by Pastor Jim Kang
Where to Worship Corporately?
Recently there’s been a popular saying amongst Christians that goes something like this: “You don’t go to a church, you are a church!”
The point is church is not a building but people. I get it. Certainly I understand it. Such saying is a reaction against people who have sentimental attachments to a physical church building more so than people. So I understand the context in how such popular saying came about.
But the problem is that there are too many people today who use popular sayings without discerning them biblically. People just say things without thinking. And saying things without thinking is dangerous.
I agree with Michael Horton, Carl Trueman, and others that a slogan like “You don’t go to a church, you are a church” have encouraged selfish and individualistic view of Christianity. The fruit of such a view prompted many people to have a low view of church attendance, church membership, accountability to the local church, and many other issues.
I agree with that slogan to a certain degree, but church is also a place where God’s people congregate. You don’t have a church (or be a church) if people don’t congregate. And people can’t congregate if we don’t have a place. Hence, we assemble at a certain time and a place with a certain address to worship together as a local church. It is because the word of God mandates his church to do all things with decency and order (1 Cor. 14:40).
That’s why we don’t do “church on wheels.” We don’t say to people, “if you want to know where we would meet next, follow us on Twitter.” So, church is both people and place.
One of the important themes in the redemptive history is the land, namely God’s Promised Land. The promise is given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1. But the descendants of Abraham did not get to the Promised Land until they first experienced God’s redemption from Egypt. After the exodus from Egypt, the people of Israel set out to the Promised Land. In their journey, the people received various laws, including how they should live and worship as God’s redeemed. However, none of the laws contain an instruction for the people to live and worship however they desire. Rather, God gave specific commands related to what, how, when, and where they must worship. Hence, where God’s redeemed people worshiped matters. This also applies to sacraments or ordinances.
Where God’s people worship also includes where sacraments or ordinances are served. For instance, if I want to be baptized, I can’t just ask someone off the street to baptize me in my bathtub just because I want to. Also, just because I want to have the Lord’s Supper, I can’t ask someone off the street or have one of my friends to perform it at my home. Just as there is no private baptism, there is no private communion. Rather, sacraments or ordinances are served in the context of the local church by the local minister.
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) has something to say on this regard. For example:
Question 75. How art thou admonished and assured in the Lord’s Supper, that thou art a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?
Answer: Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, adding these promises: first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.
Also, the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) points out how the sacraments or ordinances are served in the context of the local church.
There are only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any, but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained (27.4).
Likewise, the London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) shares the same conviction.
These holy appointments are to be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ (28.2).
Although a Christian can pray and sing individually (even read the Bible individually), the sacraments or ordinances are done in the context of corporate worship in the local church. Hence, for a church to be a church, it needs both people and place.