grades

[doug]

does God watch evaluate and judge different churches and give them different grades? Does he put more real christians in some churches rather than others?
Is it a good idea to go to a struggling church and help all the struggling people there or is it better to go someplace where people are really seeking higher ground?
The concept of rewards is quite clear in scripture but a lot of christians i meet have a muddy view of it if they have even heard of the concept at all.

[Mark C.]

Hi Doug,

  I do not think that God "grades" churches in the sense that one church will receive a better reward than another.  In Rev. chaps 2-3 we see the 7 Churches of Asia evaluated, but it will be the individuals who make up each group who will receive a reward.  We will not go into eternity with a  local church identity.

  Jesus did characterize the nature of each church and had an array of warnings and commendations to make as a whole. I think these exhortations were designed for their present situation vs. some kind of a rating system for rewards in the future life.
 
"Is it a good idea to go to a struggling church and help etc.?"  This question would have to be more specific in order for me to really know what you are asking here.  Some would put the Assembly into that category of a "struggling church", and I stayed there for years knowing that the group had problems with the attitude and that maybe I could help them. 

  For some groups, like the Assembly, you couldn't of helped by staying and I'm sure that is true of churches that have similar systemic problems.  Jesus warned Laodicea that they had big problems, but the biggest was their unwillingness to receive entreaty.  If a church will not receive constructive crticism and tries to make the member asking questions the problem then Jesus is on the outside and knocking to get in.

  Individuals who stay in dysfunctional groups, though the leaders say all the right things, become supporters of what Jesus hates and that will effect their reward.  Those really "seeking higher ground" is a difficult judgment for me to make and requires more info. for me to have an opinion here.  Some religious folks have very out-going personalities, and some churches take on a more vocal and active character as well.  Both the church and the individual here may be more like the Pharisee praying in public to God vs. the disreptuable Publican who appeared so "un-higher ground" like in his prayer.

                                                                            God bless,  Mark C.

 

[DavidM]

    I think you just have go where the Spirit leads. Maybe it is the big strong evangelistic place for a while then maybe you need to visit a smaller church that needs your gifts. I really don't think that where we fellowship determines rewards.

[Joanna]

Doug,

You said, "The concept of rewards is quite clear in scripture but a lot of christians i meet have a muddy view of it if they have even heard of the concept at all." Are you thinking of 1 Cor. 3? The kingdom parables in Matthew? Or different ones?

[doug]

i meant that it is clear there are rewards at all. of course most christians have a bleak understanding at best of the concept. i copied the term 'grades' from randy alcorn who cited rev 2-3. he has a book on it. faithful and sincere work will be rewarded more than self-seeking work. if you really allow the Lord to work in your life the work should follow. he also talks about sacrifice and crowns.

http://www.epm.org/articles/rewards2.html

Also. i would not totally agree with the idea that where one goes on sunday does not matter. the church i go to is a large and somewhat active church but it is also considered a 'beginners' church. at least thats what a lot of people who have been there from the berginning say. the recovery ministry is quite large and there are some very dear but ignorant people there. it is more active than most other churches (at least thats i'm told) but the prayer meeting is almost nonexistent and there is very little evangelical outreach.
I try not to be too venal about rewards but i think my service would be much enhanced if there was an active group that did as much outreaching as did the assembly.
I like my church, at least for now, becase that are a lot of people to serve. its not really dysfunctiuonal just a lot of recovery people and new believers. its almost an outreach place itself. But i am increasingly led to the idea that being around so many weak believers will hinder my growth.
also, in terms of whether groups continue after the grave i think is an open question. there is no indication that every family or group survives the grave, but perhaps functional ones that truly served the Lord do or can be recomposed.