The Lies We Believe: “I Don’t Need the Church to Follow Jesus”
The Lie
“I don’t need the Church to follow Jesus.”
This statement might sound spiritual. It may even feel freeing—after all, Jesus is a personal Savior, right? Can't I just follow Him from the mountains, on my own time, in my own way, with my own heart?
But this way of thinking is one of the most dangerous and deceptive lies Christians can believe. It subtly isolates us from the very thing Jesus died to build: His Church.
The Truth
Following Jesus is personal—but it’s never private.
From the moment Jesus called His disciples, He called them into community. You won't find a version of biblical Christianity where believers walk alone. The Church was never man’s invention—it was, and still is, God’s design.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
— Ephesians 2:19–22
You were never meant to be a spiritual loner. You were meant to be joined, built together, and growing together.
Hebrews 10:24–25 commands us:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”
God’s presence isn’t just felt in personal devotions—it’s experienced in community, through the Spirit that dwells in His people.
Ephesians 4:15–16 says the Body of Christ—joined and held together—is what helps us grow. We build each other up in love. Without that Body, we stay immature, disconnected, and spiritually vulnerable.
The Consequences
When we believe we can follow Jesus without His Church:
We reject the household of God that we were meant to belong to.
We abandon accountability and spiritual covering.
We cut ourselves off from spiritual gifts, many of which are meant to be used in the context of community.
We weaken our growth, surrender encouragement, and drift toward self-reliance.
We remove ourselves from mission—because the Church is how the world hears the gospel.
Satan thrives in the isolation of believers. Like a lion hunting a lone sheep, he knows the one who walks away from the herd is the one easiest to devour.
And often, when people say, “I’m still following Jesus,” what they really mean is: “I’m following a Jesus I’ve redefined for myself.”
The Way Out
The way forward is clear: Return to the Body.
Jesus never separates Himself from His Bride. Ephesians 5:25 tells us:
“Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”
If you love Jesus, you must love what He loves—and He loves His Church.
You may have been hurt by people in a church. You may have grown tired of empty religion. But don’t let disappointment become disconnection. Jesus didn’t say the Church would be perfect—He said He’d be in it. And that’s enough.
Church is not about consuming a service. It’s about contributing to the Kingdom.
It’s about being known, being challenged, being forgiven, and being sent.
It’s about being part of a family that’s being built into a holy temple where God dwells.
You don’t just go to church. You are the Church.
But you can’t be the Church alone.
The Reminder
- The Church is not optional for the follower of Christ.
- You were not saved into isolation—you were saved into God’s family.
- Belonging to the Church isn’t a burden—it’s a blessing.
- Jesus died for the Church. We are called to live for it.
The Call
If you’ve walked away from the Church—return.
If you’ve never known what true biblical community looks like—pursue it.
And if you’ve been treating church as a checkbox—wake up to the purpose you’ve been called into.
Let go of the lie. Step into the family. Be built into the Body. And grow up in Christ—together.
