Equipped Podcast | Season 2 Episode 16 | The Household of God

"I don't need church. I worship God in the woods." Many professing Christians claim they feel closer to God in a tree stand, on a fishing boat, in a garden, or at home than they do gathered with God's people. Others have abandoned the church because of hypocrisy, church hurt, shallow preaching, or the worldliness they see in modern congregations. While many of these criticisms contain elements of truth, Scripture never presents the Christian life as a solitary pursuit. In this episode of Equipped, Josh Roberts and Peter McIntyre discuss the importance of the local church, why Christ commands believers to gather together, and why the modern idea of "churchless Christianity" is foreign to the New Testament. We discuss: Why Christians need the local church The danger of "tree stand Christianity" Hebrews 10 and the command to gather The meaning of ekklesia Church culture versus worldly culture The failure of seeker-sensitive churches Encouragement, accountability, and discipline The role of elders and sound teaching Why church shopping often misses the point Finding a biblical church Unity in Christ versus social conformity The diversity of gifts within the body Why church is not merely a social club The importance of Christian fellowship The church is not a building. It is not a weekly event. It is the gathered people of God, united in Christ, growing together through the ministry of the Word, prayer, fellowship, discipline, and worship. Christ did not save isolated individuals. He saves a people. "Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another..." — Hebrews 10:25 (LSB) Chapters 00:00 — Introduction 00:18 — Building Up the Church 00:45 — "I Worship God in the Woods" 02:00 — Wheat Among the Tares or Tares Among the Wheat? 03:30 — Does the Church Have a Culture? 05:00 — Christian Culture vs Worldly Culture 07:00 — Why Some Visitors Never Return 08:20 — The Problem with Modern Churches 10:30 — When Church Feels Like Too Much 11:10 — What Is the Church Supposed to Do? 13:00 — What If There Is No Biblical Church Nearby? 15:00 — Prioritizing Church Over Career 16:00 — How to Evaluate a Church 18:00 — Can the Pastor Actually Teach? 19:00 — Hebrews 10 and Gathering Together 20:40 — Why Church Attendance Matters 22:00 — Jesus and Church Discipline 23:00 — What Does Ekklesia Mean? 24:30 — The Essential Elements of a Church 25:20 — The Gathering of Saints 27:00 — Love for One Another 28:30 — Why Christians Need Christian Community 30:00 — The Aroma of Christ 32:00 — Social Clubs vs Biblical Churches 35:00 — Diversity Within the Body 38:00 — Unity Without Uniformity 40:00 — The Error of Identity Churches 42:00 — Church Culture and Christian Culture 43:30 — Unity in Christ 46:00 — Encouragement and Accountability 47:00 — The Danger of Forsaking the Church 49:00 — Seeker Sensitivity and Church Discipline 51:00 — What Makes a Church a Church? 53:00 — The Purpose of the Local Body 54:00 — Diversity of Gifts 55:00 — Mutual Encouragement and Growth 57:00 — Elders, Discipline, and Spiritual Care 59:00 — Final Exhortations 1:00:00 — Closing Thoughts