Why I'm No Longer Part of an Evangelical Church
by Jay Graham
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
I grew up in what would be considered an
"evangelical church." My family attended
as often as the doors were opened. At age
12, I prayed what they called the "Sinner's
Prayer," and was convinced I was saved
at that point. I was then baptized many
months later when they had a number of
others ready for baptism. I was baptized
into the evangelical congregation as a "sign
of my salvation." I was completely pleased
with my spiritual life for several years;
however, that would change. In 1978, I met
a nice young lady whom I wanted to get
to know better (as a side note, we married
one year later, and I have been blessed by
her for over three decades). I was told by
her parents that if I wanted to be with her
on Sundays, I would need to attend church
assemblies, because that was where she
would be. I wanted to be with her, so I
attended the assemblies of the local church
of Christ. At first, I was more concerned
with her than I was with the church.
My first impression was, Don't you have
enough money for a piano or organ? They
answered by saying they sang without
musical accompaniment as a matter of
conviction. I then asked if the man in
front was their preacher, and their answer
was that the brothers of the congregation
shared the teaching responsibilities. Okay,
I thought. Then I turned my attention back
to the young lady.
WHAT I BEGAN TO LEARN
As time went on, I began to take notice of
the church I was attending, and what they
were teaching. I began to be bothered by
some of what they taught. I learned they did
not consider me to be a Christian, and I was
not amused. They told me that the "Sinner's
Prayer" I had prayed was not in the Bible. I
told them of course it was, and determined
to search the Scriptures for that prayer. I
searched and searched, but I could not find
it. I finally admitted it was not there.
I began to realize that I had been deceived.
In fact, I began to realize that, truly, I was
not a Christian as I had always been told
and believed, especially when I considered
the examples of those who responded
to the gospel in the book of Acts. Once
I accepted that what I had been taught
was wrong, the scales began to fall from
my eyes. I wanted to be part of the same
church that was established by Jesus, as
testified by the New Testament Scriptures.
One thing after another that I had always
been taught, and accordingly believed, fell
by the wayside as a false doctrine.
I came to understand that those in Acts
responded to the gospel by repenting of
their sins,1
by confessing that Jesus is the
Christ,2 and by being immersed in water in
the name of Jesus for the remission of their
sins.3, 4 They then were added to the Lord's
body by the Lord Himself.5
There was no
vote for acceptance, or permission asked,
as many evangelicals believed.
WHAT I CONCLUDED
ABOUT DOCTRINE
I began to realize the church in which I had
been brought up never actually studied or
taught New Testament doctrine. Yes, we
were taught the Old Testament stories, the
gospels and the life of Jesus, and we spent
an enormous amount of time studying
Revelation. But it finally dawned on me that
we very seldom studied Acts and the New
Testament letters, especially the doctrines
they contained. And I wondered why (I
have since concluded they did not teach
doctrine, because they did not really believe
in doctrine). I contrasted this with Acts
2:426
and 2 John 9 7
,as well as the remainder
of the New Testament Scriptures in which
doctrine was vitally important. Over time,
I studied more and more, and came to the
conclusion that it was through the New
Testament doctrine ("the foundation of
the apostles and prophets") that Christ
actually rules over His church.8
To be fair,
this understanding came following years of
studying and teaching. I did not come to
these conclusions overnight.
