By Jim Miller
Gray, Maine
It never ceases to amaze me when I am talking to others who say our church is sound and our preacher is so loving and kind an such a good speaker then they turn around and say hey come to our social gathering ie… Movie night, Game night, etc… If your church is so sound and your preacher so good why are you jumping on the denominational/liberal bandwagon?
If your preacher were sound he would be more worried about your spiritual needs than how much fun you can have. He would understand that the church isn't a social club for entertaining. You have to ask where is the authority from God's word for the church to be a social club? Where in God's word did Christ ever teach that this is a work of His church? Is this one of the purposes Christ died to build His church?
Jesus intended His church to be a spiritual organization, not a social organization. Peter wrote: "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). The church is to provide the Gospel of Christ to save a person's soul, (Rom. 1:16-17). This is called evangelism. The church also edifies her members so each member grows in the gospel.
When we allow the social gospel to be taught above the authorized work of the church we have fallen into error plain and simple. This trend that starts out so innocently as a so-called good work leads to further error such as fellowship with false teachers and so on. There is a conspicuous absence of evidence that the Lord intends for local churches to engage in politics, social reforms, athletic competition, or other recreational activities. I cannot read any Biblical injunction that would authorize local churches to sponsor bowling teams, softball teams, hay rides, banquets or craft classes. Yet I read almost daily of some local churches that think they are still the Lord's churches engaging vehemently in these things.
Many churches today do not have qualified men to be elders so the congregation may look to their preacher and the men of the assembly to handle the churches work properly. If your preacher introduces social activities or allows other to do so with out correcting them I would suggest you start looking for a sound man to preach for you. If you have elders that condone such nonsense you will want to make your voice heard in opposition to such social/liberal activities.
The local church has God-given work it is to be doing. Briefly stated, its work is evangelism to the lost (1 Thess.1:8; Phil. 1:5), the spiritual edification of its members (Acts 2:42; 20:28-32; Eph. 4:11-16), and benevolence to needy saints (Acts 4:34-35; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; 1 Tim. 5:16). This is the sum of the work authorized in the New Testament by Jesus for the local church. Since we are to function only under the authority of our head (who is Christ Eph. 1:22-23; 5:24; Col. 3:17), we should be content with the work he has instructed us to perform in our congregational capacity.
All I ask is that you study and give thought to what is said here. If this is going on where you worship please do something about it before it is too late.
