Church Discernment

As I have seen in the last 30 years, lack of accountability within a local church and people's gullibility. It is very important for a Christian to be identified with a local church, to come under the authority of the elders, for accountability, and, to come into the ministry for the sake of serving Jesus Christ in that local church. When there is no accountability, there is no testing of your faith when you can float and a Christian should never be alone that ALL Christians should fellowship as a family under the shepard of a local church's pastor. It is ALL of our responsibilities as Christians to discern and we don't want to be gullible. We either be gullible or discerner. We are to be watching for RED FLAGS. I have been into churches where elders are NOT afraid to "confront" a sinning believer including elders & pastors (in private) and go through the Church's discipline process. I have been in church that elders actually dismissed pastors before "outsiders" catch the leader's faults. 1 Timothy 3:7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. Elders/Bishops have oversight of the church (Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:2-3) and are thus responsible to rule the congregation (I Tim. 3:5; 5:17; I Thes. 5:12; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24). They judge among the brothers (cf. I Cor. 6:5) and, in contrast to all the members, they do the rebuking (I Tim. 5:20). Christ calls them to use the “keys of the kingdom” to bind and loose (Matt.16: 19; 18: 18; John 20: 23)—these keys being the preaching of the gospel (I John I :3), administering of the sacraments (Matt. 28:19-20; I Cor. 11: 23ff.), and the exercise of discipline (Matt. 18:17; I Cor. 5:1-5). I have learned to join a local church that have a STRONG eldership that will make sure the Church will stay pure. They are there to be watching for RED FLAGS in leadership without looking away. There is "lack of gift of discernment" in local churches today. This is really sad.