Issues in the Churches

(A Variety of Questionable Activities, Relationships, and Organizations)

Richard Hollerman

Over the years, I’ve had contact with dozens of groups that claim to be “Christian” in some respects. I am not part of any of them. But many may wonder why this is so. Do I not profess Christianity? Do I not claim to be a Christian? Do these groups not also claim to be Christian in some manner? Do I not want to live and work with believers? Why then am I not part of a group that claims to be Christian? There are many reasons but let me mention several at this time.

It has been said that there are perhaps 3,000 different churches or denominations in the United States and some 30,000 in the world. These would be churches that call themselves “Christian” in some measure. They would not include world religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, or even Roman Catholicism. We know that these groups that claim to be “Christian” would not all be the same for there are different denominations and groupings included in the category of Christian that we have mentioned.

So the question arises: What problems exist when a given group calls itself a Christian Church? A lot of this depends on the context of such a question. We have pondered this long and hard but still there are differences—and sometimes radical differences between these groups. Notice these problem areas. But notice also that some of the issues are positive ones that, sadly, need to be implemented. Here are a few of these variations.

You will notice that some of them are what we might call minor but other ones are major in nature:

Notice a few:

1. Luxury cars (1 John 2:15-17)
2. Luxury homes (1 John 2:15-17)
3. Membership in secret societies, such as the Masons, Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, etc
4. Membership in service and social organizations, such as Rotary, etc.
5. Failure of fathers and mothers to keep their children from the unrighteousness that they need to prevent secular and worldly ways. (Ephesians 6:4).
6. Junk food of all kinds or “fast food” in eating establishments
7. Non-nutritional diet
8. Working on the Lord’s day
9. Missing assemblies on the Lord’s day
10. Instrumental music at home, in assemblies, etc.
11. Worldly music in the assembly and at home
12. Sports of all kind—in school and socially
13. Laziness in all venues
14. TV viewing
15. Movies in the theater and at home
16. Radio and internet
17. Costly pets and upkeep (which takes also takes time!)
18. Mixed swimming of men and women
19. Immodest clothing—women in all circumstances
20. Immodest clothing—men in all circumstances
21. Short hair for women
22. Long hair for men
23. Bizarre appearances (hair, skin, etc., for men and women
24. Tattoos, piercing, etc.
25. Jobs—times, compromises, etc.
26. Holidays—military, political, religious
27. Holidays—“Christian”—Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving
28. Amusement parks and similar entertainment places
29. Women working away from the house
30. Secular schools—elementary, secondary
31. Worldly Colleges and universities
32. Labor unions—membership and participation
33. Carnal warfare and other violent or hostile choices
34. Childhood amusements
35. Toys for children
36. Sport cars
37. Worldly college courses
38. Evolution tolerated or even promoted
39. Naked showers
40. Recreational choices
41. Hunting and fishing choices
42. Expensive sports equipment
43. Forbidding home schooling
44. Promoting secular or worldly education
45. Expensive and worldly Funerals
46. Computer games
47. Dating before marriage
48. Large and extravagant cars
49. Large and expensive houses
50. Extravagant furnishings
51. Unneeded possessions
52. Unscriptural songs and hymns
53. Preachers doing the work of a overseer
54. Giving not at all or in small amounts
55. Giving to questionable places
56. Divorce
57. Divorce and remarriage
58. Separation from marriage
59. Divisive, confusing, wrongful, and negative “marriages”
60. Worldly talk or conversation
61. Political affiliations and involvements
62. Money—acquisition and accumulation
63. “Pastors” and other wrongful positions
64. Women taking the lead over men
65. Feminism
66. Women teaching over the man
67. Families with few or no children—purposely avoiding this
68. Overweight members
69. Luxurious vacations
70. Vacations to questionable places
71. Marriage of a Christian to non-Christians
72. Marriage of a Christian to a worldly person
73. Refusal to read the Bible
74. Refusal to study and learn
75. Husband—refusing to love and care for wife
76. Wife—refusing to love and care for husband
77. Wife—refusing to submit to husband
78. Not having children be active and work
79. Employment for the husband
80. Military—training
81. Military—participation
82. War involvements
83. Friendships with worldly people for fellowship (not for conversion)
84. Refusal to be baptized (immersed)
85. Failure to repent of past sins
86. Refusal to repent of present sins
87. Not believing in Christ Jesus
88. Giving the assembly a denominational “name”
89. Giving the assembly any biblical or non-biblical name
90. Not preaching to outsiders
91. Refusal to have any physical activity
92. Refusal to read Biblically-orientated or any other books
93. Dishonesty at work or in the home
94. Sweet and intimate fellowship among believers
95. Withdrawal of fellowship in the assembly
96. Association with other Christians—daily, weekly, etc.
97. Teaching your children at home
98. Playing with your children
99. Educational and spiritual games or worldly and carnal games
100. Wasting time and opportunities
101. Other means of travel—plane, cruises, automobile, etc.—in a worldly manner
102. Sadly, many people are overweight .Surely they must realize that this shortens lifespan, on the average
103. Many parents permit their children (especially boys) to have mechanical toys of one kind or another that are ungodly.
104. Many are overcome with a desire for pets (dogs, cats, etc.), and this consumes money for food and vet visits.
105. The Lord’s supper (communion) has become a ritual of sorts with little regard for the meaning of the communal event.
106. Early Christians partook of the bread as a weekly event and not merely an infrequent occurrence.
107. Those who preach and teach are surely not to dress in a special clerical garb of any think.
108. Choirs and the like are not to be seen in the assembly and special “religious” garb are not to be part of their wardrobe.
109. Women are not to lead or teach publically, as anyone acquainted with Scripture knows.
110. Confessions and creeds of any kind are not to be part of the assembly or the body of Christ.
111. Synods and conferences are not part of God’s believing assembly.
112. There is no place at all for “Christian” colleges, universities, high schools, or elementary schools.
113. Movie theaters are not to be seen for they allow God’s people to have access to many worldly influences and viewing
114. Restaurants and fast food places are not fit for Christian involvements.
115. Family “nudity” is not to be part of God’s people at all.
116. Cathedrals and elaborate “church buildings” are entirely out of place among God’s people.
117. Youth organizations must not be part of the assembly.
118. Is the Word of God really inspired? Sadly, more and more colleges say that it isn’t.
119. Some are saying that Christians should involve themselves in political processes.
120. Active physical warfare is being exchanged for a non-resistant or pacifist stance.
121. Evolution is believed and taught increasingly in educational establishments—with the “Big Bang” with its long ages instead of taking Genesis at face value.
122. Even lectures promote the idea of the “Big Bang” idea and ridicule the idea that Genesis is true.
123. Worldly and secular songs and music in church, in the home, and in other places
124. “Intelligent Design” perspectives, old earth creationism, progressive creationism, theistic evolution, and like are increasingly accepted by some youth and others.
125. Denominational names are being used.
126. Denominational participation in encouraged by some

This would be a sampling of a number of “problems” that exist within groups that call themselves “Christian.” What about you? How do you view such things? If you are a true child of God of disciple of Christ, do you find no problem with these elements–or do you grieve over them? What can we do?