What makes a local church?

Recently I've heard many preachers exclaim that "the local church is the hope of the world." I'd like to rephrase it to: the local and global church as the body of the resurrected Christ on earth, is the hope of the world, when it moves towards God's mission in God's world. Most notably, Bill Hybles in his book Courageous Leadership makes a grand and passionate claim to this 'hope of the world statement.'

But what makes a church local?

Are churches really local when, in a 500+ gathering (particularly in urban metropolises) a majority of the congregation is living several miles from the worship site? Often in Southern California, people attend church services which are well over 30 minutes from their local communities, the neighborhoods in which they live during the week. Through my study of American church history last fall I have clues as to the sociological and theological forces that have brought us to this point But it seems to me that in an increasingly fragmented society, we need to truly re-imagine what it means to be local. This, I believe can only be done in committed, covenantal community. It will often require people to restructure their lives by changing employment, moving, or at least committing to intentionally placing themsleves in proximity spaces where they can have shared experiences with each other and the community in which their church gathers.

It seems a fragmented church, in a fragmented society, that often does little more than add more "services" and "programs" deeming itself successful does not lacks the ability to challenge, shape and transform the culture and society around it. No matter how many life groups, cell groups, small groups, or whatever, the reality is people cannot be in community if they only see each other 1-2 time a week at an "event".

Often, many think of Church growth in numerical increase of attendance and tithe. But in reality could this just be an overweight Church locked into preserving self and institution?

Why not see growth as Church multiplication. That is, churches existing to plant churches. At some point you can't just keep saying we have more and more small groups. Some of these need to become fully functional ecclesial communities that localize themselves. That is if we still believe that God is blessing the body with giftings of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.

Perhaps churches need to go on weight loss and start having babies.

Comments?

Book Recommendation: Resident Aliens (Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon)