1. It provides you with daily and weekly fellowship.

2. It warns and encourages you.

3. It helps hold you accountable.

4. It provides communion for you.

5. It challenges you to use your spiritual gifts.

6. It provides a place for those gifts to be exercised.

7. It helps protect you from heresy.

8. It guides you to godly living.

9. It spiritually ministers to your family.

10. It collectively supports Christian causes and missions around the world.

11. It often means the salvation of souls (perhaps even your own).

12. It helps you when you are spiritually, emotionally, physically or financially in need.

13. It is the pillar and ground of the truth in your area.

14. It disciplines you when you develop a sinful lifestyle.

15. It helps bring down racial barriers.

These are just a few of the benefits of belonging to a good local church.

Curtis C. Thomas