Over the years I've been asked many questions. Some are very serious asking for doctrinal understanding while others are about church polity. That said, there are some questions that come up much more frequently than others so today I decided I'd put down some of the more interesting ones and give a little feedback on them. My hope is that these might add some light to your path.

Should worship be used as an outreach? That question is very simple to answer biblically. Short answer NO! Worship is ONLY for the people of God who have been redeemed. The Bible says in Proverbs 15:8 and 21:27 that "the sacrifice of the wicked are detestable to the Lord." See also Amos 5:21-22. Since that is the case, unbelievers singing and clapping in their state of hostility against God is offensive to Him. Perhaps this is why all the flyers I see coming out this time of the year to visit churches say they have "great music." It is very sad that church leadership does not understand the purpose of worship and keep it undefiled.

Should a church be inwardly or outwardly focused? The purpose of a church is to mature the saints. The church is to devote itself to the "apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer." The church is to be led by elders who give an account for your soul before God. Their job is to equip you for your work of ministry to that local body. That means, by design, that the church is to focus it's gatherings on maturing people in Christ through the teaching of the word. That is an inward focus. However, you might be surprised at God's evangelism and outreach plan. They are not formal "ministries" within the church but everyone's responsibility. Matthew 28:19 simply says "as you are going make disciples". So the church gathering is inward and the lives of the membership, as they live their life, is outward. There is nothing necessarily wrong with an "outreach ministry' but you have to understand in a church of say 300 people it is much more effective to have the 300 reaching out where they work, in their families, to their friends and where they go to school over having 20 people in one place for an event. The idea that a church has an outreach ministry generally ensures the people not involved do not feel they have an obligation to do those things.

Should churches partner together? This question has a couple points to consider. When you, as an individual or we as a church, partner with another church we are making a statement. We are saying that we are in full support of what the other church does and teaches. This is why musicians need to be very careful when they play in other churches. While they may see it as only as "helping out" they are depriving members of that church from serving, giving their stamp of approval on what is done and taught and depriving their own local body, of which they are a part, of their service to it. It is perfectly fine to help out in a time of need but each person must recognize that the Lord placed them in a local body for a reason. So, if I can recommend someone joining that church then I am happy to work with them in gospel related endeavors.

How do you know if a church is loving? This question needs a sanctified mind in order to understand. In our "love wins" culture, people believe that love is simply giving people what they want. They see love as random acts of kindness thinking that Jesus' entire ministry was one big loaves and fishes, felt needs extravaganza. The Bible defines what love looks is in 1 John 5:2-3
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." Notice carefully that loving the brothers is defined by the Holy Spirit as "obeying God" and the same is true for loving God, "obeying His commandments." That means that if you see a desire in a body of people to obey the Lord then you have genuine love there. That is the root and the fruit is not far behind. Unfortunately we do not think biblically so we see anyone who challenges us, or tells us we should obey, as unloving.

Is it okay to do church online? No! Online sermons are not church. Please read my article about the church on this page. The reasons God wants you to be in a local body are numerous. He calls you to use your gifts to build up a local body. He calls you to gather with people to disciple them. He calls you to gather with people to be taught together. He calls you to gather together with people to worship and demonstrate the tangible presence of the Lord in His church. Church is not a theatre where you watch, observe and judge what takes place. Church is a place where you grow in a body of believers, led by elders, to be holy and help others do the same.

The authority in the church lies in its membership which is why, in the case of unrepentant sin, it is the church who is to "remove that person from among you." God desires a gathering of set apart, holiness-pursuing people, growing people, who serve each other in such a way that God gets the glory. This is why small group Bible studies are not churches. The Bible commands us all not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together" Hebrews 10:25. Small groups and fellowship do not fulfil that verse. Don't say "God knows my heart and intentions but I don't want to do it." God is not interested in our intentions but in our compliance. Remember Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:1-7) who reached out to stop the ark from falling off the cart? God struck him dead for his disobedience. I'm sure Uzzah's intentions were honorable but God wanted obedience. We live in the days spoken of by Paul where the love of many waxes cold and of a great deception. Part of the deception today is the idea "my relationship with God is personal and not corporate." The love of many waxing cold is simply defined as people saying they are believers who have no desire to obey. Don't succeed in Christian friendships and fail in Christian fellowship. Friendships have to do with partiality while fellowship has to do with truth.

