Is the Local Church Still Relevant?

Eric Richard Cardoza
Jun 1
3 min read

After more than 25 years in ministry, I still believe the local church is meant to be a vital part of every community. But I also understand why some would question that today.

The truth is, many churches feel more absent than active. The buildings are there. The signs are up. But for the people in our towns—those hurting, searching, or just trying to get through life—the Church often isn’t part of the conversation. And that breaks my heart.

I’m not speaking as a critic on the outside. I’ve been in it. I’ve prayed and preached and poured out everything I had, hoping to see the church I led make a lasting difference in the community around us. Sometimes we did. But sometimes, despite all our effort, it felt like we were missing the mark.

So I’ve wrestled with the same question I now hear others asking: Is the local church still relevant?

And here’s where I’ve landed: Is the local church still relevant? Yes, it is—because Jesus hasn’t given up on the Church. But we need to be honest about why the question is being asked.

One of the biggest challenges is money. Not for buildings or programs, but for meeting real needs. You can’t fix a broken furnace, buy groceries for a struggling family, or offer quality counseling without financial support. When giving is low, vision often shrinks to survival.

But finances are only part of it. Volunteers matter just as much. A church without willing hands is limited in what it can do, no matter how strong its heart is. And when only a few people carry the load, burnout follows—not just for leaders, but for the entire body.

Then there’s the need for real training and wisdom. Some problems in our communities—like addiction, trauma, or mental health crises—require professional insight. Churches can’t pretend to be the answer to every problem, but we can become places that point people to the help they need, walk with them, and partner with others well.

But maybe the hardest thing of all is the lack of clear, shared vision. If we don’t know who we’re called to serve, what we’re equipped to do, or how we’re going to do it, then even our best intentions get lost in the fog. Churches need more than passion. They need direction, discernment, and unity.

And that starts with listening—not just to God, but to the people around us. If we don’t know the needs of our community, how can we meet them? Jesus didn’t wait for people to show up at the temple. He walked into their towns, sat at their tables, asked them questions, and healed their wounds. *“I have come,” He said, “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10, NLT).

So what happened to that model?

Maybe somewhere along the way, we got comfortable. Maybe we made church about programs instead of people, preservation instead of purpose. Maybe we stopped being the light Jesus called us to be when He said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”

(Matthew 5:16, NLT).

We have to admit it—some churches have become more concerned with staying the same than staying faithful. We’ve been afraid of change, hesitant to collaborate, unsure of how to measure what really matters. And in some cases, we’ve let internal conflict or burnout distract us from the mission completely.

But even in all this, I haven’t lost hope. Why? Because Jesus hasn’t lost hope in us.

“Upon this rock I will build my church,” He said, “and all the powers of hell will not conquer it”

(Matthew 16:18, NLT).

That promise still stands.

So let’s stop pretending everything is fine. Let’s stop defending models that aren’t bearing fruit. Let’s come together—pastors, lay leaders, long-time members, and new believers—and ask the hard but holy question:

What do we need to change in order to be the Church God actually called us to be?

At the church I once served, we had a motto: