over the past 40 years, shots have been fired from time to time to test the water in the Southern Baptist Convention. Are Southern Baptists ready for warfare?
I do believe there has been a season of grace given to the Southern Baptist Convention. Where nearly every denomination in the western world has been overcome by attempts to weaken the church, by the grace of God, Southern Baptists have been able to fight off the liberal attack against the inerrancy of Scripture. One that was was real warfare. The issue that is currently upon the SBC, is for the sufficiency of Scripture.
For the past 3 – 5 years there have been rumblings about the growing practice of ordaining women pastors in SBC churches. Two years ago a battleship entered the waters with Beth Moore as the captain.
Even though Beth Moore recently announced that she would no longer participate as an SBC, she really has done much to beat a war drumb to motivate an entire fleet to war. The battle has really heated up.
This past weekend, Saddleback Church, arguably one of the most influential churches pastored by one of the most popular pastors in the past 30 years, Rick Warren, ordained 3 women pastors.
I have long held Rick Warren and Saddleback church with caution. Even though I’ve read books by Rick Warren there has been reason to have a high-level caution about anything coming from him. I have tried to give grace that I would want.
I can no longer be so timid. I must publicly enter the field with my battle boots on. I’ve told my fellow elders at Eastside for several years now that this issue will likely be the issue that will eventually split the SBC.
Not every issue is a hill to die on, but this issue is.
This is both an issue of the inerrancy of Scripture and the sufficiency of Scripture. For decades now, what happens at Saddleback happens at neck-break speed in many places.
I’m sure this will divide friends, state conventions, associations, and fellowships. The benefit will be clarity. There is nowhere to hide on this issue now.
the Baptist Faith and Message – 2000 “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
This past week was the annual National Day of Prayer. The first Thursday of the month of May is as much a holiday as Thanksgiving. The only difference is that no school was shut down, no bank was closed and the commercial world has not found a way to capitalize on the day. Which really make this more of a holy day, unlike all others.
It was good to gather at the center of the city with many in our community to pray, seek the favor of God for the family, the church, the workplace, education, military, government, and the media. My assignment was to pray for the church.
To pray for the church implies that the church needs prayer – and it does.
When does a church need prayer? According to the bible, she always needs prayer, non-stop.
Where does a church need prayer? Again, according to the bible, the church in all places, everywhere needs prayer.
Which churches need prayer? As before, according to the bible, all churches need prayer, including the church I pastor.
Why do churches need prayer? Now it gets personal. Here is where I want to focus my column this week.
When the church is in the midst of persecution we should pray that the church would remain faithful. When there is a shortage of truth in the public discourse of life the church needs prayer that she would rise up as a pillar and buttress of truth. When the church has been found apostate we should pray for reformation. When the church sees one of her duties is to entertain than point to the holiness of God then the church needs prayer. It appears that these are some of the reasons we should be praying for the church in our communities.
There has largely been a collective silence from the church for the past forty-eight years concerning abortion, the murdering of babies in the womb. Even this year in the Idaho legislature, a “pro-life” bill was passed and signed by the governor to continue regulating abortion rather that abolish the hellish act against God’s creation. What has been the reaction? Most of our politicians are celebrating a bill that will not go into effect until either another state wins a “heartbeat” bill case in a higher court or the Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade. Where this is a high hope, it is more likely a flawed hope.
For over a decade now our federal and state governments have reeducated the population on the definition of marriage. Another attack against God’s ordered world according to the authoritative Word of God that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman. Like abortion, the church has been silent for the most part.
Now, we are no longer on a slippery slope of moral decay and more on a freefall concerning the attempt by the secularist to redefine sexuality and gender. Where is the church on these matters? What will the church do?
Here is why the church is in need of prayer. So, the church should rise up in this day as the voice of objective truth that will honor God and bless the community. The church must not forget that liberty is inseparable from God. There will never be true liberty so long as the church remains silent. For “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. All of human flourishing is needing the church to do her duty. Rise up and demand your pastor preach the word of God and get fully behind the uncompromising pulpit of truth.
*this will be published in the Twin Falls Times News on May 8, 2021
I’ve been away for a few weeks and wanted to post a short expression of sorrow for the loss of life in Atlanta that happened late last week. We were preparing to travel home from time with family when the news began to break of the eight women who had been shot and killed at multiple locations in the Atlanta metro region. It did not take long for the media to quickly identify this as a possible racially charged killing spree targeting Asians. (This is a tactic of the media, suggest something and then never change the narrative when facts get in the way of the preferred narrative.)
