In a consumer culture like 21st century America, it is not uncommon for people to shop around for everything from childcare to groceries to vehicles and houses. And we often don't feel the need to stick to only one source for our consumer goods. We have the liberty to pick and choose in each category whatever we prefer or works best for us. But when this mindset is applied to the church, we find ourselves at odds with the teaching of the New Testament about what the church is and how central it is to what God is doing in his world. So today we take a look at the centrality of the Local Church in the New Testament as we discuss the question, "How Important is the Local Church?"

We cover an important list of Scripture references in today's episode and so we've included them here for your reference as you listen and so that you can reference back to them after hearing the discussion.

In the episode, Pastor Ken emphasized two really important points about the church and the Lord’s mission:

You don’t have one without the other – you don’t have the mission without the church, and you should never have a church that’s not about the mission.  Here are the passages we discussed in support of those two main points:

First, they started together … 

The Church started on Pentecost:

So, the church started on the Day of Pentecost and so did what we call the Great Comission:

Matthew 28:19 "baptizing" 

Not only did the church and the Great Commission begin together. They also progressed together. Luke provides seven “progress reports” in Acts for the advance from Jerusalem to Rome, where Acts ends.

Now that there is light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic, and those who want to are able to be vaccinated in the next month or so, then it raises the question: Will those who physically gathered for church before the pandemic return? So, today we’re going to examine the question, "Why is the Local Church Gathering So Important?"

In the past few episodes we've discussed issues the church will have to face in the next few years. At the end of last week we started to talk about religious liberty. So, in today’s episode, we discuss the question, “Is Religious Liberty Under Attack?”

We’re finally beginning to emerge from one of the strangest years any of us has ever endured. Now it's time to step back a bit and evaluate where we are and what challenges are ahead. So today we continue discussing the question, "What Challenges Do Churches Face in the Next Few Years?"

We’re finally beginning to emerge from one of the strangest years any of us has ever endured, almost exactly one year since all of the craziness began with the country experiencing its first lockdown due to Coronavirus in mid-March of last year. And, that happened to come during a presidential election year which unfortunately fused what should have been a strictly medical issue with politics. So with the vaccine providing some apparent light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, and the election over, we can step back a bit and evaluate where we are and what challenges are ahead. So today we’re going to consider the question, "What Challenges Do Churches Face in the Next Few Years?"

How in the world does someone make their way through the maze of churches and denominations that are out there? How can anyone keep track of the differences? Today we address the question, "What’s the Difference Between Denominations?"

Toward the end of last episode we made the point that, if the church hierarchy has the authority to tell people what they must BELIEVE, then they probably have the authority to tell people what they must DO as well, and we talked a bit about the things Roman Catholicism says one must DO to go to Heaven.

There’s a connection between that issue and today’s topic namely, if you believe there are things you must DO to EARN or MERIT Heaven, then it will affect your answer to the question, "Can a Christian Lose Their Salvation?".

In our last two episodes we’ve addressed the questions, "Why Are Christians So Divided?" and "Why Are There So Many Denominations?" Those two questions have led to today’s topic which is "What is the Basis for Roman Catholic Teachings?"

Today we’re going to conclude our discussion of a question submitted by a viewer, "Why Are Christians So Divided?". As we've discussed it, we've really ended up discussing the question, "Why Are There So Many Denominations?"

For further teaching about how the denominational divide has come to be what it is today, see our "What's The Difference?" series on our website.

In this episode, we’re going to answer a question submitted by a viewer, "Why Are Christians So Divided?".