Bereans of Just the Teachers of the Word or the Whole Church Ministry???

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,559
654
113
#1
Acts 17:10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, [k]and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, [l]for they received the word with [m]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, many of them believed, [n]along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men.

In a Bible study a few days ago a point came up by my pastor about praise & worship. Pastor said the lives of the people singing doesn't matter that much as long as the song touches you, or something similiar to that.
In an instant I said that christians need to be like the Bereans not just in biblical teachings, but in praise & worship, and all other things the church practices & allows.
For example, many churches believes that Hillsong church teaches damnable doctrines, yet will sing their songs without any spiritual discernment at all. The same for Bethel worship & others.
I've known christians who went to their church for years without knowing their by-laws & doctinal statements, only to be blown away when they found out.
I believe we need to know everything about our houses of worship that we can across the board, because Satan is sneaking in every door cracked open in the church.
Have you ever considered any of these things mentioned? Do you blindly trust every program/ministry in your church?
Knowing how bad the Falling Away is today, should we question every program/ministry in our church?
Let me know of any of your "discoveries" in recent years you found that would be prudent to check out in all the churches.
Thanks.
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,129
113
#2
Acts 17:10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, [k]and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, [l]for they received the word with [m]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, many of them believed, [n]along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men.

In a Bible study a few days ago a point came up by my pastor about praise & worship. Pastor said the lives of the people singing doesn't matter that much as long as the song touches you, or something similiar to that.
In an instant I said that christians need to be like the Bereans not just in biblical teachings, but in praise & worship, and all other things the church practices & allows.
For example, many churches believes that Hillsong church teaches damnable doctrines, yet will sing their songs without any spiritual discernment at all. The same for Bethel worship & others.
I've known christians who went to their church for years without knowing their by-laws & doctinal statements, only to be blown away when they found out.
I believe we need to know everything about our houses of worship that we can across the board, because Satan is sneaking in every door cracked open in the church.
Have you ever considered any of these things mentioned? Do you blindly trust every program/ministry in your church?
Knowing how bad the Falling Away is today, should we question every program/ministry in our church?
Let me know of any of your "discoveries" in recent years you found that would be prudent to check out in all the churches.
Thanks.
It's a good question. If we seek a perfect church, we won't find it. At the same time, we need to know if false doctrine is being preached. I go to a church where there about 60 regulars. One of the leaders is alive and shines with Jesus. Another is worthy but dull and boring. And that is the dilemma. The interesting thing to me is how few people discern the difference.

To paraphrase Juan Carlos Ortiz, God is more interested in the right life than the exactly correct doctrine. Some of the hardest and coldest preachers I've come across are rigidly exact and correct in doctrine. There are others that I may disagree with on some points, but who shine with love. God can correct doctrine, but changing a hard heart is much more difficult. God does not have a doctrinal examination to enter His Kingdom. He has a stethoscope. If you are born again and living in the Spirit, you are in. If all someone has is right doctrine, then many will say, "Lord, Lord............."
 

Aussie52

Active member
Aug 31, 2022
159
150
43
#3
It's a good question. If we seek a perfect church, we won't find it. At the same time, we need to know if false doctrine is being preached. I go to a church where there about 60 regulars. One of the leaders is alive and shines with Jesus. Another is worthy but dull and boring. And that is the dilemma. The interesting thing to me is how few people discern the difference.

To paraphrase Juan Carlos Ortiz, God is more interested in the right life than the exactly correct doctrine. Some of the hardest and coldest preachers I've come across are rigidly exact and correct in doctrine. There are others that I may disagree with on some points, but who shine with love. God can correct doctrine, but changing a hard heart is much more difficult. God does not have a doctrinal examination to enter His Kingdom. He has a stethoscope. If you are born again and living in the Spirit, you are in. If all someone has is right doctrine, then many will say, "Lord, Lord............."
I think that God is interested in a right life AND right doctrine. It is not either or but both.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,771
113
#4
If we seek a perfect church, we won't find it.
This is laughable. He is not talking about a "perfect" church. He is talking about SOUND Bible-based churches. And he is right. They are rapidly being replaced by churches which have stopped caring about what the Bible actually teaches. Emotions have replaced spiritual discernment, because the pastors have stopped providing sound biblical teaching. It is really not that hard to be sound and scriptural.

