A group of about 10 men in our church has met each week for several years, reading through various books that help us walk closer to our Lord so that we can serve Him more effectively. It has been my privilege to lead these men in our weekly book discussions, and to have witnessed spiritual growth in our lives as we share together what God is teaching us, though most of us have been saved for many years. Seeing old truths in a new light, or turning over a hidden treasure that we had not yet discovered, is ever spiritually thrilling.
The book we are currently reading and discussing, a chapter each week, is The Titus Ten, by J. Josh Smith (B & H Publishing Group, 2022). It is one of the finest books I have read on the subject of discipleship, especially directed to men, indicated by its subtitle, Foundations for Godly Manhood. In his chapter on “Mission”—where Smith talks about our purpose for being here, and for being created unto good works—Smith makes the following unequivocable statement: “The local church is at the center of God’s mission. God intends to accomplish His mission through the local church. As we have talked about at length, the local church must be a priority in the life of every man. A man will never be on a mission with God unless he is connected to a local church.” (p.162)
Words like these seem almost archaic in today’s world. For decades, parachurch ministries seem to have succeeded at doing an “end run” around the local church. We live in a day when affiliation with and attendance at a local church seems like merely one of many options available to those who are called Christians. Smith’s words will probably be met with doubt, debate, or maybe denial. But he has the New Testament with which to buttress his proposition.
Jesus Christ Himself founded the Church, as He promised His disciples He would. “I will build my Church,” was the first time any of His followers had ever heard of such a concept. (Matt.16:18) The Church was the mystery “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25) that in one body, both Jew and Gentile, would be ONE in Christ Jesus through the preaching of the gospel. (Eph.3:1-7)
Most of the New Testament is written to churches about life in His Body, the Church. Of the more than 100 references to church in the New Testament, only a handful could be interpreted as referring to something other than a local assembly. It is, as Paul affirmed, the “pillar and ground of the truth” (I Tim.3:15). And though it is an organism rather than an organization, it has organization—with Jesus Christ as its Head, pastors as under-shepherds, deacons as servants to the body, and members as gifted parts of His Body, all working to accomplish the work of the ministry, edifying one another in the faith, and propagating the faith once delivered through intentional, intense missionary, evangelistic efforts.
The New Testament knows nothing of detached, unattached believers who see no need to be part of a local assembly of saints. Lone Ranger Christians are not biblical—as prevalent as they may seem to be in this 21st century. If a person is too busy to be involved vitally in a local church, then that person is simply too busy!
James Garfield, during his first week as president of the United States, was reminded by a member of his cabinet that there was an important meeting scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Though the cabinet member insisted that the president attend this meeting, which would be dealing with a matter of national security, Garfield refused on the grounds he had another important meeting to attend. The cabinet member remarked, “I should be interested to know with whom you could have an appointment so important that it cannot be broken.” The newly installed president replied, “I will be as frank as you are. My engagement is with the Lord, to meet Him at His house, at His table, at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, and I shall be there.” Garfield honored the Lord’s Day; the crisis passed, and the nation survived.
This week, after almost three weeks of what observers called “infighting,” the U. S. House of Representatives elected a new speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, of Louisiana. Upon being elected, one of the first things the new speaker did was to ask his fellow congressmen to bow their heads with him in prayer, asking the Almighty for His good guidance. Johnson is said to be a Baptist—and from what we have seen so far, he might just be of the same conviction as was President Garfield. Spiritual matters matter most. His Church is still alive and well, and prayer changes things!
Mohandas Gandhi was a leader in the Indian movement toward freedom from British rule. His Hinduism, in religion and in politics, impacted millions of his fellow countrymen. When Gandhi was young, he contemplated becoming a Christian as a result of being influenced by the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. He attended the services of a church in Pretoria, Africa, and later wrote of that experience: “The congregation did not strike me as being particularly religious; they were not an assembly of devout souls, but appeared rather to be worldly-minded people going to church for recreation and in conformity to custom.” The young Gandhi concluded that Christianity had nothing to offer over Hinduism, so, tragically, he turned away from Jesus. Sadly, a local congregation had forgotten the primacy, purpose, and place of their sacred Sunday gatherings.
Body-life in a local, New Testament church is of paramount importance to every born-again person in this day. Christ died for the Church. The Church is pictured as His Bride, “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph.5:27) Nothing in this world demands our sincere attention, and faithful participation, more than His Body, the Church. Local assemblies meet weekly, worldwide, keeping His ordinances, preaching His Word, fellowshipping around His table, and strategizing as to how they might best fulfill His great commission. (Matt. 28:18-20) Jesus promised at some moment, yet future, to return for His Bride. Let us then be found faithfully waiting, working, watching, and serving in that for which He died, His Church!
“Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph.3:21)
YOU and GOD 