Bible Question: "Why do I need to go to church? I can worship God anywhere on Sunday or anytime without going to church."

Bible Answer: The church of Jesus Christ is not a place, but a group, in particular a group of Christians who worship together.

The first mention of the word "church" in the Bible is by Jesus in Matthew 16:18, where He says "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

That's reason enough to attend church, to be part of a group of people who cannot be overcome, even by the powers of hell.

The church is literally the body of believers in Christ, which is what Jesus asked His disciples and prompted his promise.

In Matt. 16:13, Jesus asked His disciples a question, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

They answered in Matt. 16:14, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

Then Jesus asked them a second question in Matt. 16:15, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him in Matt. 16:16, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

"Christ" means literally "Messiah," who was promised by God throughout the Old Testament as the deliverer who would be born of a virgin in the line of David to become the King of kings.

Peter's answer was not only right, it was divinely inspired.

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven,'" Jesus says in Matt. 16:17.

Then Jesus continues in Matt. 16:18, "And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Peter's name can be translated "rock," but it is not Peter himself who Jesus promises to build the church upon, or it would simply be another organization founded on a human being.

Instead, Jesus promises to build his church on Peter's confession, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And that is what all members of the true church of Jesus Christ have in common, we have believed Jesus is the Messiah.

So we are not lone rangers as Christians, but part of the body of Christ, which He literally gave His life for to create His church.

Therefore, if Jesus felt strongly enough about the church to die for it, we should feel strongly enough about it to attend services.

Paul also gives us a command in Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

Believers gather together not only to worship and study God's word, but also to "consider one another to stir up love and good works" and "exhorting one another" to do what we can to promote God's kingdom because we know Jesus is coming back.

That's the "Day" Paul refers to, the day Jesus is coming back.

And Paul said some believers in his day saw no need of attending church, referring to "as the manner of some is."

Another function of the church comes from the Old Testament, Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

The Promise Keepers organization of Christian men has adoped this principle for their fellowship, small groups of men holding each accountable to Christ, like iron sharpening iron.

That principle also applies to the church as a whole. We don't exist as individual believers, but as a group of believers, the body of Christ in the world, holding each other accountable.

That's why you need to be in a Bible-believing church.

Submit Bible questions by email to writeme@johnwmyers.com

(John Myers has been a Christian lay speaker, Sunday School adult teacher and newspaper Bible study columnist for more than 20 years.)