The Church

The church has long been an institution that contributes to the developing of the moral foundation that our nation was built on. It has been a major life changing and character developing factor to people all over the world and it continues to grow and spread today.

When looking at what God’s will is for the church it’s important to understand that the church is the body of believers who come together to worship and minister under the guidance of Jesus Christ. An amazing thing happens every Sunday morning as individuals are transformed into one body. Paul talks about this in Romans 12:5.

5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

As this group of individuals becomes a body of believers the also become responsible to each other. They are responsible for both the physical and spiritual growth of the body. They are responsible discipling each other and meeting each other physical and spiritual needs.

Most importantly the body is responsible for allowing God to be present and active among them. Henry Blackaby wrote that when a church allows God’s presence and activity to be expressed, a watching world will be drawn to Him.

A church allows God’s presence to be active when it becomes unified through understanding what Christ, the Head of the church, is telling them. Paul talks about this as well in 1 Corinthians 1:10.

10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

So how does a group of individuals become unified in one spirit so that God can use them to do amazing things? If you think about it, it just doesn’t make any sense. When you get more than one person together you have differences. The only way the church can accomplish unity is by the people of the church taking on the mind of Christ and having a desire to serve Him above all else. Again we find the words of Paul to apply to this.

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

The people who make up the church should practice daily sacrifice. That means putting aside our wants and desires daily for what God wants from us daily. When we learn to do this we find that not only is it easy to become unified with other believers but God is using us and making us effective. That’s when a church becomes vibrant and growing because the people who make up the body make themselves useable to God.

What is your mindset when it comes to your church? Do you go in search of unity? Have you made yourself usable by God? You would be amazed at how much of a difference your daily sacrifice can make in the body of believers.