Do you think some churches are better than others? Absolutely! What makes a church better is not the music, coffee or programs. What makes a church better is its commitment to faithfully teach the Bible. That sounds simple but it is not. Many churches will not teach the Bible because they do not wish to pay the cost. They use the Bible to teach man-centered theology so people will continue to come. Remember that what you use to attract people is what you have to keep using to retain them.

The church where I am currently serving is what I consider a very good church. It is certainly not because I pastor there but because the word of God is loved there. Teaching the truth of the word of God comes with a lot of attacks, both spiritual as well as literal, from people who do not like it. I do not mean people specifically in the church I serve. I am referring to people who say they are believers who aren't in the church. I believe this is because the Holy Spirit is convicting them that they need to change their way of living so they shoot at the messenger. The pressure to comply with what is popular is often quite intense and the hateful things people say can often be very discouraging.

My brother once told me to go and read all the horrible things people said on YELP about John MacArthur. I did so and was shocked but kind of encouraged at the same time. Truth cost the prophets, apostles, Jesus, and many since then, their lives. We should not expect differently when we teach it. Jesus said "beware when all men speak well of you."

As a leader I am used to the attacks but this week I have been praying for the beloved people of CBC (my home church) as I recognize that even being a member here exposes them to public ridicule. It is for that reason that they have a special place in my heart. Jesus says He is not ashamed of those who are not ashamed of Him. Where people hold to truth and seek to obey it you can rest assured Jesus is in their midst. He is doing a great work in our church and the people see it and are on board with it. Our church is not for everyone but if you want to grow, prepare yourself to stand before Jesus and take His word seriously then I recommend it highly.

Wherever you are located find yourself a solid church. Roll your sleeves up and get involved. Jump in with both feet. Don't complain but be part of the solution. If you want to leave a good church.... reconsider. There are not many good reasons to leave a church other than false teaching or toleration of sin. If you don't like the coffee buy some good stuff and donate it. Unless you move a lot you should only have a few churches over your entire life. This is because God wants us to grow together generation after generation. The very people you are having problems with God put in your life to teach you how to love those who are different than you. Your church is your family, whom God picked, so remember that He knows a lot more about this than you do.

If I can help in finding you a good church or you have questions please email or call me at the church. The phone number is 858-549-7729 and my email is scott.lowther@sandiegocbc.org

Blessings,
Scott

The Church

Though this week has been difficult on some fronts it has been really rewarding on others. The Lord has given me many opportunities to talk about truth the last few days. While many of the discussions have been with people from our fellowship, quite a few have come from those outside. Some of these non CBC folk were believers and some were not. The believers were in good churches which, as a pastor, made me happy. The unbelievers however seemed to have a hostility to churches in general.

One man declared “churches are irrelevant now.” I told him that God, the Bible and church was 100% relevant to every person, in every generation that has ever lived. The problem seems to be that church got reinvented by the liberal to please a changing culture and that ruined its reputation because it was no longer the church.

The idea that church doesn’t matter anymore is biblically false. In order to uphold the truth that church does matter some people make church their small group or gathering of friends. Doesn’t getting together with a few friends to pray and read a verse or two constitute church? The answer is no.

Below is part of a long article that was sent to me to read for input. This is right on and brings clarity to this issue.

“Just because Christians get together with other Christians doesn’t mean they are involved in a biblical Church assembly. To a growing number of believers, the best of intentions and a desire to meet are the only parameters for gathering as a local Church. But having our heart in the right place doesn’t indicate doctrinal accuracy.

For those of us who value our good intentions too highly, the Bible has some hard lessons to teach. Remember the return of the Ark of the Covenant in 2 Samuel 6:7? The physical movement of the ark must not be carried by anyone except those of the Levite tribe (see 1 Chronicles 15:2). In that account, Uzzah (who was not a Levite) tries to prevent the Ark from falling off the cart by steadying it with his hand and is instantly struck dead by God. Uzzah’s intentions were pure as the wind-driven snow. But, God wasn’t interested in his good intentions. God wanted obedience to His command.

Where God has spoken, he expects compliance—not from some rigid sense of duty but from a heart that desires to please him. If the way we are gathering as the local Church is contrary to the direct teaching found in the Bible, it’s time to change. The example of the Church at Corinth should encourage us by demonstrating that a local assembly can be tremendously wrong and yet still be a part of God’s Church . . . as long as we don’t forget that change is required when we’re walking contrary to God’s ways. The only way to know if we are being obedient in the matters of the Church is if we are ordering our gathering according to the Bible.

