Is going to church optional? Some suggest that they can grow in Jesus  apart from a connection with the local church. In this mesaage, Dr. John teaches that God has always been gathering a people. In the Old and New Testament, God is gathering a family of faith. Dr. John points out that church is not an activity, but part of our identity as the Body of Christ.The Church: The global pandemic had impact in countless ways. One obvious consequence for the Church was the number of believers who got comfortable with privatized faith. They went to church in their living rooms and are content to stay even after the doors of churches are open again! So is going to church optional? Do we need to connect with a local congregation? In this two-week series, Dr. John teaches on the priority and functions of the Church. He will demonstrate why the Church remains God's priortiy for His mission on earth.