We Are the Church

We Are the Church

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

When many people think of church, they generally think of a building, preaching, music, and other parts, places, and people involved with worship. However, the church is much more than that. The church is made of all us who are believers in Christ. There are many facets to the church, but it is the collection of all us and we each have an important role within it. We are a family and we operate out of love for one another and those around us. We are also like a body where we are better together, each of us an important part of the complete whole (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27). We are an army, on mission and ready for what God has prepared us to do (Ephesians 6:10-14). And finally, we are a hospital, a place to offer hope and help to those in need (Mark 2:17). These are some of the main ways that we, the people, are the church. As a part of the church, the influences of scripture lead us to our beliefs, which help us to form our values, purpose, mission, strategies, and goals that we seek to accomplish.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for adopting me into your family. Help me to be your hands and feet in this world in order to shine your light throughout it. Lead me in my mission to show your love to all around me and to be a blessing to others, especially those who need your hope and healing. Let me realize that I am the church; I am an integral part of the whole that is unique and irreplaceable. You have given me talents that are needed and help me to find and grow them in order to serve you well as a member of your family. Amen.