House Church Talk - Biblical reasons for leaving IC's

[Bruce Woodford]

Hi Jeff,

You have asked, "What Biblical reason do we have for leaving the IC?"

An excellent question, but for sure, it is not the first one that needs to 
be answered here!
First, one would need to ask, "What Biblical reason do we have to JOIN an 
IC?"

The Bible always provides scriptural remedies to problems anticipated in 
scripture, but provides no remedies for problems not anticipated there.

For example: Someone once asked, "How can we scripturally get rid of our 
salaried pastor?"  You see, scripture provides no remedy for such a 
"problem" because the Lord, the prophets and the apostles never addressed 
the matter of sheep hiring a pastor in the first place!

Does our "lack of scriptural reasons" for getting rid of a salaried pastor 
mean that if we have one we ought to keep him till the Lord comes???

I would suggest in such a case, we need to personally repent for embarking 
on our original course without scriptural guidance to do so and then return 
to walk in paths that ARE SCRIPTURALLY GUIDED. To take such a course is to 
accept responsibility for one's own mistakes or disobedience rather than to 
blame others and profess to be "holier than thou".

Since scripture gives absolutely no guidance for new covenant believers to 
(1)join any religious organization, (2) hire clergy to lead them, (3) attend 
clergy lead "meetings" where the priesthood of the believer is practically 
denied, (4) to contribute to the financing of "sacred buildings" , (5)to 
distinguish between a class of people called "full-time Christian workers" 
and a class of people who are just "part-time Christian workers, (6)to take 
any "Reverend titles" to themselves etc etc.... I personally had a lot of 
repenting to do as I left an IC, a mission board and my liveliehood as an 
"ordained minister"  and missionary some 26 years ago.

I hope such a perspective will be helpful to you and others who ask similar 
questions.
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce