therefore do very little to nurture the believers committed to their care.)
Billy Graham writes: "The church is primarily the body of Christ. . . . The Bible says . . . that it was Christ's love for the church that caused Him to go to the cross. If Christ loved the church that much . . . I must love it too. I must pray for it, defend it, work in it, pay my tithes and offerings to it, help to advance it, promote holiness in it, and make it the functional, witnessing body our Lord meant it to be. You go to church with that attitude this Sunday, and nobody will keep you away the next. . . . The family of God contains people of various ethnological, cultural, class, and denominational differences. I have learned that there can be minor disagreements of theology, methods and motives, but that within the true church there is a mysterious unity that overrides all divisive factors."
Helping Strategy
1. Commend the inquirer for his or her interest in the church. We are being obedient to God when we identify with the local church. In church we are seeking the opportunity to worship, fellowship, evangelize, study the Bible, pray, and participate in the Lord's Supper.
2. Becoming a member of a local church does not save us. We identify with a church because we are saved and desire to be obedient. Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved" (John 10:9). Ask the inquirer if he or she has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Share "Steps to Peace with God," page 11.
3. After trusting Christ, the inquirer should seek to identify immediately with a local church. Suggest that he or she pray for God's guidance in finding the right church, one which exalts Christ, preaches and teaches the Bible, and evangelizes the lost.
4. Once the person becomes a member of a church, faithful attendance is very important.
5. He or she should seek a place of service in the church. Opportunities are always available if we offer ourselves in service to God.
6. Encourage financial support of the church. Other Christian causes and ministries are worthy of our giving but in order to function and grow, the local church should receive a substantial part of its members' tithes and offerings.
Scripture
The book of Acts presents the birth of the church, its early growth, and the people involved.
The Epistles were directed to the church and provide guidelines for faith and practice.
CULTS
Background
A cult can be defined as a religious group which teaches doctrines or beliefs which deviate from the broad consensus of orthodox Christian doctrine down through the ages. Cults either distort truth or focus on half-truths. The small amount of truth which they do proclaim is often mixed with doctrinal error and is therefore dangerous. Cults succeed in deceiving many. As Paul warned, "The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. . . . They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3–4, NIV). Jesus said, "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many" (Mark 13:6). What Has Caused the Proliferation of Cults?
Cults thrive on ignorance and uncertainty. Christians who do not know what they believe or why they believe it are especially vulnerable. Churches are lax in their responsibility to teach God's Word and disciple Christians. Paul admonished Timothy to, "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV). Features Common to All Cults
• Extra-biblical or special revelation. To the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, cults typically add their own revelations, which take precedence over the Bible. Or, a limited number of Scripture passages are used completely out of context, resulting in erroneous interpretations. The Bible is explicit in defending its own integrity: "If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Galatians 1:9, NIV; see also Revelation 22:18–19).
• Salvation by works. Any teaching that encourages people to seek a right relationship with God apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ is in error. This can take the form of a complete rejection of Christ and His work, or a partial rejection that tries to add to His work. The Gospel consists of grace—plus nothing and minus nothing (Ephesians 2:8–9).
• A denial of or lack of full recognition of Jesus Christ as God's Son. Cults either totally deny Christ or relegate Him to a place that is less than He merits.