You Can’t Follow Jesus Alone
Discipleship and the Local Church
In an age where individualism is celebrated, the idea of following Jesus in isolation has become increasingly popular. Many professing Christians believe they can maintain a vibrant spiritual life without committing to a local church. They consume sermons online, engage in personal Bible studies, and perhaps attend occasional Christian conferences. But is this the model of discipleship that Scripture presents?
Discipleship is not something we do alone. From the starting, Jesus called His followers into community. He gathered twelve disciples, not twelve isolated individuals pursuing personal spiritual growth. The early church in Acts "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42, NASB95). The community side of discipleship isn’t accidental; it's foundational. Paul's epistles are full of "one another" commands: love one another, bear one another's burdens, encourage one another. These commands cannot be fulfilled in isolation. They presuppose active participation in a community of believers.
The local church is not a human invention but God's ordained means for nurturing and sustaining disciples. It's within the local church that believers are taught sound doctrine, participate in the sacraments, and are held accountable in their walk with Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts believers to "consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together" (NASB95). Neglecting regular fellowship with a local body of believers is not a trivial matter; it's a direct disobedience to God's command. Attempting to follow Jesus apart from the local church is a dangerous path. Without the accountability and oversight provided by church leadership, believers are susceptible to doctrinal error and moral failure. Proverbs 18:1 warns, "He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom" (NASB95). So the question is then "can't I get accountability elsewhere?". And the reason you shouldn't get it primarily from elsewhere is because God has given the foremost responsibility of teaching you and shepherding you to the elders (Acts 20:28–31). Moreover, spiritual gifts are given for the edification of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7). Isolating oneself deprives the church of the unique contributions each member is meant to provide.
If you claim to follow Christ, you must commit to His body, the church. This commitment involves more than mere attendance; it requires active participation, submission to leadership, and a willingness to serve and be served. In an age of consumer Christianity, where personal preferences often dictate church involvement, we must return to a biblical understanding of the church as a covenant community. It's within this community that discipleship flourishes, and believers are conformed to the image of Christ.
This is the first in a series of articles on Church and Discipleship.