Posts Tagged ‘membership’
Would it be a sin to leave a congregation that accepts sin among its members?
Question: I worship at a congregation where there is no preacher, elder, or deacons. The brothers serving on the Lord’s table are living with girlfriends, playing the lottery, and drinking. I’m a sister in the congregation. I’m trying to go to heaven. I can’t worship properly with all this before me. Is it a sin…
Read MoreWhat do you do if you can’t worship with faithful brethren?
Question: I’ve read everything I could find on your page concerning worship alone. I know already that communion and singing are out of the question. So where does that leave someone who is in prison for life or far away from anyone or group that teaches and holds to sound doctrine? I’m sure you could…
Read MoreCan’t I just worship with different congregations each Sunday?
Question: Good evening Minister, I have been a member of the Lord’s church for over five years. I’ve been a faithful member; however, I had some concerns about some things that were going on in worship. I left my home-based church where I felt like I was ostracized because I’m a single woman. I began…
Read MoreDo I Owe Anything to the Church?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/DoIOweAnythingToTheChurch.mp3 by Raymond Warfel
Read MoreShould I leave an ineffective, discouraging church?
Question: I was looking through your website and found someone asked questions similar to questions I had at this page: When should I leave a church? But I’m not sure you fully answered some of the questions, so I still wanted to ask them again. If there are multiple sound congregations nearby, must I worship with…
Read MoreHow do I handle my contributions when I rotate between three congregations?
Question: Greetings, I have a question regarding the weekly contribution (I Corinthians 16:1-2). In my city, there are three local churches of Christ that I attend regularly. Normally I’ll attend one on a certain week, the next on the following week, and the third the week after that. And then I repeat the whole process.…
Read MoreEvery Member Working Together
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015Fall3EveryMemberWorkingTogether.mp3 by Brace Rutledge 2015 Fall Meeting
Read MoreMy mother and I are arguing over which church to attend
Question: I tried searching for advice, and I found this. I have a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. My parents are separated. My dad, who was a preacher, no longer really believes in God. My brother has fallen back into the world. My mom wants to go to a different…
Read MoreShould we leave our current church because of unbiblical practices?
Question: I am currently attending a church of Christ where I was baptized and continue to worship. I have been studying the Bible through your very informative website and have realized that a lot of things taught on your site are not practiced in our congregation, which has made me a bit worried as I…
Read MoreShould I change congregations?
Question: Hi Jeffrey, I am sorry I trouble you with so many questions. It’s not that I am not well studied, I just seem to find myself in situations where I question the actions of others, and I am not sure if I am handling it the way God would have me handle it. I…
Read MoreI left the church because I don’t think my baptism was right, but now my dad won’t have fellowship with me. What do I do?
Question: Hello, I am in need of some answers. I was raised in the church of Christ. My father quit the church when I was about two years old, but my mother continued to take me. When I was 12 my father returned and repented and is now a member once again. My father has…
Read MoreIs it bad that most members in our church were raised in the church?
Question: Dear Mr. Hamilton, I’ve been emphasizing how important truth is in the Bible to one of my friends. She has been very receptive to the truths I’ve shown her in God’s Word. I’ve taken her to the church I attend and she enjoys it but she says it’s not her thing. Now I tell…
Read MoreJust a Church?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2014Spring5JustAChurch-1.mp3 by Brian Faulkner On Being a Christian
Read MoreWhy Do Some Depart?
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/WhyDoSomeDepart.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 13:18-23 I. When teaching someone about the gospel, it is hard not to invest a bit of yourself into the one you are trying to reach. A. You know the importance of being a Christian, and you care about the one you are teaching. If not, why spend the…
Read MoreMy “Church” Membership
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. I am not a member of a denomination called “Church of Christ” or “Churches of Christ” or a denomination with any other name. The local church where I regularly attend is not a congregation of the “Church of Christ” denomination. Yet, I have been a member of the church of…
Read MoreShould I leave a congregation with no elders for one that has elders?
Question: I worship at a church of Christ that has no elders. There are qualified men who do not desire the office. There is a sound church of Christ nearby that has elders. Am I putting my salvation in jeopardy? Should I move my membership? My desire is to be pleasing to God. Answer: By…
Read MoreWe have concerns about the local church and there are no other churches nearby. Is it biblical to study at home?
Question: There is one local church of Christ where I live. My family has been a part of this church in the past; however, due to great conflict and many issues surrounding this one church, my family decided that we were best not to attend there. No, we did not vocalize our concerns to anyone…
Read MoreCan you choose the wrong church to attend as a Christian?
Question: Dear sirs, I thank you for your site. It has been a great source of information as a new believer. Although I always considered myself a Christian, I never truly understood its true meaning until starting and completing, cover-to-cover for the first time, the Bible last year culminating in accepting Christ as my Savior…
Read MoreIs membership in a local church essential?
Question: As always, love your dedication to the Lord and the time you take to answer so many questions. I come to your site often. It is one of my favorite resources! In regards to the recent post: Should a divisive non-member be told not to come to worship? One point that has been on my mind lately is regarding…
Read MoreTerms of Membership
by Irven Lee Truth Magazine – January 3, 1980 The Lord built His church and paid for it with His blood. He is its head and has all authority in it. It is not my church, your church, or our church. It is not ours to plan its mission or work, nor do we enter it…
Read MoreWould it be a sin to worship in a congregation where the elders are not correct?
