Responsibilities in the Local Church:
Biblically Explained
The church is the vessel through which God brings His Kingdom to earth. With
that being said, the local church has a large responsibility to its community,
congregation, and to the world at large. The local church’s role is widespread. It
encompasses all areas of life and all areas of the world.
What are the responsibilities of the local church? The local church is responsible to
serve one another in love, equip saints for ministry, and to care for widows, orphans,
and those with physical needs. Additionally, the local church worships collectively,
reads and studies scripture, and protects the gospel and church from false teachers and
deception. It also offers accountability, discipleship, and a community in which to
confess sins and grow spiritually. Moreover, the responsibilities of the local church are
to bring the Kingdom of God in a holistic manner to the believers and to the world as a
whole.
The following categories are covered in this blog.
To Equip Saints for Ministry
The local church is where believers are equipped for ministry and reaching the
world. It is within these local communities that God has designated the needed
giftings, encouragement, accountability, love, truth, and resources. The local
church functions similarly to a family (a healthy family that is). All individuals
bring something to the table that is either ready for use, or that will be developed.
Ephesians 4:11-12 expresses, “He [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
God has given various gifts to the Body of Christ. These gifts are distributed as the
Spirit sees fit. Not all individuals have the same gifts. Rather, they function as a
body with many members. The following Spiritual gifts, as well as practical
experience, education, understanding, and wisdom, are used to equip saints for the
work of spreading the gospel and Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 explains, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually
members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they?
All are not prophets, are they? Are all teachers? All are not workers of miracles,
are they? Do all have gifts of healings? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All
do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.”
Submitting to One Another
Believers within the local church are called to submit to one another. This
command is found in Ephesians 5:19-21 which states, “[Address] one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord
with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for
Christ.”
Then, in 1 Corinthians 14:27-32, the command is given to provide an orderly and
respectful service. Those within the local church should use their giftings but in a
manner that also allows other believers to use their giftings. This brings the
greatest benefit because God intended the church to work together, rather than to
be self-sufficient or led by pride.
1 Corinthians 14:27-32 states, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most
three—should speak, one at a time and someone must interpret. If there is no
interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to
God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is
said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker
should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed
and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.”
Caring for Widows & Orphans
Furthermore, the local church is to care for the widows and orphans within its
community. James 1:27 explains, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure
and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.”
1 Timothy 5:3-8 gives instructions on how to do this. It states, “Give proper
recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or
grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by
caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this
is pleasing to God.
The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and
continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives
for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, so that
no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and
especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever.”
Relatives within the church are first given the responsibility to care for the widows
within their families. When there are no family members to care for them, the
church steps in.
This follows a similar calling that Jesus gave Peter to care for His sheep and tend
them (John 21:15-25 ). The local church is called to care for the believers within
the church. The church should definitely reach beyond its walls or gatherings.
However, a large responsibility in the local church is to care for those who are a
part of the local church.
Providing for Physical Needs
In the same vein of thought, the local church is to provide for the physical needs of
the congregation. This may include giving financial support during a time of need
for a family facing unemployment, tragedy, or sickness. It can also include
equipping the Body of Believers to work and hold a steady job.
James 2:14-17 paints the picture by stating, “What good is it, my brothers and
sisters if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to
them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical
needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by
action, is dead.”
This passage advocates that actual action is necessary to care for brothers and
sisters in Christ who do not have their basic needs met. Praying for them is good,
but stepping out and being the hands and feet of Jesus is also a necessity.
Furthermore, scripture commends generosity and working hard to provide for
others. The apostle Paul states in Acts 20:33-35, “I have not coveted anyone’s
silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have
supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I
showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering
the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Collective Worship
The local church gathers for collective worship. This can follow the model of 1
Corinthians 14:26. This passage states, “What then shall we say, brothers and
sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of
instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so
that the church may be built up.”
In addition, collective worship can involve other elements or manners of worship,
such as prayer, proclaiming adoration to God, music, etc. To find more ways to
worship, refer to the blog, 10 Types of Worship That Don’t Include Music.
The local church has fulfilled and is fulfilling what Jesus said in John 4:23-24.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
The church is for Jews and Gentiles alike. The gospel of the Kingdom is for every
nation, tribe, tongue, culture, race, and individual. Further, the local church is
where believers worldwide are able to participate in God’s work.
Additionally, the local church encourages personal worship. In the letters to the
Early Church, the believers were told, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever
you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This holds true to
church gatherings as well as the daily life of a believer.
Confessing Sins & Accountability
The Body of Believers provides accountability and a place to confess sins and
receive healing, forgiveness, growth, and a loving community. The community
works together for the good of all to help the believers overcome the sin that
entangles them and weighs them down.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other
so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective.”
1 John 1:9 also states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This confession can be
done to another trusted believer, to a group of believers, or personally through
prayer.
One of the greatest benefits of having a local church is that the Body of Believers
forms a checks and balances of power. There is leadership in the church, but this is
spread across numerous individuals. Moreover, the entire Body of Christ lives in
such a way to persevere truth and to keep one another on the right path.
Galatians 6:1 proclaims, “Brothers and sisters if someone is caught in a sin, you
who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or
you also may be tempted.”
