The time is rapidly approaching when many members of the Church of Christ will have to make some hard, painful decisions about their spiritual life and place of worship. The pressure that will force these decisions is being applied by a number of preachers and professors who have appointed themselves to introduce and implement revolutionary changes within our churches. The zeal and determination already manifested by those promoting change makes it evident that the pressure surely will increase in days ahead. Each unchallenged step, each victory, makes them bolder and more aggressive. When the problems surface in your congregation, and they surely will, each disciple will have to decide which way he or she will go. Among the options are the following:
I. One can go with the change agents when they infiltrate and capture your home congregation. For some, whose faith, conviction and commitment are anemic and shallow, this will pose no problem. For such, one church is as good as another, it really does not matter what one believes. They are not choosing between God’s will and men’s will, for them the choice is just a matter of personal preference. We can only pity those whose faith has so little substance to it. They ignore the clear warning God provided them (Acts 20:28-29).
II. Those with strong faith and deep convictions cannot follow the above course. If they are unable to convince their brethren to remain faithful to Christ’s Word, they will have to leave a congregation that has left its Biblical roots and seek out a sound congregation that is holding fast to the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Some will be fortunate to find a good church nearby, others will have to drive a distance. Even though such a commute imposes some hardships, the consolation of worshiping and serving with those of like precious faith, makes it worth while.
III. Some who are strong in faith and not easily discouraged will fight to save their congregation from the hands of those interlopers who would capture it. Every new faction that emerges always makes a grab for the property and facilities of existing congregations. The tactics used are sometimes unscrupulous. To go out and start a new congregation from scratch; to purchase their own property, is too big a task so they make a grab for the property someone else built and paid for. One should never be ashamed of, nor apologetic for, resisting those who like wolves have invaded the sheep fold (Matt. 7:15). If anyone is to leave, let it be those who want to have a new and different faith and practice.
IV. If the forces of change succeed in capturing your congregation and you are unable to salvage it, a faithful Christian will bid them a sad adieu. More important than friendships, past memories, even family ties, is one’s loyalty to king Jesus. There will doubtless be cases where faithful disciples will be forced to plant a new congregation that is loyal to God’s Word and begin again the work of winning the lost and building up the kingdom of God. They will seek out the faithful remnant and go to work. Perhaps they will have to meet in a private home until growth allows them to do better. Those who commandeer the old congregation will likely accuse them of splitting the church; call them a faction or a splinter; try to turn others against them by ridicule and misrepresentation. But God will bless their efforts and like a scion from a fine old fruit tree they will take root, grow and bear fruit for Christ. This is exactly what our great grandfathers had to do a century ago when the progressives among them (Disciples of Christ/Christian Churches) abandoned the old faith and set about to reconstruct the faith and worship of our brethren.
V. Some will no doubt turn away from the church in disgust and discouragement. So deep will be their wounds and disillusionment that they will turn away from Christ altogether and drift back into a life of sin.
Others will seek fellowship in some denominational body where at least they can worship in peace, free from disruption. How tragic such a situation will be, but be certain it will occur. Those whose insistence on change drives these souls from God’s church will stand before the Master, guilty of the blood of those they have turned away from the Master’s fold of safety.
