The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren—A Synopsis (continued). Chapter 17—A Place to Belong (pages 130-137) Summary The Church is the entire body of believers, spiritually united to one another for all eternity. It is a union (spiritually with Christ), not a building; an organism, not an organization. Each believer is depicted in the Bible as a specific organ of the large spiritual Body of Christ (the Church), and each believer has a specific purpose in the function and well-being of the Body. But the word “church” (Greek means “assembly”), which is used at times to refer to the (universal) Church of all believers, is most often applied to a small local assembly of believers in a specific location. In the same manner that a believer is connected to the universal Church for its benefit, he is also connected to a local church for its benefit. In fact, a believer cannot find and fulfill his purpose within the family of God without connection to and participation in a local assembly of believers. When cut off from a local assembly, one’s spiritual life suffers greatly and spiritual maturity withers. Just as one’s organs cannot function alone in the human body, a believer cannot properly function without connection to a local assembly (local church) of believers. Jesus Christ would have each of His children to love the local church, as well as the (universal) Church. The New Testament through numerous references pertaining to local churches assumes that believers are to be members of such bodies, and with good reasons, as follow: · A church family identifies a person as a genuine believer. A powerful testimony is presented to the world when individual believers from every race, social stratum and background come together in a local assembly. By participation within the local church, the believer makes public statement that he believes in the message of the church and his identity is connected to Christ. · A church family moves a believer out of self-centered isolation. The local church, a microcosm of the universal church, provides to each believer a classroom or laboratory in which one learns to practice his purpose of expressing unselfish love toward others who are imperfect and challenging. This then is the ideal environment to turn from self and truly care about and be dependent (reliant) on others. · A church family helps the believer develop spiritual muscle. Only in a local assembly may a believer experience true biblical membership and fulfill his God-family responsibilities, such as: § Love each other. § Encourage each other. § Admonish each other. § Greet each other. § Serve each other. § Teach each other. § Accept each other. § Submit to each other. § Bear the burdens of each other. § Forgive each other. § Devote time and energy to each other. Without the challenges that a local assembly provides to the believer, he can never rise to higher levels of spiritual maturity. Only when a believer’s attitudes and efforts are tested in the “fire” of a local assembly can he rise to proper spiritual heights. · A church family needs the believer. God’s devotion is for the entire Church, and this is evident in His compassion and mercy for local assemblies. He expects each of His children to “do his part” in God’s will for local assemblies. And because there can be no local assembly without individual believers (members), the church needs each individual believer just as much as believers need each other. It is within the local church that each need comes together in obedience to and for the honor of God. · A church family permits the believer to share in the Gospel mission. It is through the members of the universal church composed of all the local assemblies (churches) that God reaches out to the world of the lost. As a member of a local assembly, the believer is always in a better position to share in the Gospel mission, that of reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. · A church family will help prevent a believer from “backsliding.” It goes without saying that there is “safety in numbers.” Being always subject to temptation, the believer is less affected by the trickery of Satan when surrounded and bolstered up by fellow believers within a local assembly. Furthermore, the local church allows the believer to be exposed to “godly leaders,” who provide additional protection from the temptations of the world. A believer isolated from other believers is a prime target for Satan’s attacks. Membership in a local assembly requires commitment, not just attendance; involvement, not just spectatorship; contribution, not just consumption. Only unselfish love expressed to real people will contribute to a believer’s spiritual growth and accrue future awards in heaven. One may only gauge a person’s commitment to Christ by reviewing his commitment to other members of the family of God. Quotes “We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purpose by ourselves.” (pg. 130) “While your relationship to Christ is personal, God never intends it to be private. In God’s family you are connected to every other believer, and we will belong to each other for eternity.” (pg. 130) “The church is a body, not a building; an organism, not an organization.” (pg. 131) “For the organs of your body to fulfill their purpose, they must be connected to your body.” (pg. 131) “You discover your role in life through your relationships with others.” (pg. 131) “Disconnected and cut off from the lifeblood of a local body, your spiritual life will wither and eventually cease to exist.” (pg. 131) “Except for a few important instances referring to all believers throughout history, almost every time the word church is used in the Bible it refers to a local, visible congregation.” (pg. 132) “The New Testament assumes membership in a local congregation.” (pg. 132) “The Bible says a Christian without a church home is like an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock, or a child without a family. It is an unnatural state.” (pg. 132) “You are not the Body of Christ on your own. You need others to express that. Together, not separated, we are His Body.” (pg. 133) “The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family. It is a lab for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love.” (pg. 133) “Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the New Testament truth of being connected and dependent on each other. (pg. 133) “Only participation in the full life of a local church builds spiritual muscle.” (pg 134) “Isolation breeds deceitfulness; it is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are mature if there is no one to challenge us. Real maturity shows up in relationships. We need more than the Bible in order to grow; we need other believers.” (pg. 134) “When Jesus walked the earth, God worked through the physical body of Christ; today He uses His spiritual body.” (pg. 135) “As members of Christ’s body, we are His hands, His feet, His eyes, and His heart. He works through us in the world.” (pg. 135) “None of us are immune to temptation. Given the right situation, you and I are capable of any sin. God knows this, so He has assigned us as individuals the responsibility of keeping each other on track.” (pg. 135) “The difference between being a church attender and a church member is commitment. Attenders are spectators from the sidelines; members get involved in the ministry. Attenders are consumers; members are contributors. Attenders want the benefits of a church without sharing the responsibility.” (pg. 136) “God wants you to love real people, not ideal people. You can spend a lifetime searching for the perfect church, but you will never find it. You are called to love imperfect sinners, just as God does.” (pg. 137) “The Christian life is more than just commitment to Christ; it includes a commitment to other Christians.” (pg. 137) Scriptures Ephesians 2:19b; 1 Timothy 3:15b; Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 2:21, 22; 3:6; 4:16; Colossians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Romans 12:5; 12:4, 5; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 12:12-27; Romans 12:4, 5; Ephesians 4:16; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:25; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 19:7; 1 Peter 2:17b; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1-5; Ephesians 2:19b; John 13:35; Galatians 3:28; John 17:21; 1 Corinthians 12:27, 26; Ephesians 4:16; Romans 12:4, 5; Colossians 2:19; 1 Corinthians 12:25; 1 John 3:16; Ephesians 4:16b; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Jeremiah 17:9; 1 Timothy 1:19; Hebrews 3:13; James 5:19; Acts 20:28,29; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 13:17; Acts 2:42; 2 Corinthians 8:5. Conclusion/Comments The local church is the ideal location and surrounding for a believer to fulfill his purpose of expressing unselfish love toward other imperfect and often frustrating sinners. It is God’s will that every believer participate in and genuinely commit to a local church. Only in a local church may one properly grow spiritually and fulfill the Gospel mission. Only by being a member (not an attender) of a local church can a Christian fully please God and achieve God’s purpose for his life.