Movie night!

Several times throughout the year, a religious group located close to us advertises “Movie Night” as a part of their activities. Although I enjoy movies as much as the next person, the Bible does not teach that the church is responsible for this kind of activity.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” So Paul states that the church’s work is comprised of edification (perfecting the saints), benevolence (work of the ministry), and evangelism (edifying of the body of Christ). Aside from benevolence, the work of the church or the kingdom is spiritual, not social (Luke 17:20-21; John 18:36). The gospel of Christ is not a “social gospel,” and the church of Christ is not a “social institution.”

Paul taught that the home is to be the center of social activity -- not the church (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). The increasing tendency to socialize church services and church work by having “fellowship banquets,” a social hour with refreshments after the service for various groups, a church dining room or cafeteria stocked with coffee and doughnuts to entertain visitors and accommodate social functions, serving refreshments between Bible classes and worship to attract greater attendance, providing basketball courts and video games to court young people, and even watching movies on a big screen is purely sectarian and leads directly to what Paul condemned in the Corinthians. Every person should be impressed with the need to follow God’s instructions for His church (Hebrews 8:5). That is all that we claim and all for which we plead. If you would like to participate in worship services which reflect the New Testament pattern, please worship with us this Sunday.

Kyle Campbell