In our modern culture, claiming to be a Christian has become fashionable and socially acceptable. Yet this cultural Christianity often bears little resemblance to biblical faith. We regularly see people who claim Christ while living lives marked by adultery, abandonment of family, drunkenness, dishonesty in business, and uncontrolled anger. This disconnect raises crucial questions: How does the world identify true followers of Christ? What distinguishes authentic Christianity from its counterfeits?
Beyond Common Misconceptions
To understand the local church, we must first clear away some common misconceptions. The church is not:
- A voluntary club you can join or leave at will
- A service provider catering to religious consumers
- Simply a support group for people interested in spiritual matters
Instead, the church is something far more profound: the new covenant people of God, rooted in divine promises and brought to life by the Holy Spirit. It encompasses both the universal body of all believers throughout history and specific local gatherings of Christians.
Biblical Pictures of the Church
Scripture gives us three powerful images that help us understand the church’s nature:
1. The Body (Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
The church functions as a living organism with Christ as its head. Each member has a vital role, different functions work together in unity, and there’s an essential interdependence among believers. When one part suffers, all suffer; when one part rejoices, all rejoice.
2. The Bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24,32)
This intimate metaphor speaks of exclusive devotion, covenant commitment, and sacred unity with Christ. Just as marriage involves complete dedication, church membership calls for wholehearted commitment.
3. The Building (1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:20-22)
With Christ as the foundation, the church is being built up stone by stone. Each believer is carefully placed to create God’s dwelling place, emphasizing both structure and growth.
God’s Unfolding Plan
The church isn’t a New Testament afterthought but the culmination of God’s covenant relationships with His people:
- In Eden, God walked and talked directly with Adam
- Through Abraham, God established a covenant people marked by circumcision
- Under Moses, God gave His law and established temple worship
- In the New Covenant, Christ establishes His church, marked by believer’s baptism
The Church’s Divine Mission
Jesus gave the church a clear mission in Matthew 28:18-20:
- Go with Christ’s authority
- Make disciples
- Baptize believers
- Teach obedience
- Glorify God
This isn’t optional programming—it’s our divine mandate. As Jonathan Leeman notes, “The local church is the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to my Christian life and yours.”
Authority and Membership
Church membership isn’t casual or optional. Scripture commands believers to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account” (Hebrews 13:17). This creates a formal relationship where:
The church affirms:
- A believer’s profession of faith
- Their baptism
- Their discipleship to Christ
The believer submits to:
- The body’s authority
- Leadership oversight
- Mutual accountability
The Church as Embassy
Think of the local church as Christ’s embassy in a foreign land. We are “pilgrims and sojourners,” representing our true King. The church:
- Represents Christ’s kingdom to the world
- Affirms and protects kingdom citizens
- Proclaims kingdom laws
- Invites others to worship the King
Common Errors and Biblical Truth
Many today think they can:
- Attend without joining
- Be baptized without committing to a church
- Take communion without membership
- Live the Christian life autonomously
But as Leeman powerfully states: “Christians don’t join churches; they submit to them” and “Once you choose Christ, you must choose his people, too. It’s a package deal.”
Practical Response
This understanding of the church demands response. Every believer should evaluate:
- Their church involvement
- Submission to leadership
- Participation in body life
- Kingdom representation
The local church isn’t optional for Christians—it’s essential to God’s design for our spiritual growth and His mission in the world. When we choose Christ, we choose His body. The only question is not whether to commit to a local church, but which one and how to serve faithfully within it.
Remember: “A Christian must indeed choose to join a church, but that does not make it a voluntary organization. We must choose a local church just as we are obligated to choose Christ. Having chosen Christ, a Christian has no choice but to choose a church to join.” – Jonathan Leeman
The church isn’t perfect—it’s made up of redeemed sinners growing in grace. But it is God’s design for our spiritual growth, corporate witness, and His glory in the world. May we embrace our place within it with joy and commitment.
NOTE: This study is based on the book Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus. Copyright © 2012 Jonathan Leeman Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Student download of the full-text notes, and teaching helps of the “What Is The Church?” seminar I taught today at the 2024 Leadership Conference at Central Africa Baptist University.
Zambia Hunt 
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