In the last chapter two points were covered: (1) the real need of the local churches to be the expression of the church; (2) two or three meeting together in the name of the Lord cannot be the church if there is already a church in that place.
I believe these two points have been made clear to us. Therefore, in this chapter we want to go on to see the practicality of the church. I do not mean the reality of the church, but the practicality of the church. The reality of the church is Christ. And when we say the practicality of the church, we do not mean the spirituality of the church, for this also is Christ. The practicality of the church is something else which we need to see.
Brother Watchman Nee once stayed in a certain place for some time. When he was about to leave, the people asked him to give a parting word. He spoke to them in this way: “There is much talk today about the church, the Body of Christ. It is just like a group of carpenters talking about making chairs. I have heard so many good speeches about making chairs, but I would ask, where are the chairs?” This word is so simple, but so impressive and practical. “Where are the chairs?”
There have been many teachings and writings concerning the church, the Body of Christ, over a period of many years. But where are the churches that have come out of these teachings and writings? There has been a long period of speaking about making “chairs,” but it is difficult to find one “chair.”
This is why we need to see the practicality of the church. What is the practicality of the church? It is the local church. Without the local church, the church is not practical; it is like something in the air. We may have much talk about the church, but nothing practical. We need the local church. The practicality of the church is in the local church.
The local church is not only the expression of the church, but the practicality of the church. If we would practice the church life, we must have the local church.
In Matthew 16:18 the Lord says, “upon this rock I will build my church.” This is the universal church. But if we go on to chapter 18:17, we see the local church. I know some Christian teachers who take a stand by using only Matthew 16:18. They ask, “Is the church mentioned in this verse the local church?” They seem to present a strong argument. We agree that in Matthew 16:18 it is not the local church, but we cannot drop Matthew 18:17. We must go on from Matthew 16 to Matthew 18. Is the church in Matthew 18 the local church or the universal church? If it is the universal church, the church in the heavens, how could we go to it today when we have a problem? Matthew 18 says that if we have a problem to be solved by the church, we must go to the church. If this church is not the local church but something in the heavens, how can we go to it today?
If in any locality there is not a local church, regardless of how much we talk about the church, we do not have the practicality. In the past years I have noticed how many Christian teachers have spoken and written so much about the church. But eventually they did not have its practicality. Where is the practical church on this earth? Where is it?
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