If you’re looking for an academic piece or theological treatise on the necessity of the local church or the blessing of Christian friendship, this is not that. In this short blog, I want to share three timely reasons why I love and continuously fall deeper in love with the local church. So read this list as a devotional love letter. This is an expression of my gratefulness to Christ for establishing and working within the local church, my admiration for the 17th-century Baptist fathers for laying the groundwork for our robust, orthodox understanding of the local church, and my immense joy in being part of a healthy, supportive, and active local church. So…
Why Do I Love the Local Church?
1. The Local Church Is Where I Receive God’s Gifts
The beauty of the local church is its constancy. Week in and week out, when I arrive at church, I can count on experiencing the same three things every time: (1) that my soul will be nourished by faithful exposition of the word of God; (2) that my spirit will be lifted by the unified voice of the church raised in songs of praise; and (3) that my aches and worries will be soothed by the prayers of thanks, remembrance, and lament offered by the congregation. These three elements of weekly worship are regularly accompanied by the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and the administration of baptism to new believers: two other regular (albeit less frequent) elements of worship that provide nourishment, encouragement, and healing in their own unique ways.
These are the ordinary means of grace. According to the Baptist Catechism, these consistent practices of the church are “outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption.” Through the Word (read and preached), Ordinances (baptism and Lord’s Supper), and Prayer (which includes congregational singing), Christ sanctifies his people. By the blessing of Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit, the people of God, week in and week out, truly receive the grace of God, confirming and strengthening our faith, preparing us for life in this world, and building our anticipation of Christ’s return and our future glory.
These great and matchless gifts are received through the Lord’s Day worship of the local church. We’d be foolish to intentionally miss out on them.
2. The Local Church Is Where I See God’s Work
Looking at the news headlines, trends in our society, and hardships in our daily lives, it might feel so easy and natural to ask: where is God? Over the past academic year (which included some significant world events – the continuation of a global pandemic not even being the most shocking), I have often found myself prayerfully repeating the words of Asaph in Psalm 74 and the sons of Korah in Psalm 88. Yet, when I slow down and think, soberly take stalk of my life and situation, and open my eyes to the world on a smaller scale, it becomes abundantly clear that I am not abandoned and that God is not asleep on the throne.
Believer, if you ever find yourself asking, where is God? Look no further than the local church. Next Sunday, look around at your brothers and sisters: see the beauty of their profession of faith, remember the testimonies of their salvation, and consider all the prayers they have seen answered in their lives. That is the glory and power of God on display right in your midst.
Saint, if you ever wonder why God doesn’t perform great miracles as he did back in Bible times, look around at your brothers and sisters. In you and them is the greatest miracle, the greatest expression of God’s divine might and mercy, for each of you are dead people raised to life. In your regeneration, when God opened your eyes and replaced your heart of stone with a heart of flesh, you experienced God’s presence and power in a way that is even greater than the parting of the Red Sea, water coming from the rock, the healing of the blind, and the feeding of the five thousand. Remember, the doctrines you profess matter in your life. The local church is where you can see that clearly.
God is faithful to his promises, at work building his kingdom and at war crushing his foes. You can see that clearly in the gathering of the local church.
3. The Local Church Is Where I Find God’s Protection
The world is not only a scary place, but it is also a dangerous one. It doesn’t take a Christian long to learn that an enemy prowls around like a lion seeking to devour us. This enemy is devious, using whatever he can to undermine, oppress, and destroy God’s people. Left alone, he would be successful. As Christians are also quick to learn, we cannot live the Christian life independently. If it was up to our strength and willpower, we would succumb to attack, be overwhelmed, and fall, never to rise again. Thankfully, God does not leave us alone. He is faithful to his promise to never leave us or forsake us. As highlighted above, God’s presence is found in the local church. That’s where he gives his gifts, makes his works known, and where we find his protection.
Through the local church’s ministry, God shields us from the enemy’s attacks: The preaching of the church proclaims God’s truth against the enemy’s lies. The discipline of the church brings God’s restoration against the enemy’s snares. The encouragement of the church expresses God’s comfort against the enemy’s accusations. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We can’t do it on our own. This world, our flesh, and the enemy are powerful. Yet, our God is greater, his mercy is more, and his protection is awesome. God is working for his church and through his church, for he loves his church. Learn to love it as well. Grow in that love. Lean into the life of the local church. She isn’t perfect, but her God and Saviour is.
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