Today is Independence Day in the United States, and I know that many of you are likely enjoying the day celebrating with family and friends. Because of that, I decided that instead of sharing a detailed post on a new subject, I would continue a discussion that I have written about previously. I already shared that I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading recently on the subject of “the Church” and I have simultaneously just completed a week of intense service at my church. As these two events coalesced it has reminded me of the importance of being an active member of a Bible-teaching congregation of believers. It is of vital importance to a Christian’s walk with God and to their growth in Christ.
Yet as someone who has being going to church for as long as I can remember, I have seen how easy it is for people to take for granted the privilege of being a part of a local body of believers. Unfortunately, many people leave a church in haste and rashly discard the togetherness that comes from knowing others and being known in a community of Christians. Of course, this isn’t to say there won’t ever be a time where we will need to leave a specific congregation, but it is something that should be done prayerfully and deliberately, seeking the wisdom of godly advisors (Proverbs 11:14; 19:20-21; 28:26). If you are ever in a position where you are considering such a transition, these words from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology may be helpful:
Of course, if we are to work for the purity of the church, especially of the local church of which we are a part, we must recognize that this is a process and that any church of which we are a part will be somewhat impure in various areas. There were no perfect churches at the time of the New Testament, and there will be no perfect churches until Christ returns. This means that Christians have no obligation to seek the purest church they can find and stay there, and then leave it if an even purer church comes to their attention. Rather, they should find a true church in which they can have effective ministry and in which they will experience Christian growth as well, and then they should stay and minister, continually working for the purity of that church. God will often bless their prayers and faithful witness, and the church will gradually grow in many areas of purity.
May every believer strive to be a committed participant in the local church that they are a part of, working for the purity of that local congregation as well as the Church universal, until the day God calls us Home.