Many Christians tired of institutional Christianity act like Anarchists—no order, no accountability, no government, and no consistent commitment to regularly attend a gathering with other believers. They’re “over it” and done with “all that” and “Thank God, Almighty, we’re free at last!” Or maybe you believe that because Jesus is your Sabbath, you aren’t required to meet at all. What does the Bible say about the meeting of believers and how that meeting should be led?

First off, not attending the Church gathering is not an option. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Biblical Christians gather regularly with other believers. It’s not a matter left up to personal desire, schedule, or creativity. We see from Acts 20:7 and the unmistakable inference of 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 that the disciples met weekly. This is the norm, practice, and instruction for the Church gathering from the very beginning.

Not gathering, gathering infrequently, or gathering in a manner out of step with biblical teaching indicates either ignorance or rebellion and is not an option for the Christian who desires to be obedient to the Word of God.

If you’ve already bought into the idea that we, as Christians, should gather regularly, great. But, how we gather matters, as well. The Bible is not silent on the purpose, structure, and content of the gathering of the Saints this side of Heaven, which is why three couples meeting for a little Sunday evening Bible reading and prayer is not a Church gathering. But wait, didn’t Jesus say, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Welcome to one of the most abused verses in the Bible. This passage has, literally, nothing to do with the general Church gathering of any size. If you read just a few verses prior, you’ll quickly realize Jesus’s statement is about the divine support you will receive when two or three that are meeting in his name come to deal with a sinful and unrepentant brother. It’s not about Jesus being present and validating your small group because you and a friend met and prayed in His name.

If simply getting together with your Bibles isn’t enough, then what constitutes a biblical Church meeting? For the vast majority of Christians today, it doesn’t seem to matter—not because they are willfully opposed to what the Bible teaches but, more typically, they don’t know what—or even if—the Bible has anything to say about the regular gathering of Christians.

There are two types of information regarding the Church meeting that can be found in the Bible: description and prescription. When we encounter a description of what the early Church did, we shouldn’t automatically take that account as a doctrinal requirement. A report of what was done isn’t the same as teaching what must be done. For instance, we see in the early Church that everyone held everything in common—the first Christian Commune—but this is descriptive of what they choose to do, not prescriptive from what the Bible teaches all local Churches to do.

Prescriptive instruction in the Bible is the universal teachings for the local application of the Church Body, wherever it may be.

To someone raised in the typical protestant, evangelical church, it’s often surprising to be told that the Church meeting is not for the unbeliever. Many Church meetings are geared, specifically, to entice unbelievers to come into the meeting. It’s a nice idea based on good intentions—let’s bring people in and expose them to the Gospel—it’s just not something you’ll find in the Bible.

Nowhere in the New Testament is the idea of inviting unbelievers into the weekly gathering of the Body of Christ, making it, essentially, an evangelistic/missionary effort. The Great Commission says, Go and make disciples. It doesn’t say go and invite as many non-believers into your meeting so a professional pastor can tell them about Jesus for you. The “seeker friendly” church is a modern innovation devoid of biblical example, instruction, or support.

Here’s why that matters… When a crystal-clear mountain stream and a muddy stream run together, only a few yards downstream, dirty water is the result, every time. This example from nature is found on a spiritual level in the local Church. The Bible is clear on this topic relative to believers and the unsaved. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

The question, ‘If there is no communion (true fellowship) to be had between the saved and unsaved, why have myriad churches done their dead-level best to get as many unsaved people as possible into the building on Sunday morning?’

The answer is simple: They don’t understand what the meeting is for, according to the Word of God. This isn’t a matter of the value or merit of individuals. It’s a matter of God’s purpose in the meeting of His people.

The first insight into the purpose of the Church meeting encountered in the New Testament is seen in the record of what took place at the weekly gathering of Christians. In Acts 2:42, it states, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” There is no mention of evangelism in the meeting. Clearly, this was a gathering for believers, not for the unsaved.

The purpose of the Church meeting, according to the Bible (not according to our good evangelistic intentions) is to build up—to train and to edify—Christians to do the work of the ministry. Ephesians 4:11–13 outlines the ministries distributed throughout the Church and what those ministries are for. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

The Bible is the only source for instruction on how Churches are to be organized and operated. In the Bible, we find autonomous, self-governing local Churches. There are no structural or organization ties between local churches and no organization larger than local churches. There are churches which are led by a plurality of elders, appointed to the local church according to the parameters of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

So, that is church, but what is the responsibility of the church member? You, as a Christian and ordinary member of a church, are responsible for protecting and preserving the gospel and the gospel’s ministry in your church.

