On Christians and Congregations

The Church is incurably congregational. Where ever God calls people to faith in Jesus, he calls them into congregations.

The idea that “I can follow Jesus all by myself and worship him all by myself in a field” may represent rugged American individualism, but it does not reflect either Biblical teaching or historical Christian living.

Christians gather together in congregations.

Dan Kimball wrote a book They like Jesus but Not the Church.  Barna publishes statistics about the demise of the Church and its congregations in America. Newspapers report abandoned church buildings repurposed as brew pubs.

Christians gather together in congregations.

Paul concluded his letter to the church of God in Corinth by writing, “The churches of Asia send you greetings.  Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.”  (I Corinthians 16:19)  The writer of Hebrews warned Christians “not to neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but to encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

Christians gather together in congregations.

Parachurch organizations are fine. Preachers online or on TV or on the radio serve a purpose. Personal, private devotions and prayer are essential. But it is within the community of a local Christian congregation that God is at work through the Word and Sacraments to draw, gather, enlighten, equip and send his Kingdom people. We gather for worship, encouragement, admonition and service. We gather as a foretaste of the Kingdom to Come.

Christians gather together in congregations.

Plan to live out your Christian life within the context of a local congregation. Keep in mind the following four things:

• Your congregation will not be perfect. Like a family, as long as it is comprised of sinners, there will be problems. Do not expect more of a congregation (and its pastor!) than is possible. Work within your congregation to make it a center of love and forgiveness.
• You must be present to experience the blessings God has in mind for his people. You have heard it said, “You must be present to win?” Haphazard attendance and involvement at your local congregation WILL lead to dissatisfaction. Like all other relationships you will not experience quality time without quantity time.
• A good local congregation takes work. Indeed, the Kingdom is about grace, God saved us by his grace, but God worked hard at grace. A local congregation is a grace place. But to be such takes work.  Be prepared to volunteer and serve. There are no bench warmers in the Kingdom.
• Avoid church shopping and hopping. Yes, you can find a “better” congregation. When you sit down for a Thanksgiving giving meal with your family, certainly there is a “better” meal available in another house somewhere in the neighborhood. But that meal would not be with your family, and the point of the meal centers on the gathering of the family not the culinary excellences.  

Christians gather in congregations.

We live in a time of change. We should keep in mind that that is always the case. Things have always changed. The pace of change today may be a little faster, but the reality of change has not… changed.  Within the change, there are certain things that don’t. People need oxygen to live. Nutrition and eating are connected. The sky is blue. The sun is warm. The church is incurably congregational.

Christians gather in congregations.