LOVING THE CHURCH---Even When It Is Hard

 

In the eyes of others, there is nothing remarkable about the church. But the church has more beauty—and more value—than what we can see with physical eyes.

In the New Testament, the revelation of the worth and loveliness of the church mostly comes from the letters of the Apostle Paul. This is surprising because Paul had a very complicated relationship with the local church. He once persecuted the church, and later on, he faced many challenges with it. At first, the church leaders doubted him (Acts 9:26). He suffered personal attacks from false teachers and their followers (2 Cor. 10:10). He had disagreements with fellow Christians (Acts 15:36–40). He was disappointed by other believers (2 Cor. 11:22–29). And when he needed companionship the most, no brother stood by him (2 Tim. 4:16). Paul knew by experience how imperfect and disappointing the church could be, yet we can clearly see how deeply he loved it.

Looking at Paul’s letters, we can learn four ways to grow in our love for the church even when it’s hard. These insights are adapted from Megan Hill, A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church (2020).

SEE THE CHURCH AS THE COMPANY OF THE REDEEMED

The same Paul who experienced disappointment and betrayal in the church is the one who repeatedly calls the church “beloved.” He addresses them as brothers and sisters. Over and over, Paul reminds them that they are people redeemed by God—people bought by Him. Despite its flaws, the church remains a community of those loved and saved by God. This truth can move us to see our fellow Christians beyond their faults.

SHOW UP

Church attendance is extremely important. It is essential for our relationship with God and for spiritual growth. It also shows our love for the church. Even while imprisoned, Paul longed to be with believers in person (Rom. 1:9–15; Rom. 15:23–24; 1 Cor. 16:7; Phil. 2:23–24; 1 Thess. 3:10; 2 Tim. 1:4). Not only does Scripture command us to meet together often (Heb. 10:25), but Paul also shows us that gathering is a way to encourage ourselves to love our brothers and sisters in Christ even more.

INVEST

Paul’s love and care for the church were seen not only in his words but also in his actions. He worked tirelessly for them (1 Cor. 15:10), prayed day and night (1 Cor. 3:10), and was willing to be poured out as a sacrifice for the faith of the church (Phil. 2:17). He did not hide or distance himself from fellow believers. Instead, even from afar, he willingly bore “daily pressure” because of his “anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). He genuinely cared for them. In the same way, we show our love for the body of Christ by investing in it—giving our time, financial and material blessings, and service for the sake of our fellow believers.

GIVE THANKS

One of the striking patterns in Paul’s letters is his thanksgiving for the churches. In almost every letter, he thanks God for the congregations he writes to. In Rom. 1:8, he thanked God for their well-known faith. In 1 Cor. 1:4–7, for their gifts and grace. In 2 Cor. 1:11, for their prayers. In Eph. 1:15–16 and Col. 1:3–4, for their love toward other Christians. He also thanked God for their partnership with him in the gospel (Phil. 1:3–5), for their steadfastness (1 Thess. 1:2–3), and for their growth in faith (2 Thess. 1:3). Despite all the shortcomings of a local church, Paul could always find something beautiful to thank God for. Yes, he often corrected and rebuked them, but more often, he gave thanks for them. This teaches us that as we continually thank God for our fellow believers, we will always find reasons to love them.

Every church has its imperfections and is still in the process of being perfected. Yet the Bible tells us it is still beautiful: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). Stay Curious.