How can you tell if a church’s teachings are false?  What must I look for?  Thank you for your time and help.

Sincerely,
On The Alert

Dear On The Alert,

Look for a church that is trying to follow the New Testament pattern as closely as possible. A congregation doesn’t need to be full of perfect people, but they need to be trying to faithfully follow God’s Word and not their own ideologies. The following are a few markers of what you should find in every church that is faithful to Christ’s Word:

1. Their name should be Biblical. Church of Christ (Rom 16:16), the church (Acts 14:27), church of God (1 Cor 1:2), the Way (Acts 24:14) – all of these are Biblical names given to a local congregation. Having the right name on the front of the building doesn’t mean they are the right church, but if they can’t even get their name from the Bible, they probably aren’t worth wasting your time on.
2. Their doctrine should be a copy of the New Testament (Acts 2:42). Any creeds, ‘statements of faith’, articles of belief, manuals, or handbooks are from man and not from God. You want a congregation that uses the Bible to decide their practices.
3. They are autonomous. Every congregation of the New Testament had independence. Only local elders were over them (1 Pet 5:1-2, Acts 14:23). They were bound to follow Christ as their only head (Eph 5:23). No boards or committees, no headquarters in some other state, no popes or potentates – what you are looking for is a local body of believers which is accountable to Christ and His Word.
4. The church’s work should be simple. The church of the first century wasn’t involved in every community and political arena. Their work was focused on three things – caring for needy christians (Acts 4:34), preaching to the lost, and teaching the saved (Acts 15:35). Find a congregation who is committed to being about Christ’s work.
5. They should be open to examination. Any congregation that is serving Christ should be willing to explain why they do what they do. They should be willing to be examined because they are constantly examining themselves (2 Cor 13:5). There is nothing wrong with asking a congregation where their practices can be found in the New Testament. Ask questions and expect Bible answers for them.

These five things are by no means all of the characteristics of Christ’s church, but this should help narrow down your options significantly. Most people accept mediocrity from their church; don’t do that. It is unfair to expect the people of a congregation to be perfect… you will never find perfect humans. However, you should demand intellectual honesty and Biblical faithfulness from any congregation you want to be a member of. If you would like additional help as you look for a faithful congregation in your area, please email us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org and we would be happy to help you look.

Why does Jesus love us so much?  Is there a specific reason?

Sincerely,
Skeptical

Dear Skeptical,

The specific reason God (and Jesus as His Son) loves us so much is because of God’s character.  His love for mankind has nothing to do with how great we are, any achievements we have performed, etc.  The short answer is God is love (1 Jn 4:8).  His love toward us is part of who He is and His great and unfathomable character.  God’s love is the beginning of all love because we are made in His image (Gen 1:26).  We love because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:10).

Did God (the Father) kill Jesus?

Sincerely,
Coroner

Dear Coroner,

Absolutely not.  Jesus was killed by the Roman government at the request of the Jewish people (Acts 4:10).  The Father didn’t force Jesus to die.  Jesus said that He willingly laid down His life for us (Jhn 10:17-18).  At any point, Jesus could have called for angels to save Him from the cross (Matt 26:53), but He didn’t because He loved us enough to die for our sins (1 Jn 4:10).

I am pregnant and have an abusive boyfriend, both physically and emotionally.  I want to leave but don’t want to go through pregnancy alone, and I don’t want my baby to have no father figure.  I feel like God has wanted this for me and that I am now too old to find a partner in life.  Do I leave?

Sincerely,
Mother In Distress

Dear Mother In Distress,

Any man that beats women isn’t a father figure, so staying with him isn’t a blessing to your unborn child.  God tells us to train up a child in the way they should go so that when they are older, they won’t depart from the righteous path (Pr 22:6).  It is understandable that you are scared right now, and our hearts go out to you in your loneliness.  Just remember, life is too short to continue to walk down the wrong road – at some point, the brave thing to do is to turn around and start walking the right direction (Acts 17:30).  What kind of person do you want your child to become?  Whatever you want your child to be, you must first be for them.  By leaving an abusive relationship, fleeing sexual immorality, and turning to God, you will be starting a legacy of faith for your unborn son or daughter.  Your bravery will teach them to be brave.  Also, you don’t have to be alone in this… in fact, you shouldn’t be.  There are faithful congregations of godly people all over the country that can help you as you start on your new path.  Not all churches serve God, but we would be happy to help you find one in your area that is faithful and ready to help teach and encourage you through this new beginning.  E-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org if we can help you find a church near you.

I'm sure someone has asked this before, but I wanted to ask this so it was phrased the way I want it.  I was baptized not too long ago, but ever since, I have yet to truly understand how to live as a christian... I am in the process of reading the Bible, but I feel ignorant, and I want to know how to live as a christian properly.

Do I have to feel a certain way every day or go out and do charitable things?  Do I focus on learning only?

How do I live as a christian; what do I need to do?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
At The Beginning

Dear At The Beginning,

Your question is a good one, but a difficult one to give an easy answer to.  It is kind of like asking what a baby needs to do to become a grown up.  Do they need to learn to walk? Yes, but not just walk.  Do they need to learn to talk? Yes, but not just talk.  In fact, there are a million different things that must be learned and perfected by the time a child can be considered an adult.  However, it would overwhelm a child if you tried to explain to them everything they would have to learn in the first two decades of their life.  Children grow by simply doing the best they can every day, and somehow, almost magically, that turns them into adults.

The same thing is true in spiritual growth.  You need to study your Bible, but you also need to try and apply it by living according to its teachings.  You need to go to a faithful church and learn (we can help you find one if you need help... not all churches are faithful), but you also need to try and share the good news with others.  How you feel will change from day to day, but you also need to try and control your emotions.  Peter said it best:

“As newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that you may grow thereby unto salvation.”
(I Pet 2:2)

The key is eating the Bible up and letting its teachings mold you.  There is no magical formula.  It is a daily process of hearing what God has said in the Bible and then trying to do what He says.  The more you try, the more you grow... and eventually, you will look back and see the major changes in your life.