Do you really need to be involved in a church for God’s word?
Can’t believers just worship Jesus on their own? Why do we need to be involved in “organized religion?” It seems like a growing trend that many Christians don’t believe they need to be part of a church.
Yes, we can and should worship and love Jesus individually. But we should also worship, pursue God’s word and love him with others. In fact, it is essential and vital to our spiritual lives and health as believers.
Here are 12 crucial reasons why every Christian should be part of a local church to be in God’s Word.
1. We need to be built together with other believers.
“Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph 2:20-22
2. We need brothers and sisters to encourage, exhort, challenge, and build us up in our faith, and we need to encourage and build up others.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…” Colossians 3:16
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13
3. We need to worship together with others.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
“Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!” Psalm 149:1
“I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” Psalm 22:22
4. We need to be stirred up by others to love and good deeds.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.” Hebrews 10:24-25
5. Jesus is uniquely present when believers gather together.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20
6. The church grows as believers meet together and use their gifts.
“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Ephesians 4:16
7. We need to benefit from the gifts of others and serve others with our gifts.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
8. We need brothers and sisters to pray for us and they need us to pray for them.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16
9. We need to be taught and fed God’s Word and equipped by pastors and teachers.
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Acts 20:28
“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:1-3
