Name: Church Standards
Availability: InStock

What This Free Course Covers

This free course addresses several questions that often come up when Christians think about church standards, modesty, rules, and conscience. The lessons use careful reasoning to distinguish between what Scripture directly states, what churches may need to apply in practice, and what happens when a rule is ignored or unevenly enforced. The first lesson considers modesty and explains why disagreement over where to draw a line does not mean no line can exist.

The second lesson looks at government laws and church standards, asking whether non-enforcement changes a person’s responsibility to obey. It also discusses voluntary church membership, brotherhood covenants, and the importance of letting yes mean yes. The third available transcript sample broadens the discussion into discerning political history and present convictions with charity, especially when thinking about the United States, the kingdom of God, and the nations of this world.

Church standards Modesty Critical thinking Subjective judgment Civil obedience Brotherhood covenant Let your yes be yes Kingdom of God Charity in judgment

What You Will Study

How to think critically about modesty when the Bible gives principles rather than detailed measurements
Why subjective judgment does not automatically make a church standard invalid
The difference between arbitrary applications and the existence of real moral distinctions
General modesty principles related to covering the body, avoiding sensuality, and avoiding showy or costly display
Why an unenforced civil law may still remain a real law
How non-enforcement differs from a rule that has effectively been abandoned by church leaders
Why voluntary church covenants should be honored when a person joins a church with written standards
How to evaluate national history without becoming self-righteous, anti-national, or uncharitable

Questions This Course Helps Answer

Should churches make specific modesty standards when the Bible does not give exact details?
Does the subjectivity of modesty mean no hard line can ever be drawn?
What is the “fallacy of the beard,” and how does it apply to church standards?
Are arbitrary lines always invalid, or can they be necessary in practical rules?
What broad principles can guide Christian modesty across cultures and centuries?
Does an unenforced government law still need to be obeyed?
Is it valid to say a speed limit no longer applies because it is rarely enforced?
How should Christians think about temporary civil rules that are inconvenient but do not violate God’s law?
When might an old church standard be treated as effectively revoked?
What should a Christian do after voluntarily joining a church with written standards?
Are Christians required to belong to a church with many written brotherhood rules?
How can someone judge past political events with wisdom while maintaining charity?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

Should Strict Rules About Modesty Be Made When the Bible Doesn't Specify and Modesty is Subjective?

This lesson responds to the argument that because Christians disagree about modesty, no clear standard should be drawn. It explains the “fallacy of the beard” and gives broad modesty principles related to covering the body, avoiding sensuality, and avoiding showy display.

Does disagreement about modesty mean no standard can exist?
What is the fallacy in saying that a line cannot be drawn unless everyone agrees where it belongs?
Can a church draw an arbitrary practical line while still recognizing real principles?
What modesty principles remain relevant across cultures and centuries?

Should Unenforced Rules, Whether Government Laws or Church Standards, Still Be Followed?

This lesson examines the claim that an unenforced rule is no longer a real rule. It distinguishes civil laws, temporary rules, neglected church standards, and voluntary church covenants, emphasizing that Christians should honor commitments they have made.

Is a law nullified simply because it is not being enforced?
How should Christians think about civil rules that are inconvenient but do not violate God’s law?
When is a church standard effectively abandoned rather than merely unenforced?
What does it mean to keep a brotherhood covenant?

How Can Churches Balance Applying Biblical Principles Without Being Too Lenient or Too Burdensome?

The available transcript sample discusses how to discern the founding of the United States and other political questions without self-righteousness or harsh judgment. It emphasizes being pro-Kingdom of God, recognizing the nations of this world in context, and maintaining charity.

How can Christians evaluate past political events without self-righteousness?
Should Christians become anti-American when they reject the idea of America as a Christian nation?
How can the United States be viewed as one of the nations of this world?
How can charity shape judgment about people in history and people today?

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Church Standards

Course Content

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