The church is to be the visible body of Christ in the world.  “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” 1 Cor 12:27 (NIV).  It is astonishing to me that we, frail, redeemed sinners, are the body of Christ in the world.  We are here in His place to do His work in the world.  We are members of each other, with all of our shortcomings.  We cannot neglect the church without neglecting Christ himself.  We are not detached body parts roaming the earth; we are members of a single unit with a single mission.