Many of us have been blessed to grow up in a culture where our faith is not just tolerated, it is still, to some extent, accepted and even respected.

Our experience is far different than those who live in persecuted countries around the world. In those settings, when someone surrenders their life to Jesus Christ, there is often a steep price to pay, including the loss of employment, family, children, property, traditions — and even the suffering of imprisonment, persecution and death.

The description of the persecution and scattering of the early believers (see Acts 7:54 – 8:3) helps us to understand why the Body of Christ is so important. We take it for granted — or worse, we treat the Body of Christ with contempt. We are critical of the organized church (Would we prefer a disorganized church?) and focus on its blemishes and shortcomings rather than the amazing grace it pours out on the world. We complain about having to endure its services and whine about the call to give sacrificially to meet its needs. In doing so, we reject one of the main reasons the Body of Christ exists — to be the place where people who had lost everything else could find a family of faith where they could belong.

That’s what the Body of Christ is. And even in our setting, it is vitally important. The church often grows through transfers — established Christians leaving one church to attend another. But sometimes the church grows through conversion — people leaving an old life to start a new one. For these new converts, accepting Jesus could mean a loss of employment, marriage, family, friends, habits and lifestyle. To these precious and vulnerable new believers, the Body of Christ is far more than just a social club or religious obligation — it is the foundation of their new life. And for them, we must answer the high and holy calling to be that place where they can belong. Doing so is not negotiable.

Jesus didn’t suggest that we be His Body — He declared it. In John 15 through 16:2, Jesus describes us as the vine and the branches. He calls on us to abide in him, to remain in Him. First, so that we can bear much fruit, and second, so that we can love and support each other. Listen, Jesus warned us that the world is going to hate those who follow Him (See John 15:18-25). The Body of Christ is our true family on this earth. Through Jesus, we are blood brothers and sisters. We belong to each other.

Paul also declared it. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:27. He goes on in that passage to describe how each of us has a unique and vital role to fulfill in the Body as we serve each other. Again, it is not a suggestion, it is a declaration. We belong together – and we belong to each other.

We sometimes approach the Body of Christ selfishly. In our health, wealth and independence, we arrogantly convince ourselves that we don’t need God or the Body of Christ. We drift into a consumerist mindset. Instead of serving the Body, we seek selfishly to get something out of it. Participating in the Body becomes an option rather than an imperative. Our perceived independence is a mirage — a false security. Fortunes turn on a dime. Tragedy strikes without warning. In the blink of an eye, our arrogance can crumble to dust – a sudden car accident or the loss of a job or a terminal diagnosis. How important the Body of Christ becomes when crisis strikes. Sadly, the Body should have been important to us all along. There is a lot of suffering and tragedy out there – and precious people who need a place to belong. Are you willing to sacrifice when all is going well to make sure the Body is ready to respond? Doing so requires diligent discipline and holy priorities. If you are living in a season of abundance and security, remember, to whom much is given, much is expected. See Luke 12:48.

If our local churches are going to be a place where people can belong, then we must prioritize and sacrifice to make it happen. How grateful I am for the many churches in our valley that are truly places where people can belong! Keep up the good work!