When you here brethren speaking about denominationalism you will often hear them condemn those denominations for creating and following human traditions.  Those folks will start doing something and soon will make a creed from it.  You will hear our brethren establish those truths on issues like using mechanical instrumental music in worship which alters the instructions for vocal music in worship to God (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26, Acts 16:25, Romans 15:9, I Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, and Hebrews 2:12).  This, our brethren are correct in pointing out that denominationalism is based in human doctrine, not the Lord’s word.

     While our brethren are good at condemning traditions of men among the denominational world, they seem willing to compromise in their own.  They see traditions “among brethren” different than those traditions of the denominational world.  To me, this reality is a sad one.  Regardless of who starts a human tradition and says or implies it is in the name of the Lord, it is wrong!  Since whatsoever we do in word or deed is to be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17), we should know better than to create and follow human traditions as matters of faith.  Furthermore, just because something has been practiced for any period of time that does not mean it is the correct way of doing things.

     Some of our brethren cannot comprehend that they have done something wrong since it has become the “accepted practice” among brethren.  They seem to have a pattern of thinking that is all too wrong.  They correctly think that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15).  They correctly note that they are the church (I Corinthians 12:27).  They then wrongly conclude that since they are the church, the pillar and ground of the truth, that whatsoever they do is truth.  This concept is false.  We are to follow the truth, which is the word of God (John 17:17), and in so doing we become the foundation and support for the truth.  We hold up the truth for others to see.  That does not imply that whatever we do is truth.  Being the pillar and ground of the truth does not make us the source of the truth.  The word of God is the source of the truth (Colossians 1:5).   We are to walk in the word of truth (III John v.3).

     For over fifty years brethren have decided many things that are contrary to the truth.  Brethren have decided to use meat and drink as a tool for evangelism when the Lord clearly instructs against such (John 6:26-27 and Romans 14:17).  The Lord long ago decided that we are to use the Gospel to convert the lost (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 5:42, Acts 20:20, and Romans 1:16).  While so-called brethren have practiced the “social gospel”, they have done so without authority from the Lord.

     For over fifty years brethren have decided that it would be good to mix secular education with worship services and bible teaching.  We have colleges of our day like ACU, Freed Hardeman, Florida College, Harding University, and others.  Those colleges have decided to take on the works of preaching the Gospel and having worship services.  They have taken on two of the three works of the local church.  In so doing, they have never appealed to the Scriptures to find where God would have such things occurring.  If God wanted our brethren establishing colleges or ANY OTHER HUMAN ORGANIZATION to do the works He has given to the church, He would have said so.

      Jesus made a promise to build His church (Matthew 16:18).  In the second chapter of the book of Acts we know that the church was established as the saved were added to her (Acts 2:47).  The church is a collectivity of Christians.  The church in some cases is spoken of in a universal sense of all the saved (cf. Acts 2:47 and Colossians 1:18).  In other cases the church is spoken of as a local body of Christians (I Corinthians 1:2 and I Thessalonians 1:1).  The church, as a local body, is to assemble together to do things such as partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7).  The church, as a local body, is to perform certain works:

1. Evangelism (I Thessalonians 1:6-8).
2. Edification (Ephesians 4:16).
3. Caring for needy saints (I Corinthians 16:1-3).

     For over fifty years brethren have created a Sunday evening make up service for Christians who have forsaken the assembling of the saints (yes, I understand there are occasions where someone cannot be at services).  I have been in places where nearly thirty people would need served the Lord’s Supper out of one hundred in attendance on a Sunday evening.  Some of them worked that morning, some of them slept that morning, others just “couldn’t make it”.  Where do we find a local church in the New Testament have a second serving of the Lord’s Supper?
 
     Some would emphatically argue, but we all need to partake.  Yet, where do we find anything other than the saints purposing to assemble to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7)?  The second serving is merely a leftover supper!  Where did the Lord say to serve leftovers?  Some would say, but it’s still the first day of the week.  Yes, but where do we find a congregation assembling in the New Testament for just a percentage of brethren to partake of the leftovers from the service wherein the saints assembled to partake?  This issue gets emotional, but it is merely a tradition.  We don’t find it in the New Testament.  Are congregations that don’t assemble on Sunday evenings in error?  If you say no to that, but yes there needs to be a second offering, you are inconsistent.  Some would say it is expedient to have a second offering.  I would ask, when did the Lord’s Supper become an expedient?  Much more could be said on this issue, but why should it have to be said.  Where’s the authority?  If its okay for a solo Lord’s Supper, why not solo singing on Sunday night to make up for what was missed at the AM service?  We need to question these things to find if God approves.

     It is sad to say, but many of our brethren have become too traditionally minded and less biblically minded.  Brethren too often argue with human logic and not with book, chapter, and verse.  Congregations have become dependent on the preacher instead of on the word of God.  They in essence become “yes men” and “yes women”.  Too often, brethren are asked why they do something and they just know that it is something that has been practiced for a long time.  That is not a good enough answer.

     When Jesus found that the tradition of washing hands was being bound, He had much to say.  Notice those words: “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:6-9).

     Paul warned: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).  We need to justify what we do with an “it is written” statement.  We need to lay aside the denominational concept of following traditions of men.  We are the Lord’s church.  We should be following the things He has laid down.  We should find the things that please Him and seek to do them with our whole hearts.  Though there are many things that brethren have practice for many years, what does God say about those things (I Peter 3:15 and I Peter 4:11)?