In the church, there are many differences. Differences of doctrine and belief and differences of procedure in the order of service and other things related to our worship of God and His Son, Jesus the Messiah. But…why are there such drastic differences? We are all worshiping the same risen Lord, we mostly share the same Bible, so why are there so many things which are different between churches? This is something which I have wondered about for most of my life and now that I have been a pastor for most of the last decade, I still can’t see a reason for them.
Yes, there are doctrinal differences between Baptists and Methodists and all of the variations of those two denominations. There are differences between Lutheran and Episcopal and Catholic churches as well as differences between Presbyterian and Church of God and ……, the list could go on for a long, long while. My point is this: Why exactly are we so different?
In my opinion, it is because of Satan. He has gotten into church administration business meetings and sown seeds of dissent and anger and strife to the point of splitting churches because of small things which could be resolved but usually aren’t. These little splinters grow into huge logs which split the church into another doctrine or discipline and the church is weakened because of it.
Remember, at first the church had all things in common. Their belief and their doctrine were that which was taught to the disciples and then to the churches and this carried on for a couple of centuries and then the church began splitting off because of disagreements and ideas about how the church should be run. Of course, it is too late to reorganize the Body of Christ into a cohesive whole today but it was never supposed to be split up like it is now.
That is why there are so many “non-denominational” churches today. These people just want to worship God and learn from His Word and put away all of the bickering and petty squabbles which split the unity of the church. We are supposed to be sharing our life with Christ and with each other and our congregations who are unified as believers in Jesus our Savior. Why are we still divided in our worship practices today?
I don’t think an answer that will be satisfactory for the church will be found until Jesus comes back and begins His reign on Earth. This is a sad reflection on our unity as a church but it is likely that we cannot put our differences aside until Jesus is King.
The Living Message of Christ 
Good Morning Tracy! Here we meet again, for the last day of Spring Break. (oh boy!)
You are absolutely correct; there is so much strife within the church today. What I attempted to tell you last night was that I am currently in the process of doing a blog post analyzing and examining the church’s view on certain types of music and its subliminal messages, if any. Joshua’s article is based on Ecclesiastes 7:5, and the anology of the song of fools. I just sent the draft to the author for editing, and I hope it will be published soon.
I personally do not believe the church is really doing a good job preaching hard doctrines, in this case, the nature of Satan. Here is an excerpt from my presentation. This is only the first draft.
This is my conclusion that includes practical solutions.
In summation, the question of whether or not a song glorifies God is not based on its words or images alone, rather than through individual circumstances and their convictions. The fear of judgement is largely due to the way we preach such topics as the identity of Satan. I am not saying we should take this threat lightly; I am saying that the church needs to go back to the drawing board if we are going to effectively expose others to the evil ⠞ plagues this world. It’s not the message itself, rather, it is HOW we deliver the message to others. Therefore, here are eight practical solutions to tackle a complex dilemma posed by a morally declining generation.
y1. Maintain empathy. In Romans 14, Paul tells us to consider the weakness and temptation of our brothers, and to not judge him based on his convictions. That doesn’t mean you are excusing the behavior, rather, you are allowing him the opportunity to make decisions. A preacher whose sole motivation is to sow fear and strife will not only draw them away from Christ, but it will tempt many young believers to deny or run away from these hard truths. The doctrine of Satan and its heavy nature is not easy; it hurts to be exposed to this harsh reality. The key is to do this through a spirit of gentleness and empathy, with consideration of the weaknesses of others.
2. Be supportive. Support them in their fight against temptation. Many times when icidence of “satanic” music come up, we are quick to assume that these artists are Satanists. We all see the picture of Satan and not what is being communicated through the artist’s work. View these moments as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than rebuke and shun.
3. Realize that some weaknesses may stay. It’s a temptation to assume that someone’s a legalist or a false teacher without actually looking into the many trials they face on a regular basis. For some of us, it is hard to resist certain temptations than others; some of which will take years to overcome. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul openly comes forward to confess his own struggle with sin, calling it a thorn in the flesh. Within every fall and affliction lies a working testimony of a broken man’s strength in Jesus.
4. Kill Satan’s hatred through an attitude of LOVE! The best way to help someone comprehend such doctrines as sin and Satan is through love. Offer them your love, and pray for them when they are being tested. Show them that they are not alone in this lifelong battle, and that Jesus is right there.
5. Encourage your congregation to make a difference. If we are walking in a world ruled by evil, why don’t we take the opportunity to shine the light of Jesus into their souls. Invite your friend over to Red Lobsters on Friday. Don’t be afraid to admit your own assumptions and ask questions.
6. Listen. Oh, is that such a lost art in a raging and impulsive world! The best way to alleviate their fears is by simply listening to their story and holding their hand.
7. Less Scripture, More Action!! Whoa! That probably hurts. Many of you may not like what I am about to say, but this is something I believe the Holy Spirit wants each of us to ponder on. We know Esphesians 6:12 and spruce up the fanciest prayers when we are tested. But, are we truly showing others what it means to have true victory over Satan through Christ? It’s time we start demonstrating this in real life, and not just through a 45-minute sermon filled with prophecies. Prayer and intercession is only step one. It’s time to do step two. It’s time to show the world that resisting the kingdom of Satan is not done simply through lip service and choosing to not listening to xyz. It’s time to put our weapons to use, and start the long process of winning people to the light!
Link to Joshua’s article
https://becomingchristians.com/2016/02/03/singing-the-song-of-fools-questions-christians-should-ask-when-choosing-a-song/