THE VALUE OF A LOCAL CHURCH
1. Jesus Always Immediately Brought People in Community
Matthew 10:1
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease
Luke 10:1
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two
before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The Greek word for church is ekklēsia. Ekklēsia refers to an assembly. It also has the
connotation of a legislative or political assembly. This speaks largely about what the
church is and what it isn’t.
Eccl 4:9
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they
fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has
no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how
can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can
withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
2. Jesus is Inseparably Connected to the Church
Eph 1:22-23
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the
church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all
3. The Church is the Visible Manifestation of the Invisible Christ
1 John 4:17
“…because as He is, so are we in this world”
1 John 4:20
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not
love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen
Ex. How we treat those in the church is an expression of How we treat Christ
1 Timothy 3:15
But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in
the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the
truth.
4. The Promises of God Assume a Corporate Body.
When we read both testaments, the promises and prophetic utterances were given in
the context of the nation of Israel or the corporate Church. Individuals never assumed
scripture was just for them. Since people didn’t walk around with Bibles during the early
Church, they would not have even known the word of the Lord if they weren’t either in
a synagogue or hearing somebody read a letter from one of the Apostles in a local
assembly
Phil 1:3-6
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine
making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day
until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
5. Discipleship Happens within the Church
Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”
Acts 2:41-45
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three
thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’
doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon
every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who
believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and
goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
6. You cannot hear the whole counsel of God apart from the Church
In the book of revelation, Jesus said seven times to hear what the Spirit was saying to
the churches
Revelation 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
Revelation 3:6
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
Revelation 11; Revelation 13; Revelation 17; Revelation 29; Revelation 22
People in their city could not hear the Lord’s word regarding the destiny of their city
without participating in their particular local Church.
Also, it was interesting that when Jesus wanted to speak, He spoke through the
messenger of a particular church, which likely was the overseeing Bishop of that region.
He also assumed spiritual and apostolic alignment with the local Church for a Christian
to hear His word and walk out His message of warning, correction, and edification.
7. Jesus is coming back for His bride.
Eph 5:27
Rev 19:6-9
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and
as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent
reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in
fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he
said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the
Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Matthew 25:1-5
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and
went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took
oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all
slumbered and slept.
8. We need the gifts and abilities of a committed congregation to function.
Ephesians 4:11-12
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body,
being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into
one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to
drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot
should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the
body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it
therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the
hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has
set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were
all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members,
yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again
the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the
body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which
we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our
unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need.
But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the
same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it;
or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of
Christ, and members individually
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries,
but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who
works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of
all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of
knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another
prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to
another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these
things, distributing to each one individually as He wills
9. We need to benefit of the Cooperate Anointing
2 Chron 5:13-14
indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one
sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice
with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:
“For He is good, For His mercy endures forever, that the house, the house of the LORD,
was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of
the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
Acts 2:1-4
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided
tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 4:23-31
And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief
priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to
God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the
sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why
did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their
stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to
do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord,
look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak
Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be
done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the
place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
10. Certain Principles and Promises Require Community
Heb 10:19–25
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a
new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and
having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love
and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner
of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day
approaching.
Many in the church have moved for a long time with a very robust and multifaceted
personally anointed community. But it is time to cultivate a corporate authority and
power that comes from the cumulative personal anointing working in concert with each
other A corporate anointing results in an exponential increase of God-given authority
and power as a body unifies and operates in submission to the Holy Spirit and each
other