So why is everyone (or almost everyone) running away from that? They have all junked the sound hymns of the faith which stood the test of time because they presented Gospel truth and Bible truth. Now the songs are meaningless and boring, but no one says "Wait a minute, is this really biblical worship and praise?' They need to be projected instead of being found in hymnals.
 

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,559
654
113
#5
So, what do you think? Should christians be bereans with everything in the church?
Me personally, I think it's a no brainer. Every ministry, every program, every leader needs to be observed carefully.
Jesus said watch & pray, & now more than ever we need to watch around us.
 

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,559
654
113
#6
Wow, with as many on CC that like to speak their minds, you would think there would be more to say something.:rolleyes:
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,129
113
#7
I think that God is interested in a right life AND right doctrine. It is not either or but both.
Ideally yes. But I can handle doctrine I don't agree with because I know the Bible fairly well. I can have fellowship with a local Anglican minister because he is full of life. I don't agree with baby sprinkling. However, I am given a warm welcome whenever I visit his church, unlike most other places I've been to. The hardest, most critical and judgemental believers I've met have been Pentecostals.
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,300
3,129
113
#8
This is laughable. He is not talking about a "perfect" church. He is talking about SOUND Bible-based churches. And he is right. They are rapidly being replaced by churches which have stopped caring about what the Bible actually teaches. Emotions have replaced spiritual discernment, because the pastors have stopped providing sound biblical teaching. It is really not that hard to be sound and scriptural.

So why is everyone (or almost everyone) running away from that? They have all junked the sound hymns of the faith which stood the test of time because they presented Gospel truth and Bible truth. Now the songs are meaningless and boring, but no one says "Wait a minute, is this really biblical worship and praise?' They need to be projected instead of being found in hymnals.
I agree with you. I have Christian channels on cable, but most leave me cold. I look for people like Derek Prince on youtube instead. That's fine, but we also need to meet with other Christians. Until recently, that was a nearby Anglican church. We moved to a retirement village and there is a church there. The music is just piano and organ, most of the songs are worth singing and I don't need to wear earplugs.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,456
454
83
#9
Acts 17:10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, [k]and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, [l]for they received the word with [m]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, many of them believed, [n]along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men.

In a Bible study a few days ago a point came up by my pastor about praise & worship. Pastor said the lives of the people singing doesn't matter that much as long as the song touches you, or something similiar to that.
In an instant I said that christians need to be like the Bereans not just in biblical teachings, but in praise & worship, and all other things the church practices & allows.
For example, many churches believes that Hillsong church teaches damnable doctrines, yet will sing their songs without any spiritual discernment at all. The same for Bethel worship & others.
I've known christians who went to their church for years without knowing their by-laws & doctinal statements, only to be blown away when they found out.
I believe we need to know everything about our houses of worship that we can across the board, because Satan is sneaking in every door cracked open in the church.
Have you ever considered any of these things mentioned? Do you blindly trust every program/ministry in your church?
Knowing how bad the Falling Away is today, should we question every program/ministry in our church?
Let me know of any of your "discoveries" in recent years you found that would be prudent to check out in all the churches.
Thanks.
Be wise as a serpent, God reveals in each child of God's truth over error(s)
Yet when are aware, the hard part is to remain harmless as a dove in spite of, what one sees (Matthew 10:16-20, Luke 21:14-15)
We are to not root up the tares amongst the wheat. Therefore trust to hear from God within you that lives with you, putting up with you, as God does that, has me all my life and this has changed me in the freedom given me to see new and agree with God what is good for me and not good for me to see and give God the credit for it, not my Church or any other flesh, including my own that is still unredeemed yet Romans 8 has deep things to say. As well as Phil 3 to me anyways, thanks