December 4, 2005

Looking for a Few Good Churches

http://www.apostasyalert.org/tyranny_of_tbn.htm

Also, I would love to hear testimonies of good churches and good pastors who know how to expound the Word of Truth, please share those stories along with their web links with us. It seems that uncompromising pastors are in such short supply. I know they're out there, I'd just like to know where. In looking at church links on the web, a lot can be determined by their links pages. So many churches that I might think are good choices link to places like Willow Creek and Saddleback Community churches. Why? Why are these pastors so undiscerning?

Today I visited a local church and the bulletin had an insert of news stories that were from a so-called Christian source. They included an article about what the pope is doing in the Middle East and the story of some heroic former Catholic nun -- next to a few other stories of Evangelical interest. On top of that in the actual bulletin they quoted Augustine - a church father who affirmed the false doctrine of Purgatory. A Roman Catholic resource documented:

"St. Augustine, one of the greatest doctors of the Church, said the doctrine of Purgatory `'has been received from the Fathers and it is observed by the Universal Church.''' [Adapted from the booklet The Catholic Church Has the Answer by Paul Whitcomb, published by TAN Books and Publishers, Rockford, IL 1986.]

And then the pastor led the congregation in a very Catholic-looking communion service. He held up an unbroken piece of cracker up over his head, broke it, while pronouncing his blessing that went something like this: "Take this all of you, for this is my body; take and drink this, for this is the blood of my covenant for the forgiveness of sins." And then the congregation was instructed to walk up to the "altar" to pick up the elements. As a former Catholic, this ritualized Lord’s table offended me.

Ecumenism is everywhere. I want to start a "good churches" links page for solid believers seeking a solid church fellowship. But I'm not optimistic. I just don't know of any that have all the right ingredients with discerning leadership who won’t go along with all the church fads blowing around. And to be a "good church" the worship leader also must be one with the spiritual gifting to lead worship and does not lead the congregation in singing songs with unbiblical lyrics or songs that focus on anything or anyone but the Lord Jesus.

And the "good churches" must have pastors who rightly divide the Word of Truth and teach Scripture not merely using a verse here or there to illustrate his own topical message. The sheep need to be fed and equipped. Where is that happening? If you know, please share that!