A church is a group of born-again believers. Local churches have been organized from New Testament times for the purposes of teaching doctrine (Acts 2:41), fellowship and exhortation (Heb. 10:25), communion, service (I Corinthians 12:12-20), care of the needy, and prayer (James 5:14-15).
Although all believers belong to the Body of Christ, it is also important that they join a local, Bible-believing fellowship. Acts 2 describes the day of Pentecost and the beginning of the organized church. Numbers were kept, church leaders were eventually appointed, and the local bodies were organized so that each believer could effectively use his or her gifts (Ephesians 4:7-16). Paul wrote letters to individual churches or groups of believers. He also directed church discipline in 1 Corinthians 5:5-7.
The accountability that stems from church membership is an important part of spiritual growth to maturity. Learning to use and exercise spiritual gifts in the church will fulfill the command of Hebrews 10:24-25 to "exhort one another, and so much the more as we see the day approaching."