In 1624, Christian poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island unto himself,” as part of a sobering meditation on the biblical idea that we are all a part of humanity, and what happens to one of us affects others.

According to a new Lifeway report, 65% of Protestant American churchgoers disagree, instead thinking, “I can walk with God without other believers.”

The same report also claims that there’s an increase in daily Scripture reading, prioritizing obedience to Christ, and avoiding temptation. That’s good news. The bad news is that all of those things are impossible to do well without the church.

The Scriptures remind us, as Paul says, we are all baptized into one body; that the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” Hebrews talks of a “great cloud of witnesses,” and admonishes us to assemble together. Ecclesiastes reminds us that two is better than one and a cord three strands is not easily broken.

Can we walk with God without other believers? I strongly disagree.

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