The Berean Blogs

(Our search for a biblically sound church)

(Also a segway into my next seven blogs about the Churches in Revelation)

With our recent move to small town Indiana, we have begun the search for a Church to call our home. Moving from Grand Rapids, MI (the Reformed center of America) to northern Indiana has been a bit of a shock regarding Church selection. There are far fewer options. Basically you have KJV only baptist churches or smaller denominations that use the NIV bible. Maybe this is because when you go to a “Christian” bookstore (aka Walmart) those are your only options. Back in GR we had Baker Bookhouse and The Reformed Heritage bookstore that have just about any translation you could want. Likely because this is where many if not most popular christian book publishers are located.

So trying to find a Church that fits all our families needs has been a little more trying than before. I did try one of the KJV only Churches since that is my preferred translation anyway but they tend to be smaller, older people, and a youth group for the kids is virtually non-existent. I have tried a fewer of the NIV churches and they have been doctrinally compromised. Some blatantly so and some subtlety so. I am not saying this is a bible translation issue, but I am not saying it isn’t either. For example one church I was going to attend, stated right on their website that their aim was to not offend anyone. The gospel is offensive to sinners, it says so itself(verse here). If people do not know they are sinners they cannot be saved. True repentance comes from admitting you are a sinner in need of a savior because you cannot be good enough on your own. Another church I tried twice. The first time it seemed like it was a little light on doctrine but not compromising it. The second time was going well, in fact he was talking about living Godly in an ungodly world…until he got to the subject of homosexual marriage. I admit that the Church has historically put this sin on a pedestal and brushed under the rug other sexual sins such as adultery, fornication, and sexual lust in general. Because of this, I believe many churches have swung the pendulum in the other direction which is also not what the Bible instructs. The truth is that this sin is detestable to the Lord (Psalm 5:4 and many others) just like every other sin and we as Christians aren’t to approve of sin but to point people to Jesus for salvation and allow the Holy Spirit to work in them to repentance. That is not to say we aren’t to help and hold accountable fellow brothers and sisters.This is NOT judging by the way. Only God can judge, which is rendering a punishment for offenses against Him. We don’t have the power to render judgement, thankfully. There is however, a manner of holding Christians accountable that is demonstrated in the Bible (Matthew 18:15-17).

I kind of derailed there but I needed to in order for the context of why the second church I mentioned subtlety compromised on truth. The pastor stated that homosexual union is a sin but then said it isn’t his place to decide if someone should attend a loved one’s wedding if it is between two same sex people. So lets break this down. God created marriage therefore he gets to define it. He defined it as a union between one man and one woman. Even Jesus reiterates this in the New Testament (Matthew 19:4-5). So if a marriage between two same sex individuals is in fact sinful and goes against Gods instructions and marriage is a celebration of a union, then it tracks that if we go to that wedding we are in fact celebrating sin. The Bible says “what does light have to do with darkness”(2 Corinthians 6:14) and that “we are to live in the world, not of the world”.

Suffice it to say our Church search is not going as well as I had hoped. I thought moving to small town Indiana would have been a blessing from a church perspective. Many of the compromises that tend to infiltrate churches in bigger cities seem to be just as prevalent here. It turns out compromise isn’t just a big city church problem but an American church problem and likely a world church problem. This isn’t just a recent problem either, it has always existed since the disciples were still on earth and even before in the Old Testament. It always starts with a compromise on what God said. In fact the first mention of it is by a serpent in Genesis 3. I will say it is getting more rampant in these final days. We are living in the days of Noah where people are regarding God less and less. Sin is allowed more and more. Most are desensitized to this because the evil one has been very sneaky and crafty and he has a lot of time to influence the Church around the world. His time is getting short, however, and he knows it. He is ramping up his efforts and the world is becoming more immoral by the day. I pray that, whether Jesus comes back in one year or a hundred years, that we who remain in the faith will finish strong and not bend to the world.

I look forward to writing about the seven churches in revelation. It will be based on the three aspects of those letters. First on the historical church that existed during that time. Second on where that church fits in the timeline of History. Finally on how that church exists today.n In the mean time keep looking up for our redemption draws nigh! Maranatha!