Church: Much More Than Words

The memory lingers. I was 4 or 5 years old. My older brother and I were getting ready for bed when we heard a gentle knock at the front door.

It was quite dark by that time in the evening. A knock that late was unusual, so my brother and I scampered toward the front door.

Dad opened the door to discover several bags of groceries. In the darkness, we could see taillights disappearing over the hill.

Multiple bags of food. At my age, I didn’t realize how much our family needed the contents of these bags.

Where did they come from? This was long before grocery delivery services.

The person who anonymously dropped off these bags of treasures was someone from church who knew of our financial hardship.

That event has stuck with me. It was a stirring lesson about generosity, love, community and the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). Such big words or concepts were beyond my grasp at the time. But a seed was planted in my mind.

Church. That weekly gathering in a hot meeting hall—wedged in among people from all walks of life—was more than “just” church. It was more than singing a few hymns, listening to a couple of messages and darting out the door.

No, it was family.

Back to the beginning

Almost 2,000 years ago, thousands gathered in Jerusalem to worship God and celebrate the annual festival of Pentecost. Among the crowd were a group of disciples—individuals who had responded to the good news preached by Jesus of Nazareth.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). One accord. One place. A connected community. See our online article “The Miracle and Meaning of Pentecost” for a deeper exploration of this festival.

On that Pentecost, those disciples received an incredible gift—the Holy Spirit. They would be crafted into a special Body known in Scripture as the Church of God.

From its beginning, the Church was never intended to be an isolated group of individuals. Rather, members were expected to be unified, involved and connected. “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized . . . And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:41-42).

This initial togetherness became the model for the Church. “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (verses 46-47).

This family atmosphere reflected Jesus’ directive: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Unity was to be a hallmark of the Church.

Paul described the Church of God as the “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Household carries the idea of belonging, intimacy or family. The Church is to be more than a loosely associated group of individuals. Rather, it is to be a functioning, interconnected group, sharing identity, purpose and familial association.

Expected to assemble

The Church is expected to consistently meet in person for organized religious worship. This is nothing new for the people of God. When sharing His festivals, God declared, “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:2, emphasis added).

The Hebrew word translated “convocation” refers to a public meeting or a sacred religious gathering.

It is not enough to believe. God’s intent is that His people assemble on His weekly Sabbath and annual festivals. Jesus modeled this practice (see Mark 1:21-22; 3:1-6; 6:1-2; Luke 4:16-21; 6:6-11; 13:10-17), and the Church followed His example (Acts 2:1; 13:13-49; 18:4).

Paul described this community as a “body” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Despite individual traits and differences, the Church is meant to be “one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free” (verse 13). In the first century, these categories could have been divisive and polarizing. Paul exhorted Christians to be of one mind and heart.

Modern social and cultural categories can be equally divisive. Paul emphasized that Christians “are the body of Christ” first and then “members individually” (verse 27). Individual preferences, within the boundaries of God’s law and administrative authority, should not separate or divide Christians.

The effectiveness and power of this Body is amplified when it assembles together—when all the parts are present, spiritually engaged and faithful.

Watered down or curtailed

The Church does not exist in a spiritual vacuum. Peter warns, “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

One recurring threat is the devaluing and degrading of in-person religious services.

In many churches, services contain little biblical instruction and teaching—replaced by a growing trend of concert-style worship events.

Many people arrive just before the “show” and leave immediately after. Others, facing the hectic and competing schedules of youth sports, shopping, leisure and other events, are abandoning in-person attendance altogether and turning instead to podcasts, livestreams and reels.

The ease and anonymity of an online service can prove irresistible. Yet the Bible warns against “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25).

Benefits of assembling

Why is assembling so important? Consistent, in-person services provide numerous benefits for Christians, such as:

1. Hearing the Word of God expounded.

Individual Bible study and prayer are important. However, all Christians need congregational instruction.

Paul noted, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Faith is seeded through the active teaching within the Church (verses 14-16).

God gave pastors and teachers “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11-12, New International Version). Congregational instruction is a gift.

This inspired instruction most often occurs when “the body of Christ” is assembled in a service. To intentionally or carelessly reject those opportunities is unwise and can lead to spiritual drift (Proverbs 18:1).

2. Building community.

It is difficult to foster a community without being together. Consistent attendance facilitates developing relationships. This cannot be accomplished through a passive, view-only, digital service.

The goal is to connect with other Christians in a deep and meaningful manner. Jesus intended His Body to connect and thrive through these relationships. Titus 2:1-8 describes a vibrant congregation where “older men” and “older women” offer personal examples, advice and perspectives across generations. This mentoring thrives in a close-knit congregation but is nearly impossible to replicate remotely.

The various backgrounds, abilities and experiences found within the Church of God can help individuals avoid echo chambers that might steer one away from the truth.

Christians are admonished to “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). How do we start? By “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (verse 25).

3. Helping each other.

The connections and depth of relationships built through consistent interactions can affect many areas of life.

Christians face trials (1 Peter 4:12).

Navigating and enduring those trials can be easier when support is available. For example, Christians are to be “distributing to the needs of the saints” (Romans 12:13). Without community bonds, how would one accurately identify the needs? Even as a child, I realized that relationships formed through regular church attendance had alerted someone to our need and prompted a late-evening grocery delivery.

Christians also still fall short and sin. Fellow Christians can offer significant help and encouragement. “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). This type of intervention is effective in an environment of trust and connection.

When together isn’t possible

Assembling with other Christians offers tremendous benefits. However, there are situations when this simply isn’t possible.

Some Christians face health challenges that prevent in-person attendance. Others live in areas where no other believers are nearby.

If you’re in this situation, what can you do? Here are some practical suggestions:

• Follow a congregation online. Connect with the pastor and as many members as possible.
• Push for as much fellowship and connection as you can manage. In some cases, others may be able to visit you.
• Stay connected via calls, texts and emails. Where possible, use technology such as Zoom, Teams, Telegram, WhatsApp or FaceTime to make video connections and facilitate regular fellowship.
• Pray for others in the congregation as you learn of their needs.
• Ask God to sustain your faith and draw others to respond to the gospel (John 6:44; Matthew 9:38).

The goal is to connect with other Christians in a deep and meaningful manner.

Join the household

Christians are strengthened through formal instruction and deeper relationships with fellow believers.

What about you? If you’re interested in meeting together with other Christians striving to practice genuine Christianity, visit the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, website and click on “Find a Congregation.”

You’ll discover that the Church is much more than words. It’s family.