Generally, I would say follow your legitimate leaders while they are your leaders, but not every leadership position is permanent. Landlords only have jurisdiction while you are their tenants. In the same way, God could call us out of one church into another for a variety of legitimate reasons, though having our ears tickled [2Tim. 4:3, 4] is not one of them.
Their is no justification for a church split. If a leadership is heretical, vote with your feet. If it's just a different direction, find a more suitable fellowship or see if such would consider planting one in your area so that a new work has sufficient covering.
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Sabertooth
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2Corinthians 10:5
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Their is no justification for a church split? You may be right on that. I remember a Baptist pastor friend of mine once said that he saw church splits in a positive light, as two churches in the kingdom of heaven instead of just one, and that statistically, two churches are generally larger in numbers than one. So, I guess he saw it as increasing the number of people who would be going to church, which is one positive out of an otherwise negative situation.
Our church raises up pastors and plants new churches which go on to do the same. There are less hurt feelings that way and still a basis for covering. These successive churches have a great deal of autonomy.
__________________
Sabertooth
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2Corinthians 10:5
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Our church raises up pastors and plants new churches which go on to do the same. There are less hurt feelings that way and still a basis for covering. These successive churches have a great deal of autonomy.
I don't like the word "covering" -- it smacks too much of the amateur theology of some churches today -- but I know what you mean. More biblical concepts include mentoring, discipleship and being a faithful sheep in the sheepfold.
i will follow my own path, but i will have Jesus to help me if i stray from it.
You sound just like me. I do recognize the need for faithful shepherds. However, my problem is that most of the ones I have met over the years are too selfish, too bossy, too overly controlling and more concerned with their own empire building than building Christ's kingdom.
I would word it differently - follow Christ's own way as best YOU understand it and with the faith God has given YOU, not as some bossy-boots, control-freak church leader wants to shove down your throat, especially when what that "leader" wants you to do violates your conscience.
True leaders are gentle shepherds. People like that I highly respect and honor. The other kind I run from as fast and as far as I can - that includes popes and televangelists.
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