After the Republican debate in Arizona last week, I realized that this law not only applies to actors; it also applies to political positions.

First, Rick Santorum accused Mitt Romney of supporting Barack Obama’s health care plan.  How did he arrive at that conclusion?  Well, Romney had a healthcare plan when he was governor of Massachusetts.  Santorum saw that as a “precursor” to Obamacare, and voila! Romney supports a very controversial healthcare plan.

Then it was Romney’s turn.  He pointed out that Rick Santorum had supported Arlen Specter’s campaign for Senate.  Specter changed parties from Republican to Democrat and voted for Obama’s healthcare plan.  So, you see, Santorum supports Obamacare![1]

It appeared that both candidates supported Obama when in truth they opposed his healthcare plan and were campaigning for the chance to defeat him!  But who cares about truth when you’re running for public office?

It occurred to me that we play this game with the Bible too, connecting the wrong dots to make the Bible say what we want it to say.

Those who want to defend the practice of homosexuality will argue that Jesus never condemned homosexuality and that his words are more authoritative than Paul’s, who frequently condemned it as sin (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Never mind that…

• Jesus did condemn the practice of “fornication,” which includes homosexuality (Mt. 15:19; Mk. 7:21).
• Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into the same truth he taught (cf. Jn. 14:10, 16, 26; 16:13), so their words are just as authoritative as his.

Another example: Some argue that baptism is not essential for salvation, arguing that we are saved by grace and not by works, and baptism is a work; therefore you do not need to be baptized to be saved.

Never mind that…

• The works that the New Testament writers said cannot save were the works of the law of Moses (cf. Jas. 2:17).
• Baptism is a work of God, not a work of man (Col. 2:12).
• Over and over, the New Testament says baptism is necessary for salvation (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Pet. 3:21).

People also defend instrumental music in worship by pointing to passages in the Old Testament as authority for the practice.

Never mind that…

• We are not under the Old Testament because it was set aside when Jesus died on the cross (Rom. 7:6; Col. 2:14).
• The New Testament church did not use musical instruments in worship, only vocal music (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).

These are just a few examples of the way people play fast and loose with the Scriptures.  The Christian life isn’t a game.  Our life should be governed by what the Bible says.  Let’s show respect for God’s Word.  Let’s speak where the Bible speaks, and remain silent where the Bible is silent.

Father, thank you for your Spirit who led the apostles and prophets to write your word in a message we can understand.  Give us humble hearts that will receive it and live it.  Forgive us for mishandling your Word; give us time to repent.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But love and God’s judgment are connected.  In the words of Jonathan Leeman, judgment protects what is loved and cherished.^[1]

It’s against the law to murder because life is precious.  It’s against the law to steal because property is precious.  It’s against God’s moral law to lie because truth is precious.

When the law is broken the proper result is an act of judgment.  This act of judgment declares the worthiness of the thing being protected.  And if no penalty or judgment results, the implication is that whatever the law was protecting was worthless.

Let’s say a young boy is caught squabbling with his brother over a toy and lying to his parents, and the lie yielded a stronger penalty than the squabbling.  What did he learn?  He learned that truth is more precious than toys.

God’s judgment must be a part of our religion because it declares the worthiness of those things his law protects.

This is why the Bible says, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (Jn. 7:24).

Many of Jesus’ discussions of being judgmental condemn not judgment in general, but proud judgment that lacks any awareness of one’s own faults.  In other words, judgment without humility.

Sometimes people will use Matthew 7:1—“Judge not, that you be not judged”—to reprimand Christians for condemning sin.  Setting aside the point that this in itself is a judgment, look at the rest of Matthew 7.  Jesus tells us not to give what is holy to dogs, not to cast our pearls before swine (v. 6), to beware of false prophets (v. 15), and to know a tree by its fruits (v. 20).  Clearly, he wasn’t opposed to all judgment.

He describes the kind of judgment he condemns in Matthew 7:3-5 using a striking analogy.

