Many who become angry with the Biblical Christian church do so because their personal theology, and behavior, runs counter to the teachings of the fellowship they are attending, or considering attending.

The individual rejects the institution because it does not line up with their view of what a church should look like. From that point, a generalization is often made to reject all fellowship gatherings on Sunday mornings (deconstruction) or to associate with a “church” that holds such broad views on theology as to allow anyone to fit in. A case in point comes from a reader recently challenging one of our articles offering to help those who are seriously looking for a sound church to attend in their area (see details here). His complaint begins with a valid point that having a Statement of Faith on the church website can set a tone of exclusion for those who do not agree with it.

“Any ‘Statement of Faith’ immediately informs anyone not already on board with the entire contents that they’re not totally acceptable as a member of the congregation.”

Consider how exclusionary the core doctrine of a Biblical Christian church is based on a typical Statement of Faith or Doctrine Statement: 

• Bible — as originally written, is the inspired, infallible, authoritative, and inerrant Word of God and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
• Trinity — There is one living and true God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• God — created everything, is perfect, and continues to rule. Further, He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.
• Jesus Christ — is the eternally preexistent Son, is fully God and was fully man, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life.
• Holy Spirit — lives in every Christian to guide, instruct, and empower the believer.
• Resurrection — Everyone will be resurrected from the grave: the saved to eternal life in Heaven, and the lost to eternal damnation in a real and literal Hell.
• Evangelism — It is a responsibility, duty, and joy to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen.
• Salvation — Everyone sins and no one can save themselves. It is only through accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior that one can receive eternal life in Heaven. Salvation is available to anyone who acknowledges in their heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins, rose bodily from the grave, and asks Him to forgive them of their sins and save their soul. The difference between a saved and an unsaved person is a God-produced difference.

From a Secular Perspective

Imagine a lost person needing to be ministered to by a group of loving Christians, reading the list of non-negotiables above as they decide where to go on a Sunday morning. Compare that to the church with rainbow colors, no doctrine statement, and an all-inclusive welcoming introduction. How much more attractive for the unbeliever to know they will be welcomed, regardless of what one looks like or believes, in a church that has no limitations other than, “love thy neighbor”?

Further, since we all desire to fellowship with like-minded people, where would the secular go to church if looking for companionship rather than conviction?

The Conundrum

There can be a conundrum between the desire for church leadership to communicate their worldview, yet still be accommodating to those who don’t hold to those views. So, we try to put a warm inviting face on the front end of our websites and the narrow-minded, exclusionary, and confrontational doctrine somewhere inside, hoping to thread the needle. 

Just like in real life, the calling of a Biblical Christian is to love our neighbor, but at the same time, not compromise our faith. A complex task if one has to disclose what they believe (Statement of Faith), even before the conversation begins.

The Secular Church

The alternative to a Biblical Christian church is where my reader landed for “fellowship”.

Certainly, on the surface a church that, “aspires to be a Jesus-following church… [whose leadership is] just trying to figure these things [i.e. points of theology] out” could be a fantastic place to worship. However, (at the risk of making unfair assumptions to make a point) perhaps what is being “figured out” extends into core Biblical Christian doctrine. 

The “church” is then heretical and needs to be avoided.

The Bible should be the source of church doctrine. And, one of the best ways to ensure the church does not drift away from Scripture is to put core beliefs in writing, available for all staff, members, and visitors.

Three Types of Church Attenders

There are three basic types of potential attenders to a Sunday morning church service, but only two of these groups are looking for the same thing.

1. Believer Looking for a New Church Home

The first group are Christians looking for a good church to learn, grow in their faith and provide an outlet for worship, service, and fellowship. Born-again believers looking for a new church home should do the following…

• The starting place for finding a theologically sound church should be the Statement of Faith found on the church website. If there is no clear doctrinal statement, there is likely no doctrine. 
• The second stop should be a conversation with a church staff member, respectfully asking hard questions.
• Finally, an investment in time, by participating in Sunday morning worship, adult Sunday School, Fellowship groups, childcare, Children’s Church, and other activities in order to not only know the leadership’s stand, but to sense the personality of its members.

