Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: 2 Kings 12-14
     New Testament Reading: Hebrews 10

And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10: 24-25).

With all we have been going through the past several years, many churches have turned to the Internet hoping to continue to reach many of their member. But is this really church? Should we be taking to the Internet?

The Apostle Paul said, I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some (1Cor 9:22). Like Paul, we should use every possible means to share the Gospel, and that includes learning how to use, develop, and exploit Social Media, Facebook Live, YouTube Videos, Blogs, Podcast, and Zoom Classrooms just to name a few. However, none of these are to replace the role of the Local Church – nor can they.

The Bible stresses the need for Christians to be part of a local church and to have a significant relationship with other believers (Ecc 4:9–12). Christians who are not involved in a local congregation are unavoidably stunted in their spiritual growth and their witness for Christ to others.

Most importantly, Christians must be part of a church to please our Lord. In John 17:20–23, Jesus prayed, May those who believe in me … be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Together we are Christ’s body in this world. Our unified presence as we actively love each other and fulfill our particular functions in the body honors and delights the Lord. What’s more, our life together as his church makes the Lord visible to the lost world. And our unified prayers and decisions have the power of Jesus’ own presence (Mt 18:20; Jn 20:22–23).

Jesus also ministers to individuals through other believers in his body. The mutually edifying use of spiritual gifts (Ro 12:3–8; 1Co 12:4–31) builds all Christians up as each one does his or her part. We carry each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2), encourage one another in worship (Eph 5:19), admonish one another with all wisdom (Col 3:16), have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7), eat meals together (Acts 2:46), submit to one another (Eph 5:21) and consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb 10:24). We do all these things because of the deep spiritual unity we have in Christ: There is one body and one Spirit … one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all (Eph 4:4–6).