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PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
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| DEFINITION OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: (Rom. 16:5); “Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenitus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ”. The Open Bible defined the local church as ‘a geographically located temporally limited and visibly evident manifestation of the Universal Church, the body of Christ’. I believe this is a good definition of the local church. If we are to break this meaning down further to a simpler form of understanding, we would say that the local church is a group of called out believers (Ecclesia. Grk.) in Christ, who are the physical body of Christ on earth, located in a par- ticular geographical area where they reside and offer their services unto God. During the N.T. era, the local churches do meet firstly in Jewish synagogues, then at individual homes. (Phil. 2; Col. 4:15). The present pattern of meeting at a separate building (“church building”, “temple”, “chapel”) built for that purpose exclusively, is a post N.T. idea and practice. The local church is an integral and important part of the Universal Church. The local church is very important for a concerted, dedicated and effective witnessing and influ- encing of their local communities. Every Christian is expected to be actively involved in a local church assembly where he resides to team up with other believers to promote Christian fellowship and to contribute effectively to the spiritual and communal activities of the local church to advance the gospel of Christ in his area. No Christian should neglect or absent himself from this noble involvement, failure is to disobey God’s command. (Heb. 10: 25). THE REASON FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH: (Heb. 10:25). “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another , and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”. The most important reason why believers should participate in the local church is that it is an express command to all Christians by God. (Heb. 10:25). In the early church it appears, apparently, that there were some Christians who stayed away from assembling together with the local church group within their area of abode. But their attitude was spoken against and discouraged by God, as recorded here in Hebrews chapter 10. They were charged and admonished to join the local church assembly, seeing that each believer owes a duty to one another to exhort, encourage and to strengthen each other in the faith to be firm and to grow stronger. This concerted effort will be best effected and harnessed within a united fellowship where every believer belongs as one body and continually meet for the study of God’s Word and for corporate worship. As bonafide members of the local church, believers identifies with one another and is well acquainted with each other with open and unified understanding. As they fellowship together continually as members of the same one body, love and trust is established among them. Everyone will be built and geared to be selfless, meek, open and kindly hearted towards others. If one lacks or is hurt all will be affected and concerned to support and to encourage the one. The experience of how the N.T. Church strongly grew in their faith and powerfully effected their generation both with the gospel and with their unity of purpose is fully recorded in the book of Acts of the Apostles. These scriptural records are not just meant to be admired but to be imitated by the church today. If only the church today could be united in will and purpose with every Christian genuinely participating in their local churches there will be a great difference from the current picture of things both in our churches and communities. How can the believer exercise his spiritual gifts to the benefit of other believers and the church? Is it by distancing himself from the local church? Can he possibly succeed in his Christian life by being a Lone Ranger type of Christian excluding himself from the body of believers? Genuine answers to these questions will help us determine the reason why any Christian should participate in the local church. BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH: (Acts 2:42-47) “And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the Apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” The great benefits believers stand to derive from participating in the local church is readily and evidently apparent. Here, from the passage above in Acts of Apostles is an account of the great many benefits and spiritual blessings that was enjoyed by the early N.T. church on account of the active joint participation of the believers together as a body and a unit in their particular locality. Below are the list of benefits that could be benefitted by Christians from being actively involved in the local church as severally specified from the passage above in Acts 2:42-47: i. Godly instruction. “And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine: (Vs. 42). ii. Fellowship. “And fellowship”. (Vs. 42). iii. Commemoration of the Lords’ death. “and in breaking of bread”. (Vs. 42). iv. Corporate prayer. “And in prayers” (Vs. 42"). v. Spiritual awakening. “Then fear came upon every soul”. (Vs. 43). vi. Miraculous blessings. “Many wonders and signs were done”. (Vs. 43). vii. Unity and oneness. “Now all who believed were together”. (Vs. 44). viii. Genuine love and openness. “And had all things in common”. (Vs. 44). ix. Sharing. “And sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all”. (Vs. 45). x. Selflessness, equality and joy. “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking of bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart”. (Vs. 46). xi. God was glorified. “Praising God”. (Vs. 47). xii. Divine favor. “having favor with all the people”. (Vs. 47). xiii. Church numerical growth. “And the Lord added to the church”. (Vs. 47). Other benefits are pastoral care (1Pet. 5:1-3); discipline (Mt. 18:15-17); obedience to God’s command. (Heb. 10:25). In view of all these great spiritual and physical blessings to be derived, it would be very tragic to any believer to distance himself from participating in the local church. |
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