I. The Practicality of the Local Church

In chapter four of The Practical Expression of the Church, Witness Lee emphasizes our need not only to see the intrinsic reality and spiritual essence of the church, both of which are Christ Himself, but also to see and to have the practicality of the church realized in the local churches. The following passage brings the church out of the air and onto the earth, out of theory and into practice.

Brother Watchman Nee [Witness Lee’s senior co-worker] once stayed in a certain place for some time. When he was about to leave, the people asked him to give a parting word. He spoke to them in this way: "There is much talk today about the church, the Body of Christ. It is just like a group of carpenters talking about making chairs. I have heard so many good speeches about making chairs, but I would ask, where are the chairs?" This word is so simple, but so impressive and practical. "Where are the chairs?"

There have been many teachings and writings concerning the church, the Body of Christ, over a period of many years. But where are the churches that have come out of these teachings and writings? There has been a long period of speaking about making "chairs," but it is difficult to find one "chair."

This is why we need to see the practicality of the church. What is the practicality of the church? It is the local church. Without the local church, the church is not practical; it is like something in the air. We may have much talk about the church, but nothing practical. We need the local church. The practicality of the church is in the local church.

The local church is not only the expression of the church, but the practicality of the church. If we would practice the church life, we must have the local church. (33-34)

A. A Church to Which We Can Go

In order for us to realize and experience the universal church, it must have a practical and local expression on the earth which is readily accessible to us. In the following portion of the same book, Witness Lee explains that as members of the universal church, the Body of Christ, we must be able to go to the local church—that is, the local expression of the universal church—and bring our problems there.

In Matthew 16:18 the Lord says, "upon this rock I will build my church." This is the universal church. But if we go on to chapter 18:17, we see the local church. I know some Christian teachers who take a stand by using only Matthew 16:18. They ask, "Is the church mentioned in this verse the local church?" They seem to present a strong argument. We agree that in Matthew 16:18 it is not the local church, but we cannot drop Matthew 18:17. We must go on from Matthew 16 to Matthew 18. Is the church in Matthew 18 the local church or the universal church? If it is the universal church, the church in the heavens, how could we go to it today when we have a problem? Matthew 18 says that if we have a problem to be solved by the church, we must go to the church. If this church is not the local church but something in the heavens, how can we go to it today?

If in any locality there is not a local church, regardless of how much we talk about the church, we do not have the practicality. In the past years I have noticed how many Christian teachers have spoken and written so much about the church. But eventually they did not have its practicality. Where is the practical church on this earth? Where is it?

Matthew 16:18 is precious, but Matthew 18:17 is practical. A local church may not be as spiritual as it should be, but it is practical to us. The church in Los Angeles may not be as marvelous as that mentioned in Matthew 16:18, but we have it and we enjoy it! Hallelujah! It is a church to which I can go. I cannot go to the church mentioned in Matthew 16: 18. It is so wonderful, but where is it?

Therefore, regardless of how poor and weak the church in Los Angeles may be, we do have a church here. It is better than something in the air. When we have a problem, we do have somewhere to go. This is something practical.

In fact, Matthew 16:18 is included in Matthew 18:17. If we have Matthew 18:17, we have Matthew 16:18. How could we have Matthew 16:18 without Matthew 18:17? We cannot have the church without the local church. (34-35)

B. The Scriptural Record of the Local Church

In the passages below, Witness Lee addresses the scriptural basis for the local church by highlighting numerous New Testament references to it. First he examines the initial record of the local churches in the book of Acts:

Then we come to the Book of Acts. Is there a verse in Acts that tells us something about the universal church? All the verses in Acts regarding the church refer to the local churches. They are the church mentioned in Matthew 18, which, as we have said, includes the one mentioned in Matthew 16.

The first verse mentioning the church in Acts is 5:11. (In 2:47, there is not "the church" according to the Greek text. See A.S.V.) After the death of Ananias and Sapphira, fear came upon all the church. Undoubtedly, this is the local church at Jerusalem. The second and third times that the word "church" is used are in 8:1 and 3 ("The church" in 7:38 refers to the people of Israel), "the church which was at Jerusalem." The fourth mentioning is in Acts 9:31, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria." All these churches are local churches. The church mentioned in 11:22 is "the church which was in Jerusalem," and that mentioned in 11:26 is the church at Antioch. The church mentioned in 12:1 and 5 is again the church at Jerusalem. Then in 13:1, we see "the church that was at Antioch." In 14:23, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church. These, of course, are the local churches. In Acts 14:27, it is the church at Antioch again. In 15:3-4, it was the church at Antioch that brought Paul and Barnabas on their way and the church at Jerusalem that received them. In 15:22, it is the church at Jerusalem again. In 15:41 are the local churches of Syria and Cilicia. In 16:5 are the churches of the Gentile world (see 15:23). In 18:22, again we have the church at Jerusalem. In 20:17 and 28, it is the church at Ephesus.

Are all these churches in Acts the church in the heavens? No, they are all the local churches on the earth. (35-36)

Following the Acts, the New Testament records the development of the local churches through the Epistles and finally, their consummation in the book of Revelation. Witness Lee provides a brief synopsis of this scriptural history of the local church:

After Acts come the Epistles. In all these books, the local churches are mostly dealt with. Only somewhat more than ten verses, most of which are in Ephesians, deal with the universal church (I Cor. 10:32; 12:28; Eph. 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32; Col. 1:18, 24). The Book of Romans was written to the church at Rome. I and II Corinthians were written to the church at Corinth. Nearly all the Epistles were written to local churches.

After the Epistles, we have the Book of Revelation, which is the conclusion of the New Testament. It was written to the seven local churches in Asia (1:4, 11) and reveals that the Lord Jesus is in the midst of the local churches. He is walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, which are seven local churches (1:13, 20; 2:1). It also reveals to us that the ultimate consummation of the church is the New Jerusalem, which is in eternity (22:1-22:5). But in time, while we are on this earth today, we must be in the local churches. Without the local churches, there is no practicality to us of the church. When the ultimate consummation comes, we will have the New Jerusalem. But before that day, all we have practically is the local church. If we do not have the local church today, practically speaking, we do not have the church. The local church is the practicality of the church. The church today is practically in the local churches.

The Scriptures are consistent in their presentation of the local church as the practicality of the universal church, as Witness Lee traces through the Acts, the Epistles, and the book of Revelation. The heavenly universal church, comprising believers from all time and in all places, is made practical to particular believers in specific localities as local churches on the earth.