Why This Church?

 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”

Titus 2:1 ESV

What is it that draws you to a particular church? What is it that convinces you to remain with a particular church? And what is it that leads you to leave your church for another?

I realize these are heavy questions. But I believe they’re important for us to consider. They’re important to consider because they reveal what we believe to be the most important aspects of church life.

As we look at the above passage, the word that stands out to us is doctrine. As Paul instructs a young pastor, named Titus, he tells him to teach what accords with sound doctrine. In other words, his focus and his mission was to faithfully and accurately teach the Word of God.

For most, in the church today, doctrine has become a dirty word. Doctrine is synonymous with boring. It’s synonymous with a dead and a dry spiritual atmosphere. And, for this reason, people shun doctrine.

What leads many of us to join a particular church or to leave a particular church, today, is not doctrine. It may be that our family goes to that particular church. It may be that grandpa shingled the roof of the church building so long ago. It may be loyalty to a particular pastor, or our hatred of another. It might be the worship style. It might be that you hate a structured liturgy, and prefer a worship service that is more informal. Or, perhaps, the opposite is true. You hate the perceived lack of reverence you see in so many churches today, and you long for that which is more structured and seemingly respectful. It might also be the music. You may hate hymns, believing them to be old-fashioned. You may hate music that’s played on the organ or simply on a piano because it seems dull. And you prefer the upbeat contemporary music, with drums, electric guitar, bass, and incredible vocals. Or, once again, this modern music may seem to you to lack reverence, and so you are drawn to the old hymns. It might be the size of the youth program. It might be the activities that are offered. 

There are a whole variety of things that either draw us to a church or that lead us to leave it behind. However, the thing that should lead us to join or to leave a church is nothing less than doctrine. After all, doctrine is simply right teaching. It’s teaching that’s in accordance with the Word of God. 

Please don’t misunderstand me, when I say this. Each of us is certainly entitled to our preferences. But if the choice is between a church that caters to my preferences while the doctrine is questionable, and another where the doctrine is good but not all of my whims are satisfied, I’ll choose the church with right doctrine every time. I’ll choose the church that is going to faithfully proclaim to me, as well as to my family, the Word of God so that we are sustained and built up in the faith.

Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have found both. However, let us never forget what is truly important. More than any other element of the worship service or of church life, it’s doctrine that must be prioritized.