Articles

The Importance of the Local Church

“I say unto to you that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18).

1. Christ said it is my church. It is his because he purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28)

2. Christ said I will build my church. He is the foundation on which the Church is laid (1 Cor 3:11).

3. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Many today will put the church down, find all the problems with the church, but Jesus said the church will be victorious.

Seems today that so many take the church for granted, but I believe the local church is more important today than it ever was before. Here are some reasons why:

• THE CHURCH HELPS BUILD A STRONGER NATION
  Family is the fabric of society. It is the first institution ordained by God and established as a man and a woman. The church helps strengthen that unit and when the family unit is strong it helps strengthen the very fabric of the society in which we live.
• THE CHURCH DEALS WITH THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE DAY
  In this election year who knows what to vote for – all we see is mud slinging and finger pointing. It is hard to know who the right candidate is. While voting is very important the church deals with the real important issues about salvation, the great commission, heaven and hell and judgment to come. These are issues with eternal consequences.
• THE CHURCH PROVIDES PERSPECTIVE THAT GIVES DIGNITY TO MANS EXISTENCE.
  In most educational institutions our children will learn the perspective of evolution, humanism, and agnosticism, which gives no purpose or relevance to mankind’s existence on earth. But the church teaches that God created man and everything in it. He created man in His own image, and unlike animals, gave man a soul. God so loved the world that he gave his son to die for falling man. This gives us hope, relevance and dignity to life itself.
• THE CHURCH PROVIDES A MORAL AND ETHICAL COMPASS.
  In a very immoral world where anything goes, there are no absolutes, and everything seems to be acceptable, the church teaches that there are absolutes. There are real truths, and these truths are contained in the word of God. This provides a moral compass in the society in which we live.
• THE CHURCH OFFERS YOUNG PEOPLE AN ALTERNATIVE
  Society offers MTV and sitcoms with sexual themes, to billboards and commercials trumpeting how great alcohol is. The church offers our youth something more - something that brings value to their lives. Our church offers a youth group with kids of all ages where they can belong and have peers without the pressure. Remember now the creator in the days of your youth Ecc. 12: 1. We believe it is important to get our kids on a solid foundation now thru Biblical teaching and youth activities and that is our goal.
• THE CHURCH OFFERS HEALING TO THE HURTING
  How many times in the past ten years have we witnessed catastrophe strike, whether it was the Oklahoma bombing, Columbine shootings, 9-11 attacks, or most recently, school children being attacked by psychotic adults. It’s in our churches people seek healing and answers. While answers may not always come, healing can. Even on a more personal level perhaps there’s been hurt and you need healing in your life Christ offers that to you and the Church can help you in your healing process.
• WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR CHURCH
  You should support it with your 
  

  – Attendance
  – Tithes
  – Labor
  – Prayers
  

Thank God for our local Bible believing churches. Find one and be all you can be at your local church.