What Is A Church?

Lately, I have witnessed what seems like an explosion of new churches. They are arriving in various measurements, motivations and ministries. Some advertise they can provide all your needs while others offer multiple services to accommodate personal schedules. Better yet, some are so vast that you can slip and out every Sunday without being noticed. And last, but not least, some churches offer one stop shopping for your favorite flavored coffee to drink during services and souvenirs for the entire family to take home. Who wouldn't want to go to places like that every Sunday ?!?!

But what is a church? Is it everything you just read? Is it more? Less? Or, is the church Jesus spoke of something much different? In the Book of Matthew, Christ tells Peter he will be the rock upon which He will build His church. We read in the Book of Acts that Luke said to feed the church of God. In the Book of Ephesians, Paul tells the men to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

So what does God's Word tell us a church, in its' purest form, is? Simply put, it is the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 describes in detail what this body consists of. Using our own human bodies, Paul compares each member of the body to a member of a church. Each has a function, role and purpose with no one member being more important than the other. Paul goes on to tell us that the body cannot properly function without all its' members. The same is true with church.

You and I are needed in church because God has specifically chosen us to put His body together. Never let anyone tell you different...

Pastor Aaron