AGREEMENT OR ACCEPTANCE?

The Church is made up of a diverse set of people. We come from all backgrounds, cultures, experiences and nationalities. We are all unique individuals who are learning to love one another and to be a family together with Christ as our Head.

It doesn't matter if you fellowship in a denominational church, a non-denominational church, or an organic house church, the reality is the same: you fellowship regularly with people who are different and who do not agree with you on everything.

There are two ways you can respond to this fact: First, you can make sure that as many people as possible agree on as many doctrines and practices as possible. This will involve writing down all your doctrines and practices, teaching them to the people and enforcing your will upon them. If they do not conform to your beliefs and practices you must invite them to leave and find others who agree with their strange brand of Christianity.

Or, you can love them in spite of the fact that they disagree with you on one thing or the other.

The funny thing is, even if you go with the first option, I guarantee you that there will still be plenty of people in your church who do not agree with you on everything. Either they will pretend to agree with you in order to remain in the fellowship, or they will keep silent, or you just haven't discovered what area or doctrine where they disagree with you.

Our house church family is full of a wide array of people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds. Some of us were baptists, or pentecostals, or charismatics, or presbyterians. Some of us are dispensationalists, some of us are not. Some of us are armenian and some of us have no idea what that word means. It doesn't really matter to us. Why? Because we've made a decision that it matters more to us to pursue following Jesus together and learning to love one another than it does to agree on every point of doctrine.

Do you really want to be in a church where everyone is just like you? Perhaps that is your idea of perfection, but it's my nightmare. The last thing I want is to be surrounded by people who think like me, agree with me on everything and insulate me from new ideas. Over the years I've learned so much from these dear people. We all love Jesus and we're all committed to helping one another to follow Him in our daily lives. This is all that matters to us. If you love Jesus and if you're committed to following Him and putting His words into practice in your actual, daily life - you're in!

Your mileage may vary.

-kg