Assembly of God church Meets in a church of Christ

One hallmark of churches of Christ has long been an understanding that we are different from any other religious persuasion. Even though other folks might be well-intentioned and sincere, a failure to accept all the New Testament said about salvation and the structure and work of the church makes ""them"" different from ""us."" While many churches in ""Christendom"" admit their disagreements about various doctrinal issues they regularly meet together and participate in campaigns and other works together because fundamentally they believe no matter their denominational stripe they are all Christian. Again, brethren have typically shied away from such arrangements because they simply do not share that fundamental presupposition. We do not believe that everyone who pays any attention to Jesus in whatever form is a Christian. We do not believe all churches are headed to heaven, just by different roads.

However, in the changes we see rapidly taking place among more liberal minded brethren this kind of thinking is clearly under assault. With regularity now we see news of a local congregation throwing their lot in with the Billy Graham crusade or participating with denominational churches in community projects. Realizing this, nothing prepared me for the shock of the story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Under the headline ""Towering Faith"" (July 3, 2000, page 1B) the article described how Calvary Cathedral church (an Assembly of God congregation) was adapting and enduring despite their building being demolished in the March tornado that hit downtown Fort Worth. Calvary Cathedral has done a number of things to cope with the loss of facilities, but the article detailed that the biggest help they have received has come from the Midtown church of Christ. What did the folks at Midtown do? They offered an invitation to Calvary Cathedral to use their building for worship services. A church of Christ is allowing an Assembly of God group to use their building to hold their services! Several observations are in order.

First, a little liberalism always leads to more. The article told how Midtown had been housing Calvary's school since the tornado. Jim Hackney, the preacher at Midtown is quoted as saying ""We had such a great experience with them bringing the school in that we realized we can do this - two churches with two doctrinal beliefs can share a facility."" Is it not fair to ask what the school was doing there in the first place? Where in the New Testament do we read anything that even could be remotely construed to indicate that God wants His people to be running a secular school? Be careful here. Someone is sure to protest ""Public schools are so full of evolution and humanism that we have to provide a place for children to learn."" While certainly agreeing that we do not want children to be turned from the truth by evil teaching anywhere what we have to do is exactly what the Lord tells us to do. There was evil taught in the schools of Paul and Peter's day. If Jesus wanted His church to get in the education business you can be sure we would read about it in scripture. Without a divine directive we must leave it off, regardless of our own personal opinion of its necessity. ""I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps"" (Jer. 10:23).

Second, Midtown church evidently does not mind helping error progress and grow. It is hard to imagine that the brethren at Midtown are ignorant of Assembly of God teachings. Do they not know that the Calvary Cathedral will tell people that to be saved all they must do is believe on Jesus? Do they not know that the Assembly of God churches teach that miraculous gifts go on today? Assembly of God churches use instrumental music in their worship - is Midtown unaware of how true worship has been perverted by these folks in their very own building? The article in the Star-Telegram says that since Calvary Cathedral has moved over to Midtown weekly attendance has increased 15 percent, to about 1300 people. Naturally the Calvary Cathedral people are elated. But what does the Bible say? The Bible teaches clearly that baptism is necessary to salvation (Acts 2:38). Spiritual gifts have indeed ceased (1 Cor. 13:9-10; Hebrews 2:3-4). Instrumental music in worship is not God's will (Eph. 5:19). That means that Calvary Cathedral is leading people astray, causing folks to do wrong and be drawn further from God. What makes it worse is that brethren who ought to know better are aiding and abetting this by letting false religion use their facilities!

Can anyone really imagine Paul directing brethren in the New Testament to let the local idol cult use their facilities to worship? Can you see Peter saying ""We realized we can do this - two religious groups with two doctrinal beliefs can share a facility?"" Of course not. The New Testament is clear on these matters: ""And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them"" (Eph. 5:11). Despite the good appearances of Calvary Cathedral they are a work of darkness for they do not teach people the truth on the vital matter of how to be saved! John makes it clear: ""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. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds"" (2 John 1:9-11). Does Calvary Cathedral remain in the ""doctrine of Christ?"" Obviously not. How then can Midtown allow such a sharing together, a receiving and greeting of these in error? John spells it out: Midtown church actually shares in the evil deeds of Calvary Cathedral! While their preacher urges that ""we can do this"" the New Testament teaches forcefully ""Don't do this!""

Thirdly, Midtown does not seem to understand how God communicates with us today. In the Star-Telegram article Jim Hackney says, of inviting Calvary Cathedral over, ""I'd like to think the Lord prompted us."" It is apparent that Calvary Cathedral's false teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit is already infecting this man. God prompted Midtown to do this? Just how did that happen? Since when has God been prompting people to do anything?

The truth is that God's word is contained in scripture, not in feelings, hunches or man's intuition. Note the relationship that Jesus Himself says exists between the Spirit and the Word: ""It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life"" (John 6:63). How does the Spirit give life? Through the Word! These kind of passages (of which there are many, see Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16; 1 John 3:24; Romans 8:14) are perverted by many, like those in the Assembly of God denomination, to mean that somehow people today can expect to receive direct revelation and direction from God.

The folly of such thinking is perfectly illustrated by what Jim Hackney said. He claims God led Midtown to invite Calvary Cathedral to use their building. Yet we have already seen that such is a violation of plain New Testament teaching. Therefore, God could not possibly have led Jim Hackney or anyone else to such sinful action. But the idea of using subjective feelings for authority in what we do allows Hackney to believe his actions are right when they are clearly and scripturally wrong. Such is plainly more palatable than searching the scriptures to see what is right!

Surely some will complain that this article is harsh, judgmental (see John 7:24), and mean-spirited. It is our intention to be none of those things. However, the cost of Midtown's actions will be confusion among the unsaved, more apostasy and error among brethren, and many souls lost. Midtown's invitation shows that brethren are changing their stance on the distinctive and unique nature of the Lord's church. They are redefining who is a Christian. Midtown and congregations like them are departing further and further from the pattern for New Testament Christianity. Those who stand for truth and righteousness will refuse to condone such, or allow such to happen without speaking the truth. Amos asked ""Can two walk together unless they are agreed?"" (Amos 3:3). Midtown is walking with the Assemblies of God. They have agreed together. May we work and pray that we will all be more interested in agreeing with God.