A church founded on the belief of Jesus Christ and on the Bible, who seek to follow the Holy Spirit as he leads them is indeed a very biblical church. We seek to love God with all of our hearts, soul and mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves. We proclaim Christ weekly. You have pointed absolutely nothing unbiblical. I don't know how you can judge a church without even stepping foot in the doors.
Pharisees were famous for adding rules and regulations that God never authorized.
Many things taught in the pulpits today come from man's imagination and not from the Word of God.
Sure, God wants us to make sure the pastor is taken care of, that we support missions, that we take care of the electric bills for the Sanctuary. But, there is not one rule or regulation that says each individual is to give at least X amount or he or she is selfish and robbing God.
In the Old Testament, the poor were not required tithes. Instead, they were allowed to go in the farmers' fields and glean that which had fallen to the ground. This was their provision from God.
The only ones required to tithe were the farmers and herders. They tithed to the Levites, who were the only ones authorized to receive the tithe that went to the Tabernacle. The Levites tithed a tenth of that tithe to the High Priest, who was also a Levite.
There is no instance in God's Word that says He ever changed that. As a matter of fact, the Mosaic Law declared that it would be thus for all future generations of the Levite tribes.
One has no business telling another he or she needs to tithe unless that one can point one to a Levite who is the only one authorized to receive the tithe according to the Word of God.
To say man can, and is required to, give a tithe to anyone else is to add one's own rules and regulations to God's Word.
God's Word declares each man is to give as he purposes in his own heart what he will give. To teach someone that they are robbing God, or selfish if they don't give at least 10% or X amount, is adding one's own rules and regulations where God never gave such authority.
God's tithe never consisted of money. To teach that people must tithe of their money is to add man's rules and regulations where God never gave such command.
Many teach outside the boundaries of God's Holy Word their own doctrines putting man under constraint and fear.
In the words of James, My Brethren, these things ought not so to be.
There is only one body, just as there is only one head. St. Paul was emphatic in his emphasis that we all be one, as in undivided. You admit that the early church's scriptures are God inspired, so it must have some validity. Did not ever notice that all of the different congregations in the Bible were listening to the instructions of one central group of people?
And yes, if one goes through their confirmation classes and states that he or she has faith that Jesus Christ is the only begotton son of God, the Messiah, through whom we may access the father, and through whom our salvation is sealed, then they are assumed to be "okay with God." I don't know of any other way a person can express their faith. What do you do in your church, aside from asking if the person is "saved?"
