Not Joining a Local Church is Not an Option

"Christians do comprise "the church," but Paul and Jesus both speak as if it's the gathering that constitutes us as a church, just like a basketball team must gather in order to be considered " a team." This formal gathering has an existence and an authority that none of us has separately. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, because Christ has given the whole an organizational charter. Nineteenth century Congregationalist pastor John Angell James put it like this: 'A church member is something more than a Christian, just as a citizen is something more than a man. Each has duties arising from the relationship--to state or to church.'

The church on earth is located in the local church. If Christ calls us to submit to him by submitting to the apostolic church, he intends for us to do this through the local church. To refuse his lordship by refusing to submit to a true local church, if one exists where on geographically abides, calls into question whether we have been truly converted. It's true that we must choose to join, and it's true--in some places in this world--that we have to choose which church to join. But not joining, if a local church exists, is not really an option. Membership in the local church is voluntary, and it's not voluntary."

--Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love