“It’s important to understand why churches are so strategically important to carrying out the mission that Jesus described in Luke 4, of bringing the good news of the kingdom of God to the whole world. As individuals, we all have an important role to play in demonstrating the gospel through our lives. We can pray, give, volunteer, and become effective personal ambassadors for the gospel. However, our greatest power to change the world is released when we come together in collective action to organize and focus the resources of the whole body of Christ. A church of one thousand members can have a much more powerful impact by harnessing the power of the whole than its individual members can have by acting alone. God established the institution of the Church as a key strategy for building His kingdom and for leading the social revolution required by the gospel – ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matt 6:10). Said another way, without the collective and organizing power of churches, the ability of Christians to impact the world is greatly compromised.”

Richard Stearns, President of World Vision, from his book, “The Hole in our Gospel”