There are some in the Christian circles who no longer believe they need to belong to a local church. Either they are mistaken or they have been hurt by a local church. Similarly just because I had a lousy Physics teacher before does not mean that Physics is not relevant subject in my life. So in our Christian life when we had a bad experience in a local church it also does not mean that God does not want us to be part of a local community of believers any more. Let us read from one of my friends who is also a fellow pastor who recently shared:

“Can I believe in God, walk with Him, hear Him speak and serve His purposes without being a part of a community of God’s people? I think not. God’s intent clearly seen in the Bible is for believers to gather together frequently to stir up one another to love and God works, love one another, serve one another, lift up those who are down, encourage one another, weep with those who weep, rejoice with those rejoice, teach each other the Word of God, correct one another, rebuke one another where necessary and build up each other’s faith. Christianity without community is like playing basketball or football all by yourself – you may hit or kick well, aim or play well, but you are up against a team of strong opponents with reserves too, and in the end, you will get bombarded, tired and defeated. Any group of like-minded believers who gather together for worship, fellowship, discipleship centred on Christ and His Word, ministry and outreach can be considered a community of God’s people and that is what the local church is or at least, should be. So if you are not yet an active part of a local church and her ministry and mission, do get right into it as soon as you can and be part of what God is doing through His people everywhere to bring a godly influence in our world.

Barnabas Chong, 13th March 2017
Methodist Pastor in Singapore”

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