The Importance of the Local Church

Bob LaRochelle (Crossing the Street, So Much Older Then …) points us to an interview with Rev. Loren Mead, founder of the Alban Institute, in which he talks about the importance of the local church. Here’s a taste:

What I saw was a church that largely discounted the life of the local congregation. At the time, in the 1960s, clergy were leaving in large numbers to go into all kinds of social work and whatnot. I was clear that that was not the way to go, that we needed strong local churches.

Read the whole interview. What do you think? How important is the local congregation. If it’s important, how do we build it up?