Have you ever heard people who claim they rather have a relationship with Jesus apart from the church?  They want to be Christians who have a relationship with Jesus and not his church.  It is sad to see how many professing Christians display this type of attitude.  However, you cannot claim to love God and then hate your brothers and sisters; this is lie you are living (1 John 4:20)

The Bible teaches us that the church matters, it matters to God and it should matter to us.  The church belongs to Jesus, he established it; he is it’s founder. (“On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” ( Matt.16:18)  Jesus loved the church so much that he sacrificed himself for her in order to make her holy and blameless.  (Eph.5:28).  The church was a big deal to God and it should also mean a lot to us who are part of it.

The church of Jesus is global in scope (it’s made of everyone in the world who believes in him as Lord); the church is made of local congregations in different locations. (Letters written to churches in the New Testament is an example local assemblies of God’s people).

If you are not part of God’s church yet, I strongly encourage you to be.  Find a local church where Christ is preached as Lord, so you can continue to grow in your faith.  God doesn’t want you to follow him alone, he created a family to help nurture you and develop you into the person he wants you to become.  Christ’s church matters!