Let me just say briefly:
This was a tragedy.
The young man who did this sinned against God and man.
The Southern Baptist Church that this young man was a member of hid nothing about his connection to their church and conducted church discipline on him by removing his name from their membership and stating his actions did not reflect the actions of a Christian and that they “can no longer affirm that he is truly a regenerate believer in Jesus Christ.”
May God give comfort to all suffering as a result of the sinful action of murder.
This is not acceptable behavior and there is no room for excuse, avoiding the truth, or crafting an alternative narrative to advance an agenda.
Sin is always Sin.
God will hold all individuals and nations accountable for their sinful actions and will rightly judge.
All of humanity are sinners
God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, the Christ, as a ransom for sinners.
Repent, and believe the Gospel.
Here is the full statement from Crabapple First Baptist Church
On Tuesday evening, March 16, 2021, we heard the tragic news of the brutal murders of 8 individuals, six of whom were of Asian descent, and of the aggravated assault of one victim who survived. We were absolutely devastated at this senseless loss of life and callous disregard for human beings created in the image of God. We grieve for the victims and their families, and we continue to pray for all of those affected by this heinous crime as they deal with unimaginable pain and sorrow.
Furthermore, we were absolutely distraught when we found out that the shooter was a member of our congregation. The Long family have been members of our church for many years. We watched Aaron grow up and accepted him into church membership when he made his own profession of faith in Jesus Christ. These unthinkable and egregious murders directly contradict his own confession of faith in Jesus and the gospel.
We want to be clear that this extreme and wicked act is nothing less than rebellion against our Holy God and His Word. Aaron’s actions are antithetical to everything that we believe and teach as a church. In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the actions of Aaron Long as well as his stated reasons for carrying out this wicked plan. The shootings were a total repudiation of our faith and practice, and such actions are completely unacceptable and contrary to the gospel.
No blame can be placed upon the victims. He alone is responsible for his evil actions and desires. The women that he solicited for sexual acts are not responsible for his perverse sexual desires nor do they bear any blame in these murders. These actions are the result of a sinful heart and depraved mind for which Aaron is completely responsible.
We have been in complete cooperation with law enforcement, and we pray for justice to be done. We pray for both earthly justice and divine justice.
We ask that all Christians would join us in praying for the families of the victims, the communities affected, the Long family, and the Crabapple Church family. We believe in a Holy and Righteous God who abhors evil and will judge all sin in perfect justice. We also believe that this Holy God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
We are thankful for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that offers forgiveness and new life to all who truly repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ alone for salvation. We are thankful for the grace and mercy of the Lord that gives us strength to endure in times of extreme suffering. We are also thankful for faithful friends, pastors, and partners in ministry who have covered us in prayer and have reached out with support and encouragement.
Our hearts are broken at this devastating loss of life. We will continue to grieve, mourn, and pray for the families and loved ones of the victims. Finally, we deeply regret the fear and pain Asian-Americans are experiencing as a result of Aaron’s inexcusable actions.
We also wanted to provide answers to many of the questions that we have received since this tragedy occurred:
Q. Was Robert Aaron Long a member at Crabapple First Baptist Church?
A. Yes. These actions do not in any way reflect the biblical character of a true follower of Jesus Christ and member of His Church. In accordance with the biblical pattern and our church bylaws, Crabapple First Baptist Church has completed the process of church discipline to remove Robert Aaron Long from membership since we can no longer affirm that he is truly a regenerate believer in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 5).
Q. Did Robert Aaron Long’s father work for the church?
A. Robert Aaron Long’s father has never been employed by Crabapple First Baptist Church.
Q. Do you teach that acts of violence are acceptable against certain ethnicities or against women?
A. Absolutely not. Scripture teaches and we believe that all human beings are created in the image of God. Every person is worthy of respect. All people are equal in dignity, value, and worth. We repudiate any and all forms of misogyny and racism. We categorically reject the idea that violence is appropriate, regardless of one’s issues or motivations. Murder, especially, is a heinous evil and grievous sin. We also explicitly denounce any and all forms of hatred or violence against Asians or Asian-Americans.
Q. Do you teach that women are responsible for men’s sexual sin against them?
A. We categorically reject this idea. Each person is responsible for his or her own sin. In this case, the shooter is solely responsible for his heinous actions, not the victims who were targeted.
Q. Why did you shut down your website and social media?
A. We took down our website and social media out of an abundance of caution. We feared for the safety of members of our church community.
