Bad Churches

What makes a bad church? What can cause God to turn His back on a church? Are there signs that a church is going wrong?

Perhaps one of the best places to get answers to these questions is in the letters, found in Revelation 2 and 3, from Jesus to the seven churches of Asia. Among these churches, we find at least four which could be characterized at best as going bad (a fifth, the indifferent Laodicea, is discussed on page 5). These churches are not all the same, nor do they suffer from the same problems. In fact, some have problems in areas where others are strong. In general however, we find certain observations which can be made regarding these four wayward churches.

Bad churches are not necessarily all bad. We cannot judge a church based merely on its good works, for Jesus finds something to commend almost all of these churches. In fact, in the case of Thyatira, He finds much to praise: "I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first" (2:19). What else could be expected of a church but to have faith and love for God, with works and endurance to prove it? And yet, this church was found lacking.

We must remember, no matter how many good things are happening, to view the church through the eyes of Jesus, for it is only in this that we will determine our soundness. We need not always be negative, but we should remember that even in the most encouraging of epistles, the writers usually found some area which needed correction or improvement (see Phil. 4:2-3). There is no perfect church, but that should not stop our striving to be one.

Bad churches may stand strong for the Lord in some areas. The church at Ephesus stood up to evil men and false teachers (2:2), testing them against God's word. The church at Pergamum held onto their faith even in the face of persecution resulting in the death of a prominent Christian (2:12). The church at Thyatira did great things (2:19). Despite this, all these churches were going bad.

Their problem? They failed to stand fully for the Lord. While the areas where they did stand are notable and praiseworthy, they are not willing to do all that God says. It is reminiscent of the story of Saul and the destruction of the Amalekites. When a church says they are standing for God, but fails to do so fully, Saul's words echo across the centuries: "I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me . . ." (1 Sam. 15:20, emphasis added). The fact is, Saul had obeyed God only to the point where it suited him, and when God's plan and Saul's desires deviated, so did Saul's obedience.

What do we say about churches which follow the Lord to a point, then separate when it suits them? Jesus called them fallen (2:5).

Bad churches may have forgotten love. What was wrong with the church at Ephesus? After speaking of their virtues, Jesus turns to the root of their problems: "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (2:4). We get the impression of a church which had heeded well the teaching they had received, which had stood strong against the false teaching of which they had been forewarned (Acts 20:28-30), and which had become a prominent church in the early history of God's people. Unfortunately, we also see a church which had either forgotten the great love which had given them salvation or had forgotten the great love they had for those who were without that salvation. Maybe they had forgotten both. In any case, here was a church with knowledge and boldness to stand for right, but without the love it takes to continue bringing others to Christ. Without love, a church may look strong, based on the strength of Bible teaching and intolerance for sin, but eventually, such a church will die.

Jesus reminds the Ephesians to "remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first" (2:5). There was no "miracle cure" for a lack of love. Instead, there was simply a returning to what made them in the first place. What was needed was a return to the story of the cross and a remembrance of what it took to save them. What was needed was a return of the desire which says that none should be lost. Those kinds of remembrances would rekindle in them the flame of their first love.

Bad churches may love money more than Christ. Or power. Or prestige in the community. It doesn't seem possible, but some are willing to throw away salvation for the most earthly of desires. The church at Pergamum had some who held what Jesus called "the teaching of Balaam" (2:14). Of course, the story of Balaam (Num. 22-31) is familiar. He wanted the riches and honor which Balak of Moab could give him, and so he tried to curse the children of Israel. Each time he tried, God instead caused blessings to come out. However, shortly after these incidents, God's people join themselves to the daughters of Moab and their worship of Baal, bringing on a plague in which 24,000 Israelites die. When the men of Moab are destroyed and the women captured, Moses speaks of the role these women played in the plague: "Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord" (Num. 31:16).

Apparently, Balaam's final, desperate attempt to claim his fortune from Balak involved this deception (for we know that Balaam died fighting against Israel, Num. 31:8). This kind of love of the world will destroy a church as surely as it did the 24,000 Israelites. Any church which is willing to sacrifice sound teaching for the dollars or influence of those who disagree with God will find nothing but heartbreak.

Bad churches may be corrupted by tolerance of sin. Intolerance is currently very much out of vogue. It is the one thing which will bring condemnation from those who fail to condemn anything else. But it is tolerance which causes Jesus to pronounce Thyatira a church going bad. Their sin was in tolerating an evil woman, Jezebel, who was actively leading others into immorality and idolatry (2:20). Jesus explains that He will not tolerate her or her followers, and His explanation is clear. If the church at Thyatira wishes to avoid the judgment of Jesus, it must cease tolerating this sin.

Nothing is more useless than a church unwilling to deal with sin among its members. The church is injured by the tolerance, and the world is influenced by it. By tolerating sin, a church destroys its ability to help its members and its ability to draw others to God.

Bad churches may be dead. The words of Jesus to Sardis are devastating. "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead" (3:1). Death. In our world, it is final. It carries with it thoughts of fear and decay and sorrow. Jesus said that described the church at Sardis. And the most frightful thing is that others looked at Sardis and said, "The church there is alive. It is growing and strong."

Again, we see the value of seeing through the eyes of Jesus. The Savior said those in Sardis did not finish what they started (3:2). They were incomplete. They were decaying. They were dead. Fortunately, Jesus is not bound by our world, and He can take a dead church and make it live again just as surely as He made Lazarus live again after three days in the grave (John 11). The church at Sardis needed to "wake up" and live again. They needed to complete what they had started. They needed to stop living off their reputation, because they had actually died.

Bad churches come in all shapes and sizes, but bad churches will all meet one of two fates. Either they will repent and return to what made them good churches, or they will face war against our Savior (2:16). And that is a war they cannot win.