“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, CSB)

Would anyone in your community care if your doctor’s office closed? How about the grocery store, sheriff’s office, hospital, fire department, or your favorite restaurant? These types of closings range from the inconvenient to essential services. In a crisis you want to know that the emergency room is available and staffed. If your house is on fire, you want a quick response from the fire department. You want the convenience of being able to procure food for your table, and to even stop in the middle of the week to get the fresh milk and snacks you wished you bought last time you were in the grocery store.

There are many things we would instantly miss if they left our community, but would anyone care if your church closed? Would anyone notice if your church closed? Is the church so inwardly focused that no one would be affected if it closed? We all recognize that there are services that are essential for any community to thrive. We would not want to see the doctor’s office, hospital, pharmacy, police or fire departments to close. Yet even more essential to a community is the church, and the church can meet certain needs in a community that no other business or organization can meet.

Last Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord. Jesus is raised from the dead for our justification. He has defeated death and is the firstfruits, guarantee, and example of the resurrection for all believers. Being raised out of the tomb, He has been exalted above all, the living head of His church. All authority and power are rightfully His. He has left His church with the task of making disciples, and only the church has the ability, authority, and obligation to make disciples. He has instructed His church to be His witness, witnesses not only of the resurrection, but of who He is and all that He has done. The church is the only institution that has the mandate, authority, and obligation to be his witnesses here on earth.

I believe that the church is the most essential need of any community. Our communities need our witness of Jesus Christ more than anything else. If your church were gone tomorrow, and no one notices, it is because the church stopped being a witness for Jesus long ago. Let us all be witnesses for Christ, and may our churches be the most vital resource of any community.