Sadly, it’s become a norm within American Christianity. Incredibly, it’s a regular thing amid evangelicalism. Embarrassingly, it’s widely accepted among many professing Christians. “I’m a Christian, but I don’t really go to church.”

Churchless Christians. Flockless sheep. Bodyless body-parts.

First century Christians would not have had a category for such a thing. It would’ve been one of the more bizarre phenomena imaginable.

Professing Christians have many reasons for persisting in detachment from a New Testament church. “We’ve been burned.” “We’re still looking.” “We do church on our own.” “There’s no verse that says I need to go to church.” “I haven’t found a good fit.” “I’m too busy.” You could cite more. This is something that we should lament as the family of Christ. It’s no small matter. I’m not referring to Christians who would love to plug into a local church, but are prevented by trying circumstances (e.g. debilitating health, imprisonment, a persecuted country, serving in the armed forces, etc.). This is speaking of those who are able but will not.

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