Let me be somewhat transparent, I’ve been apart of a church where after awhile, it was frustrating to go to. Where people got hurt, abused, misled, where shady things took place. Where spiritual & emotional damage became the result of attending & serving faithfully. I know I’m not alone on this and terrible things have happened to people who were apart of a good church. This is heart breaking and detrimental to the cause of Christ, the biblical church is supposed to be a safe haven.
I say that to share this, despite having negative church experiences and knowing people dealt with worse experiences than mine, I still choose to lead my family to church for multiple reasons that are all beyond myself.
I'd like to share the reasons of why we need the church but first, I'll disclose the disclaimer. Every church has flaws. If you're looking for a perfect church, get in line behind God. Please understand, Jesus began the first church w/ Peter and the other disciples. This church began to scatter following the persecution of Stephen, which caused churches to begin in multiple cities, including Antioch. This church would disciple apostle Paul, later sending him out to start other churches...Most every church that Paul planted began to have major issues in his absence. Now get this, if these churches were perfect and stayed perfect, it's possible we might not have the Bible we have today. You see, many books of the New Testament are epistles that Paul wrote as instructions for church conduct, things like church order, dealing with fornication, false prophets, discord and so much more! Out of the flaws of the local church sprang the complete word of God! You see, God has been dealing with the issues of the local church since the beginning of church history! If God is still working with the church, why not you and I? I raise these following points with hopes that you can see that a biblical church is vital to your spiritual growth, despite its potential flaws. With that being said, let's dig in.
1. Biblical churches uphold TRUTH.
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1Timothy 3:15
The culture surrounding us is evangelizing, sharing a message that is humanistic and contrary to the word of God. If we as believers are not beneath the umbrella of a bible based church then we are subject to the rain storm of deception that is falling upon our society.
- The church is to uphold the truth, helping us distinguish how we can rightly follow after God.
- The church is to stand on the truth as the foundation of our lives. It helps us recognize the deception.
When you surround yourself with a body of people, all of whom are upholding the truth, you get familiar with the truth. When you hear the truth, you can learn the truth and then apply the truth.
The ability to distinguish deception comes by knowing the truth. You dont need to know what all the counterfeit bills look like, you only need to know what authentic bills look like. Once you know what a real $100 bill looks like, you recognize it's distinguishing traits...You can very easily spot a counterfeit.
In a world that spews lies on how we ought to live our lives. We can be sure we are standing on the truth of the word of God when we are within the pillars of a biblical church.
The church is a great resource which God ordained for the believer, so that they can use it to thrive spiritually and help others do the same. In any venture that has found success, it did so with a team that labored toward a common goal. The church is that team for the child of God, which leads me to the next point.
2. Biblical churches perfect the believer.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Ephesians 4:11-12
Verse 11 recites some of the gifts God has given to some members of the church, while verse 12 describes what those gifts are for.
- "Perfecting of the saints" - This is to say that they are to help make the believer whole or complete. We all have aspects in our lives where we are fall short of our potential. The church is to help us become the people that God has ordained us to be. The church helps perfect who we are in Christ.
- "Work of the ministry" - The gifts given to the members of the church are given so that they can serve each other with that gift. They are not gifted for themselves, they are gifted to serve others. The ministry is the service we do before God, for other people.
- "Edifying the body of Christ" - Edify means to build up. By serving each member individually, we build up the whole body of believers collectively. Everybody is benefiting from the church.
Even the lone MMA fighter, who gets in the cage by himself, has a whole team of gifted individuals that aid his ability to fight. He needs a striking coach, grappling coach, nutrition coach, strength training coach, training partners, a doctor, ect. The fighter cannot reach the capabilities of his fullest potential, he cannot become the complete fighter he desires to be if he is not surrounded by the right people.
Likewise, the church perfects the believer. We cannot be everything God called us to be, without the church.
3. God has a purpose for each member of the church.
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. " 1Corinthians12:12
" For the body is not one member but many." " If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? "
1Corinthians12:14-15
God refers to the church as a body. A body is made up of different parts. Each part is vital to the overall function of the body. So that, no body part is higher than the other. Every part plays a vital roll.
You see, you have a vital roll in the body of Christ. Though it may be a funny thought, whether you're an eye or a foot, you're critical in the stability to the church's ability to move forward.
The church that God has placed you to be in is incomplete without you. Also, vice versa. Body parts are no good without the rest of the body.
There's a purpose for you thats greater than yourself. Other members need the gift that God has given you to serve. Your gift can make the difference for a bullied teenager dealing with depression or a tired single mother trying to make it work. God has given you a gift that is necessary for others to see the goodness of God. You literally can be an extension of God's hand in the lives of others. What an incredible purpose that should not be bypassed because of a bad experience a long time ago from a jerk who claimed to be a christian.
You're vital to the success of the body, God has placed you in a body for a purpose.
As every man hath recieved the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1Peter 4:10
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; " "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," The he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
Ephesians 5:25-27
While this is only a scratch on the surface of all the ways the bible talks about the bride of Christ. It presents it very clearly. A marriage between a husband and a wife is the picture of how Christ loves the church.
- Christ gave himself for his people. He loved us so much that he made a pathway for sinners to have eternal life and cultivate a loving relationship with him. He is sanctifying his people and cleansing it by the transformative power of the word of God.
- We are all apart of that, the collective body of believers.
- We must assemble together in our local bible based church to spiritually grow in such a way, that when Christ Jesus comes back, he can be presented with a glorious church holy and without blemish.
I'm not aiming to minimize your bad experience, I'm aiming to show you what God intended the roll that church was supposed to play in your life. We humans can mess things up and do things wrong...but we have the scripture to turn to, and its plain as day that the biblical church is still critical to your success on this side of eternity. Despite the flaws, God loves the church, we are his bride. Will you consider going to the local bible based church in your area? They need you...and you need them.