Chapter 26: OF THE CHURCH
Parts Sixteen through Eighteen of Eighteen
Just because the true Church is exclusively comprised of believers and local churches are mostly believers, that doesn’t mean there are no problems between members. The Confession (chapt.26, par.13), explaining scripture, instructs us that individual believers involved in a dispute are commanded to try to resolve disputes among themselves. Believers involved in disputes among themselves must not boycott church. It is the very place they need most to be.
If the dispute cannot be solved between the members, and if the church though the leadership must settle the dispute, the members must submit themselves to the rule of the church.
The modern idea of simply “changing churches” because of a dispute is altogether unbiblical. This action results not only in disputes being left unresolved, but in the members involved missing incredibly important lessons to be learned about differing instead of demanding, and submitting instead of departing. In the end, the work of grace in the church is short-circuited in favor of personal preferences (most of which tend to be quite petty).
Who says the Confession doesn’t address anything practical?
(Part Seventeen)
As Jesus said, His house (the Church) is to be a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13). To that end, Christians united together in a local church need to be committed, not only to serving one another, but to praying with and for one another. Beyond praying only for our local church, since all believers are members of the universal church, we ought also to pray for the Church around the world.
Let us do this in our private times of prayer with the Lord. Let us do this in family prayer times. And let us understand the role of corporate prayer in the Church. Though prayer meetings are typically the least attended meetings in most churches (they are usually in a dead heat for last place with evangelism efforts)—they should be the heartbeat of the life of a healthy local church.
How will this change from miniscule attendance to massive attendance? Not by guilt-inducing brow-beating. That may produce a flash of change from time to time, but it is always short-lived. The way to see prayer become a greater part of the life of the local church is by praying. Let those who pray, pray that others will have hearts to join in. And then let those who pray invite (challenge?) others to join them. When that catches, it will produce meaningful, lasting change.
In the meantime, “God have mercy on Your Church for our lack of zeal in prayer.”
(Part Eighteen)
Local churches are not islands unto themselves. Historically, Baptists have said “No” to the idea of local churches being under the spiritual “jurisdiction” of a body outside the local church. However, Baptists have historically affirmed “associationalism,” in which local churches live in cooperation with other like-minded churches. Being associated with a larger body of churches provides fellowship, cooperation, counsel, and accountability to the local churches.
Fellowship may take the form of churches joining together for worship services, prayer meetings, retreats, etc. Cooperation may happen as churches unite in missions projects.
Counsel is available for churches experiencing difficulties. They can call on leaders from sister churches to pray for, and offer counsel in the midst of troubles.
As for accountability, while the association has no “jurisdiction” over the local church or its leaders, if a local church veers in an unhealthy direction or into false doctrine, the association may challenge the local church. If it is determined that the local church is in error and will not repent, the association may then dismiss that local church from membership in the association..
Truly associationalism is a blessing—which we enjoy as members of the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE), particularly with four other FIRE churches in our county.