Shepherd the Flock

I sometimes find it very difficult to relay to people just how important it is to be in a strong local church. So much of our growth and sanctification as Christians relies on this! It just seems to be an issue that is not taken very seriously. Many have been a casualty of the belief that the vast resources available to the Christian now days (books, sermons, seminars), along with a firm resolution to honor the Lord in all things, is enough to supplement any glaring weaknesses in or lack of involvement with their local church. I am saddened by how comfortable we get sometimes, as if a prayerful consideration of changing churches is something to be avoided at all costs.

Needless to say, let me today put aside exactly why it is so important to be in a sound local body (sound doctrine, godly leaders, biblical church government, scriptural accountability, proper administration of the sacraments, etc.), trusting that the scriptures will reveal to you just how important Godly fellowship and Shepherding are to your soul, and instead let me share a few implications of church membership that we would do well to consider.

When considering a church home, and whether to leave or stay where we’re at, let us remember that:

Right or wrong, you will become a product of your environment:

Scripture clearly warns us about the company we keep (bad company ruins good morals), and right or wrong, the church you are a part of will somewhat set the ’standard’ of living in YOUR Christian life. If others in your church (especially leaders) gloss over certain small sins as no big deal, you will undoubtedly feel less of the sting of conscience for these in your own life. If others in your church (especially leaders) place small importance on certain practical duties, or sound doctrine, or an area of Christian love, obedience, or humility, you will undoubtedly follow the same path. This does not leave you with an excuse if you are struggling in this or that area, but it must be considered when taking an objective look at what congregation you choose to be a part of.

The people in the church will ultimately follow their leaders, and so will you:
A church may be full of wonderful people or downright frightening people, but they will for the most part follow their leaders, eventually. They will follow their leader’s example, their character, their measure of love, their measure of humility; they will like what the leaders like, and hate what the leaders hate. Every church will have its percentage of unbelievers –no matter how doctrinally sound, and every church will have their percentages of loners who go their own way, but we need not get caught up in trying to determine whether a church is sound or not by looking at the people who attend. Instead, the church is ultimately reflective of its leaders. Is the church generally unloving, unbelieving, apathetic, proud, etc.? Most likely, the leaders, by example, pass these things and these attitudes down to the body, which is why we must be cautious. But all things considered, we must understand that the leaders set the standards and the direction for the church, and where they lead the flock is sure to follow.

A church that does not hold to sound doctrine will inevitably hurt your spiritual growth:
Yes, there are an endless amount of resources out there (books, sermons, seminars, friends) which can somewhat supplement you doctrinally when you are in a church that is shallow or unsound. But make no mistake about it, without a consistent hearing of the pure gospel, without the regular administration of the Lord’s Supper from a proper doctrinal standpoint, without sound doctrine underlying everything that the elders teach, you, as a regular member, will suffer spiritually. Now there may be occasions where one stays in an unsound congregation to work towards reform, or when the church is headed in the right direction doctrinally but they just haven’t arrived yet, but even in these situations it must be understood that you will somewhat suffer spiritually during these times. The bottom line is this: if there is an area of doctrine within the church that you disagree with, you will not be fully committed in both mind and spirit to be a part of the body, love others, submit to the leaders, and generally sacrifice yourself for the church, no matter how dedicated you are to overlooking the particular disagreement.

A sound doctrinal statement doesn’t mean that they adhere to it:
Many are the churches now days that talk a big game with their doctrinal statement, but who put little or no effort into actually practicing what they preach. Make no mistake: the doctrine of a church is by far the most important aspect of choosing a church, but doctrine on paper means absolutely nothing without the doctrine of life. One example that comes to mind would be the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). On paper, I heartily agree with the Baptist Faith and Message. Yes, I think it could be defined and tweaked a little better, but there is nothing contained within that I would personally disagree with! Unfortunately, the reality is that the vast majority of SBC churches know nothing of what they profess, and have strayed far off the path of what they actually claim to believe. But an even better example of this point would be a church that has a strong doctrinal statement, and preaches it with great fervor, but whose life, starting with the leaders, reflect little of what they teach to others. Strong doctrine is everything, but it can also mean absolutely nothing!

You will become a part of that church’s reputation:
This is very important, but is so often overlooked. We should always, always, research the surrounding community when considering a local church. What sort of reputation do they have with unbelievers? What sort of reputation do they have with their physical neighbors? What do other churches in the area think of them? Have the leaders reached out to other local churches in any way? What do people have against them (anything outside of offense of the gospel should be thoroughly examined)? What kind of impressions have they given others? Etc. We must remember that we are signing up our name to that church’s reputation, and that should definitely warrant some serious consideration and research. If the church has offended or wronged others in any way, or if the reputation is poor, or if other churches in the area have something against them, and you join that congregation, you have just become an accomplice in their previous actions and reputation moving forward.

How the church treats worship will effect your own worship:
Does the church promote dead and lifeless worship? Do they participate in showmanship and man-centered worship? Is worship more than just simply singing, but includes corporate prayer and the emphasis on the reading, proclaiming, and preaching of God’s word? Their view and method of worship on the Lord’s Day will certainly affect your own view of worship, and your own private worship during the week.

How the church treats prayer will effect your own prayer life:
Is there an emphasis on intercessory prayer? Is corporate prayer encouraged? Are the children and new Christians consistently taught the proper, Biblical way to pray, as Jesus taught His disciples? If there is a lack of emphasis on prayer among the leaders, it will spill over into your own life.

How the church treats God’s law will effect your view of the law; how the church treats God’s written Word will effect its prominence in your life, and how the church treats the very gospel itself will seriously impact your own views and emphasis on the gospel. Etc.

Conclusion:
If you’re like me, you probably think that no matter what kind of church you attend, your going to stick to your own views on things such as these. And, I must say, for the most part, you can stick to your guns in confession, no matter what kind of church you’re in, but certainly not in practice. Going back the points I made above, unless you are a leader (a biblically qualified elder), then God has instructed you to be led by others in spiritual matters. That means you must submit to and follow after the example which others set for you. Even further than that, scripture teaches that you will be a follower, whether you choose to or not! Our pride hates to admit it, and we will deny it, but the scriptures are clear in teaching that the sheep will follow the shepherd.

My friends, take great pains in praying, considering, and deciding where to attend the local church. And when you find one that looks good, fully commit yourselves to the leaders, the doctrine, and the example of life of those who are to keep watch over your soul.