Does a preacher’s wife have to attend the same church as her husband?
Question:
Is it wrong for a wife of a preacher (who is not a pastor and does not have his own church) to attend a different church, even though they both believe in the same faith (Jesus the Christ)? I don't believe it's dividing kingdoms because that means believing in two different faiths and that's not the case with us. What do you think?
Answer:
First, churches belong to Christ, not to any person. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
Second, elders, also known as bishops, overseers, or pastors, are different from preachers, who are also known as evangelists or ministers. Some preachers do become elders, but not all elders are preachers. They are two separate jobs that have some overlap. See "Pastors and Preachers" for more details.
Third, whether you were a preacher's wife or just another member, the answer would remain the same.
You did not say why you are choosing to attend a different church from your husband. While you claim to have the same faith as he, I can't help but notice that you only claim a vague faith in Jesus as your common belief. God doesn't look at it this way. There is only one faith, and there is only one church (Ephesians 4:4-6). There are numerous corruptions of the true faith and the true church; only one is acceptable to God and Jesus: the church Jesus built for himself. The description of that church is found in the New Testament, which Jesus left for his followers.
Thus, if you mean you want to attend your denomination (which means "division," by the way) while your husband attends his, it won't make much difference, since the two denominations are not following Christ in exactly the same way. It will make a difference to your children. Children raised in an environment where mom and dad hold different beliefs tend to grow up without their own beliefs.
If one of you attends a church that fully follows the teachings of Christ and is not part of any denomination, I can see why the other wants his spouse to join the true church with him. Most people want their spouse to be with them in heaven after this life is over. So wouldn't it be better to sit down together with your Bibles open and study together what constitutes a true church of Christ and find one to attend together?
