CHURCHIANITY

I Was Just Thinking About - - -

“Churchianity” is loosely defined as: “The devolution of Christianity into a mutual admiration society, a social club, which stresses adapting to the modern world instead of purging the evils out of this world.” The Biblical definition is couched in the words of II Timothy 3:1-5, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

Another aspect of “Churchianity” is the revolving door syndrome. The people described above attempt to influence a Church into thinking the way they do. If they are not as successful as they wish to be, they usually exit Church One and attempt their influence in Church 2. The defining of this tactic is given in I John 2:18-19 as John writes about the antichrist and those who follow him: “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”

“Churchianity” allows a given group of people to be somewhat myopic in their view and understanding of what is or isn’t a Biblical Church. To be myopic means that one is: “unable or unwilling to act prudently; shortsighted; lacking tolerance or understanding; narrow-minded.” The focus of “Churchianity” is growing in numbers and retaining all those who have begun to attend. Usually, one’s profession of faith is taken for granted. After all, they are attending “our” Church so they must be “Christians.” Some of these same people may become disruptive or critical of what the Church is teaching/preaching and how the Church is operating. When they don’t get their way, they exit the Church with varying degrees of fanfare. The broad question then becomes, who or what was the cause of their leaving. In too many instances, the fingers get pointed at the Pastor. He comes under the pressure because “Those who went out from us, did not really belong to us.” They were not one in faith and practice. We would do well to remember that Paul wrote in II Timothy 4 some of those who had abandoned him and departed. He mentions Demas and Crescens. Then in verses 14-15, he makes a scathing declaration: “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.”

In September 2014, Ed Stetzer discussed the true marks of a Biblical Church. He narrowed it down to six areas. He wrote, “Churches should: (1) function under the authority of Scripture; (2) have biblical leadership; (3) exercise biblical preaching and teaching; (4) partake in the ordinances/sacraments; (5) be in covenant community; and (6) live/go on mission together.” Theopedia also has enumerated that which a Church should embrace. It is stated as the Means of Grace. This includes the proper place given to God’s Word and the preaching and teaching of it. There is the important emphasis upon Prayer and seeking the face and will of God. There should be the Singing together of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Acts 16:25, Epjesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). Finally, there should be the faithful and regular observance of the Sacraments – Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. Some would see a necessity for the attachment of Church Discipline as another means of God’s Grace, when properly administered.

In a Shepherd’s Conference conducted by Grace To You Ministries, Chuck Swindoll began with his thoughts about the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:18, “I want to focus our attention on one particular part of this text and that is verse 18 where the Lord says: ‘I will build My church.’ Men can build buildings and men can build organizations but only Jesus Christ can build the church. There are churches built by men, some of them you have attended, no doubt, as I have. But here our Lord says: ‘I will build My church,’ the only one approved by God and supernaturally constructed.” We need to move away from “Churchianity” into “Christianity" as Jesus intended and stated it to be. Consider these things with me!