Today, we tackle a question that resonates deeply with many: Do I have to go to church to be a Christian? Or, put another way, is joining a local church really necessary? For some, church is a weekly rhythm; for others, it’s a distant concept, perhaps replaced by campus ministries or other parachurch ministries. While these can do great things for the Kingdom, they aren’t a church themselves. Their role is to point believers to local congregations, not serve as a substitute. In this article, we’re going explore why Scripture not only encourages but commands involvement in a local church. My hope is that you’ll see the vital importance of church membership and find it unthinkable to live your faith apart from the body of Christ.
Imagine an NBA basketball team. Each player has a distinct role: the point guard directs the offense, the shooting guard shoots three-pointers, the center battles for rebounds, and role players do the dirty work. If one player slacks—say, a defender misses their mark—the whole team falters, no matter how flawlessly the others execute. Success hinges on unity, each member fulfilling their purpose. The church operates similarly. Every believer is gifted uniquely—some to preach, others to serve, pray, teach kids, offer wisdom, maintain facilities, etc. When one part neglects its role, the body suffers. As Paul writes, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).
The point is this: Being part of a local church body is commanded in Scripture and essential for your spiritual health as a believer. Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians 12 underscores this. He explains, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). If you’re in Christ, you’re already part of His body—not striving to join it, but recognizing your place within it. A severed arm isn’t a body; it’s lifeless. Likewise, a Christian detached from the church isn’t thriving—they’re spiritually stunted. Paul continues, “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body” (1 Corinthians 12:15). Denying your role doesn’t erase it; it weakens the whole.
Pastor Mark Dever provocatively once told college students, “If you call yourself a Christian but aren’t a member of a church, you might be going to hell.” This isn’t about legalism—salvation isn’t earned by membership—but a diagnostic. To love Christ is to love His bride, the church. New Testament believers assumed membership; a lone-ranger Christian was unthinkable in the first century. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians addresses a specific congregation, urging unity in their unique context. If God arranges each member as He chooses (1 Corinthians 12:18), opting out defies His design. Here are three reasons why joining a local church is non-negotiable.
- The Bible Requires It
Scripture is full of commands assuming church membership. Consider these: Pursue peace and mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19); meet others’ needs with hospitality (Romans 12:13); restore sinners gently and bear burdens (Galatians 6:1-2); encourage and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11); expel divisive troublemakers (Titus 3:10); strive together for the gospel (Philippians 1:27); practice discipline (Matthew 18:15-17); submit to elders (Hebrews 13:17); gather regularly for worship and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25); partake in communion together (1 Corinthians 11:24-26); and baptize new believers (Acts 10:47-48). Baptism, notably, is the first act of obedience, publicly uniting you to the body. These aren’t solo endeavors—they demand a like-minded community. Church-hopping or non-membership sidesteps these, stunting growth and obedience. - To Build Up the Body and Be Sharpened by Others
Too many approach church as consumers, asking, “What’s in it for me?” They slip in late, leave early, and bolt at the first disagreement, treating church like a house hunt: “Good preaching, decent worship, but I wish they had better kids’ programs.” This misses the point. Church isn’t a product; it’s a family for God’s adopted children. Every believer has a role, as Paul notes, “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose” (1 Corinthians 12:18). Your gifts—whether teaching, serving, or comforting—are for building up the body, not hoarding. Equally, you need sharpening. Life groups, accountability partners, and mentors expose sin and spur growth. Without them, you’re vulnerable to drift. Consumerism breeds isolation; commitment fosters transformation. Ask: Where am I serving? Who’s holding me accountable? These questions anchor you to the body’s vitality. - To Display the Gospel and Glorify God
Salvation doesn’t just reconcile us to God; it restores us to His people. The fall fractured both our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with others—think Cain’s murder of Abel (Genesis 4). Ephesians 2:14-16 reveals Christ’s remedy: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility… to reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross.“ Church membership showcases this unity, embodying the great commandment to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39).Jesus declares, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). A church flourishing in sacrificial love mirrors the gospel, drawing onlookers to glorify God (Matthew 5:16). Jesus affirms, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). If He’s committed to it, how can we opt out? Membership isn’t just personal edification—it’s a public witness of redemption’s power.
In 2025, with cultural pressures mounting—AI ethics debates, political polarization, and spiritual apathy—the church stands as God’s countercultural family. Isolated faith wilts under such strain; a connected body thrives. So join a local church—don’t date one, marry one—because Scripture demands it, your soul needs it, and the gospel shines through it. Join to strengthen and be strengthened by the body. Join to proclaim the gospel and magnify God’s glory. Your membership matters—for your sanctification, for others’ edification, and for a watching world. Step into the body Christ died for, and watch Him work through you.
Tethered to Truth 