Why…a Local Church?

I'd like to take some time over the next week (or week's) to bring you in on some of our 'Why' discussion this past weekend at the LT retreat. Today, we start with 'Why the local church'?

Holy cow…you could come from a lot of different angles here…let me take a stab Biblically…

I think the greatest reason for the local church is b/c that's the New Testament model we see! We see this as the model Paul used throughout the book of Acts. You go to a community, start a church, appoint Elders/Overseer's, and there you go. Paul didn't start soup kitchens, outreach ministries, Bible Colleges, etc., he started churches. He knew that if people were really going to accomplish the great commission and great commandment, it would have to be done through a local church. More on this in a previous post…

The local church provides/facilitates a place for 5 things to happen that we also see exampled in the NT church:

1. Fellowship
2. Discipleship
3. Evangelism
4. Ministry
5. Worship

I could say a whole lot more about this, but I'll save my typing for further Why's!

Comments

[Guy Ellis]

I have always read and heard that the early church was so much more than what we have today. What Paul started were "soup kitchens" and "Colleges". It was the early church that educated and trained the 1st Apostles, Pastors and Teachers. The early church provided food and shelter for the needed. (Acts 2:42-47) Believe it or not the Romans were not passing out food stamps, unemployment checks or government cheese and I believe CBC did not start educating young minds until about 327AD. (ha)

I do believe in the local church. I just wish I could ask the apostle Paul what he thinks of our modern churches that spend so much of their resources on mortgage payments, utilities and overhead. In South Bend/Mishawaka you cannot drive a mile in any direction without passing by a beautiful brick building that only gets used a few hours every week. Is this what Paul envisioned as the “Local Church”?

[Scott]

Ahhh...great point Guy...so, given that the church is not the building but the people, how are we doing in NT ministry individually and corporately? How am I doing personally at helping feed the hungry and clothing those who need clothes? How are we doing corporately at these things?

How are we doing at training up Apostles, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, Missionaries, etc.? What am I doing personally and corporately to make this happen?

Believe you me, I for one would love to do without a mortgage, utilities and overhead...but...if this is a method and tool that God can use to build His Kingdom right now, in our Western Society, I'm willing to go there! I think this is definitely something we ought to consider though as we look to starting new churches and campuses.

I would still propose from study that these NT soup kitchens and Colleges stemmed from the local church!

Thanks for sharing your guts Guy!