Featured Differences between church and individual beliefs

How many on the BB are members of a local church with which they have a major doctrinal difference? I am not talking about the color of the carpet or Mrs. Johnson's cream of mushroom green bean casserole at every pot luck. I mean differences in eschatology, soteriology, pneumatology, etc. For instance, let us say you are an amillennialist but you go to a church that is premillennial, or you believe in unconditional election but your church teaches conditional election. Maybe you disagree with the choice of music in worship or the frequency of the Lord's Supper. For argument's sake, let us also say that there is no church in your area that completely shares your theological/doctrinal views, so you have chosen to compromise. How do you reconcile your deeply held beliefs in a setting in which they are not shared by the church?

First, let me state that I think it is wrong to join a church with the intention to change it from within. For that reason, I would not make an issue of my doctrinal distinctives with the hope of changing what the church believes. I will not shy away from sharing my opinion if asked, but I will not make a point of bring my beliefs up and causing dissension in the body. I understand that I am not obligated to believe what the pastor, elders, deacons or other church members believe. I have the liberty to hold to my convictions. Love for the brethren means that I do not use my doctrinal distinctives to cause offense. There is a time to remain silent and there is a time to speak. It takes wisdom to know the difference.

I am interested to learn how you handle these differences.

 

Yes. You know why. It will eventually go that way. I will not be the first to take this thread there. I promise you that.

 

It depends on how you define compromise. I will not yield on any of my deeply held convictions. I think my posts on certain topics is proof enough of that. However, in my local church setting, I do not make my convictions a litmus test for fellowship. There are certain things that my pastor teaches that I disagree with. There are certain practices of the church that I cannot abide. I will not sing songs/hymns that I believe are doctrinally unsound. I respectfully stand and pray during those times.

 

It sounds like you are smack in the middle of Montana or Wyoming!

 

So, how do you deal with that? In your mind is it a minor issue or a major issue? Is it something you can compartmentalize and move beyond or not?

 

By all means, feel free to move the thread to another forum if you deem it appropriate.