why do I need the church?

The ordinary ministry is that which receives all of its direction from the will of God revealed in the Scriptures and from those means which God has appointed in the church for its continual edification. William Ames

When we talk about the church, we are of course talking about it in two ways. There is the universal church, the communion of all believers (Acts 9:31). It transcends denominational and theological lines, without making everyone’s denominational or theological perspectives true.

Some of us are wrong about a few things and some of us are wrong about a lot of things. And there are groups who call themselves Christian who aren’t right about anything at all.

a universal church

But within a wide range of assumptions about what is true and important, it’s great to know that every week millions of believers gather to worship God and contemplate His grace. (Gathering to contemplate our good works doesn’t count.) I can rejoice with them, and pray for them, especially for those who are persecuted for their faith.

To know the church in this way, through and beyond time, is to be awed by the immensity of God’s purpose and plan. It is the mystery of the Gospel itself (Ephesians 5:32). Christ has called unto himself a bride from every nation and tribe (Revelation 5:9), and the marriage supper of the lamb is beyond our capacity to comprehend (Revelation 19:9). Here we finally see Him as He is and become like Him in every way ( 1 John 3:2).

But the church is also a local assembly of believers, joined for purposes of encouragement and accountability (Hebrews 10:24-25). And for now, this seems much more practical and important.

This body of believers, to use the biblical metaphor, connects me to its head, Christ himself (Colossians 1:18). As we care for each other, we point each other to Him, telling and retelling the stories of his work in history and in our daily lives.

a local church

I must confess I gave up early on the local church. When I was in high school, my dad, a pastor, was treated unjustly by one of his congregations. He forgave them immediately. It took me years.

But I’ve come to see that despite its many imperfections, the local congregation is how God does his work in the world, as we respond to His grace and seek His glory together. His strength is, after all, made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The local church is the laboratory for learning to use His gifts and appreciate the gifts of others (Romans 12). This is a place we learn forgiveness and faithfulness, binding our hearts to brothers and sisters in faith as we receive instruction, pool our resources (1 Corinthians 6:1-2), and reach out to others.

We come to understand those frameworks which enable us to make sense of the Scripture. We practice in public what we must master in private—praying, studying and worshiping, reinforcing all this through obedience to Christ’s commands to be baptized and to remember his death, burial and resurrection by coming together at His table.

We are not to forsake this (Hebrews 10:25), for the church is ground and pillar of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).

I don’t think this is an ecclesiastical function, with distant councils and dignitaries debating theology and denouncing heresy, although I would certainly be willing to listen to what they have to say.

Rather the local congregation reminds us of what is important and calls us to action, as godly men and women seek to know and do the will of God, being led by His Spirit to an understanding of the truth.

This “priesthood of the believers (1 Peter 2:5,9),” as the free churches would have it, is capable of selecting its elders, admonishing its members and disciplining its reprobates. It organizes itself to make disciples, sending its members into the community and into the world, proclaiming the Gospel and glory of God (Ephesians 3:10-11).

Christ died for the church (Acts 20:28).

It’s important.