Authoritarianism in the church is one of the most serious problems that Christian churches face today. Authoritarian regimes and political machines within Christian churches are not only totally unbiblical, but they empower men to take a church anywhere they wish, bypassing the normal checks and balances found in the Bible. A church that has given control to a single man (often called a Senior Pastor) or to a small group of men (often called a board of elders) is helplessly tossed about in very dangerous waves...

One simple principle will save you much trouble and frustration, here it is:

Regarding all things that pertain to faith and practice in the Christian life, and that pertain to living a life that is pleasing to God, if something is not found in the Bible, forget it. Don't believe it!  In other words if the Bible doesn't teach it, reject it. And, if something is not specifically found in the New Testament, certainly don't practice it. It's that simple.

I receive many emails from people looking for a house church. Here are some things to keep in mind. In our early days of enjoying freedom from “the system” of institutional religiosity, it is very easy to assume that anyone involved with house churches must be safe. Not so. We still need to exercise much discernment even regarding house or home churches as they are often called. There are some very bad home churches and that is to be expected. Here’s why...