Help! Do I Need the Local Church?

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When we hear the word “church,” we can think of different things: buildings, services, activities, or friendships. This mini-book dives into the Bible to see that church is Christ’s body and the God-designed gathering place where believers grow spiritually strong and fruitful. You need the local church, and the local church needs you! The book also helps identify what a good church looks like and how to participate in it so that you develop greater love for Jesus and His body.

The question is not whether you are part of Christ’s body, but how connected you are to His body. To use another of the Bible’s metaphors, you are born again into God’s family. There are no orphan Christians and no believers who can say they are an only child.

Resources

Developing Discipleship Relationships

Use this resource to help you think through the kinds of discipleship relationships you need to develop, both for being discipled yourself and for discipling others.

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Help! Do I Need the Local Church Journal

Record impacting statements and write out your answers to the Questions for Reflection at the end of each chapter.

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My Tree (Neglecting the Church)

Use this simple discipleship tool to get to the heart of your struggle with neglecting God's priority of the church.

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Gospel-Family One Another Commands

Throughout the New Testament, God commands those who have a shared union in Christ to act toward each other in certain ways. This study highlights the "one another" passages that give those commands.

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Loving the Church

This study helps us see how Jesus' love for His church carried over into the love the authors of the New Testament had for the church as well as the love we should have for the church today.

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Our Loving Union

The Bible is full of community language, reflecting the reality of our union with fellow believers. Use this study to see how our connection to Christ in salvation also connects us to one another.

ESV KJV

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The “LifeLine Mini-book for Teens Series” meets critical needs for today’s young people. The biblical approach, structured presentation, and personal application projects make these mini-books ideal for parents and other counselors of teens. Thank you Shepherds Press and The Wilds for beginning to fill a crucial void in biblical counseling tools.

— Dr. Jim Berg

Teens struggle with constantly changing moods, overpowering emotional extremes, identity uncertainty, friendship conflicts, and paralyzing doubts about how God is relevant to their struggles.... These booklets will show not only the sufficiency of the Bible, but also its relevancy for the problems youth face today.

— Dr. John Street

About the Author

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Zach Sparkman

Zach Sparkman, ThM in New Testament, has served teens in various settings: local churches, camps, and schools. Currently, Zach serves as a lead pastor in the Metro Denver area of Colorado with his wife and four children.

Info

Publication date:

September 7, 2026

Pages: 48

ISBN: 978-1-63342-447-0

Available Books

Help! I Want to Be a Godly Friend

Help! Do I Need the Local Church?

Help! I’m Bitter

Help! Why Is Sports Betting a Big Deal?

Help! I’m Losing My Faith in God

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“Unlike the many counseling resources we can find for adults, there are few directly relatable to teens and the issues they face. These mini-books bring the Scriptures to bear in a relevant way for both teens and those ministering to them.”
– Dr. Stuart Scott