Communion With the Sects

Permit me to preface this article by stating that I truly “love the brotherhood” (1 Peter 2:17) and it grieves me deeply to learn of the division that is occurring in the church of our Lord in this present age. I wrestle within myself as to whether or not I should mention specifically the names of congregations and/or individuals involved in contributing to the unrest among us. I endeavor to quote written statements by the authors in their books, magazines, blogs, church bulletins, websites, etc. and not ‘second hand’ information. And I pray earnestly for faithfulness and peace to be found in the lives of all of God’s children.

The English words communion and fellowship come from the Greek words koinonia and koinoneo, or their cognates. In this article the terms will be used in regards to whether or not members of the churches of Christ can and should have communion (fellowship) with individuals who propagate false doctrines and practices. I am not speaking of being friends with members of various denominations but rather if we should so act or participate in worship assemblies wherein we condone the teachings and practices of different denominations. In the restoration movement that began in America during the early 1800s there was the desire to be like the Lord’s church as found in the New Testament. Various religious leaders studied their way out of denominational dogmas and influenced thousands of others to become united together as the one body of Jesus Christ. As these individuals learned new truths they discarded the error that they had held previously. This did not occur overnight but eventually the effort to restore New Testament Christianity spread across the country in the fashion of a prairie fire.

In the process of time there arose among preachers, authors and editors disagreements regarding the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures which led to the use of musical instruments in the worship assemblies and the beginning of the Missionary Society. There was a great deal of discussion and debate regarding whether or not the “pious unimmersed” should partake of the Lord’s Supper. Also the question was raised as to the fellowshipping of the various denominations. Many referred to this problem as having “communion with the sects” which the more “progressive brethren” (does that sound familiar?) wanted to do. Eventually a great division among the disciples came into being over these and other issues. The general feeling among those in attendance at the General Convention that was held in Louisville , Kentucky in October, 1869 that public endorsement should have been given to the North in the War Between the States. Ben Franklin, gospel preacher and editor of the American Christian Review who was present on the occasion “was positively convinced that concomitant with the war the brotherhood’s predominant leadership intended to re-design the church to duplicate American Protestant denominations.” He also believed that “these leaders were pushing for several changes. For one thing, it must be recognized that friends in the Protestant bodies were as much Christians as those connected with the restoration movement regardless of whether or not they were immersed. Furthermore, the new leadership believed that some clear statement as to the beliefs of the churches should be made. Moreover, to recognize the preacher as the pastor would be necessary to help blend local urban congregations with Protestant groups in the same city. Too, the missionary society, it was thought would convince the Protestant church that the brotherhood pursued the lost in mission fields with as much ardor as the Protestant bodies and even employed parallel organizations to accomplish it. In addition, as churches of the restoration movement grew in the nation’s expanding cities, they would use instrumental music to achieve similar respectability as the Protestant friends now enjoyed. Finally, as Franklin saw it, the pre-war restoration plea was being significantly altered by the new leadership so as to destroy its earlier substance. The accomplishment of these goals would make the church into a sect among sects and a denomination among denominations, Franklin surmised.” (Elder Ben Franklin, Eye of the Storm, Earl Irvin West, Religious Book Service, 722 N. Payton Rd., Indianapolis, Indianan 46219, 1983, pages 233, 234).

I fully realize that the previous quotation was lengthy but I wanted to emphasize that the problems that began to divide the church approximately one hundred and forty years ago have divided and are dividing the body of Jesus Christ today. There are congregations now using the musical instruments in the various assemblies of worship and there is the fellowshipping of the denominations, including using the preachers/teachers of error in their worship assemblies. Please read the following program of the Lord’s Day Sunday morning worship assemblies of GracePointe (a Church of Christ serving our community) in Montgomery, Alabama as it appeared in their bulletin dated March 7, 2010:

Message: “There Is More!”

Scotty Harris w/ Rev.John Michael VanDyke

and Guest from ChristChurchXP

Response Song: 934 – Softly & Tenderly

What you have just read has not developed in a short period of time. It has taken years, mainly because of the liberal leanings of the elders and preachers in this congregation. While this is no surprise, it is so sad and disappointing. The announcement does not state what the visiting denominational preacher said or what the guests may have said or done, but why were they even in a leadership position during the worship assembly. GracePointe has had denominational preachers speaking in their Wednesday night assemblies for sometime and perhaps on other occasions (See Inclusiveness, Pluralism & Syncretism under the heading of Current Issues in the Church on my blog). The following is from the website of the ChristChurchXP: “Baptism may be by immersion or by affusion (pouring of water) - there are references to both in the Bible. Our baptisms are usually by affusion. Candidates are baptized "in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and then marked on their forehead with oil with the sign of the cross -- "sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own forever." Most, but not all, baptisms are part of the Sunday morning service. As followers of Jesus Christ, we look to Scripture as the center of our belief, which is summed up in the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds. Our beliefs are also reflected in our mission statement, which is based on Jesus Christ's declaration in John 14:6, and in our individual covenant which each member is asked to sign. It is printed below.” When brethren practice ‘Unity in a diversity of doctrine’ it is understandable why they would have a denominational preacher and “guests” in their worship assembly. A few years ago an elder of this congregation and a friend of mine who endorses the use of denominational preachers in the worship assemblies sent me his booklet entitled, “Fellowship, Who is to Decide?” that would justify such actions. Brother Cecil May wrote, “The path of some is already set; where they are going is predetermined by their announced inclinations. They will march boldly and deliberately into full fellowship with denominational Christendom, ceasing to even recognize as a worthy goal the restoration of the New Testament order.” (The Spiritual Sword, Volume 28, October 1996, No.1, page 46).

There are professors in some of our ‘Christian Universities’, editors of liberal magazines like Wineskins and elders and preachers of various congregations throughout our land who are proclaiming that the church is simply ‘a tribe among many tribes’; in other words, the church of Christ is a denominational body among the thousands of other denominations that exist in our country. And if that indeed be case, there is no logical or scriptural argument that can be made in opposition to a congregation among us to use denominational preachers in our worship assemblies and extend to them the ‘right hand of fellowship’; however, the New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ established His church (Matthew 16:18) of which He is the head and foundation (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 3:11). All baptized believers were/are added to His church (Acts 2:36-38, 47). The apostle Paul declared that there is one body and that the one body is the church (Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18). Modern denominationalism as we now know it was not in existence in the first century. We dishonor the majesty of Jesus the Head of the church and His design of His body (church) when we place it on the same level with human religious organizations.

Brethren need to study very carefully the passage found in 2 John 9 -11. We are taught not to endorse, encourage or have fellowship with those who would teach anything contrary to the doctrine of Christ. A congregation can apostatize from God by teaching and/or condoning of error. Examples can be found in the listing of the seven churches in Asia (Revelation chapters 2 & 3). The question might be raised as to what point of digression does the Lord remove the “lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5). The apostle Paul, with love in his heart for his brethren and his concern for all the congregations (2 Corinthians 11:28), wrote, “Now I urge you, brethren, note (mark) those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).