What is the Church?

Pastor Gary Oser

A subject which is very important, but one about which there is much understanding is that of the Church. Therefore, I thought I would address the subject. I want to share some things to try to clear up some of the misunderstanding.

First, the church is not primarily a building. If you asked people on the street to describe a church, most of them would describe a building identified with a steeple or cross where people meet on Sunday. The New Testament word for church is made up of two words, one meaning “calling” and the other “out of.”

The word “church” in the Bible refers to people called out from the world to follow Jesus. One of the best word pictures for the church is that of a body, as found in 1 Corinthians 12. Like a human body, the church is made up of many different parts with different functions all working together as a whole. The church is not so much a building as it is a group of people who meet together to worship God and to help each other grow in their walk with God.

Second, the church is about making disciples and seeing lives changed. Too often we try to measure the success of the church by what have been referred to as the ABCs: attendance, buildings and cash. However, a better measure of the church is what is happening in the lives of the people who attend.

Are people regularly turning from their sins and trusting Christ alone for salvation? Are people taking on more the character of Christ in their lives, i.e. becoming more like Jesus? Are people concerned about getting the good news of the gospel and Bibles into the hands of people who have never heard? These are the things that are most important to God!

In the words of the great old hymn, “Rise Up, O Church of God,” may the church “rise up and be done with lesser things. Give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of Kings.”