Our church has planted several churches, a few in our local area and some overseas. I have noticed that some of the people leaving our church just go to one of the church plants. We attended one of them yesterday partially because we were running late and it is closer to our home. It’s also that our church often doesn’t have children’s classes on Sunday when there is a holiday weekend. The children complain when they don’t get to see their friends.
I have to admit, the sermon was much more biblical and I felt the truth being preached. It was over the armor of God, and only in a few places did I think I might want to recheck as there was a stretch. One example was that the shield used in the times this was written were meant to be used corporately to create a sort of “wall” and so you need the community when fighting the devil, you don’t do it alone. I really believe you can fight alone depending on if that’s God’s will…of course you have God. In fact, like David used the sling and had God with him, he didn’t need corporate church to help. Anyway, this was the one area otherwise, I felt it was very instructive and I felt fed.
The children said they understood what they learned in Sunday School, and it had been a long time since they understood the biblical point at our regular church. That to me is sad. They said, “well, it’s because they read straight from the bible instead of showing us those videos like they do at our church.” They are even saying they’d like to go to this church instead if it wasn’t for their best friends who attend our church. Huh.
The only problem with attending this church is that if the error in our church is as bad as I think it is, this local church plant is still impacted by it’s mother church. The pastors from our church speak there often. They also have a “catch phrase” that suggests contemplative as “Centered” is one of the main words. Right now, it appears they mean “life Centered on Christ” and not contemplative, but still. Also, in a previous post I wrote about YF camp. This church mentioned a YF camp upcoming, so all the associations emergent and new age, though it’s a long line, are in this church as well.
I also began by email to ask about another of our church plants since some members have left our church with their concerns but went to this new church plant. I wrote asking if they had used “Purpose Driven” materials. The woman I wrote accidentally forwarded the email because she used the CC to pull up the pastor’s address to give to me. We may well find out the associations between church plant pastors. If we are questioned in our own church, we’ll know they communicate and we can avoid this newer church plant. For our friends, it’s my hope that the newer plants aren’t following their “mother.”
I am a C...I am a CH...I am a CHRISTIAN 