I would ask that you please read this blog in its entirety before drawing any conclusions or making any judgements.
So, with that said, I would like to discuss this topic, which seems to stir up lots of passion, mixed emotions, and personal opinions among believers: whether to attend a local church or not.
Let me start by saying, I Love Church, especially the local church. My wife and I have devoted the best years of our lives to building the church, developing deep relationships, leading the church, and teaching God’s people. Being a part of a local Church has left an indelible mark on our lives. There’s something about building relationships among brothers and sisters in Christ that is a beautiful thing; it touches something of eternity within us. So I don’t want you thinking I’m against being a part of a local church, but there are some things that disturb me. More on that later.
My Wife and I have been through a continual process in the last ten years. After decades of living church life, a troubling unrest started growing within me. I couldn’t explain it; I knew the devil wasn’t trying to throw me off track, but something kept gnawing at me. It was so bad that one Sunday morning, while driving to church, all I kept thinking about was the trip home and how I hated being there. After the service, I told my wife, I can’t do this anymore, something isn’t right, I need a break to hear from God. So with that, we stopped attending a local church. Now, keep in mind, I’m not some newbie off the street. I gave my life to Jesus when I was just twelve years old, and I’m no stranger to the dealings of God. I knew my closest friends and the congregation wouldn’t understand, but there comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to hear God for yourself.
Since then, the Holy Spirit began peeling off bad layers of my thinking. One thing I’ve realized is that although I’ve gained a lot of understanding about being a Christian through my involvement in a local church, I’ve also been exposed to a lot of incorrect theology and just wrong thinking. So here are a few things I’ve learned.
Our salvation is not wrapped up in being a part of a church
Very early in the process, the Holy Spirit confronted me with this question: “Do you believe you have lost your salvation because you are not a part of a church?” I didn’t answer right away. He wanted me to think about it. After a day, I finally concluded that the answer is no. Salvation is based on believing in Jesus Christ! Yes, it’s true we become members of Christ’s body, but just because you attend church does not mean you are going to heaven. Over the centuries, we have set this precedent to both believers and non-believers, and it simply isn’t true.
I’ll say it again, Salvation is based on believing/faith in Jesus Christ, and there is a plethora of scriptures to back this up.
Do not take a truth of Scripture and make it THE truth
I once heard a true story about two friends who, at one time, attended the same church. Months later, one of the friends made it very clear that they could no longer be friends or in a relationship because they were not part of the same church. Oh, dear Jesus, help us! Seriously? Our Christ-centered relationships are built on whether or not we attend the same church? This kind of thinking stems from an unhealthy or over-exaggerated view of the Church.
Attending church is a truth of Scripture, but it’s not the truth. There are many aspects to being a Christian, and I dare say the most important one that really matters to God is how we treat one another. Jesus said the world will know you are mine by the love you have for one another. If Churches are not built on the foundation of God’s love, then the foundation will have flaws in it.
The Red Herring effect
The Red Herring effect is a distraction or misdirection used to lead someone away from the main issue. The term originated from a practice of using strongly cured or smoked herring, which turns reddish and pungent, to train hunting dogs by diverting their attention from the real scent trail.
In Galatians, Paul makes a very strong statement: If anyone preaches a different Gospel than the one I’ve preached to you, let him be a curse. This implies that there are different (manmade) versions of the Gospel. In the book of Acts, Paul references his version as the Gospel of Grace, which he received by revelation from the Lord himself (Gal. 1:12).
The whole book of Galatians goes into great detail about how new believers found their freedom in Christ, but then others came in and persuaded them that they must keep the Law of Moses as well. This is not only a different Gospel, but it also frustrates the Holy Spirit, because it takes us back to a performance-based Christianity. Unfortunately, this continues to this day—a Red Herring meant to draw us off the trail.
Jesus gave his life to establish a new Covenant with mankind (Heb. 10), yet Churches continue to preach a Gospel that mixes law and Grace. This has to stop! Looking back on it now, this had a lot to do with my unrest and gnawing in my Spirit.
The Online Church
Ever since COVID, the Church has been confronted with the online Church. As far as I’m concerned, it’s better than not going to Church altogether. Whether you agree or not, it’s not going away. Church Leaders can embrace it or reject reaching a whole host of Christians and non-Christians. I, for one, thank God for it. These past three years, through an online Church, my Wife and I have had our eyes opened to the Gospel of Grace, which has completely transformed our thinking, and taught us how to truly live a Christian life, this time correctly.
So, am I against attending a local church? Absolutely not! If you can find a church that will teach you how to live life from the Gospel of Grace, then by all means, check it out. However, if you are in some weird stage of life, be it work schedule, physical condition, or you are not comfortable being around people, please, I’ll say it again, please find an online Church. The goal of the Church (local or online) is to help you renew your mind. Just make sure you ask, and then listen to the Holy Spirit as to what to watch, because you do not want to fall into the issues I’ve outlined.
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