ALTERNATIVE CHURCH

Of late I have been discovering “alternative churches.” You know, those churches that are an alternative to the churches that we all know about. They don’t necessarily meet on Sunday morning; they don’t necessarily sing copious songs; they don’t necessarily have “communion”; they don’t necessarily have a sermon; they don’t usually meet in public buildings; they don’t have hierarchical leadership; often no one is ordained because they operate on the basis that everyone is an able minister of the New Covenant; they don’t have offerings for the church to pay for buildings and salaries; they often don’t have set liturgies or programmes.

In fact, they seem to be more like the New Testament Church than the “other” church is. The overall thrust of these “alternative” churches seems to be love and relationships (and eating together). I have heard that they are off the track because they don’t have a specified doctrine or vision statement and they are not under someone’s “covering.”

I think Jesus said something about this. “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another.” Wow!!! Not “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have sound doctrine.?”

Nope. Not once.

That begs the question then, which one is the alternative church. If you can find most of what the “alternative” church does in scripture, perhaps the “alternative” church is the one that is not seen as the “alternative church.?” You know the one that pays very little attention to what is in the scriptures, preferring to operate according to the dictates of man in the denominational tradition that they belong to.

I am led to believe that the “alternative” church (that is not really alternative) is growing at a rate of knots. Probably over 1 million of them worldwide. Apart from serious believers who are leaving the non alternative church by the millions, the “alternative” church is bringing new converts into the Kingdom of God in droves. No sitting on the premises for them. They prefer to stand on the promises.

If this is God’s latest move to bring his church into line with his word (not ours), we would be foolish not to investigate it for ourselves. A word of warning however. It is no use investigating on the basis we are right and they are wrong. You will have to go with an open mind (not too open or your brain might fall out), but sufficiently teachable to be able to see what God is doing as opposed to what we think he should do or what man is doing.

Enjoy.