2. Seekers Looking for a Church Home

The second group is made up of individuals whom God has pricked the heart of and are being drawn to learn more about Him. As with the first group, having a Statement of Faith that clearly provides a Biblical Christian worldview to seekers should not be a deterrent  since God is in control of their heart. That is not to say that the hot issues of the day (abortion, marriage, etc.) should be emblazoned on the website. However, core doctrine, such as that outlined above, should be offered withing its pages to clearly separate a Biblical church from one with no foundation.

As church leaders try to balance what can seem like exclusive theology with a desire for inclusive attendance, one thing needs to remain clear. The Lord is not calling the church, (which is nothing more than its members), to reject its theological underpinnings in order to fill the pews. Paul, in an evangelistic speech to the church in Corinth, stated…

1 Corinthians 9:22 - To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

However, Paul never compromised his faith or theology in the process, and nor should we. It is important to remember that, as Christians, our job is to plant and water the seeds of our worldview with those interested in hearing the Good News. 

1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

God is in charge of who is a seeker of His truth. And, as a seeker of God’s divine plan for salvation followed by sanctification, should one be drawn to a church with no Biblical doctrine, or one that stands on His truth?

3. The Lost Looking for a Church Home

The third and final group of potential church attenders are those who are looking for fellowship and not the truth of God’s word. Sadly many who consider themselves Christians, are more than likely a blending of many theologies, called syncretists (explanation here).

Any human version of a moral sermon focused on various aspects of “love your neighbor” interspersed with music and service projects will do. Those in attendance,  or are looking for a church home from this group, are not just unsaved, they are uninterested in a truthful view of the supernatural. They are focused on secular causes. To be clear there are many human needs that we should be attending to, such as the poor, those who are hurting and infirmed, etc. However, the Biblical Christian church is more than that. Much more.

The point is that there is a difference between the lost and the seeker. The lost are not looking for God and no Biblically sound church will satisfy their needs. As individual Christians, we should always be open to any and all conversations with those around us. However, Jesus was referring to the lost when He called on His disciples to head out on their own missionary journeys by saying…

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. – Matthew 10:14

For the church to fit into the world (the lost), its theology must mirror the world. And that is not what God intended. 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:2

God has called the Christian, and when we gather together, the church, to share the Good News with those who will listen. There are those who will never listen and it would never be the Lord’s intent to dismantle His theology in order to draw the lost into a false and destructive Sunday morning service. 

He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, - Ephesians 1:5

Legalism in a Church Home

It would be unfair to end without acknowledging the tension between churches with a secular theology and those that unapologetically presents a sound “Statement of Faith”… without discussing legalism. 

Webster defines legalism as, “strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code”.

For unbelievers, and sadly for many who profess belief in the tenets of Christianity, anything beyond ‘love thy neighbor’ is “strict, literal, or excessive” when it comes to church conformity with Scripture. A major part of the reason for that is…

• A lack of belief that the Bible is inerrant and supreme over man’s opinions.
• A correct view that Christians are hypocrites due to our continuing sin nature.
• The fact that there are so many denominations, all expressing their interpretations as correct.
• Churches and denominations offer different non-negotiables as part of their doctrine. 

The first three points are obvious challenges and don’t deserve further comment other than to say that it is the reality of a sin-cursed world. However, to the fourth point, every church draws the “line in the sand” in a different place, and Christians, seekers, and the lost can find themselves at odds with opinions on secondary theological matters that make a church seem overly legalistic. Our response to this reality depends on how extreme the views are when reflected against the word of God. 

Do we really want to harm LGBTQ+ because of their worldview? Do we excommunicate those who have an abortion? Are we so politically charged that one’s opinion on MAGA is the basis for acceptance? Do we shun visitors because of how they are dressed or for their ethnicity? No. 

Do we allow Elders or Sunday School teachers to teach Universalism, or ‘God is in everything’, or, ‘there is no Hell’? No

Do we preach that homosexuality is not a sin or that abortion is acceptable in all cases up to term? No. But do we emblazon these doctrines across the pages of our website? No.

We focus on Christ, and Him crucified. We focus on a loving God who desires all to come to Him as both Savior and Lord. 

Each church needs to strike a balance between being inclusive and being legalistic. One cannot hide from that responsibility and be a Biblical Christian church. God calls us to be a fellowship of His emissaries and, to do that, we need to find our own equilibrium between these two competing priorities.

To the leadership of Biblical Christian churches…

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. - Acts 20:28

 James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 

If the church stands on God’s principles, He will honor those who lead it.