for many of us the church is a central part of life whether it's the place We Gather to worship or where we go to seek spiritual guidance the church has shaped our faith and traditions for centuries but what if I told you that not everything we believe about the church comes straight from the Bible in fact some of the most common ideas we hold about the church don't have any biblical basis at all today we're going to take a closer look at the top 10 things people commonly believe about the church that aren't actually biblical
and I bet some of these will surprise you number 10 the church building is the church when you think of church what's the first image that comes to mind for many it's the beautiful building you pass by every Sunday but did you know the Bible never refers to the church as a physical structure in the New Testament the word church comes from the Greek word Eesa which means assembly or gathering of people it's about Believers coming together whether in homes alter spaces or even in secret during times of persecution the early church wasn't defined by
walls but by Fellowship of the people inside them today we can carry the church with us wherever we go because it's the people that make up the body of Christ not the building number nine the church service must happen a specific way now how many times have you entered a church service and thought this is exactly how church is supposed to be worship first followed by announcements then a sermon Maybe communion and we all file out quietly here's the thing there's no strict biblical order for how a church service should run the early Christians focused
on a few key elements Fellowship prayer teaching and breaking bread together but it wasn't about a set order of events whether it's a structured service or an impromptu gathering in someone's home what matters is the heart behind it glorifying God and encouraging one another in the faith number eight pastors or priests are the only spiritual authorities many of us have grown up believing that only pastors priests or those with formal titles have Spiritual Authority in the church they're the ones who lead preach and perform all the important rituals but what if I told you that
every single believer is called to spiritual leadership according to the Bible all Christians are part of a royal priesthood that means you have Spiritual Authority in fact in 1 Corinthians CH 12 it reminds us that every believer has been given spiritual gifts to serve in build up the church you don't need a title or a degree to be part of God's work pastors certainly play an important role but they're not the only ones equipped to lead and Minister number seven tithing 10% is a new testament command how many of you have been told that giving
10% of your income to the church is a Biblical command the idea of tithing has been taught for Generations but here's the kicker in the New Testament the emphasis shifts in 2 Corinthians chapter 9 Paul tells us to give as each one has the decided in his heart not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful Giver it's about the spirit of generosity not the exact amount whether you give 5% 10% or even 50% what matters is that you give out of love and joy number six the Sabbath must be observed on Sunday many
Christians believe that Sunday is the new Sabbath a day of rest just like the seventh day in the Old Testament but here's where things get interesting the Bible never commands Christians to observe Sunday is the Sabbath the Sabbath originally commanded in the Ten Commandments was for the Jewish people and was observed on the seventh day Saturday early Christians did meet on Sunday to celebrate Jesus's resurrection but there's no instruction that this replac the Sabbath the New Testament focuses on resting in Christ every day not just on one specific day number five the church is only
for believers here's a belief that could sometimes be unintentionally excluded illusionary that the church is a place only for believers and that Outsiders have no place there while the church is certainly the Gathering of Believers Jesus's mission was clear in Matthew chapter 28 Jesus tells his followers to go and make disciples of all Nations the early church was open to Seekers they were open to Skeptics and the Curious it was a space where those far from God could come near today our churches should be the same a place where anyone no matter their background can
encounter the love and truth of of God number four the pope or church leaders are infallible in some traditions there's a belief that certain leaders like the pope are infallible in matters of faith and Doctrine but does the Bible support this in Galatians Chapter 2 Paul actually rebuke Peter for his behavior showing us that even Apostles could make mistakes the Bible teaches that no human leader is perfect all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God while church leaders are important they're not immune to error that's why we're called to measure everything by
God's word number three women should not lead in the church here's a belief that often causes debate that women should have no leadership roles in the church but when we take a closer look at scripture we see something different in Romans chapter 16 Paul commends Phoebe calling her a deacon of the church and in Acts chapter 18 Priscilla alongside her husband Aquilla teaches the great preacher Apollo correcting his understanding women played vital roles in the early church serving teaching and leading so the idea that women can't lead is more a cultural norm than a Biblical
mandate number two clergy must always remain celibate in some Christian Traditions it's taught that clergy must remain celibate renouncing marriage and family life but did you know that this isn't a Biblical command many apostles including Peter were married while Paul encouraged singleness for those able to handle it he never mandated celibacy for church leaders both marriage and singleness are honored in scripture and each has its own unique opportunities for serving God number one the church is a place to judge others finally one of the biggest misconceptions is that the church is a place to judge
others too often we see Christians acting as if it's their job to point fingers and condemn but the Bible calls us to a different standard in Matthew chapter 7 Jesus warns us not to judge lest we be judged ourselves and yes you continue reading it says to judge a righteous judgment but that is not a prescription for judging absolutely everything about everyone the church should be a place of Grace love and restoration instead of judging we're called to support one another bear each other's burdens and extend the same Grace we've received from Christ that's why
Jesus calls us to remove the log from our own eye before we see the speck in our brother's eyes so there you have it the top 10 things people commonly believe about the church that aren't actually biblical remember it's essential to ground our beliefs in scripture rather than tradition the church is meant to be a reflection of Christ's love grace and truth let's strive to create communities that welcome everyone Empower all believers and focus on what truly matters knowing Jesus and making him known if you found this video insightful please like share and subscribe it's
the most important thing you can do if you want to support this channel let's keep the conversation going in the comments below tell me what surprised you the most until next time let's keep exploring keep questioning and keep growing our faith