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

The meaning is clear: before we start looking at other people’s faults, we must achieve the clarity of humility by looking inwardly and working on our own faults and seeing these as greater in degree than the faults of our neighbors.

Judgment in and of itself is not bad.  Blind judgment is bad, the kind of judgment that ignores your own faults so that it can emphasize everybody else’s.

Ultimately there is only one judgment we should be worried about—Christ’s.  His judgment will decide whether we’ll spend eternity with the Father or with the devil and his angels (Jn. 12:48).

Father, forgive us when we judge others unfairly, based on appearances.  May we judge only with your righteous judgment and see that judgment as an extension of your love.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A recent study shows that 44 % of Americans have left the faith of their upbringing.  The director of the Pew Forum, the group that conducted the study, said, “The American religious economy is like a marketplace—very dynamic, very competitive.”^[1]

Consumerism in the religious marketplace has churches trying all sorts of gimmicks to draw worshipers to their assemblies, things like fully-equipped orchestras, Starbucks cafes, and watered down messages that stay away from themes like sin and guilt.

Modern-day Christianity has become sickenly self-serving.  Today’s churches are about comfort, enjoyment, and convenience.

Jesus spoke of peace, not comfort; joy, not enjoyment; commitment, not convenience.

It’s time we turn from selfishness.  Christianity is not about convenience.

Paul put it this way:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:1-2)

Our lives are to be living sacrifices, the overarching goal of which should be the sovereign will of God.

If this is true, why would anybody want to be a Christian?  Two reasons:

1.  A life of convenience is a life of misery.  The happiest children are not the ones who are spoiled and overindulged.  The happiest children are the ones whose parents teach them the importance of service and responsibility.  Christianity is not supposed to make life convenient. Christianity is supposed to make life livable, to make existence bearable, to make death approachable and sensible.

Life is going to become inconvenient no matter what we do.  Eventually, all of us will get old and sick, or some unexpected event will end life on this earth.  “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27).  Faith can face this hard truth; convenience can’t.

2.  A life in service to Christ is fulfilling.  We were created for the glory of God (Isa. 43:7).  Until we start living according to this purpose, there will be a gaping void in our lives.  “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man” (Ecc. 12:13, literal rendering).

Christian service will lend a grand purpose to your life.  It will make it meaningful.  You will add value to others and make their lives better.

Father in heaven, teach us that what is convenient is not the most important thing.  Help us to understand that your will is more important than anything else, and that your will is best for our lives.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I heard a preacher tell about how he tore a Bible up in front of a high school assembly.  “I would read a verse like, ‘Children obey your parents,’ and then I’d say, ‘We don’t want to do that one and I’d rip it out of the Bible and throw it on the ground!’” he said.  I think he was hoping the students understood irony.

Another example of Bible-abuse is the Jefferson Bible, a hobby of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States.  Jefferson described Jesus’ teachings as “the most sublime and benevolent code of morals,” but he rejected what he called the “artificial scaffolding” that surrounded those teachings.  In other words, he didn’t believe in miracles.

“The Jefferson Bible” is his attempt to tear down that scaffolding.  In the White House, “after getting through the evening task of reading the letters and papers of the day,” he used a razor to slice Jesus’ teachings out of a couple of King James Bibles, then grouped them by subject (e.g., “false teachers”) and pasted them into a scrapbook.

Jefferson preserved Jesus’ life story and his teachings, but he removed anything that strained reason — the walking on water or Lazarus’ resurrection.   “The Jefferson Bible” ends with Jesus’ entombment, and Jefferson seemed happy to take the book to his grave. When he mentioned it in letters to a small circle of friends, he cautioned them to keep it a secret. Even his family didn’t find out about it until after he’d died.[1]

In my judgment, these are three different examples representing three different attitudes.

1.  Take the first case of the student who complained about people who mark in their Bibles to improve their understanding and retention of the text.  This isn’t abusing God’s Word.  Writing marginal notes and highlighting important phrases is very beneficial to the learning process.

