Unchurched Christians

We have a name for figures of speech that contain normally contradictory terms. We call them oxymorons. So, phrases like “a fine mess,” “a new classic,” and “accurate rumors,” are oxymorons.

Another oxymoron is “unchurched Christian,” because it is a contradiction for a Christian to live disconnected from the church. Sadly, this is a contradiction that is lived out by many who profess to follow Jesus Christ.

There are different reasons why people avoid making a commitment to a local church. These include bad experiences, unwillingness to change, resistance to authority, pride, laziness, and a host of others, I’m sure. And, because of the weaknesses found in any church, it’s easy to find justification to absent oneself from the corporate gathering of God’s people. But, whatever the reason, for a Christian to remain unattached to the church is neither healthy nor biblical.

God commands His people to come together to worship Him. They are not to forsake their assembling together as is the habit of some (Heb.10:25). This point can be easily established by the fact that in the Bible you don’t find solitary Christians, but Christians coming together in community.

This coming together is by God’s design. Although the Lord regularly calls people to Himself as individuals, He does not leave them by themselves. He incorporates them into His body (1 Cor.12:13). The refrain of Scripture is, “I will be your God, and you will be My people” (Jer.7:23).