“Do I have to go to church to be a Christian?” Well, no. The old saying still stands: “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger.” The church doesn’t make us Christians, but being a Christian should make us want to attend church. We all have something to learn and something to offer in our Christian life (Heb. 10:24-25). Church is where much of that takes place. And if you’re not there, the church is lacking (1 Cor.12:21-26)
In The Truth Project , a wonderful video series produced by Focus on the Family, Del Thacket points out that even God, the most self-sufficient being in existence, has community: the Trinity. God is a God of community starting with marriage, family, friendship, even our day-to-day acquaintances, and for the Christian, the church. We aren’t alone in this world nor are we alone in our faith.
When I speak of the church, I’m talking about the body of Christ, the total of believers (1 Cor. 1:2). Your local Bible-believing church is a part of that body, but not all of it. If your church isn’t a Bible teaching church, you should be looking elsewhere.
Jesus Himself speaks of the church as a natural expectation of His ministry (Matt. 16:18). So, if Jesus expects the church to exist and be produced by His teachings, shouldn’t we take advantage of the body He has set up for us?
Jesus also acknowledges it as the place where Christians are held accountable (Matt. 18:17). Paul tells us quite a bit about church life. Here are just three points:
- We are to stir up one another with love and good works (Heb. 10:24-25)
- We are not to neglect gathering together with other believers (Heb. 10:24-25)
- How this is all supposed to work (Col. 3:16).
Just a couple of observations to close: our witness to the world is effected by how we act. Someone who claims to be a Christian and doesn’t regularly attend church is seen as something of a hypocrite by the world. Their witness fails. James says our faith is seen by others through our acts, not our words (James 1:14-18). While you don’t need to be at church every week, we all have things that come up – work, etc. As Christians, though, we should seek out the fellowship and blessings we get from other believers. If not, we and our church are losing out.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 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.
1 Corinthians 12:21-26 (ESV)
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 1:2 (ESV)
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 18:15-17 (ESV)
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
James 2:14-18 (ESV)
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 