Yesterday I discovered that I either never knew or have forgotten what the local church is, is about, exists for, and why I should care or encourage others to care. I doubt that I am alone in this, and wonder if you feel the same.
Having gone to church non-stop the past 4 years it is a strange thing to suddenly realize that I don't even know why I am going, what a local church is, or why it should exist. Instead of responding with dispair, disillusionment, or some other dis I tried to find some more info. I gleaned the following from a DesiringGod.org recording. I'll summarize here, but don't take my word for it listen to the recording yourself: The Local Church: Minimum Vs. Maximum
John Piper's 7 minimum essentials of a local church
- Give evidence of being a Christian
- Baptism
- Regular assembly
- Must be worship
- Exhortation from the Word of God
- Celebrate the Lord's supper
- Appointed leaders
We are coming out of an era in American church life in which it has been possible for evangelical Christians to give a tithe to the church and then devote themselves financially to building the good life and all the while keep a clear conscience. It was an era in which for conservative evangelicals ethics meant primarily the avoidance of certain sins rather than the pursuit of good deeds. (John Piper)
The era of comfortable isolation for us American evangelicals is ending, because its justification is crumbling and because the misery and destitution of the world is coming too close now to ignore. And as it approaches, local churches in whom the Spirit of God dwells will feel themselves drawn to some fairly radical reorientations of lifestyle, reorientations calculated to maximize good deeds for all men and especially for those of the household of faith. (John Piper)
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