ABOUT THE CHURCH
As time went on, I came to recognize
a number of the false ideas in man's
churches that are foreign to the actual text
of the New Testament. I began to see how
arrogant and even blasphemous it was to
refer to mere men as "Reverends."9
I came
to better understand that the true nature
of the church was not in physical buildings
or temples, but that the true temple of
God is made up of His Christians.10 I
came to understand there was no clergy/
laity distinction in the church.11 I came
to appreciate that the teaching of the
individual congregations was to come
from the various brothers, and that it is
wrong for churches to gather "hirelings"
to do the work of the brothers.12 I also
learned that it is the Lord's will that we
have elders to shepherd the flock in their
care, not professional edifiers (i.e. hired
"preachers"/"pastors").13
ABOUT SALVATION
I had always been taught and believed that
once a person was "saved" they could never
lose their salvation. I came to understand
that the New Testament taught differently,
as testified by the many exhortations to
remain faithful,14 and by Paul's statement in
1 Corinthians 9:27.15 I have since discussed
this with my brother who faithfully believes
this doctrine, and it has put him in a
perplexing situation. He considers me to
be a heretic because I believe one must
respond to the offer of God's grace through
faith and obedience, yet I was "saved"
at age 12 by praying that prayer. He has
since concluded that I must not have been
genuine in my original conversion. But I
know I meant it at the time...so then, by his
reasoning I cannot lose!
MUCH ADO ABOUT MONEY
As a point of note, one of the things that
attracted me to the churches of Christ was
their de-emphasis on collecting funds,
especially when compared to the methods
that man's churches use. The churches
of Christ do so as described in the New
Testament—in a very simple fashion,
they give once a week on the Lord's Day
(1 Cor. 16:1, 2). They do not give by
tithing,16 or by making other promises to
men. In the church in which I grew up,
we gave at "Sunday school," in the Sunday
morning meeting, in the Sunday evening
meeting, and in the Wednesday evening
meeting. When we had what we called a
"revival," we had at least one collection
each night. Sometimes they would actually
count the funds collected, and ask/demand
more! This is not what the church of the
New Testament did.
"IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME"
If my passion and zeal is coming through,
maybe it is because I came to the Lord's
church from outside. I grew up in a
church that claimed to be, and thought it
was, of the Lord. But after a study of the
New Testament, I am now convinced it
was not. I am reminded of the words of
Jesus in Matthew 15:7-9. Jesus refers to
those who worship the Lord, but whose
worship is "in vain," because it is according to their own traditions and teachings
rather than according to His (see also
Matthew 7:21-23). I am determined to
be part of the Lord's church, the body of
Christ, the churches of Christ, the church
Christ rules over (Ephesians 1:22, 23),
the one that follows the New Testament
doctrines. I am convinced that evangelical churches are not the church Christ
rules over. They are ruled by men, their
doctrines and wisdom (1 Cor. 2:1-5).
JESUS WILL JUDGE
Does this mean those who are part of those
churches will not be saved in the end? That
is the Lord's concern. Jesus will judge the
living and the dead. That is not my place.
My place is to obey what I have learned
from the Scriptures, and encourage others
to do the same, since God has said He
requires obedience.17
WHAT SAY YOU?
What is your response to this pamphlet?
Please don't be angry, offended or bitter. Be
as the Bereans in Acts 17:10, 11. Search the
Scriptures, in particular the New Testament
Scriptures. Don't search in man's wisdom or
books. Don't ask your "preacher" or "pastor."
Certainly, do not depend on what you have
always been taught and believed. Search the
Scriptures yourself to see "whether these
things are so,"18 for only in them can you
gain eternal life (2 Tim. 3:14-17).
May the Lord bless you in your search for
His truth.
ENDNOTES
- Ac. 2:38; 3:19; 17:30
- Ac. 8:37
- Immersion: Ac. 8:38, 39
- For the remission of sins: Ac. 2:38; 22:16
- Ac. 2:47
- "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,
and in prayers."
- "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the
doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who
abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father
and the Son."
- Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Jn. 1:1-4; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14
- In Scripture, only God is called "reverend"
(Ps. 111:9, KJV)
- 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; Eph. 2:19-22
- 2 Pet. 2:5, 9
- Rom. 15:14; Jn. 10:12; 2 Tim 4:3-4
- Ac. 14:23; 20:17, 28
- Rom. 11:22; 2 Pet. 1:10, 11; Rev. 2:10
- "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjec-
tion, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself
should become disqualified."
- 1 Cor. 16:1, 2; 2 Cor. 9:7
- 2 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 5:9; 1 Pet. 4:17
- Ac. 17:11
