What are the benefits of having a congregation, pastors, and regular worship? –
Exhortation and instruction to read Scripture!
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.
Colossians 3:16
“My religion is a very private thing. I don’t really need a church or a pastor. Besides, can’t I read the Bible on my own?” All of your pastors have heard variations on these themes many times. Fundamentally, they are wrongheaded. (In fact, deep down, we have to call them sinful: since the Bible names churches and pastors as gifts from God to us.)
Take, for example, that notion that you can read the Bible on your own. Of course, you can. In fact, we powerfully encourage that! And isn’t that exactly the point? Isn’t it helpful for every one of us to hear somebody else urge us to study the Scriptures? And doesn’t somebody else’s insights into God’s Word – all the more, those of a pastor – help us to understand it?
So, praise God for your congregation and called workers—and pray for them! Thank God whenever you hear from them the great news of salvation in Jesus! And then, join those workers regularly in worship.