Q. Have you cooperated with law enforcement?
A. We have fully cooperated with law enforcement and will continue to do so. We want to aid law enforcement in any way possible so that justice is done.
“The Accused is charged with willful and deliberate Violation of various and sundry Royal and Parliamentary Edicts.”
Charges against John Bunyan, Tinker, of Bedfordshire. 1660
The following is the word-for-word transcript from the trial of John Bunyan on October 3, 1660.
I encourage each household to read the court transcript. In doing so, rejoice in the Lord for the simple and bold defense John Bunyan gives for why he could not simply sign documentation to cease preaching without permission from the government. As you do so, remember there is a brother behind bars on North American soul because he refuses to cease preaching to the saints who gather. James Coates of GraceLife Church in Edmonton, Canada was arrested two weeks ago for not surrendering his preaching post.
May the church rejoice.
John Bunyan’s wife interceding for his release.
_____________________
PROCEEDINGS, being a true account of the trial of John Bunyan, Tinker, of Bedfordshire, His Lordship, Judge Wingate presiding at the Courthouse in Bedfordshire on October 3, in the Year of our Lord, 1660. The Accused is charged with willful and deliberate Violation of various and sundry Royal and Parliamentary Edicts. His Trial this Day, however, respects a single Charge: namely, Violation of the Conventicle Act, first proposed by Her Most High and Mighty Majesty, our Late Beloved Queen Elizabeth, and reinstated by His Beneficent Highness, King Charles II. All Parties being in Place, and the Witnesses having been sworn, the trial proceeds.
JUDGE WINGATE: Mr. Bunyan, you stand before this Court accused of persistent and willful transgression of the Conventicle Act, which prohibits all British subjects from absenting themselves from worship in the Church of England, and from conducting worship services apart from our Church. You come, presumably, with no legal training, and yet without counsel. I must warn you, sir, of the gravity of the charge, the harshness of the penalty, in the event of your conviction, and the foolhardiness of acting as your own counsel in so serious a matter. Are you cognizant of these facts, and do you understand the charge?
BUNYAN: I am, and I do, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: In truth, I hope you do. Now, I hold in my hand the depositions of the witness against you. In each case, they have testified that, to their knowledge, you have never, in your adult life, attended services in the church of this parish. Each further testifies that he has observed you, on numerous occasions, conducting religious exercises in and near Bedford. These depositions have been read to you, have they not?
BUNYAN: They have, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: In that case, then, this court would be profoundly interested in your response to them.
BUNYAN: Thank you M’lord. And may I say that I am grateful for the opportunity to respond. Firstly, the depositions speak the truth. I have never attended services in the Church of England, nor do I intend ever to do so. Secondly, it is no secret that I preach the word of God whenever, wherever, and to whomever He pleases to grant me opportunity to do so.
Having said that, M’lord, there is a weightier issue that I am constrained to address. I have no choice but to acknowledge my awareness of the law which I am accused of transgressing. Likewise, I have no choice but to confess my guilt in my transgression of it. As true as these things are, I must affirm that I neither regret breaking the law, nor repent of having broken it. Further, I must warn you that I have no intention in future of conforming to it. It is, on its face, an unjust law, a law against which honorable men cannot shrink from protesting. In truth, M’lord, it violates an infinitely higher law—the right of every man to seek God in his own way, unhindered by any temporal power. That, M’lord, is my response.
JUDGE WINGATE: This Court would remind you, sir, that we are not here to debate the merits of the law. We are here to determine it you are, in fact, guilty of violating it.
BUNYAN: Perhaps, M’lord, that is why you are here, but it is most certainly not why I am here. I am here because you compel me to be here. All I ask is to be left alone to preach and to teach as God directs me. As, however, I must be here, I cannot fail to use these circumstances as an opportunity to speak against what I know to be an unjust and odious edict.
JUDGE WINGATE: Let me understand you. You are arguing that every man has a right, given him by Almighty God, to seek the Deity in his own way, even, if he chooses, without benefit of the English Church?
BUNYAN: That is precisely what I am arguing, M’lord. Or without benefit of any church.
JUDGE WINGATE: Do you know what you are saying? What of Papists and Quakers? What of pagan Mohammedans? Have these the right to seek God in their own misguided way?
BUNYAN: Even these M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: May I ask if you are particularly sympathetic to the views of these or other such deviant religious societies?