The leather, paper, and ink are not important.  The important thing is the words they carry.  God wants to write his law on our hearts (Heb. 8:10).  If marking in our Bibles helps that happen, I see no reason why we shouldn’t do it.

2.  I think I understand the point of the preacher who tore up his Bible, but I’m afraid his showmanship took center stage, not the message he intended to deliver.  No, we can’t pick and choose the parts of the Bible we want to follow; every word is inspired and profitable.  But there’s an unwritten law of public speaking that says you must never do anything to distract from your message.  A performance can be memorable for the wrong reasons.

3.  Then there’s Jefferson’s Bible.  Clearly, the author of the Declaration of Independence didn’t care for certain parts of the New Testament.  He was committing the very offence condemned by the paper-shredding preacher.

We mustn’t add to or take away from God’s Word.  Deuteronomy 4:2 reads, “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.”  Proverbs 30:5-6 reads, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.  Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”  The book of Revelation closes with these words: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

The sum of God’s word is truth (Ps. 119:160); all Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16).

Faithful people are shaped by the Word of God.  They spend a lot of time with their Bibles.  To them, God’s Word is a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (Ps. 119:105).

Father in heaven, we thank you for revealing your infinite nature to us in words.  Thank you, Lord, for teaching us your love through the cross and guiding us with the plan of salvation.  May we believe what has been written and obey.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This is an important question.  You see, the Bible is God’s Word in every sense of the meaning.  When you read the Bible it is as if God is having a conversation with you.  There are hundreds of translations on the market, but it is important to be choosy, because we’re not talking about a newspaper or a textbook.  We’re talking about the Word of God!

So my first word of advice is to purchase a word-for-word translation.  Don’t settle for anything less.  The reason you should insist on a word-for-word translation is because of the verbal inspiration of the Bible; the New Testament writers claimed that not just the ideas, but every word of Scripture is inspired by God.  Speaking of inspiration, Paul said, “We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit…” (1 Cor. 2:13).

Some translations follow a thought-for-thought philosophy, known as “dynamic equivalence.”  These versions aspire to give the reader a better understanding by trying to record what the biblical writers were thinking, rather than just translating what they wrote down.  The problem with this approach is that it can lead to interpretation, and we don’t want our Bibles to be interpretations.  We want them to tell us what God’s actual words are.

Another challenge to finding a good word-for-word translation is the abundance of paraphrases on the market these days.  Paraphrases are just books that put the Bible into someone’s own words, and many times they are written by single authors, whereas a major translation will be the work of scores of scholars.  I’ve heard people praise a paraphrase for its understandability, not knowing that they do not really have God’s Word, but one man’s opinion about what God’s Word says.

Here’s a brief list of good word-for-word translations of the Bible: King James Version, New King James Version, English Standard Version, and the New American Standard Bible.  There are others, but these are the easiest ones to get your hands on.

After the issue of translation philosophy has been settled, there is the question of practicality.  What are you looking for in a Bible?  Some like the New American Standard Bible for its accuracy in translating verb tenses, but it can be a clumsy read sometimes.  Others prefer the beauty of the King James, but it is 400 years old, and much of the language is archaic.  I have been preaching and teaching from the English Standard Version for the last several years because, generally speaking, it is very accurate, and it uses dignified English that flows off the tongue.  But there are several passages in the ESV that could have been translated better.

Just remember that the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek autographs of the Bible were inspired; English translations may reflect these inspired works well, but they are not perfect.  For that reason, it’s good to have at least two translations to compare when doing deeper studies.

In his 1880 book entitled, Lands of the Bible, J.W. McGarvey writes about leaving his home for the long overseas trip to the Holy Lands:

When the carriage drove to the door, and the moment came for bidding farewell to my home and household, I had already been upstairs in my library to take a last look there, and as I gazed upon the rows of familiar books I said within myself, “Good-bye, my dear old friends; and if I never see you again, God bless you for the good you have done me and the happy hours we have spent together.”[1]

Being a man of learning, Brother McGarvey thought of his books as “dear old friends.”  Now, you may not have a library and talk to it as you would your high school buddies, but at least you should have a good Bible that is as a friend to you.  Your soul depends on your reading and obeying God’s Word, which is contained in the Bible.  That’s why it is important to find a good translation.

