Do I Need the Local Church?

Sometimes I wonder what Christians are thinking when they decide (consciously or subconsciously) that they do not need the church. More than once I have had people tell me that they can worship, serve, and grow in godliness from the comfort of their own living room without the church. I often want to seriously ask these people, “Okay, so how is that working for you.” My suspicion is that these individuals are indeed not worshiping, not serving the Lord, and not growing in godliness in their experiment with “Lone Ranger Christianity.”

The truth is, we are not meant to sojourn through this life without the fellowship, edification, accountability and so on that we receive as a member of a local church. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we are spiritually feeble and weak-willed at times. This is why the local church is crucial to our walk with Jesus. The author of Hebrews knew this to be true when he wrote, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). When you forego church attendance, you are most certainly slipping away from God. An extended absence might just reveal that you do not have a real relationship with Christ.

In reality, Christians need the local church. No, it’s not perfect, but it is God’s plan for you and I to grow and serve together. In his book, Deliberate Church, Mark Dever made this point well when he wrote, “While our individual walks are crucial, we are impoverished in our personal pursuit of God if we do not avail ourselves of the help that is available through mutually edifying relationships in our covenant church family.” You need the local church, and it needs you. Make a commitment to your local church. Become a member, find a place to serve, and be faithful.