Why Do We Need the Church?
Matthew 16:18:b
…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
There are many significant days in human history. The accounts of many of those days are found in the Bible. The six days of creation are found in the book of Genesis where we are first introduced to God Himself. The birth of Jesus Christ, the day God became man, is found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And then there is the resurrection of Jesus, which I believe is the most significant event in all of human history.
I suppose if I had to list a fourth event, it would be the birthday of the Church. You can read about it in Acts 2 and I will be writing about Acts 2 in a few weeks as a new blog series begins: Why Do We Need The Church?
The concept of the church is first introduced to us in Matthew 16 where Jesus said, “I will build My church.” We are going to take a deep dive into this passage, along with a few others in the coming weeks. However, for today, let’s just remind ourselves of something very important. The Church belongs to Jesus Christ; it is His, and His alone. He has given the responsibility of stewardship of the church over to elders, but let’s make no mistake about it, it is His church.
For today, there is simply one thing I want you to know: I love the church.
I Love The Church!
As far back as I can remember, I have loved the church and loved being a part of the church. It has been a home to me, a haven to me, a help to me, and a picture of heaven to me. I love the church.
A Home to Me
Adrian Rogers, the longtime pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee used to say that every person needs three homes, a domestic home (a family), a spiritual home (a church), and an eternal home (heaven). That “spiritual home” is exactly the way I think about church. Church has always been a home to me. I love the people, I love the place, I love the programs, and I love the provider, Jesus. The church has always been a home to me.
A Haven for Me
When you hear the word haven, think about a harbor that provides protection and safety for ships. Think about a refuge, a retreat, a shelter for those who are hurting. Think about a place that provides rest, refreshment, and lodging for those who are tired. Think about an oasis and a sanctuary. My early years were filled with a lot of stress and anxiety. My father’s sickness created so many challenges and hardships and I found myself going to the church for encouragement and rest. The church has always been a haven for me.
A Help to Me
The word help has a very broad definition. For me, help means provision, aid, nourishment, resources, counsel, growth, guidance, and support. But help is not limited to these words. The church has helped me in countless ways. But the help I mean is specifically spiritual growth and discipleship. It has taught me, encouraged me, come alongside me, strengthened me, and prepared me for life. On and on I could go. I love the church because it has been a help to me.
A Picture of Heaven to Me
I want you to know that my domestic home, my family, is not a perfect place. But I love my family dearly. I also want you to know that the church is not a perfect place. I have seen it at its worst and its best. But I love the church and its family dearly. I see people with whom I will spend eternity. And although it is imperfect, I see a picture of heaven.
So you can see, I love the church and my passion is the local church!
I Was Saved Through The Ministry Of The Local Church!
I really believe my passion for the local church started when I was saved. Prior to my salvation, my family had always attended church, but it wasn’t until I was saved that it really captured my attention. While the purpose of this writing is not to share my salvation, I must clearly say that salvation was not walking down a church aisle for me. It was God reaching down, convicting my sinful heart, and rescuing me from sin’s grip. I joyfully received God’s free gift of salvation by faith. To this day, I am in awe of why a Holy God would save me, a lowly sinner. And I am eternally grateful.
Teachers in the church taught me in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Musicians in the church encouraged me when I sang in the children’s choir. Coaches in the church coached me in baseball and basketball. And the day that I made public my salvation, each of those people and more in my church stood there to rejoice with me, to encourage me, and to strengthen me. It was the church that celebrated with me when I was baptized. Some of the people there at that church were lifelong friends of my parents. Some of those older people followed my life’s direction until they died. These people, the Body of Christ, invested in me through their time, teaching, and personal ministry and influenced me to follow Christ in salvation.
I Was Called To Ministry Through The Local Church!
My passion for the church only intensified as I grew older. There were more teachers and coaches who encouraged me. But there were also staff members, especially student pastors who invested in me and strengthened me. The lead pastor at my church discipled me and taught me how to be a disciple-maker.
And when I turned 15, I sensed God leading me, calling me, to vocational ministry. To be honest, there was no battle, no fight, and no tug of war. It was the gentle prod of the Holy Spirit, the clear teaching of God’s Word, and the exhortation of the church through which I knew God was calling. There was no surrender and no wrestling match; I said yes joyfully, willingly, and excitedly.
When I shared this with my church, the people were standing there to affirm God’s call on me and support me as I went forward to be trained in ministry. By support, I mean prayer support, emotional support, financial support, and personal support.
And My Calling Is To Serve Christ Through The Ministry Of The Local Church!
As a college student, my view of ministry changed. It became more vast. I met people called to missions. I met people called to denominational work. I met people studying for ministry through counseling, mercy ministries, and other types of vocational ministry. And to be honest with you, I found it confusing. There was no need for me to complicate my calling, no need for me to compare my calling, and no need for me to judge someone else’s calling. The real issue for me was that I had a passion for the local church. I am forty-plus years on the other side of my first church position and I can say, my passion is still the local church.
To Spend My Life Serving The Local Church Is The Icing On The Cake!
At this stage in my life, God has given me the blessing of serving multiple local churches at a time! DSM has grown out of a love for the church that started a long time ago and continues today. I love the church and I want to be a part of what God is doing in His church and for His glory. Simply put, my passion is the local church! And so for me, the message is, “Onward!”
I Need The Church and So Do You!
And, on top of everything I have written here, I NEED the church, and so do you. This new blog series is thrilling to me because I love the church and because we need the church. There is no insignificant church. They all have something in common; Jesus is the foundation, the Holy Spirit is the power, the Great Commission is the priority, and God gets the glory!
Will you join me each Thursday for the next few weeks? And will you pass this blog along to someone else?
I’d love to hear about your love relationship with the church, even if it has been rocky at times. You can email me at david@davidsmithministry.com.