signs and wonders as a demonstration of God’s power and presence.

• Unity among Christians: NAR advocates for unity among believers, transcending denominational boundaries, to work together for the movement’s goals.

• Kingdom Theology: Many in the NAR embrace the idea of establishing God’s kingdom on earth, believing Christians should actively work to implement biblical principles across all areas of life

There are still other flavors. How about the Emerging Church Movement? This movement emphasizes postmodern philosophy, cultural relevance, and a more experiential form of worship. It often challenges traditional theological views and seeks to engage with the world through social justice and community involvement. Or the tried and true Charismatic Movement? This convocation cuts across denominations and emphasizes the expired gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and healing. It has a strong focus on lively worship and personal encounters with God. And then there’s the Missional Church Movement. This movement emphasizes the role of the church in social justice and community service. It encourages Christians to live missionally (sic???), viewing their everyday lives as opportunities to spread the gospel and serve others. There’s also the House Church Movement. Focused on a return to the early Christian practice of meeting in homes, this movement values small, intimate gatherings where believers can form tight-knit communities and engage deeply in discipleship and fellowship. And, of course, the every popular Social Justice Movement. Many modern churches are prioritizing social justice issues, advocating for causes like racial reconciliation, poverty alleviation, and environmental stewardship. This is often seen as an expression of living out the gospel in practical ways. We even have a Digital Church Movement. With the rise of technology and social media, many churches are exploring digital platforms for worship, teaching, and community-building. This movement has accelerated, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. And, of course, if you’re into reparations, we have the Multiethnic Church Movement. This movement encourages the formation of churches that reflect the diversity of their communities, often focusing on racial reconciliation and cultural inclusivity within worship settings. DEI at work in the church.

While all these movements may have laudable aspects, they are not without doctrinal compromises. If there ever is a verse that was applicable to these movements, it would be 2 Timothy 4:3, which warns, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”

How the Bible Defines a Church

But let’s review what the Bible says about the church. The Bible claims the purposes of the Church are the following:

• Worship:  The Church’s primary purpose is to worship God. This aligns with passages like John 4:23, which states, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”  In fact, the Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the question, “What is the chief end of man?” and answers, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”

• Teaching and Edification: The Church is meant to educate and build up believers in their faith. Ephesians 4:11-12 captures this well: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Here, 2 Timothy 4:2 emphasizes,  “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” Acts 20:27 reiterates this when Paul states that he did not shrink from declaring “the whole counsel of God.” This is the most significant deficiency in all false churches—a failure to teach the whole Bible.

• Fellowship: The Church provides a community for believers to support one another. Acts 2:42 describes the early Church, saying, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

• Evangelism and Discipleship:  The Church is tasked with spreading the gospel and making disciples. This is echoed in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, which says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

• Service and Ministry: The Church should serve others, both within the Church and in the broader community. Galatians 6:10 encourages this: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

• Sanctification and Holiness: The Church is a place for believers to grow in holiness and be sanctified. 1 Peter 1:15-16 instructs, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’

How to Evaluate Your Local Church

Here’s how you can tell if your church is a Biblical church or simply another option on the menu of American ear ticklers:

1. Do you have a female or a husband-and-wife tag team as pastor? The Bible is very clear that only men are to be pastors, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:12-14: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man…” This is not the Apostle Paul’s subjective opinion but the divine directive of the Holy Spirit.

2. Is your leadership governed by Elder Rule, as required in the Bible, or is it Congregational or even Pastor Rule? If the leadership structure is incorrect, everything else will fall apart. Think Democratic cities 🙂.

3. Is your Statement of Beliefs namby-pamby like ”we believe in the love of Jesus…” or specific, with Biblical references and a comprehensive doctrinal coverage? Look at yours and then look at this Statement of Beliefs. See a difference?

4. Is your music program glorifying God, or is it a light, mirrors, and smoke show glorifying the musicians? Music should also be participatory, not performance-based. You also need to avoid music from the contemporary and popular false prophets. You can read about that here.

5. What is the church teaching in the women’s and men’s bible studies? Some of the most popular study books are all by false prophets, which you can check out here. How about studying God’s word, the Bible?

You owe it to yourself to find a Biblically-based church. Granted, there are no perfect churches, but you want one that addresses as many of the above five issues as possible. They’re out there, but you’ll need to pray and seek them out.