It’s no secret that the Church gets a bad rap with many people. Many who have grown up around the Church no longer wish to be associated with it, and many who have never stepped foot inside a church building are skeptical about doing so.
Yet, for the Christian, the Church is not a building or meeting to attend, but a body to belong to. It makes just as much sense to say an individual can live without their bones, as it does to say a Christian can live without the Church.
In his book Why bother with church? And other questions about why you need it and why it needs you, Sam Allberry, associate pastor of St. Mary’s Church Maidenhead, UK presents a clear and biblical case for why Christians should “bother” with church.
In the 95 pages of this short booklet, Allberry introduces what a church is, why it’s important, and how to be involved with it. He presents an honest depiction of the church, recognizing the hurt many people have felt from the church and the importance of the church according to Scripture.
Effectively, two questions form the flow of his argument: 1) “Why should I bother with church?” which raises the second question, 2) “How should I bother with church?” In answering his first question, Allberry establishes what a church is (chap. 1), why you need a church (chap. 2), what makes a good church (chap. 3), and how a church is run/governed (chap. 4). He then moves to provide helpful insights into answering his second question by discussing how to survive church (chap. 5) and how to be a good church member (chap. 6).
Despite the concise nature of this book, Allberry convincingly presents the Biblical picture and reason for local churches. He states that local churches are a family and an embassy of God (1 Timothy 3:4-5) and the Church is the bride of Christ Jesus (Revelation 19:7-8, 21:1-2). And albeit the Church is full of sinners saved by grace, when God saves his children, he saves them from sin, to himself and the Church. He states,
“A Christian, by definition, has a connection with and a responsibility to other Christians. You cannot claim Christ and avoid his people. If God is your Father, then his people are your family…Church is therefore not a meeting you attend, but a body you belong to.” (pg. 30)
So why should you “bother” with a church? Because if you claim to be a Christian, God Almighty has commanded you to do so, not joining with a church would simply be disobedient. This doesn’t mean your church will be perfect or that you won’t possibly get hurt, but in a dying world it’s the best place for you. As Allberry puts it,
Christian, “until you’re called to join the throng around God’s throne, you’re called to belong to a church in which others will get things wrong-and so will you.” (pg. 73)
So, may you join with a local church for God’s glory and your good.
Who’s this for?
This little book is helpful for anyone. If you’re a new Christian intimidated by joining a local church, this book will help you do just that. If you’ve been a Christian for a while but have been hurt by church, this book if for you. Or if you’re not a Christian but curious about what the big hype is about church life among Christians, this book will provide insight for you to understand why the Church is vital to the Christian life.
More helpful resources on the church:
What is a healthy church? By Mark Dever
What is a healthy church member? By Thabiti Anyabwile
Church Membership By Jonathan Leeman
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