In recent years, we have heard of the failures inside the church. Mainline leaders have fallen. There is a long list of other tragedies, such as sexual abuse and financial mishandling, and the list goes on. The result is that the church has taken on water as if it were a sinking ship. We must remember that the church is no more than a collection of broken people who have been rescued and are still flawed as they try to live out their lives in Christ. Yes, some hypocrites sit in church every Sunday who do not help the reputation of the church. It would be ideal if Acts 6:3 people who were of good repute, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, filled our churches every Sunday. Yet, even in the first-century churches, we have reports of arguments, factions, immorality, drunkenness at the communion table, etc. Satan, our archenemy, has been unleashing his attacks on the church for over 2,000 years. There have been and still are places of persecution where believers’ lives are taken. With all its flaws and battles, the church still exists because Jesus said, “The gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus made this staggering claim because the church is His body, His presence, His ongoing ministry to the world. It was not just meant for a few moments—it was meant to last until He comes back.

With all its flaws and battles, the church still exists because Jesus said, “The gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

My whole world changed in 1959 when a young pastor’s wife met my mother and began to love her as Jesus would. I had never attended church in my life, and I was in middle school. But our story is that my mother got saved, and our broken family of multiple marriages was transformed. Because of the love of that pastor’s wife, fulfilling the great command of Jesus to “love your neighbor,” Daniel, my younger brother, his sons, and my son are all in full-time ministry. I learned to love Jesus in that little church in New Mexico, to love the church, and to believe that the local church is the most important institution in America.

I want to focus our attention on why the local church is critical to our changing society with shifting values. Can I remind you that the church is people? The church was never meant to be about buildings. The early church gathered in obscure homes and places, but they knew what to do, and it started with connection and commitment.

The church was never meant to be about buildings. The early church gathered in obscure homes and places, but they knew what to do, and it started with connection and commitment.

There are multiple reports that COVID changed the church. Indeed, many have not returned. The convenience of livestreaming has led many to become detached from the church. Others sporadically attend worship services with a consumer’s mindset, focusing on their choice of music and appealing message, and have not connected as Christ intended. The very nature of the church points to our need for one another. There are approximately 59 instances where “one another” statements function as exhortations or commands. Paul describes the church as a body that must be connected to survive. A body part cannot survive on its own (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Paul reminds us that the church is a family (Ephesians 5:19). Peter declares that the church is a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). These images all require connection. In that connection, we see the commitment to be together.

The spiritual growth of a believer does not happen in a bubble. When you look at the first church, they were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Every day, they continued to meet together (Acts 2:42, 46). The writer of Hebrews tells us to gather and encourage each other to good works (Hebrews 10:24-25). In fact, he tells us to do more as we see the day of Christ approaching. For many years, I have said, “You cannot reach your maximum growth on your own.” When you think of the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—you realize that the majority of these fruits cannot be learned by yourself. You learn these with others. You learn patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control in your interactions with people. Much of your growth comes from your connection and commitment to the local church through challenging messages, small groups of discipleship, and serving others. For a person to neglect his local church is to ignore the commands of Jesus to have love for one another, so the world would know we are His disciples (John 13:35).

The spiritual growth of a believer does not happen in a bubble. Much of your growth comes from your connection and commitment to the local church through challenging messages, small groups of discipleship, and serving others.

There are wonderful para-church organizations. The word para in Greek means beside. The role of a para-church ministry is to support the local church in achieving its goal of transforming its city or community through gospel ministry. I love Strategic Renewal. I felt led after 54 years of pastoring to spend my last season of ministry with the 6:4 Fellowship, where I could multiply my efforts by helping pastors lead their churches to become praying churches. A praying church then becomes a strong force to glorify God by living the gospel in their community. With that said, Strategic Renewal has been helping churches for 25 years. We do not replace the church. We exist to provide help that churches have not found elsewhere. Your first priority is your local church. Your church may not be everything you desire. It has its shortcomings, but all churches do. Your pastor may not be a speaker like Daniel Henderson or the preacher you watch on TV or YouTube. As one of the leaders in the 6:4 Fellowship, I encourage you to pray for us. Partner with us, but don’t give up on your church. It is your local church, even with its flaws, that God has called you to in order to be part of the change in your community. Pray hard for your church. Serve faithfully. Love greatly. Stand with Jesus against the gates of hell.

Partner with us, but don’t give up on your church. It is your local church, even with its flaws, that God has called you to in order to be part of the change in your community.

Copyright © 2025 Dennis Henderson. All rights reserved.