Lone Ranger Christianity?

“I am a Christian. I just don’t go to church anymore.”

“I don’t have to go to church in a building to worship. I am closer to God when I am on the beach, the mountain trails, or in nature.”

“Saul, Saul. why do you persecute me?“

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5).

Saul had never met Jesus. How could he have? By the time Saul was persecuting the church Jesus had already ascended to heaven and was no longer even on planet earth!

How could Saul be persecuting Jesus? Jesus wasn’t even around. And, besides, Saul was persecuting Christians and the church, not Jesus.

The church is the body of Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a part of the body of Christ – the church.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS AND NOT BE A PART OF HIS BODY, THE CHURCH.

No local expression of the church represents the whole of church. However, every local congregation is a local expression of the whole church.

No. No local congregation is perfect. Every local congregation is flawed because she is made up of flawed people.

But, Christ is present there. The local church is a legitimate and Christ-ordained expression of who we are supposed to be as the body of Christ.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a part of Christ’s body and community. It is impossible to do solo Christianity. There is no such thing.