The Burr in the Burgh

With the American love affair with the automobile, it is no longer seen as necessary to attend a church near one's home. I know people who drive past half a dozen churches to get to the one they choose. Well, how is this choice made?

Unfortunately, I fear, many people make a church choice based on not-so-good reasons. I am not one of those who says that all churches are basically the same or that our denominational differences do not matter any more. I think the differences do matter because truth matters. Denominational differences arose from doctrinal disputes. And while Christian history has not been free of petty arguments, legitimate doctrinal differences should not be simply glossed over.

You see, I am of the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God. Inspired and Inerrant. So differences of interpretation are not merely personal preference, opinion or whim. They are disagreements about what God has said. And since presumably all Christians care to know what God has truly said in His Word, we want to clarify and be certain that we know what we believe. For instance, when Jesus said, "This is my Body...", he either meant "This bread truly is my body," or He meant "The bread merely represents (thus 'is not') my body." Which is it? Jesus said it. I think His intention was to be understood.

My point is that doctrine should be the chief criterion by which a person or a family determines which church to join. Not the personality of the pastor. Not the beautiful architecture. Not the accomplished musicians. Not the size, the wealth or the racial makeup of the congregation.

Of course, I speak as the pastor of a small congregation. I have seen people choose a church that teaches (or tolerates) false doctrine merely because they have a bigger Sunday school or a more dynamic youth group. Hey, I'm all in favor of big and dynamic. And when the doctrine is straight, those are fine reasons to select a congregation.

What trouble me - and what I hope troubles you - is the rampant indifference to teaching.