Think about Paul’s “amazement” in Galatians 1: “I am amazed that you are so quickly . . . turning to a different gospel” (v. 6). He rebukes not the pastors, but the members, and tells them to reject even apostles or angels who teach a false gospel. If we could only learn that how much better off the universal church would be.

What this means, Christian, is that you are responsible to study the gospel and know it. It is the elders job to equip the people in it but it is ALL of our jobs to “contend for the faith that was once and for all been delivered to the saints” Jude 3. Once again, this is written to the church member not the church leaders. We need to be prepared to answer questions like: What is the relationship between works and faith? Why is it important to believe in the doctrine of the Trinity? How was Jesus fully God and man and why does that matter? Why is everything an unbeliever does sinful? Can a Christian live in unrepentant sin? What makes a person a Christian in the first place?

You, as a Christian and ordinary member of a church, are also responsible for protecting the gospel and the gospel’s ministry in your church by affirming and disaffirming church members.

In a matter of discipline Paul doesn’t address the Corinthian elders, but the Corinthian church itself (1 Cor. 5:1–13; 2 Cor. 2:6–8). Likewise, it is your responsibility, Christian, to receive and dismiss members. Jesus has given it to you. For you to neglect this work only cultivates complacency, nominalism, and eventually theological liberalism. The standards for receiving and removing people is taught throughout the Bible and God expects us all to know them and use them.

You, as a Christian and ordinary member of a church, are responsible for protecting the gospel and the gospel’s ministry in your church by discipling other church members.

Remember Ephesians 4:15–16. The church builds itself up in love as each part does its work. You have work to do to build up the church. And part of that includes the ministry of words. A few verses later, Paul says, “Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another” (v. 25). Speak truth to them, and help them to grow. Our words should be “good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29). Also, make yourself available to be spoken to. Are you willing to listen?

Basic Christianity involves building up other believers. It is a part of fulfilling the Great Commission and of making disciples.

If through union with the second Adam God has reinstated you as a priest-king, your whole life should reflect the gospel in word and deed. You are an ambassador. Paul’s charge and example is worth repeating here:

He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:19b–20)

Every Christian has been reconciled, and thus every Christian has received this message of reconciliation. Therefore, we plead and we pray for sinners to be reconciled to God.

This, too, is a part of your job. The command to “Go and make disciples” belongs to you (Matt. 28:19).

The Bible gives final authority and therefore responsibility to the gathered congregation. With authority comes responsibility. By joining a church, you become responsible for what your church teaches and for every single member’s discipleship.

•You are responsible to act if Pastor Ed begins to teach a false gospel.

•You are responsible to help ensure Member Candidate Chris adequately understands the gospel.

•You are responsible for Sister Sue’s discipleship to Christ, and that she’s being cared for and nurtured toward Christlikeness.

•You are responsible to ensure Member Max is excluded from the fellowship of the church if his life and profession no longer agree.

Who trains you for all this work? Your elders. Add your responsibilities together with theirs and you have Jesus’s discipleship program and the foundation of a church.”

The last bit here are my thoughts. I am often asked if I think some churches are better than others. My answer is “Yes, because God does.” As seen above a church is not just some believers singing around a campfire. A church has been invested with the truth and we are to contend for it, teach it, live by it, love it and proclaim it. Do I think CBC is better than other churches that exist for that? Not at all! Do I think that a church is better than churches that don’t live for that? Absolutely!

We live in a day of ecumenicalism where so many desire that their church should blindly work with other churches. Well, should they? The answer there is “it depends”. It depends if what they are being asked to participate in is really gospel work with eternity in it. What I look for in any opportunity is “what is the goal of the event or project” and decide from there.

CBC is an alternative to what many consider a modern church. Some places have used gimmicks and unbiblical ideas to draw people and are only now learning that whatever you use to draw people you must continue to use in deeper ways to keep people. We don’t want any part of that. What we are interested in is the universal church of born again believers who want to walk in obedience to the ways of the Lord and show by life and word what the gospel is really about. I pray that resonates deeply with you my dear brothers and sisters. I know it does with the Lord!

I love the church because Jesus loves the church and gave His life for it. So, yes, we are having church this weekend. Come ready to serve and learn. Your brothers and sisters need you and you need them.