You are not a "church of Christ" - that is denominational-speak. You are not the church. You are a Christian - a member of the church of Christ. The church of Christ is not composed of churches. It is made up of Christians, added to the church by the Lord himself (Acts 2:47). To think otherwise is also thinking like the nations (denominations) around us. There is one body (the church) and many members (Christians) of the body (1 Cor. 12:12, 14).
The Scriptures teach a pattern of Christians gathering into independent, local churches or congregations to worship together and to do particular work as a group. Thus, we read of the "church of God which is at Corinth" and "the church of the Thessalonians" (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1). The organization of the local church is complete and sufficient when it has "bishops and deacons" along with "all the saints" in that place (Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2). The work of local churches is completely fulfilled when each church is working to save the lost (evangelism), to build up the saved (edification) and to relieve needy Christians (see 1 Thess. 1:8; Acts 11:26; 13:1; 4:32-35).
The individual and the local church are not the same. There is a clear difference between the work and responsibility of an individual Christian and that of the local church. For example, a Christian who has widows is obliged to care for her, but the local church is not charged with her care. It, on the other hand, is charged to care for "widows indeed" (1 Tim. 5:16). The individual and the local church have distinct roles and works here. The same distinction is clear in Matthew 18:16-17, where the action of individuals precede the action of the church.
What does all of this mean to us? First, it means that authority for individual action is not equivalent to authority for local church action. The perversion of Galatians 6:10 and James 1:27 to include local church action in these verses which direct individuals to do good to all men is unwarranted in the text and when pressed, has divided the house of God. Brethren have insisted on pressing upon local churches action and work that is individual in scope. They insist local churches can practice "general benevolence" toward the lost even though the New Testament pattern of benevolence by a local church is limited to Christians (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; Rom. 15:25-27; 2 Cor. 8:1-4; 9:1, 12-13).
Secondly, it means that Christians do certain things when we "come together in one place" "as a church" that are designed especially for the assembly of the church (1 Cor. 11:20, 17). Consequently, we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:24-25). The church comes together to worship in fellowship together with God. For example, Paul waited seven days in Troas to gather with the disciples on the first day of the week to break bread. Though he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem, it would not do for him to eat the Lord's Supper on his own (Acts 20:16, 6-7). The church comes together to eat (1 Cor. 11:33). While worship is individual, the Lord designed the assembly of the church for us to have fellowship in prayer, song, breaking bread, giving and teaching God's word (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 14:26). May we always "come together as a church" for edification and not condemnation (1 Cor. 14:26; 11:34).
- The Spirit's Sword, 3/16/14