Theology in the Raw Why the Church Still Matters: Dr. Carmen Imes
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Nov 3, 2025 
Dr. Carmen Joy Imes, an Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University's Talbot School, discusses why the church remains vital today. She shares her journey from diverse church experiences to a calling in missions, highlighting spiritual challenges faced in the Philippines. Carmen emphasizes the irreplaceable role of local pastors and community in faith formation, contrasting chapel services with active church involvement. She also explores themes from her trilogy, emphasizing the communal nature of salvation and the importance of serving beyond consumerism.
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Trilogy Of Biblical Identity
- Becoming God's Family completes a trilogy tracing identity (name), embodiment (image), and community (family) through Scripture.
- Carmen wrote it to re-center the Bible's collectivist, communal vision against Western individualism.
Don't Let Chapel Replace Church
- Attend actual local churches rather than substituting chapel or online services for lifelong, intergenerational belonging.
- Seek communities that practice baptism, communion, and tangible commitments across generations.
Preaching Is Local Shepherding
- Streaming sermons raised communicative standards but cannot replace local pastoral care and listening to God for a specific congregation.
- True preaching shepherds people by addressing the concrete needs of a particular community, not just delivering content.