Our Father in heaven, all that we know about you we have learned from the Bible.  Thank you for your Spirit who revealed it to the inspired writers.  Teach us to hunger for your Word so that we will meditate on it daily and find a blessing.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Since Jesus and his disciples came from a Jewish background, it is likely that “peace” carried in their minds the connotations of the Hebrew word shalom, a state of wholeness and flourishing in every dimension of life.

The Old Testament is rich with teachings of peace.  For now, we’ll focus on a few pertinent passages from Isaiah.

Jesus declared in his hometown synagogue that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.  Having read from a passage in Isaiah about being anointed to proclaim good news to the poor (Is. 61:1-2), he said to an audience of shocked listeners, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk. 4:21).  By making this claim he was identifying himself with “Immanuel” (Is. 7:14),  the “root of Jesse” (11:10), the Lord’s Servant” (52:13), the “Prince of Peace” (9:6).

In vivid prophecy, Isaiah paints astounding pictures of the peaceable kingdom ruled by the Lord’s anointed.  One passage reads,

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.  (Is. 2:4)

In another passage, the branch of Jesse establishes a dominion where

the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.  (Is. 11:6-8)

It’s tragic that so many want to give this prophecy a literal interpretation and apply it to a future kingdom that has not yet come, because Christ’s peaceable kingdom is here!  He has already “made peace by the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:20).

There are two things we must do in response to these pictures of peace from Isaiah:

1.  Be at peace.  Man’s fundamental problem is sin.  Another passage in Isaiah reads, “’There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked’” (48:22).  Sin throws our lives out of balance.

When Jesus died for us, he made reconciliation possible between God and sinners.  But before we can be at peace, we must believe and obey the gospel.

2.  Work for peace.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).

Notice he didn’t say, “Blessed are the peacebreakers.”  Division is the devil’s work; the Lord hates the sowing of discord among brethren (Prov. 6:19).

Notice also that he didn’t just say, “Blessed are the peacelovers.”  Some people want peace at any price.  They believe that it is God’s will for them to stay out of the way and cause as little of a disturbance as possible.  They ignore the fact that Jesus was promoting peacemaking—the work of creating real harmony among families, churches, and neighbors.

Be at peace, work for peace, and you will be a follower of the Prince of peace.

Father in heaven and the God of all peace, we praise you for sending your Son to be the ransom for our souls and the founder of your peaceable kingdom.  May we find peace through him and work for the peace you desire.  In Jesus name, Amen.

And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.  And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  (Luke 2:42-47).

At twelve years of age, kids should be playing sports and video games, griping about homework, riding bikes, going to camp, and making friends.

But where do we find Jesus?  Sitting among the scribes, listening and asking questions.

Don’t get me wrong.  The application I’m making is not that kids need to grow up faster.  If anything, our children are growing up too fast.  Here are some stats reported in the Wall Street Journal several years ago:

• Ten- to twelve-year olds are demonstrating many of the deviant behaviors we used to reserve for adolescents.
• Although children under 15 still represent a minority of juvenile arrests, their numbers have grown disproportionately in the past 20 years.
• The crimes committed by these younger teens are growing in severity too: We are reading about murder, rape and drug abuse.
• Between 1988 and 1995, the proportion of girls saying they had sex before 15 rose to 19% from 11%.  Boys remained stable at 21%.
• Drugs and alcohol are a problem.  The past decade has seen more than a doubling of the proportion of eighth-graders who have smoked marijuana (10% today) and of those who no longer see it as dangerous.
• Suicide among tweens more than doubled between 1979 and 1995.
• Eating disorders such as anorexia and obsessive dieting are on the rise.^[1]

So it would appear that while moms and dads are trying everything from tummy tucks to the newest skin creams to recapture their youth, their kids are piling on makeup, sliding into tight clothes, experimenting with drugs, and hanging out with older teens to feel older.

