JESUS CHRIST declared that He would build His Church. Indeed, the true Church of Christ is one; He is the Head as the Chief Shepherd of the Church, with several human ministers performing various ministerial duties as under-shepherds. Among these under-shepherds are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
In the beginning, when the foundational apostles started preaching, there was no such thing as the Catholic Church, Protestant churches, Pentecostal churches, Spiritual churches or Charismatic churches. However, there were local churches established in Corinth, Colossae, Philippi, Galatia, Rome, Ephesus and other places where the apostles of Christ had gone to preach the gospel.
There is no doubt that in those days it was difficult for a disciple of Christ to leave one church and join another unless perhaps the believer travelled from one city to another. But in this age of proliferation of churches and denominations with various registered organisational names, it is easier for a Christian to change churches.
This is the age where doctrines and theological discourses from the pulpit are diverse. Both the genuine and false teachers believe they are preaching the truth. Which church then should a Christian fellowship with? Church proliferation resulting from various factors, including frustrated Christians in a local church withdrawing to start another church, has made several churches substitutes of others.
For instance, today, it can be said that the Anglican Church is a close substitute of the Catholic Church; the Christ Apostolic Church is a close substitute of the Church of Pentecost. And most Charismatic churches are close substitutes of one another. In other words, they share things in common.
However, a Christian desiring to leave one church for the other has the responsibility to pray, study the Bible, listen to the voice of their conscience to know a local church that can lead them to know and grow in Christ, the Lord.
Now, the phenomenon of Christians changing churches has been widely criticised. It is not proper for a child of God to hop from one church to another over any petty issues. For instance, having a misunderstanding with a fellow worshipper or suffering a rebuke from leadership should not lead to leaving a church. Offences must be forgiven just as God forgives us, and conflicts must be resolved in the interest of peace.
As long as we live in this fallen world with various desires and temptations to sin, wrongdoings, differences, disagreement or disputes are simply inevitable. Offences are bound to happen as it is said, “Christians are saved from the power of sins but not from the presence of sins. Sin or wrongdoing surrounds us continually. Thus, it is not proper for a Christian to leave a church just over petty issues.
So, now, should a Christian maintain fellowship with a church and follow their pastor no matter what happens? No, not at all! There are varied reasons a believer can decide to change his pastor. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors (Bishops) and Teachers who have deviated from sound doctrines of Christ and are morally decayed are not worth following.
Similarly, self-appointed ministers who peddle God, involved in the commodification of Christianity and commercialisation of ecclesiastical titles are not worth following. They are ungodly people, who crept in unnoticed. They pervert the grace of God into sensuality and deny the Lord Jesus Christ. They lead those who follow them to eternal damnation.
It is sad that many Christians are playing with the salvation of their souls by following false ministers. Sometimes, their hearts are not at peace in following them; they can tell that they are being led astray, yet they cannot leave such ministers or churches and pray for God’s guidance for a true shepherd. Such believers are held in bondage.
There is no denying the fact that many churches have sprung up these days. And there is nothing wrong with church multiplication and reproduction. How the world like to see drinking spots, pubs, shrines, lotteries and brothels proliferate, but hate to see the Christian Church expand. Hatred without cause! How beautiful it will be for Christ Jesus to have a true church in every house throughout the world; the world will be full of knowledge and love of God.
However, not all the churches we see around are being shepherded by faithful servants who are also sheep. All are Christ’s sheep. Thus, in Christianity, sheep shepherd sheep. But we need to know that there are also goats in charge of false churches. They all preach, teach and pray in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
The situation is so designed from the very beginning. The language they speak during ministrations is not the key factor to determine their genuineness. A man of God may be proficient in the English, French or any of the Ghanaian languages, and yet be an agent of the devil.
But a minister, who follows Jesus Christ, the Head and Owner of the Church, is to be followed. How can a man who is filled with the Spirit of the living Christ refuse to walk with Him? Paul boldly told his follower in the Lord, Timothy, to follow him because he himself was following Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
By James Quansah
jamesquansah@yahoo.com