The Church

 

    The church is not a building or cluster of buildings.  The church is God's people.  It is all of us throughout the world.  When we come together we may be identified as a denomination, sect, or association, but that is not what we are.  When we come together we are a spiritual body that puts God at the head.  We come together for fellowship, worship, communion, and community.

    Jesus is the head of the church and the people that follow him are the body.  Jesus bought us with his blood.  If you become a Christian it is important to become a part of a local church.  It is not a choice.  God commands that His people come together when he said make disciples.  

    You can find God in many aspect in life, but God created us to need each other.  The church can't be replaced by anything else.  You will never be a strong Christian without being a part of a church.  That includes being a member, but never getting involved.

    To become a member of a local church you need to be baptized.  It is the first act of obedience as a Christian.  It is a statement of faith put into action.  It is kind of like your anointing into being a part of something bigger than yourself.  

    Believers need to come together in small groups.  You can be a part of a mega church and that is okay as long as you are a part of a small group within the church too.  Community is what makes the church unite.  If you don't even know the people you go to church with, can you really say you are a part of a church?  

    The small groups is where you get to know each other and how to work together.  You come together to worship Jesus, receive instruction through scriptures, pray together, encourage one another, and evangelize.  When the church began, it was in homes.  Now we have designated areas within a community.  If your church is not invested into that community, then the church is dead spiritually.    

    The church once met every day.  Now most church typically only meets once a week.  How can you live life together if you only see your church family one to two hours a week.  You need to know each other.  You need to be invested in each other's life.  The church needs to take care of each other.  If we would open ourselves up and be real, then the church has an opportunity to do that.

Acts 20:7-31, Romans 16:3-9, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 16:19-24, Ephesians 5:22-24, Colossians 1:15-20, 3:12-15, Hebrews 10:23-25