I recently made a concise post on this point. Here is the associated radio spot.
With a very busy schedule these days, that involves a bit of traveling, sometimes I ask myself why not just do the minimum?
It would be so much easier to not be aggressive in reaching out to young people – – to never do any special preaching series – – or to not worry about speaking to people in Togo, Michigan, or Texas. It certainly would be less work to not write.
So, I ask myself, why not just worry about our local church?
But, then I remember – “A local church is not supposed to be a local church.” The New Testament envisions Christians involved in local assemblies of believers. But, the mandate, the Great Commission that Christ gave to local assemblies was to make disciples not only across the street (though we must do that as well) but also across the ocean. Christ said, “Go into all the Word to make disciples.” If a local church is simply local, then it is not being obedient to the mandate given by our Lord to go into all the world (Matthew 28:18-20).
So, a local church (one that looks inwardly only to itself) is not a local church. Nothing invigorates and energizes a local church like being involved in global ministries. And, it’s no wonder, because that’s what God intended.
Never has there been an opportunity for a local church to be less of a local church then there is today. The internet alone offers breathtaking possibilities for communicating with people all over the globe.
Let’s pray that our local churches in Northern Illinois aren’t just local churches. Because a local church is not a local church.
