Note: The following was written by brother Adam Faughn, preacher at the Central church of Christ in Paducah, KY, and a writer for the Legacy of Faith, along with his Father, Mother and younger brother. This article was a sermon he preached with the idea coming from a small portion of a lesson that Kirk Brothers gave at PTP in 2024.
We often talk about the concept of restoration. There are some in this room who know vastly more than I do about what is sometimes referred to as “the Restoration Movement.” In a nutshell, that movement was meant to bring people back to the original New Testament church; in other words, to “restore” what Christ said and what the Holy Spirit inspired men like Paul and Peter to write down in the pages of the New Testament. Even if you are not familiar with that movement, you may have heard people talk about one of the mottos that was commonly used, that we are to speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.
As one who had read some about the movement, I am very grateful for those who did such things. They helped people leave denominationalism, often in droves, to make certain they were simply following the pages of the New Testament. And, as you hopefully know, that is what we are still trying to do.
But notice how I worded that: that is what we are still trying to do. You see, what can happen if we are not careful is this: we can be grateful for those who helped people see more clearly again such things as baptism being for the remission of sins or that congregations are to be led by a plurality of elders that we form a list of about a half-dozen things, make sure we do those few things, and call it good.
Tonight, though, I want us to see that restoration is ongoing. Each time there is an issue facing a congregation, a decision has to be made: are we going to go our own way, or are we going to restore the way of Jesus found in the New Testament? Sometimes, those issues are centuries old and have to be studied, taught, and restored over and over again, with each person and each generation. At other times, new issues-or, at least, old issues in new packaging-arise, and many get swept up in them. A decision has to be made: will we just go along with the current, or will we restore what the Bible tells us to do on this matter.
I will go ahead and tell you the point of this sermon and, fair warning, you are going to hear it repeated many times over the next several minutes. The point is this: unless and until a church has restored all of what God says about every matter, that church still has work to do if it wants to please God.
Quickly, let me say that I do not mean that a congregation may not struggle with some things. That is part of the point of so many of the New Testament letters. These were still congregations of the Lord’s people, that they called “the church,” but the letters-like 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Revelation—were written to show them the way they were to follow. Unless and until they repented and restored what God told them to do, they were not fully pleasing to Him. That would be true for the congregation at the moment, but then it would also be true for new converts, young people growing up and future generations. They had to continually restore the way of God.
Tonight, I want to remind all of us that there are more than just 4 or 5 or 6 issues that we-individually and collectively at Central-need to always be working to restore to the New Testament way of doing things. Some might seem big picture and some might seem smaller, but if Jesus is the Head of the Church, then He rules over every detail, large and small. And unless and until we are at least striving to restore what He has said about every matter, our work of restoration is not done. And, in reality, it is never done because, Lord willing, there will be new Christians and future generations to teach how to make certain the issues they face are dealt with in a way that restores what God has already revealed in the pages of the Bible.
This is not meant to be a full list tonight, but I will tell you, I spent a long time in thought and prayer and study to create this essay, and I pray it causes us all to realize our work is vast and our work is ongoing If a congregation loves people; that is, their own people, but does not show the world around them the love of Jesus. Or, if a congregation is splintered and fractured by socio-economic factors, race, or other human barriers. That church is not restored to what pleases God.
If a congregation only wishes to have its ears tickled with positive and uplifting sermons or Bible lessons and will not accept preaching that includes specific mention of sin, judgment, and hell—and that includes preaching on specific sins such as homosexuality, immodesty, alcohol, and more… Or, if a congregation boasts about how they are the only bastion of truth because they are not afraid to rail against every sin known to man, but they do not preach sermons that give people hope and joy and peace. That church is not restored to what pleases God.
If a congregation allows its preacher to be the church police, so that he becomes well-known for calling out every problem with every other congregation, but will not make certain they are doing things the way God says themselves through humble study of the Word of God…that church is not restored to what pleases God.
If a congregation decides that the qualifications for elders are mere suggestions and, instead, decides to appoint “good ol’ boys” or put men in the eldership simply because they are good businessmen or are well known in the community. Or if a congregation adds to the qualifications for elders, so that the eldership becomes more of an exclusive club than an office that the Lord has given clear guidelines to. Or if a congregation chooses to make a man a deacon in the hopes that that will help him be more faithful. Or if a congregation decides to allow women to be elders or deacons because that’s just the way the world is going, so we’d better go along to get along…
If a congregation chooses to say that it is okay to preach against “big” sins like adultery or murder, but it is not okay to go “meddling” against personal sins like bitterness or lust or undue anger…
If a congregation is not making every effort to dwell together in unity and, instead, decides that their little part of the congregation should get special treatment…that congregation has not restored what it means to be faithful to God.
If Titus 2 is considered outdated, so that the younger women will not listen to the teaching and instruction of the older women, and the old women will not teach the younger women because it’s just too hard or too time-consuming or they feel too out of touch. Or the younger men and older men have more of a hangout boys’ club than a deeply spiritual mentoring and growth mentality…that congregation has not restored what it means to be faithful to God.
If we allow people to worship without teaching them that their worship is not acceptable if they still are holding grudges against their fellow Christian. Or if we decide the church discipline is just an idea whose time has passed and it doesn’t work anymore. Or if we decide to say that “they’ve withdrawn from us so we don’t have to withdraw from them” – a phrase that is never in the NT – we are not restored to all God has to say. To be continued next week
If a congregation decides that baptism is for the remission of sins, but if you weren’t baptized for that reason and you are sincere now, we’ll just accept you. Or if a congregation decides that there needs to be a lengthy formal process that Jesus Himself never said in the NT before we will baptize you…
If a congregation is not willing to submit to the elders in matters of judgment, even if it goes against what I might want to do…
If a church thinks that the Lord’s Supper can be taken on any day other than the Lord’s Day. Or if a church so downplays the Lord’s Supper that it becomes mere formality even on the Lord’s Day…that church has restoring to do to be faithful to God. (continued next week).
