Don Johnson on the Local Church

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Don Johnson on the Local Church

May 1, 2009 by Chris Poe

HT: Truth Matters

Here is a copy of the tract that Bro. Johnson mentions.

Posted in church membership, ecclesiology, The church | Tagged Conrad Murrell, Don Johnson | 3 Comments

3 Responses

on May 2, 2009 at 1:41 AM RJ

He says concerning a person who is not part of a local church:

1. That they can not truly know they are saved if they are not in a local church.

2. They will be stunted in their spiritual growth.

I would like to challege both of these statements. First, there have been many Christians in the past who became martyrs for their faith and who were not able to be a part of a local church. Indeed the aposte Paul himself, whom everyone loves to quote so much regarding this topic, was not a part of the local church. He spent many years in prison, and when he was not in prison, he was doing evangelistic work. It was only for short periods of time that he was actually attending a local church. Now more specific to point #1 is that our hope of salvation does not hang on our attendance in a local church. Our hope of salvation rests in the grace of God, and the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Many people will use the excuse that just because they are a member of the local church and tithe every week that they must be going to heaven, like it is their golden ticket to paradise. This is a false hope. Church attendence does no more to make you a Christian than does going to MacDonalds you a hamburger.

Concerning point #2: to say that a lack of church attendence will stunt your spiritual growth reveals a misunderstanding about the reality of the evangelical church in 2009. A person may well attend a church every single Sunday and hear a thousand topical sermons on the family, on marriage, on relationships, on money and tithing, and NEVER grow spiritually because of any of these. The reality is that most evangelical churches today are a mile wide and an inch deep in terms of their depth. Seeker sensitive churches have not disappeared. They are by far the majority still. Churches that preach expository sermons through the Bible are hard to come by. Sound doctrine is not taught. So does one grow spiritually, (and by spiritually I suppose this to mean ‘growing in the knowledge of God’), by attending these watered-down shallow churches? Just how many shallow sermons does it take before one benefits from them? Solid books, by solid authors, on deep subjects is what makes a person grow in the knowledge of God. Reading the Bible and listening to sermons that expound its meaning makes one grow spiritually. Praying and singing songs to God, this grows a person spiritually. One can show up to a shallow local church, high-five his buddies, sing a lot of ‘Jesus-is-my-girlfriend’ type songs and listen to a shallow sermon on ’3 steps to make your marriage better’——–or they can stay at home, enjoy the sabbath off, listen to a REAL sermon going through REAL scripture, and worship with hymns and melodies that have solid theology and magnify the glory of God. Given these choices, is it so hard to see why many have chosen to pass up the local church?
on May 2, 2009 at 12:58 PM Christian

RJ,

I understand why many have chosen to pass up the local church. In the past I’ve struggled greatly to find a sound church to get involved with as well. But as a result of this experience I am in large agreement with what Bro. Johnson states here. You have also mischaracterized his remarks. I know him personally and can assure you that he does not preach that our hope of salvation hangs on our attendance or membership in a local church.

A church also doesn’t have to meet in a so-called church building. But you set up a shallow, broad-brush false dichotomy between the worst of the evanjellyfish churches and the kind of lone ranger mentality that Bro. Johnson decries in the video. Also, the author of the tract that he mentions and that I linked to in my post doesn’t even believe in formal church membership at all! So the charge of salvation by church membership won’t stick.

Your assertions about Paul’s ministry do not stand up under a cursory reading of the NT. He and Barnabas was sent out by a local church (after being set apart for that work by the Holy Spirit) and he planted and ministered to local churches. The fact that many religious organizations today do not resemble NT churches goes without saying. That’s not what’s being asserted by myself or by Don Johnson in this video. We’re not saying that you should join the nearest happy clappy, seeker sensitive example of commercial religion that you can find. Doing that would generally be detrimental to authentic growth in grace.

In 1 Tim 3, Paul wrote that the church is the “pillar and ground of the truth.” Those who are not themselves elders who have charge of others should be under the authority of elders in a local church. (Heb. 13:17)
Note that Bro. Johnson states that one should take the church situation into account when relocating, etc. We are not saying that a good church is easy to find. In many areas today unfortunately it is very difficult to find one.

Also consider that many churches had problems in the era in which the apostles were still ministering. Were this not so, we wouldn’t have most of the New Testament! I have often grieved at the state of professing Christianity, but should we expect things to be any better than during the apostolic era? There are true churches, weak churches and those that are synagogues of satan.

Here is an excellent post that in a more provocative way sets forth the same general idea that Bro. Johnson does here, and also has applicability to those who do attend church but who have set other leaders on a pedestal: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/04/porn-and-paper-pastors.html

This is not to say that we can’t profit greatly from reading these men and from listening to them. I listen to as much as I can. But in my experience one can visit the churches they pastor and quickly find things to complain about as well, if so inclined. And all too often, I am so inclined. Sitting at home and reading books and listening to sermons can indeed be profitable, but it is no substitute for organic body life in which believers are mutually accountable, etc.

Your email address and IP would suggest that you are perhaps in the Hammond or Northshore areas. If so and if you’re interested, I can recommend several sound churches that in no way resemble the enterprises that you have described which are sadly all too typical today. You can contact me at the email address listed in the “about” page.

Also, anonymous comments are not allowed on this site. In the future, please identify yourself or contact me by email and give me a good reason why you cannot do so publicly. Otherwise you’ll have to find somewhere else to share your thoughts.

Grace and Peace
on June 22, 2010 at 12:26 AM Interview With Jeffrey D. Johnson, Author of The Fatal Flaw of the Theology Behind Infant Baptism « One Pilgrim’s Progress

[...] and his father, Don Johnson, preach there frequently. (Part of a message by Bro. Don Johnson was previously featured on this blog.) Jeff and I stayed in touch for a few years, but after relocating a few years ago, [...]

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