The truth is, it is a lot easier for kids these days to get their hands on really dangerous temptations that just fifteen years ago were well out of reach.  Parents can’t afford to be naïve; they must protect their kids and train them to resist worldly influences.

So I didn’t bring up Jesus’ childhood to get kids to grow up.  They grow up too fast already.  I wanted to make another point about sacrifice.  Jesus wasn’t a normal kid.  He gave up his childhood for his mission to save mankind from itself.  And his childhood isn’t all that he gave; he gave up his life.

We shouldn’t take that sacrifice for granted.  Paul wrote, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19b-20).

Furthermore, what Christ gave should inspire sacrifice in our lives.  Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).  Jesus died on a cross so that we would not have to suffer the penalty for our sins.  Is it too much for him to ask us to put him first in our lives?

Father in heaven, remind us what you sacrificed so that we might be saved.  Let that gracious gift be an inspiration in our lives to surrender everything and put you first.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Saul defeated the Amalekites, but he spared their king and saved the best of their livestock and other things he thought might be useful.

There are many lessons to be learned from Saul’s disobedience, but I want to focus on the excuse he made when Samuel confronted him about his sin: “I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Sam. 15:24).  The classic commentary-writer Adam Clarke was right in his assessment that had Saul feared God more, he need have feared the people less.

Saul’s problem is a strange but familiar phenomenon—fearing people who are supposed to be there to love and support you.  Because this is so common, and because it gets so many of us into trouble, I would like to make a few observations about it.

1.  If you are disobeying God because you are afraid of what your friends might think, it is time for a change.  This is what Paul was talking about when he said, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals’” (1 Cor. 15:33).  Our companions do wield a powerful influence over us.  When they’ve gone morally-sour, they can ruin us spiritually.

2.  If you are afraid of your friends because of the direction they are leading you in, it’s time to get out.  Proverbs 13:20 reads, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”  What kind of a friend leads you over a cliff?  Step back and take a look at the direction your life has taken since you started running with the crowd you’re in.  If you are suffering because of who you’re with, God says you’re running with fools.

3.  A true friend will make you better.  Another proverb reads, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17).  A good friendship doesn’t necessarily make you comfortable, it makes you better.  Good friends are concerned more about eternal rewards than instant gratification.  They care more about you than themselves.

Who wouldn’t want a friend like that?  But there’s a catch: Chances are that the kind of people that would make good friends are also looking for associations that will make them better.  So the best way to attract a true friend is to be a true friend.

Jesus made a wonderful statement when he said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn. 15:14).  There is nothing to fear by having Jesus by your side.  But before you can claim him as your friend, you must do what he commands!

Father in heaven, give us the strength and wisdom to listen to your Son and obey what he commands us to do.  Thank you for graciously giving us the ability to call him Friend.  In his name we pray, Amen.

At the end of the Revolutionary War, American soldiers, who had forgone pay for as long as six years, learned that a nearly bankrupt Congress was considering never paying them.

In response many of them, including key officers, approached Washington to join an armed rebellion against Congress and allow himself to be set up as king.

Washington vehemently refused:

Gentlemen, as I was among the first who embarked in the cause of our common Country; as I never left your side one moment, but when called from you on public duty; as I have been the constant companion and witness of your Distresses…it can scarcely be supposed…that I am indifferent to [your] interests.  But…this dreadful alternative, of either deserting our Country in the extremest hour of her distress, or turning our Arms against it…has something so shocking in it that humanity revolts from the idea…. I spurn it, as every Man who regards liberty…undoubtedly must.”

Washington’s refusal to seek political or financial reward for his years of military service astonished everyone—even the king of England!  When George III heard of it he exclaimed, “If true, then he is the greatest man in the world.”^[1]

Washington’s men had not only misjudged his character, but also the nature of the nation he had helped to establish, for it was free.  Setting up a monarchy would have destroyed everything he had fought so fiercely to defend.

In the Bible we read of a similar incident, only where this second person is concerned, higher principles were at stake.

