But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15-16
Following his embrace of Jesus as Messiah, the apostle Paul spent the rest of his life planting and nurturing churches. Whatever it was about being a follower of Jesus Christ, Paul was convinced that it could not be done alone. Paul carried out his ministry as part of an extensive network of missionary co-workers. His letters, most of which are included in the New Testament, served to instruct, exhort, correct, and encourage various congregations and individuals in the practice of their faith.
In that spirit, I offer my reflections on the question, Why do we need the Church? My answers below reflect several ways of thinking about the Church. One is as the Church Scattered, as we serve God in our vocations throughout the world. The other is as the Church Gathered, as we worship God together as his community. I pray that in a world that pulls us into ever narrower interest groups, our shared life in and as the Church may help us reach spiritual maturity even as we point our lonely and aimless world to God’s great purposes for us.
- Because we need to belong to a community that is rooted in something deeper than just “the moment.”
- Because we need to acknowledge and worship a power greater than ourselves namely God!
- Because we need to corporately tell the truth about our sin and our need for God.
- Because we need help and encouragement in doing the right thing.
- Because we tried doing life on our own and that didn’t work out so well.
- Because we’re hurting and we need to see in the eyes of others that God’s grace is real.
- Because God intends for his people to embody in the world his good plans and gracious purposes for the future.
- Because the Lord’s Supper cannot be properly experienced alone.
- Because God has called us to embody now the promises of his future Kingdom.
- Because we’ll never mature as God wants us to if we don’t regularly practice the virtues needed to love one another despite our differences.
- Because younger Christians and older Christians need each other.
- Because we need to regular reminders that our deepest loyalties are not of this world.
- Because the world needs to see that Christ unifies us in ways that shared ethnicity, similar social status, and common interests cannot.
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