The Mandate for Fellowship Amidst Doctrinal Imperfection

Executive Summary

This document synthesizes the core arguments from a sermon addressing the challenge believers face when no theologically aligned church is nearby. The central thesis is that Christian fellowship is a non-negotiable biblical mandate, rooted in God’s creational design and affirmed throughout scripture. Isolation is presented as spiritually dangerous and contrary to God’s redemptive plan, which is inherently communal.

The sermon argues that God does not require a perfect church for fellowship to exist, citing the example of the seven imperfect churches in Revelation, which Christ corrected but did not abandon. The regular custom of Jesus attending a corrupt synagogue system and the practices of the early church in Acts are presented as models for believers. The analysis concludes that while discernment is essential to reject false gospels, believers are commanded to seek fellowship, even in imperfect settings, to obey the “one another” commands of scripture, find spiritual protection, and participate in the corporate witness of the church. The document provides practical counsel on how to engage with such churches humbly and how to practice faithful stewardship through tithing.

1. The Biblical Mandate for Community

The sermon establishes that the need for fellowship is not a remedial measure but a foundational aspect of God’s design for humanity and his redemptive plan.

1.1. The Creational Principle

The first instance in scripture where God declares something “not good” is in Genesis 2:18, concerning Adam being alone. This establishes a “creation principle” that humanity was built for relationships and community. This principle extends from the family unit to the Body of Christ; just as Adam was incomplete without a companion, the redeemed are designed to walk together, not in isolation.

1.2. The Communal Nature of Redemption in the Old Testament

God’s redemptive work has always focused on a people, not just isolated individuals.

Psalm 68:6: “God setteth the solitary in families,” indicating that God redeems people out of isolation and plants them into households, giving them belonging and purpose.
Genesis 12: God’s call to Abraham was a promise to make him “a great nation,” demonstrating a communal focus from the outset.
The Exodus: Families, not lone believers, came out of Egypt under the blood of the lamb.
Malachi 3:16: God is depicted as attending to and recording the conversations of “they that feared the Lord” who “spake often one to another,” highlighting the divine value placed on the gathering of the righteous.

2. The Example of Christ and the Early Church

The patterns set by Jesus Christ and the first-century apostles are presented as the authoritative model for contemporary believers.

2.1. Christ’s Custom of Assembly

Despite being the perfect Word made flesh who had perfect communion with the Father, Jesus regularly attended synagogue worship.

Luke 4:16: It was Jesus’s “custom” to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath. He did this to identify with God’s people, place himself within Israel’s worship life, and model the behavior his disciples should follow.
Critique of Imperfection: The sermon notes that the synagogue system was corrupt and filled with Pharisees and dead traditions. However, Jesus did not withdraw into isolation but bore witness within the assembly, correcting and teaching, which parallels his actions toward the imperfect churches in Revelation.
Corporate Worship: At the Last Supper (Matthew 26:29-30), Jesus sang a hymn with his disciples, modeling corporate worship.

2.2. The Early Church’s Steadfast Fellowship (Acts 2 & 8)

The post-Pentecost community in Acts provides a clear blueprint for church life centered on fellowship.

Core Practices (Acts 2:42): The believers “continued steadfastly” in doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. The term “continued steadfastly” implies a constant, devoted persistence, not a casual or occasional gathering.
Shared Life (Acts 2:44-45): The fellowship was a “shared life” involving shared possessions, burdens, and worship. The “breaking of bread” encompassed both ordinary meals and the Lord’s Supper, blurring the line between dinner and worship.
Dual Gatherings (Acts 2:46-47): The early church practiced both large, public gatherings in the temple (for teaching and witnessing) and small, intimate gatherings from house-to-house (for relational accountability and hospitality). This is presented not as an “either/or” choice but as a “both/and” model, providing strength in numbers and strength in closeness.
Persecution and Distribution (Acts 8:1-4): After Stephen’s martyrdom, persecution scattered the Jerusalem church. The enemy intended to silence the church, but God used it for distribution, multiplying the church into a network of assemblies. This is framed as a principle: “what may look like destruction is actually God’s distribution.” Scattered believers are not disconnected individuals but a “cohesive assembly of saints” strategically placed by God.

3. Evidence from Contemporary Witnesses

The sermon incorporates two contemporary “witnesses” to reinforce the argument that fellowship is essential and can be found even in doctrinally imperfect settings.

3.1. Testimony of a Congregant

An email from a church member details a personal journey through various denominations, including Baptist, non-denominational, Lutheran, Catholic, Pentecostal, and Grace Chapel. Key takeaways from this testimony include:

Discernment is Crucial: The individual stresses that discernment was essential to navigate these different environments, allowing them to recognize truth, incompleteness, and falsehood. Without it, the experiences could have been “spiritually harmful.”
Fellowship as the Greatest Gain: The primary blessing gained from attending other churches was “fellowship” with other believers, which can be strong when core truths are shared.
Core Truths for Fellowship: Foundational beliefs that enable fellowship across differences include the inherency of scripture, the one true God, and Christ’s fulfillment of prophecy (virgin birth, death, resurrection).
Providential Preparation: These varied experiences served as a “classroom” that prepared the individual’s heart to fully embrace the “kingdom message” when it was later encountered.

