A 2000 Gallup Poll found a majority agreeing that “A person can be a good Christian or Jew if he or she doesn’t attend church or synagogue.” It also showed that 8 of 10 Americans agreed that “an individual should arrive at his or her own religious beliefs independent of any churches or synagogues.” The latter question has been answered similarly since 1978.

8 of 10 Americans agreed that “an individual should arrive at his or her own religious beliefs independent of any churches or synagogues. 

That sounds very liberated and certainly very American but is far from our call as Christians and from the Biblical model. We are not called to be lone ranger Christians, armed only with our Bibles, staying clear of ‘hypocritical’ churches. (Perhaps we are to be part of the solution in such churches?)

Like it or not, the church is God’s chosen instrument to reach the world with the hope of the Gospel (Matthew 16:18). I’ll admit sometimes that I have not liked that fact. People, even redeemed people, fail. They do hurtful things, they lead poorly, they act selfishly. Several years ago when I was frustrated with what I saw happening in a number of churches I was familiar with, God reminded me that no matter what might appear to be happening, the reality was that the gates of hell would NOT overcome the church.

the body of Christ

Ephesians 4:4-16 makes it clear that participation in the Body of Christ is the natural out-flowing of membership in it. The Spirit grants us complementary gifts that work best together. This has several benefits. The first is the existence of a community of like-minded others; the potential for relationship that we are all created with a need to have. The second is that no one person (i.e. the pastor) is responsible for or given the glory for what happened in a particular church body. (see also Galatians 3:26-29 and Hebrews 10:23-25).

The Spirit grants us complementary gifts that work best together.

Tozer described the importance of being part of the body this way: “There is an important sense here in which we find that we ‘belong’- belonging to something that God has brought into being, something that is worthy and valuable, and something that is going to last forever…no man is ever individually big enough to go it alone. No man—unless he is sick. The hermit, for instance, is sick. The man who lives alone in his attic, refusing to answer the door, sneaking out in the dark to buy a little food—that man is sick. He is not a normal man. A normal man, good or bad, sinner or saint, wants to walk out and look around at other of his kind with the inward feeling: “I belong. This is my race. These are my people. This is my language being spoken. That’s my flag there on top of the school building. I belong here!”” (The Tozer Pulpit, Volume II, p. 10, 12).

Because we are members of two countries, the US and the kingdom of God, believers don’t always feel completely at home in either. “ But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.” (I Peter 2:9-11). This truth makes it all the more vital to be connected to a local church.

church leaders

Even though each believer is equally valued and valuable in God’s economy (Colossians 3:10-11), there is obviously a need for leadership in the church just as every human body needs its head (preferably attached) to function.

To be a spiritual leader is a high calling. Therefore, a high standard exists for those who accept those roles.

To be a spiritual leader, including (but not limited to) the stations of elder, deacon, and teacher, is a high calling. Therefore, a high standard exists for those who accept those roles. Leaders are to be prayerfully chosen (Acts 6:5-6; I Timothy 5:22). They are responsible to clearly communicate God’s message (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:2-7). They are to shepherd the church with kindness and humility (I Peter 5:1-4; see also I Timothy 3 & Titus 1 for more complete requirements). Those who rule well are worthy of double honor (I Timothy 5:17-20). The implication is that all who rule are worthy of honor; those who do so with special humility and grace are even more worthy. {pagebreak}

For a leader to exist there must be someone who needs leading. We, as the flock -- the congregation -- are given a clear call, even a command, to follow, support, and honor those who lead us. Hebrews 13:17 instructs us to obey and submit to our leaders, knowing that THEY will be held accountable for US (see also I Corinthians 16:15-16).

In submitting ourselves to our pastors and elders, we have no less than the example of Christ to follow.

The Greek word for obey is peitho which means to assent, to rely, to have confidence in, to obey, to trust. The word for submit, hupeiko, implies surrender or submission. In submitting ourselves to our pastors and elders, we have no less than the example of Christ to follow (Philippians 2:5-11). Philippians 2:25-30 affirms the instruction to honor those who sacrifice for the work of Christ. Whatever you believe about the decisions any individual pastor makes, there can be no doubt that he and his family make huge sacrifices to fulfill their call. We are to imitate their faith (see also I Thessalonians 5:12-13, Hebrews 13:7, I Peter 5:5).

handling disagreements

When a believer has a dispute with his or her leader or has concerns about the content of that leadership, (s)he MUST do so recognizing that the leader in question has that role because God allows it. Even when David (rightfully) challenged Saul, he treated him with respect as God’s anointed. When he had the opportunity to kill the man who was trying to kill him, David did not take it (I Samuel 24:1-6). Years later, Saul was wounded in battle and was, at his own request, killed by a servant. That servant came expectantly to David and proclaimed the news, bringing him Saul’s crown. Far from rewarding him, David had him executed for, as he had stated previously, “…who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?” (I Samuel 26:9; see II Samuel 1:1-16 for the account). Paul, when he spoke sharply to Ananias, did so not knowing he was the high priest. When he was informed of this fact, he repented and affirmed that it was wrong to make vicious or defamatory statements about a ruler (Acts 23:1-5; quoting Exodus 22:28). In short, we are called to have an attitude of submission toward pastors and elders. When an issue of contention arises that must be addressed, it must be done with respect and kindness: “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers…” (I Timothy 5:1; see also Leviticus 19:32).