The Church

“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all” Eph.4:4-6.

The church is a body and this is how God intends for it to be. This is why everybody must be actively involved in what goes on in his or her local church. You need to get uncomfortable with watching other people do God’s work because it is not just for a certain group of people. In the past, it was assigned to the Levites but the Bible tells us that God has made us kings and priests unto Himself. So guess what? It is your responsibility too. The church is not a building; the church is people. And in our journey with Jesus, particularly when it comes to work in a local church, we say that everybody starts from the community. Your community is made up of people in your physical community who may or may not have heard about the church. Then they start their journey of faith, take that first step and join the crowd. The people in the crowd are the people that come to church once in a while and if it rains, there goes the service for that day. Then Jesus does a work in their hearts and they take that next step of faith and become a part of the congregation, which is made up of people that are in church – members. And then an opportunity comes, an open door, they love God and move into the committed. I believe that everyone that is saved should be committed in his or her local church. Some actually go further and become part of the core of the church. My question to you today is are you committed? Jesus is calling you; what will your response be? Will you take that next step?

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” Eph.4:16. When you are committed you will serve in a unit and become part of a life group. If such a person falls ill or has challenges, the unit or life group they are part of, is able to rally round them and help. Has the church helped that person? Absolutely! Why? It is because the church is a body. We need to do away with the mindset that expects only the Pastors or Ministers to do everything. I come across people in certain situations that have been visited by their leader who prayed with them and gave them gifts. Friends from church have even visited them but they are still offended because the Pastor did not call. How many people will the Pastor call? The church is not a building, or one person in that building. The church is people. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to grow in commitment and empower me to do my own special work so that other parts of Christ’s body can grow, in Jesus Name.