42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42–47
I am absolutely convinced that we need the local church.
The past century, amid a rising tide of secular rationalism and moral de-evolution, the church has reached a historic (at least from my perspective) level of public scrutiny and distrust.
As a pastor, it has been my experience that while many still hold me and my line of work in charitable regard, many of my contemporaries and those influenced by the modern ideology have come to view the work of the pastor—or more generally the work of the Christian church—as archaic and an obstacle of the progressing world.
Churches—and thus pastors—have become stockpiles of skepticism and hesitancy.
You are probably feeling it too…
Maybe, if you are a well established church-goer you have seen this change. Maybe you remember those days.
Before, people saw you as a helpful person... a loving neighbor… a smiling helper… They welcomed you and your faith. Even if they didn’t agree, they understood the impact the church—and you—positively made in society.
Food drives, missions and shelters, orphanages, medical care, and disaster relief often start from out of Christian circles or ideals.
Now, it is possible that people flinch or cringe when you talk about church or your faith.
The church is the opposite of progress. It is the hinderance of enlightenment. It is the opposite of love.
Some of the critiques and judgements are valid and deserving. We human Christians—representatives and the embodiment of the church—have failed. We ought to remain accountable for these. However, those failures cannot outweigh or negate the overwhelming amount of good the church does account for.
In a world—or a culture—that is becoming hostile to the church, we must lean into the local church as followers of Jesus.
We need to lean into the church.
I would encourage you to read that passage from Acts 2 again.
Does this church sound good to you? Does that resonate with you?
COVID-19 killed many churchs’ communion.
Not only did church attendance drop across the board, but church involvement changed. People have become used to the “faceless world.”
Self checkout
Door Dash
Online Classes
Social Media
Online Friends
Air Pods Everywhere
Avoid Eye Contact
Virtual Church
We live in a world that is losing personal touch. We expect things to be fast. We get in and out. We check off our lists.
Churches has felt this change.
We need to lean into the church.
Our emotional wellbeing needs community—we need brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our mental health needs connectivity from positive and healthy relationship.
The church has always been a place where people rallied together in times of need. It is a place of hope and encouragement. It is the place where weary souls go and find people ready to aid and carry them when they cannot go on themselves.
In a world that is becoming more isolated and quick, we need the church to unite us together and remind us to breath.
Previously, as many new towns or cities in the west formed, churches were often near the center of these growing communities. Churches became the center of the community. It was a gather place. It was a communication hub.
Functionally, people were birthed and buried there (baptism/dedication then their funeral).
As the world grew and travel was more accessible, the church no longer needed to be in the center of the town for practical purposes. I do not find this to be a problem.
In our modern world the church does not have to be the center of our geographic community. All we have to do is make it the center of how we live our lives.
Amid a world that tells you the many evils of the church, I encourage you to see and lean into the beautiful love that is the local church.
Heaven knows we need it—for without it heaven could never be on earth.
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.— St. Teresa of Ávila