Big Picture: The bible teaches that meaningful, local church membership is the God-ordained context of the Christian life.

Five reasons why the bible calls us to practice meaningful local church membership:

1) It magnifies the gospel to the watching world.

Major scriptures referenced: Ephesians 2:4-5, 3:6, 3:10, 4:7-12

One anothers: (Eph. 4:2, 4:32, 5:19)

 2) The metaphors the bible uses to describe the church push us heavily toward practicing it.

Body: 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:12-27.

Family: 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Peter 4:17

 3) It is hard to obey a host of New Testament commands without it.

Major scriptures referenced: Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 10:24-25, 13:17

 4) Church discipline, a clearly commanded biblical practice, requires it.

Major scriptures referenced: Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5:13b

 5) We all need the spiritual protection it provides.

Major scriptures referenced: Ephesians 2:4-23, Hebrews 12:15

Closing image: The local church is like an embassy of heaven.

Closing exhortation: Your commitment to the local church should have both breadth and depth.