Feeling Love From Church - Pt. 1
Part 1 of the 'Different, Not Better' Blog Series
Differences…..they can be polarizing, can’t they?
Before we get too hot and bothered over the differences that exist between the Christian worldview and LGBTQ+ matters, it’s sometimes helpful to remember the multitudinous denominational differences that exist within the Christian world itself. As each denomination interprets Scripture as best they can and builds ministry accordingly, we find many ways those principles and Biblical interpretations are lived out.
Some Christians wear make-up, others don’t. Some tithe on gross, others on net, and some give according to their hearts, offering more or less than ten percent of their incomes. Some give all their giving dollars to their local church, while others divide funds across several ministries. Some women exclusively wear skirts or cover modestly, while others wear a two-piece bikini to the beach. Some parents work to support their families, while others believe they are called by God to stay home to raise children.
Some are faithful mid-week service attenders, while others go to church exclusively on Saturday or Sunday. Some believe in missions within the church, and others feel their obedience lies overseas. Some people thrive serving in the red-light districts in the most dangerous places in the world, while others believe God called them to the safety of rocking babies in the nursery. Some worship with respectful reverence to a pipe organ, while others dance to drums to display their affection for the Lord. Some practice weekly sacraments, while others have communion once a month. Some believe large congregations reach the masses, while others believe the personal ministry of church within homes abides Scripture. Some baptize infants; others believe in water immersion after accepting Christ.
Some churches are charismatic, others are solemn and liturgical. Some shun technology, others utilize it for world-wide ministry. Some churches have male and female preachers, while others believe biblical leadership rests upon male pastors. Some churches believe in speaking tongues, while others believe it is an archaic gift that belonged to our Christian forefathers. Some churches are grace-centered, others are rules-based, and others have determined that a balance of both abides Scripture.
I think you get the point. Thousands of Bible-centered Christian churches desire to honor God and keep the integrity of His Word. With sincere, prayerful consideration, each one ends up interpreting Scripture in a certain way, and they operate their ministries accordingly. They build their ministries, beliefs, bylaws, and leadership teams based upon how they discern how best to honor the Lord based on their best interpretation of upholding His Word.
We are all a little different, but not better than another.
I grew up in a church with one of the most God-honoring pastors I’ve ever met. When I moved away and started attending a different church in a different denomination, I still found God-honoring, Bible-based pastors who had slightly different nuanced beliefs but kept the Gospel as the focal point. Neither church misled their congregations, and today, both churches still uphold Scripture. Different, not better.
Some churches use the King James Version of the Bible, because they believe it to be most closely related to the original text. Others use the NIV for ease of understanding. Some churches emphasize knowing Latin and Greek and dig deep into original language to understand God’s word, while others prefer the simplicity of straightforward English text. Different, not better.
Rather than bash a church for using a particular version of Scripture, praise God that a Bible is being cracked open at all. Let’s remember Romas 14:19 - “So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
Within every Bible-centered church, there are denominational differences, interpretations of worship, service, and translations, yet they share one central theme: the Gospel.
We may side-eye a denomination that operates differently than the one we grew up with or the one we choose, but as long as the Gospel remains central to ministry, we often overlook the ‘unusual’ things that a different church does, even if it doesn’t perfectly align with our interpretation of Scripture. If each church believes they are leading, worshiping, and acting according to what they believe God calls them to, we may call another church weird, but OK, they’re preaching the gospel, so who cares what kind of music they sing, and who’s banging on a tambourine or a drum set or an organ?
To clarify, I’m not talking about cults, or those who clearly abuse Scripture and twist text to match or justify ungodliness. I’m talking about churches of sincerity, who have sought to uphold and honor the Bible with reverence, and seek to honestly obey what they read in the Bible.
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” — Ephesians 4:3. We should be linking arms with those folks.
Members within church communities can judge another denomination because ‘they have that wrong. The Bible actually says X about X, so how can you misinterpret that verse?’ (It’s incredibly hard to believe that in the 31,102 verses within the Bible, that any one denomination or one person has it all perfectly figured out, amiright?) And arguments ensue. The focus on the Gospel is shifted, and we engage in more self-righteousness than Gospel love for one another. We forget that we have common ground as sinners saved by grace. I honestly don’t care if you wear skirts or pants to church.
Do you?
Hey!
