The sharing of our common life, the building of friendships, the bearing of burdens, mutual

care, mutual prayer, that's the life of the church, it's the life of sharing love, it's

the life of sacrifice, it's the life of giving sacrificially, both my money and my time

and my energy on behalf of others.

Welcome to Grace To You, with John MacArthur, I'm your host, Phil Johnson.

It's been said that if you want to hear all about the problems of a church, just ask someone

who hasn't been there in months.

Unfortunately, when things are not just right in a church, far too many people bail right

away rather than try to be part of the solution.

Still, aren't there times when it is best to move on, or does changing churches somehow

show a lack of commitment to the church at large?

Today, John MacArthur shows you what the Bible says about commitment to the body of Christ.

It's a challenging follow-up to the series he wrapped up yesterday called What to Look for

in a church, and here's John now with his lesson called commitment to the church.

I love the church. Through the years of ministry, I have had occasion and opportunity to

consider other kinds of ministry, as to mission field ministry and educational ministry, and

various and sundry kinds of opportunities that have come my way.

But no matter how wonderful they might have been, no matter how attractive, no matter how great

the need, I have never found myself able to disassociate from the church and the ministry

in the church. I love the church. It is my life. I am committed to the church with every ounce of

being that I have. I'm committed to it with all my heart and all my soul. And there are people

who say to me, why do you always write these books that deal with issues, and why are you always

...