A minister in the Midwest says that his congregation is "emphasizing Jesus, not a church." Someone else responds," I hope you're not de-emphasizing the community of God and its responsibilities. The church of God is the natural outgrowth of preaching Jesus."

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Please let me agree with both of you. In both Old and New Testaments, God initiates deliverance for human beings who cannot deliver themselves and who have no claims to divine assistance (Ex. 6:3-9; Deut. 9:4-6; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-7). In both Testaments God then announces the mighty acts he has accomplished to those who are its beneficiaries (Ex. 20:1; Isa., 43:12; 2 Tim.1:9; Eph. 1:13). With that announcement, God calls the people to respond to his gracious deeds in personal relationships that are both "vertical" and "horizontal."

The first relationship is with God himself, and it is rightly marked by love and praise, by trust and obedience (Deut. 6:4-5; Ex. 20:3-11; Rom 12:1-2). The second relationship is with others whom God has delivered, in a community of covenant faithfulness and tender mutual care (Ex. 20:12-17; 1 Pet. 1:22; 3:8-12). The New Covenant community is the "church" (Heb. 12:22-23; 1 Cor. 1:2). In this sense, the "church" is very important and we cannot think fully of practical Christianity without having it in mind. (That does not mean that every believer is physically situated so as to be involved with a company of others, for some are hindered by physical circumstances such as illness or isolated location.)

The problem comes when we move beyond "church" as "community of God" and begin to identify the "New Testament church" exclusively with some particular religious group rather than seeing the "New Testament church" (or "the body of Christ," or "the church for which Jesus died") as consisting of all Christ's people since Pentecost, in all places, under whatever church signboard, as known infallibly by God alone.

For more on the true church, click here.