The Fellowship of God's People

Everyone who has been a Christian for some time knows what it is like to become disappointed with the local church. I know of people who have become so disillusioned that they have stopped attending any church and instead hold "church" in their homes for their own families. You may be tempted to think this is a laudable thing, but allow me to say that it is not. It is, in fact, a sin. In this short piece I would like to share with my dear readers why I hold to this position and why I cannot do anything but speak against this disturbing practice among too many professing Believers.

Before I do so, however, do not think for one moment that I believe family worship is wrong. Far from it! The family that engages in this practice, in addition to their corporate worship with other Believers is doing a very good thing. They are to be commended and I wish I could be numbered among them, but it is not so. My greatest failing as the head of my home has been in my lack of consistent home study with my family. May the Lord who has forgiven me help me to be more responsible in the future!

About those who refrain from attending church, if any of you are reading this, I exhort you to turn away from this foolishness and find the best church you can and serve in it. While it is true that we are all ministers of the Lord, it is also true that some are specifically called to be teachers in the church of God. Many men, while good servants of the Lord, are not qualified to teach anything more than the rudimentary basics of the faith. They do their families a disservice when they think they will fill the role of teaching elder, deacon, and everything else rolled into one! But as in all things, let us examing the Word of God for the final determination in this issue. It matter not one iota what you and I think or how we feel about the issue...all that matters is what the Word of God says!

The best known passage, the one most often quoted, is of course Hebrews 10:23-25, which says that we should "...hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

However strongly they who have removed themselves from church attendance feel about the issue, the writer of Scripture (ultimately God Himself!) cautions the Believer NOT to forsake the assembly! What a tragedy, brothers and sisters, to see that even the infant church knew of this issue! An even bigger tragedy is that generation after generation, down to our present one, has continued to make the same mistake...to continue to sin against the clear teaching of the Word of God! Look closely at the passage...we are to come together to stir one another to love and good deeds! This is not referring to a mom, a dad, and their kids...no, this is the family of Believers! All of those of us who are born again, spiritually awakened by the Holy Spirit! We are to gather together in a local assembly!

Look also at Acts 2:40-42, which reads as follows:

"And with many other words he [Peter] testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

This is the record of the first sermon of the church of Jesus Christ! And of those formerly lost sheep who were saved, they stayed home on the Lord's Day. Oh wait...no they didn't! They continued in fellowship, a fellowship consisting of learning the doctrine given unto them, a fellowship consisting of the breaking of bread, which is why potlucks are so important! Just kidding on that last one...though they are. The breaking of bread refers to the observance of the Supper! And finally, dear brethren, they fellowshipped that they might pray together. Unless you who stay at home have appointed elders called upon by the Holy Spirit AND meet with more than just your immediate family, you are in disobedience to the clear teaching of Scripture! Remember that Acts 6:1-4 tells us that there some who are called to serve tables (deacons) and some who are called to the ministry of the Lord (elders). Staying at home does not permit us to serve as we are called...nor does it allow us to be served as we might need!

This last is something we dare not ignore. Indeed, in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 we read the following:

"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Brothers...you who have removed your families from the assembly, do you dare to proclaim yourself exempt from the hearing of the Word preached by one who is called to do so? These shepherds are there to convince us, to rebuke us and exhort us...do not hate that which God has provided for us!

One final verse I'd like to share is from Proverbs 18:1, which reads as follows:

"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment."

Brothers and sisters...is this you? Have you isolated yourself from the people of God out of some sinful desire? Be honest...is it the added sleep that attracts you? Is it the freedom from someone to exhort you? Turn away from this and do not disdain the church of our Christ! Do not think I do not know what it is to feel disappointment in a church. I do. I left a church where a pastor flat out refused to discipline a member of his staff who was walking in sin, refusing out of some misplaced notion of loyalty to a staff member...forgetting his first loyalty was to the purity of the church for which Jesus Christ died. Without a shadow of a doubt, leaving that church was the right thing to do. But upon leaving that church my first concern was to begin finding a new church for my family. To find a body of Believers with whom to join so that I could eventually find my place to minister. Not going to church was NEVER an option. How could it ever be an option for the Believer?

If you are reading this, and you are one who has removed themselves from assembly with the saints, I plead with you to repent and return to the fold. Do not hoard the gifts you have been given by refusing to use them for the edification of the church.

God Bless.