3.2. Agreement with Pastor Lurther

The sermon references Pastor Lurther, who leads a “kingdom” ministry in southeast Ohio. A shared theological perspective is established, highlighting a broader movement of the Spirit.

Shared Conviction: Pastor Lurther teaches that fellowship is not a “side issue or personal preference” but a “covenantal pattern” that is not optional.
Doctrinal Alignment: His ministry’s beliefs align with America’s Promise Ministries on several key points, demonstrating that believers are not alone in holding these views.

Doctrinal Position Description
Covenant Theology Views all of God’s dealings with man as covenantal and consistent.
Salvation by Grace Upholds the core truths of the Protestant Reformation regarding salvation through Christ alone.
Nomian (Law-Affirming) Emphasizes God’s eternal law as the definition of good works and holiness.
Theonomy Upholds God’s law as the foundation for justice in personal, societal, and governmental life.
Kinist Believes God ordained distinctions between peoples that should be honored.
Postmillennial Believes Christ reigns as king now and the gospel will advance in history until the final judgment.

Unity on Essentials: The conclusion drawn is that when the “essentials” of Christ, covenant, and scripture are intact, fellowship can and must happen, even if differences exist on secondary issues.

4. The Practical Necessity of Assembly: The “One Another” Commands

The sermon argues that a significant portion of New Testament commands are impossible to obey in isolation, making fellowship a practical necessity for Christian sanctification. These are referred to as the “one anothers.”

Love one another (John 13): The defining mark of a disciple requires interaction.
Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6): This requires awareness of others’ needs, which is discovered in fellowship.
Confess your faults one to another (James 5): Accountability and restoration require a community.
Teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3): The Word is for mutual exchange within the body.
Serve one another (1 Peter 4): Spiritual gifts are given for the benefit of the body, not for private hoarding.

Furthermore, the “body of Christ” analogy from 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 is used to illustrate that a “solo Christian” is like a dismembered body part—unnatural and unsustainable. Every member, even the weaker, is indispensable. To amputate oneself from the body is to “bleed out spiritually.”

5. Navigating Fellowship with Discernment

While fellowship is mandated, it is not to be entered into blindly. A balance between acceptance and discernment is required.

5.1. Receiving Weaker Brethren

Romans 14:1-4 is cited as the model for handling differences on secondary issues (e.g., diets, observance of days). The command is to “receive” a brother who is weak in the faith because God has received him. To reject a believer over such matters is to set oneself up as a higher judge than God.

5.2. The Berean Model

Acts 17:11 presents the ideal approach:

1. Receive the word with all readiness of mind: Be open and eager to hear.
2. Search the scriptures daily: Test everything against the Word of God. This model combines readiness with rigorous discernment.

5.3. The Line for Separation

A clear distinction is made between secondary errors and apostasy. The line where fellowship must break down is drawn from 2 Corinthians 11:4:

Another Jesus: A different savior than the one preached by the apostles.
Another spirit: A spirit other than the Holy Spirit.
Another gospel: A message of salvation that deviates from the true gospel of grace.

When these core tenets are denied, it is no longer a matter of a “weaker brother” but “another faith.” However, the sermon cautions not to confuse every error with apostasy, again referencing the seven churches whom Christ rebuked but still called his own.

6. Practical Counsel for Scattered Believers

The sermon concludes with direct, actionable advice for those seeking fellowship in areas without a perfectly aligned church.

6.1. How to Attend an Imperfect Church

Go Humbly, Not to Argue: Treat the local church as a “classroom,” not a “battleground.” The goal is to learn, love, and live out the “one another” commands, not to act as a “secret agent to set them straight.”
Be a Berean: Keep a firm anchor in sound doctrine. Listen, test everything, retain what is good, and discard what is error.
Obedience is Not Contingent on Perfection: One can still love, serve, encourage, and bear burdens in an imperfect fellowship.

6.2. Stewardship and Tithing

Guidance on financial giving is based on 1 Corinthians 9:11-14:

Tithe Where You Are Nourished: The tithe belongs to the ministry where one’s soul is spiritually fed and faith is strengthened. This is framed as sowing into the ground that yields a spiritual harvest for you.
Avoid Two Extremes:
1. Withholding Altogether: This is described as draining the body rather than supplying it.
2. Scattering Gifts Aimlessly: Sending small sums to many voices may ease one’s conscience but does little to build up the core ministry that provides sustenance.
The Principle: “Don’t tithe where you’re entertained; tithe where you’re edified.”

6.3. Final Charge: Rejecting the Pharisee’s Pride

The sermon concludes by returning to the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:11-14). The Pharisee’s error was his prideful separation, thanking God he was not like other men. This is contrasted with the justified Publican’s humility. The modern “Pharisee problem” is the mindset that demands doctrinal perfection as a prerequisite for fellowship. The final instruction is to reject this isolating pride and, following the command in Hebrews 10:24-25, to “provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembly,” because Christ still walks among his imperfect churches.