[metmom]

If you think only as an individual it doesn't matter. If you think of the Church as a teaching authority responsible for transmitting the faith through thousands of years, then it matters. This is why Christ established His Church and gave it authority.

All individual believers are given the mandate to go and make disciples.

All individual believers are ambassadors of Christ carrying to the world the message of reconciliation.

It is not the responsibility of *the church* as in a denomination, but rather the responsibility of the church, which is the Bride of Christ, comprised of individual believers.

And that's also where Scripture comes in. A person does not even have to be told about Jesus by a *church*. All that person has to do is pick up and read a Bible and they can learn everything they need to to become saved because the Holy Spirit is the teaching authority.

[D-fendr]

the responsibility of the church..comprised of individual believers.

And when those individuals disagree?

All that person has to do is pick up and read a Bible and they can learn everything they need to to become saved because the Holy Spirit is the teaching authority.

The Apostles and the Church could have saved themselves a lot of work, toil and torture if only they had become publishers. :)