Be The Church
What Does It Mean to “Be the Church”?
One of the big changes in the past 18 months or so is the canceled and suspended church services in the buildings. Without church buildings, there have been many calls to “be the church.” I wanted to explore what that means and what it looks like.
Be the Church Quotes
“We will never change the world by going to church. We will only change the world by being the church.”
“When the church is being the church, there is no community that can compare to the church.”
“Don’t let a building confine your faith because we will never change the world by just going to church, we need to be the church.”
“Don’t just go to church, be the church.”
What is the Church?
These quotes aren’t saying we don’t need to GO to church. Going to “a church” is essential for our spiritual health and a great privilege. But the building is not “the church.” It’s the people who meet there to worship God, get spiritual nourishment, pray, praise God, celebrate communion, and share their lives.
As “the church”- the body of Christ- we each have different, yet vital functions. We bring a complete image of Jesus out into the world when we work together.
Paul reminds us of an important truth: “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT.
Who knows what our church experience is going to look like going forward? Bringing Jesus to our own world is looking to be even more important!
The Church in the New Testament
You won’t find the word “church” used in the Bible to refer to a building where the new believers met. Instead, it uses the names of the city where the followers lived: the church in Jerusalem, Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, etc. Early believers met in house churches within the cities.
Acts 2 describes the fellowship of the early believers: “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (v42) They met every day and ate together “with glad and sincere hearts.” (v46). They encouraged each other and shared what they had with those in need.
The early believers studied Jesus’ teachings, celebrated communion, and had times of prayer. They expressed joyful praise and showed practical expressions of love by meeting each other’s needs. While our churches today may look and sound different, these core practices and truths haven’t changed.
What Does the Bible say about the Church?
Jesus only used the word “church” twice in the gospels. The first time was in response to Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as his Savior, the Messiah. Peter boldly declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 (NIV).
Jesus responds: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” v18 (NIV). The word Jesus used for church refers to those who are “called out.”
Peter’s statement of faith is one all Christians give, and it is what binds us together. Therefore, as a member of Christ’s body of believers, we too are “called out” as His people. We are Christ’s church.
We are to live out the Good News of Jesus. Not only in our homes or within our church building or Bible study or life groups, but our world.
We the Church
The church has always consisted of those who are “called out.” We are people working together, using our gifts to serve others and live out God’s grace and love.
These are unprecedented times, and it will take a bit of work on our parts to go out and “be the church” when we’re supposed to stay home, social distance and not have close contact.
We can live out our mission even though our church buildings are closed. While I would love to meet with my friends and worship God together, that is not always our reality.
I’m so thankful for our online Sunday services! we can worship, praise, and hear Biblical teaching and encouragement from the comfort of your family room. There are online sermons, devotions, home activities, and zoom to stay connected.
Can you imagine trying to navigate this situation without the technology we have in place?
Being the Church
More than ever, we need each other- fear, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness can weigh us down. We will have to work harder and use our creativity. But we can still “be the church.” We can show the love, respect, forgiveness, and servant heart of Jesus in so many ways.
We are the Church
We show the love of Jesus when we love and serve others. Keep your eyes and ears open in your everyday life to those who need his love. When we do this, we are taking the “church” out of the building and bringing it to life in our homes, neighborhoods, communities, and beyond. While we are living in troubled times, we have unprecedented avenues to reach far and wide to “be the church”.
Don’t just invite people to church.
Invite them to lunch.
Invite them to your home.
Invite them into your heart.
Tell them you’ll always be there for them.
You are the church, not a building.