BUNYAN: I am not, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: Yet you affirm a God-given right to hold any alien religious doctrine that appeals to the warped minds of men?
BUNYAN: I do, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: I find your views impossible of belief. And what of those who, if left to their own devices, would have no interest in things heavenly? Have they the right to be allowed to continue unmolested in their error?
BUNYAN: It is my fervent belief that they do, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: And on what basis, might I ask, can you make such a rash affirmation?
BUNYAN: On the basis, M’lord, that a man’s religious views—or lack of them—are matters between his conscience and his God, and are not the business of the Crown, the Parliament, or even, with all due respect, M’lord, of the Court.
However much I may be in disagreement with another man’s sincerely held religious beliefs, neither I nor any other may disallow his right to hold those beliefs. No man’s rights in these affairs are secure if every other man’s rights are not equally secure.
JUDGE WINGATE: It is obvious, sir, that you are a victim of deranged thinking. If my ears deceive me not, I must infer from your words that you believe the State to have no interest in the religious life of its subjects.
BUNYAN: The State, M’lord, may have an interest in anything in which it wishes to have an interest. But the State has no right whatever to interfere in the religious life of its citizens.
JUDGE WINGATE: You are a tinker by trade, are you not, Mr. Bunyan?
BUNYAN: That is correct, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: Would you mind apprising this Court of the extent of your formal schooling?
BUNYAN: Not at all, M’lord. Able I am to read and write, and that with difficulty.
JUDGE WINGATE: I surmised as much. I think I perceive why you are unable to appreciate the disaster that would accompany your views should ever they hold sway in our society. I myself—and I say this in all modesty—am not inconsiderably trained in the historian’s discipline. If you were half so well-versed yourself, you would instantly recognize the fatal flaw in your reasoning. Throughout history, virtually every significant human tragedy has come about as a result of divergent religious views. Nation against nation. Brother against brother. War. Destruction. Devastation. Time and time again. And why? I shall tell your why, sir. It is because men cannot agree on which God to worship, and how to worship Him.
Now, after a long and arduous struggle, we have succeeded in forging a conformity in the religious beliefs of all Englishmen. All our problems will be resolved when everyone finally agrees to accommodate himself, and adopt the same orthodoxy of religious opinion. No more religious wars! No more divisive doctrinal disputes! Think of it, Mr. Bunyan! Does this not portend a society of which any man would be proud and happy to be a part?
BUNYAN: To a degree, M’lord, it admittedly does. But only if everyone can be convicted by virtue of reasoning alone to adopt identical views of God. The society that you describe is an appealing one, but I fear the cost is far too high. It would necessitate that honest men repudiate convictions honestly held.
JUDGE WINGATE: You are, Mr. Bunyan, a strong-willed and opinionated man. Yet, this Court finds it fascinating to speak with you, and wishes, time permitted, further discussion of our respective philosophies. But, alas, time is passing swiftly, and other cases await our attention. Let us move, then, to the matter before us, shall we? The evidence I hold in my hand—even apart from your own admission of guilt—is sufficient to convict you, and the Court is within its right to have you committed to prison for a considerably long time. I do not wish to send you to prison, Mr. Bunyan. I am aware of the poverty of your family, and I believe you have a little daughter who, unfortunately, was born blind. Is this not so?
BUNYAN: It is, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: Very well. The decision of the Court is this: Inasmuch as the accused has confessed his guilt, we shall follow a merciful and compassionate course of action. We shall release him on the condition that he swear solemnly to discontinue the convening of religious meetings, and that he affix his signature to such an oath prior to quitting the Courtroom. That will be all, Mr. Bunyan. I hope not to see you here again. May we hear the next case?
BUNYAN: M’lord, if I may have another moment of the Court’s time?
JUDGE WINGATE: Yes, but you must be quick about it. We have other matters to attend to. What is it?
BUNYAN: I cannot do what you ask of me, M’lord. I cannot place my signature upon any document in which I promise henceforth not to preach. My calling to preach the Gospel is from God, and He alone can make me discontinue what He has appointed me to do. As I have had no word from Him to that effect, I must continue to preach, and I shall continue to preach.
JUDGE WINGATE: Mr. Bunyan, you are trying the patience of this Court.
BUNYAN: That is not my intention, M’lord.
JUDGE WINGATE: I warn you, sir, the Court has gone the second mile to be lenient with you, out of concern for your family’s difficult straits. Truth to tell, it would appear that the Court’s concern for your family far exceeds your own. Do you wish to go to prison?
