Hope of the World

I don't know what your view of Church is?  For some it's a building you go to on Sundays, for others it's a place where you socialize, for some it's a place where you grew up going, for others it's where you met the Lord and gave your life to Him, for others it's something you are a part of or belong to.

The truth is the Church is not a building, or a social club, or anything else.  The Church is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ.  After Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended back to Heaven, He established the church in Acts Chapter 2 to represent Him on this earth and fulfill His commission or reaching lost people and making disciples with the gospel message of Jesus Christ until He returns for His Church.

The Church matters.  Attending church services will not save you, having your name in some membership book at a church building will not get you to heaven.  Being a member of the Church is about belonging to the body of Christ.  Becoming an actual body part (member) of His body, the Church.

When you give your life to Christ and are baptized into Him, you become a part of His body, His Church.  Your attendance to church services or involvement in serving in the Church should be out of love and devotion to Jesus for all that He's done for you, not out of habit, tradition, obligation or misunderstanding of what the church is. 

It can be confusing with all the different church groups out there, or the way you were raised, or what you've been told by others, but all we have to do is turn to the Bible, God's Word and read and study His intent, design, and will for His Church.  The Church.  The one Church.  Mankind has screwed up the mission, the meaning, and they look of the Church.  But God's intent was for the Church to be the body of Jesus that represents Him on this earth and sharing the gospel with those who don't know Jesus and building up those who become Christians.

Preacher and author Bill Hybels said this about the church: “The local church is the hope of the world, and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders.”  God's plan for the church is simple, to be the hope of the world.  We are to bring hope to the world through the story of Jesus Christ and share that love and salvation with everyone we can.  So that anyone who doesn't know Jesus can.  Also, once people become Christians they need training and understanding (discipled) so they can grow and mature in their faith.

The Church can't be the Church if members don't show up or come for the wrong reasons. The Church can't be the Church is we all don't do our part and serve for the right reasons.  The Church can't be the Church is the church body doesn't know why or how to do their job.  The Church can' tbe the Church if the Church isn't fulfilling it's mission.

The Church matters.  The Church is the hope of the world.   The Church is the body of Christ.  I am a part and a member of His Church. 

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.