We often think of the Kingdom of God as a spiritual ideal or future hope, but Jesus invites us into something very real and now: His Kingdom — revealed through the local church. Think of the global Church as the Kingdom of God and your local church as an embassy of that Kingdom. It’s not a metaphor for a building; it’s a gathered people empowered by God to represent Jesus, not just individually but collectively.
In Ephesians 3.10, Paul makes a radical claim: “So that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Not through a quiet time. Not through personal devotion or Bible Study. But through the gathered church. The enemy isn’t just fighting you — it’s fighting us. And God’s answer to the attack on an individual soldier is “ya’ll”.
Later in Ephesians (6.12-17), Paul goes on to say that we fight against spiritual forces with armor; he isn’t describing an isolated soldier. Roman armor was designed to work within tight formations of other soldiers (think: vulnerable community) — back-to-back, shield-to-shield. Victory is only found in vulnerable relationships, not in entrenched solitude. Paul (likely) furthered this encouragement of community when he warned in Hebrews 10.25 not to neglect the local gathering of Believers because it’s where our endurance is stirred up.
All of this is built on the statement Jesus makes in Matthew 18.20 where he says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Jesus is always present with every believer. But this points to there being a unique experiential presence of the Spirit when believers intentionally gather —an experience that we do not get in solitude.
I’ve heard many arguments against local organized gatherings, usually coming from 1 Peter 2.9, which says, “But you (the plural Greek word for the local church he is writing to) are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” Peter did not say this as a badge of personal privilege or individual spiritual responsibility. This is only accomplished corporately, as a commissioning of God’s gathered people. We don’t hold this priestly authority so we can secure personal blessings or avoid vulnerable, messy (and often offensive) community — we carry it so we can represent God to a broken world.
A lot has been said about what a local church is and should look like. Including qualified leadership, breaking bread, singing, teaching, serving, and giving. A few examples include: Acts 2.42-47; Colossians 3.16; 1 Corinthians 14.26; 1 Timothy 3.1-13; Titus 1.5-9; Galatians 6.2-10; 2 Corinthians 9.6-15; Acts 4.32-35. The point is this: victory over the enemy — the gates of hell — is only found in a vulnerable, intentionally organized local churches that serve as the representation of the global Church to a broken (but healing) world.
If you find yourself going around the same mountain — feeling beat up, defeated, weary, worn down, or stagnant — the question likely isn’t “What am I missing?” or “How can I be better and try harder?” The question might be, “Who am I missing?”
Ask the Holy Spirit this week, “Who is standing next to me in the fight — and who have I shut out?”
God bless,
Nathan