BUNYAN: No, M’lord. Few things there are that I would wish less.
JUDGE WINGATE: Very well, then, Mr. Bunyan. This Court will make one further attempt in good faith to accommodate what appears to be strongly held convictions on your part. In his compassion and beneficence, our Sovereign, Charles II, has made provision for dissenting preachers to hold some limited meetings. All that is required is that such ministers procure licenses authorizing them to convene these gatherings. The Court will not require you to sign any documents, but will require on your verbal commitment to proceed through proper channels to obtain licenses. You will not find the procedure burdensome, and even you, Mr. Bunyan, must surely grant the legitimacy of the State’s interest in ensuring that any fool with a Bible does not simply gather a group of people together and begin to preach to them. Imagine the implications were that to happen! Can you comply with this condition, Mr. Bunyan? Before you answer, mark you this: should you refuse, the Court will have no alternative but to sentence you to a prison term. Think, sir, of your poor wife. Think of your flock, who can hear you to their hearts’ content when you shall have secured your licenses. Think on these things, and give us your answer, sir!
BUNYAN: M’lord, I appreciate the Court’s efforts to be—as you have put it—accommodating. But again, I must refuse your terms. I must repeat that it is God who constrains me to preach, and no man or company of men may grant or deny me leave to preach. These licenses of which you speak, M’lord, are symbols not of a right, but of a privilege. Implied therein is the principle that a mere man can extend or withhold them according to his whim. I speak not of privileges, but of rights. Privileges granted by men may be denied by men. Rights are granted by God, and can be legitimately denied by no man. I must, therefore, refuse to comply.
JUDGE WINGATE: Very well, Mr. Bunyan. Since you persist in your intractability, and since you reject this Court’s honest effort at compromise, you leave us no choice but to commit you to Bedford jail for a period of six years. If you manage to survive, I should think that your experience will correct your thinking. If you fail to survive, that will be unfortunate. In any event, I strongly suspect that we have heard the last we shall ever hear from Mr. John Bunyan. Now, may we hear the next case.
____________________
HT: Jacob Spenst, preaching on February 28, 2021, at GraceLife Church, Edmonton, Canada
Source of the transcript: http://www.genuineleatherbible.net/2012/john-bunyans-trial-the-breedlove-papers
We could say that about a lot of things. Some will think that I’m meaning the end of temporal days, well it is clearly nearer than before. Some might think I’m meaning of my life, that too is nearer than before.
I’m meaning the end of preaching through Isaiah. Lord willing, is within two Sunday’s.
I began preaching through Isaiah on August 8, 2017. You read that correctly, August 8, 2017. Now there were several breaks along the way where we addressed things that would require a biblical lens upon a cultural issue. Here are a few statistics that are really only of interest to me.
In just looking at the pictures of the first sermon and the latest sermon there are a few visual differences.
Nearly three-and-a-half years through the book of Isaiah. The span of time is striking.
I can no longer wear that jacket I wore on August 8, 2017.
I ran a 1/2 marathon the week after I started preaching Isaiah, I don’t even want to think about that kind of distance now.
I now need glasses to read just about anything closer than the pulpit.
I’ve had two root-canals.
I preached through the passing of kidney stone and lived. (not my best moment in the pulpit, I should never try that again, ever.)
My facial hair is not as dark as it once was.
I now have two grandchildren and a third one on the way.
I buried two girls at New Horizon Home in Haiti.
I preached through a global “pandemic”.
I would do it all again (well, maybe not the kidney stone.)
The time in the book of Isaiah has been rich for me. I would recommend every pastor I know to preach through Isaiah. My understanding of the church is better, I know more about God and realize I know less than I thought, my understanding of Heaven is better, my eschatology is better, my vocabulary is broader, joy is richer, sorrow is deeper, hope is fixed, I’m more evangelistic in my practice, prayer is more Biblical, anticipation for Christ return more urgent.
Look closely at what is going on at the Statehouse. We are more than half way through the Idaho Legislative session and very few bills have been introduced or completed with regard to liberty. The people have been busy working and raising their families and those elected representatives have made slow progress at limiting the authority the Governor exercised this past year (while he continues to brag about the economy).
A good bill was introduced recently to protect a person from being discriminator against because they exercise a right to not be vaccinated or parents who don’t want to vaccinate their children.
