¹Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ …

The beginning of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian Christians is virtually identical to his first, with only one small word change. Again, he lists Silvanus (elsewhere called Silas) and Timothy as co-writers. He refers to the collection of believers in one place as the “church” (Greek: “ecclesia”). While the full teaching on leadership function and body life was yet to come, the fledgling band of believers in Thessalonica was still called a church, even in its infancy. After all, Jesus said, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Matt. 18:20).

Churches come in all sizes, shapes, and levels of maturity. To some degree, all fall short of the ideal, with interpretative issues surrounding such things as membership, leadership structure, spiritual gifts, and the list goes on. Some, like faithful children, go on well, and others are wayward, but all belong to God. One only needs to look at the seven “churches” of Revelation 2–3 to see this illustrated. But the one in Thessalonica was in its infancy, albeit growing well.

Paul’s ministry was not only to evangelize but to establish churches for the new believers who came to faith. Acts 14:21–23 clearly lays out his custom, where he and Barnabas “preached the gospel,” “strengthen[ed] the souls of the disciples,” and “appointed elders for them in every church.” As time went along, he wrote of “the churches of God” (1 Cor. 11:16) and “all the “churches” (Rom. 16:16). Evangelism must be followed by discipleship and gathering believers into churches. Paul would hear nothing of individualistic believers who feel smug in remaining unattached to or aloof from a local church.

Yes, the word “church” can refer to all believers (see 1 Tim. 3:15). But the local church is where believers experience the full body life of Christian community. It is the microcosm of the universal church, where love incubates and grows. A Christian unattached to a local church is inconsistent with God’s Word and sorely missing out on true discipleship that comes from interacting with other believers in committed relationships called “fellowship.” Membership in the local church is God’s will, for Paul describes it as being “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Even to churches with huge problems, the inspired apostle can still write, “To the church of God . . . to those who have been sanctified . . .” (1 Cor. 1:2). God saves us and wants us to unite practically with other believers in local churches, no matter the problems.

Lord, help me learn to love my fellow believers in my local church, no matter the struggles! Help me to see that I need them and that they need me.