Historically, to be an evangelical meant something doctrinally.

That is, it was defined in terms of a particular confession.

Now it tends to be defined by a methodology, rather than a theology.

And you have the same kind of pluralism rampant in so-called evangelical circles today

that we see in historic liberalism.

That's a sad assessment of the church, isn't it?

Welcome to this Wednesday edition of Renewing Your Mind as we explore the importance of doctrine.

As Christians, we are members of what's referred to as the universal church, and we should be members of a local church.

But what is the role of doctrine, especially when many say that doctrine divides?

Here's Dr. Sproul to explain. When I was a young boy, I learned an old saw, an adage that has served me well, and I'm sure that you all recognize this as you hear it. It goes

something like this. Ornithological specimens of the same or similar plubage tend to habitually

congregate in the closest possible proximity. Now, we all know what that means, is that right?

Birds of a feather flock together, one of the logical specimens, you know, birds,

have the same and similar pluvies, birds of a feather, flock together.

We have a tendency to one to congregate with people who hold similar values and similar viewpoints and people

who cherish what we cherish. And we tend to congregate accordingly. And in fact, one of the

scandals, I think, of Protestantism is that so many times the church's

makeup of membership is not defined by a common confession of faith in terms of sharing

the same doctrine, but the churches tend to be established along socioeconomic lines of similarity.

That's one of the things I've always respected about the Roman Catholic Church, is that

that church is established along the parish concepts. You don't have the first,

second, third, fourth, and fifth Roman Catholic church in the same block in his city.

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