The bill was introduced by Pricilla Giddings and was debated on the House floor today (2/23/21). The bill passed. (read the bill here: House Bill 140)
Where the bill passed the House and is ready for the Senate to debate it notice how your representation are voting. Both of my representatives voted against this bill. I have already written them asking for clarification, but notice the disregard to personal liberty by their nay vote.
Look over this list and you will notice a few things. First: the majority of the nay votes are Democrats, the other nay votes were elected as Republicans behaving like a Democrat. Every Republican voting this way needs someone willing to run against them in the next election cycle.
This bill will protect you from being discriminated against for not getting vaccinated. Any vaccination.
This is what every pastor in Canada, and the USA, should say this coming Lord’s day as they unlock their church house, and every born-again believer should say while exchanging their pajamas for their Sunday best as they prepare to gather in person on the Lord’s Day.
I’m convinced we need to stop saying we are living in unprecedented times and should rather call the day unpredictable. I don’t know of many people who could have predicted this would be happening in North America. However, this would be more accurate and in accord with the normal Christian life around the world. The problem is that the God-hating world doesn’t understand that Romans 13 is not theirs to interpret according to their philosophy.
This past Lord’s day, James Coates, pastor of GraceLife Church in Alberta, Canada, spent his day behind bars (and still is) because he, and his church, refused to comply with government mandates that unnecessarily restrict the gathered people of God. Seen by some as an act of civil disobedience, I call it humble obedience to the Almighty God who holds sovereign authority of the church.
The western church needs to be reminded of the days when the church was on the vanguard or at the tip of the spear of the great gospel advancing days of the last missionary expanse to the ends of the earth.
Think about it… when have you heard or seen a faithful shepherd say anything like C.T. Studd in his missionary article “the Chocolate Soldier”.
“In peace true soldiers are captive lions, fretting in their cages. War gives them their liberty and sends them, like boys bounding out of school, to obtain their heart’s desire or perish in the attempt. Battle is the soldier’s vital breath! Peace turns him into a stooping asthmatic. War makes him a whole man again, and gives him the heart, strength, and vigor of a hero.”
C.T. Studd
Battle cures the asthmatic church from her gasping for life. When the church forgets her duty and takes off her gospel shoes she will soon be a melted goo of chocolate because she set her shield down while getting too close to the flame and can no longer hold the shape of her former condition.
Are your gospel shoes in the back corner of the closet? Maybe you donated your gospel shoes to the Salvation Army? This much is most likely true, your gospel shoes have likely never been worn on the battlefield.
Finally, I want to lovingly say to my brother pastors who are not holding in-person gatherings. It’s time to relocate the keys to the church house and open the doors. There is a brother who has been found obeying God and charged by men as being a danger to society. I refuse to let this kind of brother stand alone on that field.
I’m praying for you. I’ve got you covered. You are not on the battlefield alone.
Who would have thought that a claim of a global pandemic would help wake up the sleepy western church?
Today, the local church has to at least ask questions about who they believe the head of the church is. Fundamentally; is the state the head of the church, is the pastor the head of the church, or is Christ the head of the church?
One will treat the church depending on how they answer this question.
If the pastor is the head of the church, that church will soon collapse. Personalities come and go. Trends eventually need to be adjusted to stay in front of the secular trends.
If the state is the head of the church, that church will capitulate to another God ordained institution that does not have the jurisdiction to be the head of the Lord’s bride, the church. That local church would eventually look to the state for permission to speak, meet, act, read, sing, evangelize, etc… The state is responsible to protect the church from infringement from any other, including the state.
If Christ is the head of the church, and He is, then no other institution under heaven has the authority to instruct the church on when, what can be said, what to wear, or what percentage of its seating capacity can attend.
Most are watching what will come of the recent arrest and imprisonment of a pastor in Canada. James Coates, pastor at Grace Life Church in Edmonton, Canada was arrested this past week for preaching to a gathered people of more than what the government permitted them to have. When told he could go home if he promised to not preach to more people than permitted he informed the authorities that he would not and could not make such a promise. The result, he will remain in jail until his trial date of March 31.
What now?
First, do you see how important it is to how you answer the above question? Who you say is the head of the church is how you will act toward the church.
Then, you should not willingly abandon the church house this coming Lord’s Day. Heads of homes, gather your family together before Sunday morning and instruct them that we are no longing treating the bride of Christ with such careless attention.
I encourage you to gather your family together and listen to the sermon James Coates preached the day before he was arrested and imprisoned (see link below). Put Christ in front of yourself and your family and be resolved to not let any temporary discomfort keep you from gathering with the local followers of Christ ever again.
