True disciples of Jesus participate in the local church
Is it possible to be a true disciple of Jesus and keep the church at arm’s length, or to be a genuine Christian and be indifferent to the church?
No, the Bible does not present church participation as optional. Jesus regards church involvement to be of primary importance.
Let’s trace this through the Bible.
1. The Bible specifically says it is God’s will that Christians attend church meetings.
Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “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.”
Failing to meet with the church of Jesus Christ is spiritual neglect. It is the omission of what is required by the Lord. It is a sin of omission.
2. The first Christians met together as the church constantly.
Acts 2:42–46 says that immediately after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, which brought about the conversion of thousands of souls, the new Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers [this implies they were eating and praying together]. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. [44] And all who believed were together and had all things in common. [45] And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. [46] And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes [again, this implies eating together], they received their food with glad and generous hearts.”
If this were the only part of the New Testament you had, you would assume that participating deeply in the life of the church and its meetings was the norm for true Christians—and you would be right.
3. Jesus calls the church his and declares his unstoppable purpose is to build it.
After the apostle Peter confessed his faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus said, “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
The church matters infinitely to Jesus. This is his project!
What’s more, the unmistakable implication of Jesus’ determination to build his church is that we should participate. Anyone who is truly following him is on his construction team! He said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Luke 11:23).
Therefore whoever is not helping Jesus build his church is hindering the Lord’s building of his church. Whoever is not helping to gather the harvest of souls into the church is scattering the harvest of souls. According to Jesus, you cannot be neutral about the church.
4. Jesus specifically authorizes the church to do his work.
Immediately after the words above where Jesus says to Peter “I will build my church,” he goes on to tell Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).
The church is the Lord’s strategy. Since Jesus has given his authority to the church, then he will exercise his authority through the church. We are not given the freedom to strategize human ways of doing Christ’s work. To be outside of the church is to be outside of his authority.
5. The church is the fullness of Jesus on earth.
Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “[God] put all things under [Jesus’] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
If we love Jesus, we want to be as near to him and his presence as possible. We want to experience his fullness. According to this verse, we experience that fullness in the church.
I say that with one important qualification. The church we are in must be a truly biblical, Holy-Spirit filled church. We are not going to feel the presence of the Lord in a gathering of people who do not believe or follow the Bible as they should, and do not love others as Christ commands, and who walk in the flesh rather than in the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:16–25). In that case we need to find another church where believers humbly follow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (John 12:26). Where is Jesus in this era? He is in his church.
6. The church is where God manifests his glory.
Ephesians 3:20–21 says, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
That is a striking statement! According to this verse, there are two places where God especially wants to manifest his glory. One is in Christ Jesus, and he certainly did that. And the other is in the church, and he is in the process of doing that.
To God be the glory in the church! That is why true disciples participate deeply in the life of the church—in order that God may be glorified in it, which is where he states he wants to be glorified.
7. The universal church comprises organized, local churches.
Many people today say they do not want anything to do with the organized church. Instead they want to have individual spirituality.
But an unorganized, disconnected scattering of individual, independent Christians across the globe is not the church described in the New Testament (in particular, see Ephesians 4:11–16; 1 Corinthians 12–14; Romans 12:3–13; 1 Timothy 3:1–15; 4:6–16; 5:1–25; 2 Timothy 4:1–5; Titus 1:5–10).
The word of God calls Christians to become part of a group of believers who have approved, appointed leaders. These leaders must be tested to ensure they believe and teach correct doctrine and live godly lives. These approved leaders are called to teach the word of God and correct doctrine.
The local church not only teaches the Scriptures faithfully but also baptizes new believers in accordance with God’s will and regularly serves Communion in the way commanded and approved by Christ so that no one suffers judgment through it (see 1 Corinthians 11:17–34).
The local church also helps wayward Christians by admonishing them and if necessary eventually disciplining them when they are living in a way that will lead to their own destruction. See 1 Corinthians 5, Matthew 18:15–18.
8. The local organized church is how Jesus—the Good Shepherd—cares for his sheep.
In one of Christ’s appearances to his disciples after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus ate a breakfast of fish with them, and “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” (John 21:15–17 ESV)
Jesus cares about each one of us, and the way he shepherds our souls is through the shepherds/pastors he has given to his churches and through his churches as communities. Believers who separate themselves from the local church separate themselves also in some measure from the protection of the Good Shepherd.
9. Church is the bride of Christ.
Ephesians 5:31–32 says, “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”
No one who loves Jesus should disdain his bride, for that would insult the bride he loves.
Summary
I could marshal many other scriptures and reasons for why every believer in Jesus should participate fully in the life of a local church that faithfully follows the word of God and the Holy Spirit. The entire New Testament assumes and teaches the importance of the local church to those who call Jesus Lord. Therefore let us love one another as Jesus commands and do so within the local community of believers organized to bring him glory in the earth. That is how to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.