This is brought further in James 5:19-20. “My brothers and sisters, if one of you
should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,
remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them
from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
Reading & Studying Scriptures
The necessity of the word of God was made known frequently throughout the Old
Testament. Psalm 119:105 expresses, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on
my path.”
Then, in the New Testament, the Word became flesh. Meaning, God became flesh
in the person we know to be Jesus. Hebrews 4:12 explains the power of the Word
(Jesus). “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges
the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
The Early Church dedicated itself to the study of what we know to be the Old
Testament. Additionally, they focused on the words of Christ, His life, death,
resurrection, ascension, and the commands given to the disciples and apostles.
Colossians 3:16 commands, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching
and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Teaching and studying
the Christian life was prominent in the Early Church. Today, it is the same.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
We are blessed enough to have the scriptures and have them as a whole. For many
in the Early Church, they only had oral accounts, the letters that were written to
them, and the letters that were circulated to them.
Since these scriptures aren’t addressed directly to our local churches, we must
follow the example seen in 2 Timothy 2:15. “Do your best to present yourself to
God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who
correctly handles the word of truth.”
The local church must learn how to rightly divide the word of truth considering
general principles, commands, culture, context, and literary context. For many
churches, a hermeneutical approach to scripture would be helpful.
Scripture should be studied and applied in how it relates to the character of God,
worldview, truth, the narrative of scripture, God’s unfolding plan, and His work in
this world. Furthermore, scripture should be personally studied for sanctification,
wisdom, direction,
Discipleship
The local church should be a hub for discipleship. Discipleship occurs on two
levels. The first level is being discipled as a new believer, or even as an unbeliever.
As that disciple grows, he or she is then able to disciple other individuals while
they continue being discipled.
Ideally, all members of the local church would be in the process of discipling
others and being discipled. This follows the model and command that Jesus gave
His disciples before He ascended.
Notice that Jesus did not command His disciples to make converts. Rather, He
commanded them to make disciples. Discipleship requires time, intentionality, and
relationship. It involves the holistic development of an individual. It goes much
deeper than leading an individual in a salvation prayer.
Leading individuals to salvation is wonderful, but it is best when these new
converts can be discipled and connected within a local church. This is how
development and further growth occur. It also protects new believers from
deception, confusion, falling back into sin, and being vulnerable to the schemes of
the enemy.
Matthew 28:18-20 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I
am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Serving One Another in Love
The local church is called to serve one another in love. The acts of service may
vary, but the overarching principle remains true. John 13:35 states “By this
everyone will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.”
The sacrificial choice of love among believers is essential for the spreading of the
gospel and the proclamation of the Kingdom. Hebrews 10:24-25 commands, “Let
us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not
giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one
another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Moreover, intentionally giving and receiving love in the Body of Christ proves that
one is of God, for God is love. The local church must first be able to love the
congregation before they can make claims to love those outside of the
congregation, or to even love God.
1 John 4:7-12 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not
love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made
manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live
through Him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to
be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love
one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us
and His love is perfected in us.”
The Importance of Love
As stated earlier, love in the local church is important to spread the gospel and to
show the love of God. It is also important because scripture states that all things
will pass, even spiritual gifts, but love will remain (1 Corinthians 13:8).
Additionally, without love, all our works, efforts, and ministry is done in vain.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 explains, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but
do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have
the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have
a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I
possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not
have love, I gain nothing.”
Protecting the Gospel
The local church also has the responsibility to protect the gospel. In the Early
Church, there were many false teachers, deceptions, and misunderstandings of the
nature of Christ, and true Christian doctrine. The apostle Paul had to regularly
correct, rebuke, and encourage believers in truth.
He does this in Galatians 1:6-9 by stating, “I am astonished that you are so quickly
deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a
different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are
throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one
we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so
now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you
accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”
Ephesians 4:11-15: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the
evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so
that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in
the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown
here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of
people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will
grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is,
Christ.”
Hindering False Teachers & Deception
Within local churches, God has established leadership to keep out wolves in
sheep’s clothing. They are to stop false teachers and deception. These leaders are
to shepherd and guide the flock of believers in all truth according to scripture.
Moreover, they exist to protect the Body of Christ. Within the local church,
members should also be aware of possible deception. They should be on their
guard, constantly seeking the Lord and His truth, so not to be led astray.
2 Peter 2:1-3 warns against false prophets. It says, “But there were also false
prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They
will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who
bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into
disrepute. In their greed, these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not
been sleeping.”
Responding to Deception
2 Timothy 4:2-5 also follows this theme and gives command on how to withstand
it. “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and
encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come
when people will not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of
teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away
from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations,
endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your
ministry.”
Leaders in the book of Acts were also given this command in Acts 20:28-30,
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made
you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own
blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will
not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the
truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
Testing the Spirits
The Body of Christ should also test the spirits and be aware of those who make
proclamations and give teachings. Ideally, the leadership within the local church
should combat dangers that exalt themselves against the truth. However, in the
occasion that leadership is corrupt, the congregation should not be ignorant of the
truth of scripture.
1 John 4:1-3 explains, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits
to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into
the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit
that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,
which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”
Additionally, the local church and all who are part of it should be secure in the
grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:17-18 gives reason for this.
“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that
you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure
position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
