Dear Pastor,
You’ve made it clear that NAPARC, CREC, the “Ogden Boys,” and Apologia, among others, are “over the falls” as you recently put it (besides the last one being Baptists). The question I put to you is what would you have the people in the pews actually do, who do not and cannot live in Charlotte, Michigan? Where are they supposed to go on the Lord’s Day?
Lancelot
Hello Lancelot,
First, on this score, let us cite the Belgic Confession of Faith;
Article XXIX. The Marks of the True Church, and Wherein
it Differs from the False Church
We believe that we ought diligently and circumspectly to discern
from the Word of God which is the true Church, since all sects which
are in the world assume to themselves the name of the Church. But
we speak not here of hypocrites, who are mixed in the Church with
the good, yet are not of the Church, though externally in it; but we
say that the body and communion of the true Church must be
distinguished from all sects that call themselves the Church.
The marks by which the true Church is known are these: If the pure
doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if it maintains the pure
administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church
discipline is exercised in chastening of sin; in short, if all things are
managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary
thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of
the Church. Hereby the true Church may certainly be known, from
which no man has a right to separate himself.
My problem with the modern reformed “church” is that I am certain that where it is denouncing Kinism, and embracing egalitarianism it is at that point that the “pure doctrine of the gospel is not being preached therein.” No one would ever say that the Gnostics preached the pure doctrine of the Gospel, yet that is exactly what Egalitarianism is an expression. The current church, which disembodies man in regeneration/conversion by saying that God ordained distinctions are taken away in the Church is Gnostic. Ironically enough, it is also Marxist since the Marxists have forever been saying that their intent is to flatten all the distinctions among the nations. Is it possible for Gnostics and Marxists to give the pure doctrine of the gospel in the preaching and teaching?
Second, these denominations have anathematized themselves by anathematizing the race-realists. They have hurled their fatwas, Papal bulls, and anathemas repeatedly at the Biblical Christians. Should they expect that we who have been on the receiving end of their blasphemies now conclude anything else except that they are not true churches?
So, that sets the context for the question you ask and for the answer.
First, as to answering your question, if I were in the position of other folks around the country I would try to operate thusly,
1.) I would realize that not all congregations are equally bad. I would further realize that there might be yet congregations in these denominations that are positively good. If I were considering membership of a positively good one I would find out if that good congregation was sending money to the bad denomination and if that good congregation was sending money, I would attend there but I would not financially support the local congregation until it quit supporting the bad denomination. These denominations need to either repent or have their money source dried up.
2.) If there was a congregation that were not intolerable and if I had children, I might attend but I would not let the children go to Sunday School and I would make sure to debrief the children every week, as needs be, by asking them, in a kind of catechetical way, “So, what did we hear today from the pulpit that is not true?” Believe me, you could write hefty tomes’ on what is being said today by clergy that is not true.
3.) If there are no churches in your area that are at least tolerable (and I get phone calls from these people quite frequently) then I would start a home bible study and find good material. I would also, during that time together on the Lord’s Day, listen to one good sermon. (There are scads of them on line.) I would also designate my tithes and offerings to churches that are seeking to be faithful in a very difficult climate. Failing that, I would send tithes and offerings to para-Church organizations that you know and trust.
As a result of your home bible-study, it may be that God would be pleased to start a little church. If that is the direction that matters were heading I would find solid Elders in another church who could serve as kind of an umbrella for you in getting off the ground.
4.) What I would not do is continue to attend and support a ministry and church that is decidedly in opposition to my undoubted catholic Christian faith and worldview. These are not churches but are only referred to as churches by way of habit or courtesy.
Finally, please realize that in all this I doubtless have fault. My paradigm is likely tied too tightly and I see things and the implications of those things that will come to pass if what I see is not corrected. Seeing things that many others perhaps do not see probably tends to make me overly-critical. I like to tell myself in my more optimistic moments that the church in the West is probably not as bumfuzzled as I tend to think it is.
There remain good churches and clergy out there. I am friends/acquaintances with more than a few. A few actually serve in NAPARC and CREC churches for now. So, all is not lost.
I am deeply sorry that you are in this situation. I daily pray for repentance for the church in the West. I daily remind myself that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
And I know that it is true of me as St. Paul said;
“This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am chief.”