When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”  Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  (John 6:14-15)

Jesus had just fed 5,000 men, not counting women and children, with five loaves and two fish.  After everyone was full, twelve basketfuls were left over.  This impressed the crowd so much that they tried to take him by force to make him king.  But Christ refused them.  He did so because they had a correct impression that had been corrupted by a mistaken one.

They correctly assumed that Jesus was a king.  This is why he is called “Jesus Christ.”  “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name.  It is a title, the equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, meaning “Anointed One.”  When Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” in Matthew 16:16, he was worshiping Jesus as his king.

But they made the mistake of thinking His kingdom was earthly in nature.  Jesus’ enemies knew of Jesus’ claims and brought him to trial before the Roman courts under the accusation that he had set himself up as a rival to Caesar (Luke 23:1-2).  When Pilate cross-examined Jesus he asked if he was a king, to which Jesus responded, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn. 18:36).

That is why Jesus wouldn’t let the crowd make him their king.  They didn’t understand what kind of a king he was.

What about you?  Is Jesus your king?  If so, what kind of a king?  Do you view him as an all-powerful friend who will run to your aid when you get into trouble?  Are you looking to him as a king who will serve your purposes?  Or is he the one to whom you have put on the throne of your heart?  Are you submitting to him in all things?

O God in heaven, Father of our King, Jesus Christ, teach us to follow your Son as Lord of our lives.  Make us to walk in his ways, yield to his commands, and perform his mission in the world.  In his name, Amen.

Today “nondenominational” is a loose term that refers to churches not affiliated with established denominations.  Denominations divide Christians, so it is good that people feel drawn to nondenominational churches.

But there are reasons why these fast-growing churches have cut ties with denominations.  No doubt, they want to appeal to the growing distaste for division that exists in this nation, but they also seek independence for the freedom that it gives them to experiment with different worship styles and liberal theology.  It would be wrong to make a blanket judgment about every so-called nondenominational church in America, but it is safe to say that the largest ones seem to have a few things in common: a casual atmosphere, contemporary music, concert-like worship, and an aversion to traditional religion.

Are these churches really nondenominational?  The word “denomination” literally means “of a name,” and it refers to a church that has set itself off from other Christians with a designation like Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc.  Hundreds of denominations sprang up after the Reformation, and new ones appear every year.

Now that the nondenominational trend has had time to develop, it’s clear that it’s more of the same in contemporary packaging.

Case in point, Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.  Mars Hill just settled a legal dispute with an unrelated Mars Hill Church in Sacramento over their name.  The Seattle church, which is planting multisite campuses across state lines, trademarked its name and logo in August.  Why did it do that?  So it could plant more Mars Hill churches across the nation.  These churches will be set up just like the mother church in Seattle and pipe in lessons from its senior pastor onto video monitors at the various sites.[2]

Mars Hill is just one example of numerous multi-site non-denominational churches in America.  They aren’t non-denominational.  They’re just adding new denominations to the heap!

You cannot maintain nondenominational principles very long without restoration principles.  If a church is evangelistic and successful, it will soon outgrow its location and want to plant churches elsewhere.  But if has grown using a standard other than the New Testament, it has to carry that standard with it to the new churches it’s planting, and before you know it, another new brand has surfaced, complete with its unique name, style of worship, and practices.

The only name that is truly nondenominational is “Christian.”

• It is a Scriptural name.  The Bible says the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
• It is a name that honors Christ.
• It’s the only name we can all agree on.  No one can trademark the name “Christian” and start a new brand of Christianity with it.  “Christian” is a name for all true believers.

The lesson for churches of Christ is that the world hungers for an answer to the confusion and division of denominationalism, and we are not doing enough to point it in the direction of the pure New Testament.  Let’s challenge those who seek the Lord to believe what first century Christians believed, obey what they obeyed, and be saved as they were saved.

Father in heaven, thank you for giving us the right to wear the name Christian by the blood of your Son Jesus.  May we glorify you in that name and devote ourselves to the restoration of the New Testament church.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.