## Introduction: The Screwtape Letters and Church Destruction - Marvel Comics published a [[Christianity | Christian]] series, including an adaptation of C.S. Lewis' "[[The Screwtape Letters]]", which is a profound work that takes on the mindset of the evil one to anticipate the strategy of the enemy and build defenses against attacks [(00:00:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=9s). - The book features a senior demon tempting a lesser demon and showing him ways to destroy a person's life, and this concept can be applied to destroying a local church [(00:00:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=49s). - To ruin a local church, one would likely try to pervert its worship, turn its doctrine from orthodoxy to error or heresy, or destroy its leadership [(00:01:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=76s). - Perverting the worship of the church would detract from its purpose of worshiping and glorifying God's name [(00:01:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=79s). ## Three Ways to Ruin a Church - Turning the church's doctrine from orthodoxy to error or heresy would also destroy the church [(00:01:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=93s). - Destroying the leadership of the church, especially through moral or ethical failure, would be like cutting off the head of the enemy [(00:01:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=101s). - Many churches have collapsed under the weight of moral failure of their leadership [(00:01:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=115s). ## Safeguarding the Church: Worship, Doctrine, and Leadership - Safeguarding against these three errors is crucial, and this is the reason why the book "Worship Tainment" was written [(00:02:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=126s). - The book defends the holiness of worship, the strength of orthodoxy or doctrine, and the moral fabric of the leadership of the local church [(00:02:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=138s). - Other books by Grass Market Press also defend the basic principles of the local church, including the household of faith, worship, and confessionalism [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=152s). ## The Regulative Principle of Worship - The [[Regulative principle of worship | regulative principle of worship]], discussed in "Worship Tainment", states that we should do in holy worship only what is commanded or authorized by [[Religious text | Scripture]] [(00:03:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=194s). - Worship should be based on what [[God]] commands, and churches should not have the freedom to invent their own forms of worship or prioritize practicality over biblical commands [(00:03:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=197s). - The regulative principle of worship, which suggests that churches should only do what is expressly commanded in the scriptures, is preferred over the normative principle, which allows for anything not forbidden [(00:03:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=222s). - The elements of worship, as commanded in the scriptures, include prayer, confession, singing of Psalms and hymns, preaching of the word of God, sacraments, and other elements like calls to worship and benedictions [(00:03:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=228s). ## The Pragmatic Principle: A Threat to True Worship - The pragmatic principle of worship, which prioritizes gathering a crowd and entertaining people, is seen as a threat to true worship and is being attacked [(00:04:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=254s). - The pragmatic principle can lead churches to focus on what works rather than what is biblical, ultimately failing in their worship and allowing the devil to assail their holy worship [(00:04:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=294s). ## Creeds and Confessions: Guard Rails Against Heresy - Creeds and confessions, such as the Westminster Confession of faith, serve as guard rails to keep churches moving in the right direction and prevent them from straying into unorthodoxy or progressive leftist ideology [(00:05:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=342s). - Churches without Creeds and confessions may be more likely to turn to heresy, false teaching, or apostasy, or be pulled into a progressive leftist slant [(00:06:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=392s). - It is suggested that if a church cannot find a historic [[Creed]] or confession to use as guard rails, they may not be a historic [[Christianity | Christian]] church [(00:06:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=378s). - A church can be ruined if it fails to stay true to its doctrine, as the moment it deviates from orthodoxy, it will naturally pull towards unorthodox, leftist, progressive, and secular ideologies [(00:06:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=416s). - Creeds and confessions can prevent a church from straying from its doctrine by establishing a faithful direction, just like the [[Regulative principle of worship | Regulative Principle of Worship]] (RPW) prevents worship from going astray [(00:07:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=445s). ## Leadership Accountability and Church Integrity - Leadership is crucial in maintaining a church's integrity, and a lack of accountability can lead to ruin, as seen in the case of Steve Lawson, who was not a member of the church he was pastoring and had no covenantal union with the church [(00:07:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=459s). - Non-denominational churches are particularly vulnerable to ruin due to their lack of a structured ecclesiology or polity, which can lead to a lack of accountability [(00:08:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=501s). - In contrast, Presbyterian churches have a system of accountability at every level, from members to pastors to presbyteries, which helps to prevent moral and doctrinal failures [(00:08:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=511s). - The devil can attack a church by targeting the moral fabric and character of its pastor, particularly through sexual sin or financial scandals, which can be difficult for a pastor to recover from [(00:08:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=533s). - Systems of accountability are essential in preventing such failures and maintaining a church's integrity in worship, doctrine, and moral leadership [(00:09:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=580s). ## Recommended Resources and Conclusion - Recommended books for maintaining a church's integrity include "Worship Attainment" and the Grass Market Press series, which provide introductions to reformed orthodoxy and guidance on worship, leadership, and doctrine [(00:09:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=596s). - A hypothetical approach to attacking the church is presented as if from the perspective of an evil entity, outlining a strategy to ruin it [(00:10:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=624s). - This approach is described as a method of assault on the church, with a warning that it should not be implemented in any actual church [(00:10:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=628s). - The discussion concludes with a message of appreciation and affection, as well as a farewell [(00:10:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI&t=632s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiEk5_5OSDI?si=1RIBdvW2bpYB7sfR)