What is the Importance of Church?

What is the importance of church? Do we need to be members of the church as Christians? Is it mandatory? This is a question that plagues a lot of believers. Can a Christan be so without weekly attendance? And if not, why or what is the importance of the church? My answers will come in the form of Apologetic discussion. Apologetics is the defense of your faith, and it is through faith-based and bible-based information that the answer is presented, First, to answer this question, is church importance and do we need to be members of the church, my answer is yes. And I hope to explain the why and how that is the answer for Christians.

First and foremost, we need to take a look at he word church. The word comes from the Greek word ekklesia whichmeans a group of people called out for a special purpose. Not a building, not a structure or an establishment, but people! That is the KEY to understanding the root of this question. The early believers gathered at the Temple courts, to worship and preach and teach the Word left to them through Jesus and His Apostles and also meet in private homes for fellowship and worship (See Acts 2:46 for more details). Public gatherings in the temple complex became difficult as persecution to early believers got worse, and the home became even more important. Paul notes an example in Priscilla and Aquila in the New Testament (See Romans 16:2-4 for more details). Christianity received formal recognition within the Roman Empire during the 4th century, and modern worship centers and buildings began being built. This gives us the current showcase to what we call a "church".

What reasoning is there then for meeting together Biblically? Why do we get together as believers-is there something we should get and give out of it? Yes, actually, there are many things. Below is a list of these areas, and Bible verses to back them up. Please take the time to read and look up each one:

1. Worship with each other Hebrews 10:23-25, Acts 2:42

2. To love one another 1 John 4:11-12

3. Encourage one another Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 10:24

4. To serve one another Galatians 5:13

5. Instruct each other Romans 15:14

6. To use our God-given gifts Romans 12:4-8

7. To express love for God Psalm 22:22, Psalm 134:2

8. Pool our spiritual powers Matthew 18:19-20

The church then becomes the meeting place of the "called-out ones". As Christians, we are called out to help one another in MANY ways. In this way, we are members of the church, members of a group of people called for a special purpose. What is our purpose? Not only to go out and spread the Word of God to all the nations-"The Great Commission" but to care for our brethren in Christ. How can you miss that aspect and still be a Christian? i would think it is a big part of the experience that a few people end up missing out on.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 takes a look at our role as parts of a body. That body of believers, the body of Christ, that is each of us playing a part. Why is the church compared to the body? They all must be there and be playing their part for the body to work, and the group, the body either suffers or rejoices together. In this way, we see the way Christians are supposed to be there, suffering or rejoicing with one another, pulling up those that need it. The fellowship aspect of being a Christian plays such a large part in how the whole Christian experience will go for a believer.

Overall, the church is something we must be member of, because the church is what we profess to be-a body of believers, called out to a special purpose, that purpose being the ways put out in the Word by Jesus. The secondary aspects of being a member of a formal, "building-church", the support and love with one another, these are areas that you should want and feel lead to be a part of, because this is how we can be a stronger body that works together in an organized fashion to further the Kingdom of God.