Question: Would it be a sin to worship in a congregation where the elders are not correct (I Corinthians 5:11)? Answer: “Not correct” is too vague. Not correct by who’s standard? If anyone is in sin, then what have you done to rescue them? To point fingers but to seek no restoration is to hate…
Read MoreIf a congregation retains an elder who is a widower, should we leave?
Question: We’re conducting a class in which we’re going over the basics of Christianity and just last night, we started discussing the qualifications of elders and deacons. I almost fell out of my seat when our minister stated it’s OK for an elder to keep on serving after his wife dies or passes on. Both…
Read MoreHow do you get added to Jesus Christ’s church?
Question: How do you get added to Jesus Christ’s church? Answer: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. … So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and…
Read MoreI just realized that the church I grew up in is getting old. Is there something I can do?
Question: Hi Brother Hamilton, I’ve been thinking a lot about moving back home to try to build my home congregation back up. I’m currently going to school, not in the area, and this summer break has really been a wake-up call. My congregation is scantly populated by mostly grey-haired people. I love everyone with grey…
Read MoreWhile my parents call themselves Christian, they don’t go to a church. How can I do?
Question: My parents both identify as Christians, Mom more so than Dad, but neither has been to church in years. I have attended independently since high school. While my father and younger brother were away, my mother confided in me that she would like to find a local church to attend, but that my father…
Read MoreCan you join the church?
Question: I do appreciate the sermon outlines but figured this was an oversight that could stand some tweaking. In Why Are There Denominations? V. “Join the church of your choice” is a foolish idea A. It is advocating pleasing self. B. We need to join the church of God’s choice. We cannot “join” but we can be added to…
Read MoreShould I leave a church that is not withdrawing from sinful members?
Question: Dear Sir, I belong to a church of Christ that is sound in its teaching. I enjoy worshiping God there and the people are loving and kind. The problem I have is that we have leaders who are too kind to take a real stand to correct people who are in error to the…
Read MoreEvery Christian is Necessary
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/EveryChristianIsNecessary.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Read MoreWhat if you feel that a particular church is not suitable for you?
Question: What are the suggestions if one cannot afford monetarily to attend church, or feels that a particular church is not suitable for him? If he does private bible study, is this enough? Does he have to go through the baptism ceremony? If a Christian continues to study other religions and philosophies, is this against…
Read MoreCan I be a Christian and not go to church?
Question: Is it wrong to feel like as long as you keep God in your head, and you do right, and all you listen to is Christian music, and you talk to Him on a regular basis, to not go to church? It’s just that church is a place I don’t feel like I fit…
Read MoreMust a person formally place membership with a local church before they participate in the work?
Question: What are your thoughts regarding “placing membership” with a local congregation? I understand the biblical authority for someone working under the oversight of the elders of a congregation. If someone has been attending a congregation regularly for a period of time, can it be assumed they wish to work under the oversight of the…
Read MoreShould people be checked out before accepting them in a congregation?
Question: I believe that there is a certain amount of due diligence necessary when a person, a couple, or a family move into the area and want to become members of a local congregation of the Lord’s church. What do you recommend? What do you do? One scripture that comes to mind is II John…
Read MoreMy congregation is becoming more unscriptural. Should I find another one?
Question: My home congregation is slowly beginning to make some unscriptural moves. I have been told by another gospel preacher that my home congregation has a bad reputation. Our evangelist holds an erroneous view on marriage, divorce, and remarriage. He believes that Christ’s covenant is for Christians only and that since an alien sinner didn’t…
Read MoreShould I stay with a church that isn’t great but appears to be growing?
Question: Is it OK to stay with a church if you see God changing it and you yourself are helping that change? I was just wondering. There are a lot of downfalls at my church, but things have been looking better, not always just there. It is starting to get out of the state of…
Read MoreIs membership in a local congregation necessary for salvation?
Question: First of all, I want to say that I do like your site and the good information it provides. However, while reading “Christians Without Churches?” I came across the following statement: “Is it possible for a Christian to be part of the “universal” church without being identified with a local church? The Scriptures give…
Read MoreHow can you be in a church when there isn’t one in your area?
Question: I am a Christian from the United States and I’m living in India. I have suffered a lot of abuse in the church in my life – yes, clear abuse and other things. Anyway, I do believe I need to be with other Christians, but I’m really praying and seeking to find out in…
Read MoreWhy do some believe you have to be a part of some building to enter heaven?
Question: This is the first that I have seen, but I am sure there more, Church of Christ site that actually says the Church of Christ is a “Way of Life” and not a particular building. Why do some believe it is the building you need to be a member of to enter Heaven? Answer:…
Read MoreWhat kind of questions should I ask the elders before joining a church?
Question: I think that I have found a church where I would like to worship. But first, I think that I should have a meeting with the elders before I place my membership there. I was wondering what questions I should ask the elders to make sure that they and the church are following the pattern of a…
Read MoreDevaluing the Local Church
by Glen Young via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 25, June 22, 2008. The local church occupies an important position in God’s scheme of things. It is through the local church that Christians execute certain works. These are works that God commands that can only be accomplished as a group in the context of a local…
Read MoreShould a person leave a church that doesn’t have elders or deacons?
Question: How long should a person attend a church that does not have any elders or deacons? What are some of the problems associated with a church not having any elders or deacons? Answer: The follow-on question is: Are there no elders because none one currently attending is qualified, or are there no elders because the…
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