Heretical Chinese House Churches

One of the more insightful warnings Christians can receive bears on relationships with other Christians. It goes something like this: Do you want to ignore what other Christians say and do? That's like giving your charitable donations to donkeys and reindeer.

That's an alarm more deafening than the siren of a nearby fire station when you consider what's happening among some house churches in China, as reported in the 'Outlook" section of The Washington Post on Nov. 28, 2004.

Three Grades of Servants, a house church that claims to have several million followers, is organized around a fire-breathing leader named Xu Shuangfu. Xu claims God has given him special knowledge; and to cement his claim, he has reportedly ordered the killing of his Christian enemies.

Another house church, Eastern Lightning, is as hot and full of lava as Three Grades. It is the sworn enemy of Three Grades, and is just as heretical. Eastern Lightning believes Christ has already returned to Earth and now walks and bathes in the flesh of a Chinese peasant woman. Like Three Grades, Eastern Lightning tries to compel people to join its movement, allegedly by kidnapping leaders from other house churches and trying to brainwash them, until they willingly become members.

How should Christians worldwide respond to such heresy and satanic Christian beliefs?

Should we defend them? If we did, we would throw away the hammer of I Timothy 6:3, which says "Whoever teaches a different doctrine [than I teach] and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion is swollen with pride and knows nothing."

Should we hate them? If we did that, we would flush down the toilet the jewel of Luke 6:35, "Love your enemies and do good to them."

Should we disregard them? If we did, we would break the loud, ringing doorbell of Galatians 6:1, "My brothers [and sisters], if someone is caught in any kind of [error], those of you who are spiritual should set that person right; but you must do it in a gentle way. And keep an eye on yourselves, so you will not be tempted too."

Copyright © 2005 by James Strong

To contact James Strong, please send an email to: linwood_jl@yahoo.com.