Jesus is Building His Church
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:4-5
...on this rock I will build my church.
- Jesus - Matthew 16:18
Jesus is building His church, one person, one "living stone" at a time. That's what the church truly is, a community of people that Jesus calls together to be His hands and feet in this world, a place to demonstrate the love of God to a hurting world.
The church is not the building. The building is but a place for the church to gather, worship our amazing God together, build relationships with one another, reach out to our world together, and be equipped to follow Jesus and become like Him. It is a training center, a fishing boat, a missions base, a family room, a worship venue, a warehouse, a school - it is all these things and more.
Jesus has been building His church for 2,000 years and His work continues. He is the Master builder. Each person is a valuable part of the "spiritual house" He is building. You are a valuable part of the church. You have a part to play, a role to fulfill. It takes everyone one of us to accomplish all that God has for us. Follow Christ and see what He will do through you.
Work continues on the new facility that will "house" the church. The facility has been painted, new flooring put in, furniture is being assembled and everything is coming together. It will not all be completed for this weekend but it will be ready enough for us to gather and worship together. We ask for your patience as we continue to work.
While we are renovating a building, God is renovating us - preparing our hearts for all He has for us. We are a work in progress, undergoing the sanctifying process, the process of transformation in becoming more and more like Jesus.
When you picture yourself, try to see the person God wants you to be, a person just like His Son.
When you picture the facility don't get caught up on how good it looks or on how much work is left to do.
Instead try to picture it packed full of people worshipping God, eager to hear from Him and to enjoy His presence.
Picture the children's rooms filled with children discovering what having a personal relationship with God is all about.
Picture the student ministry room filled with students building relationships with each other and with Jesus, learning how to live out their faith in a world that is so different than the kingdom of God.
Picture the entryway with first time visitors being greeted and made to feel as the welcomed guests they are.
Picture the lobby as a gathering place of people from many backgrounds, finding common ground in Jesus.
Picture the Ministry Center filled with people receiving food and clothing in Jesus' Name, experiencing the love of God in tangible ways.
Picture the parking lot with cars streaming in, filled with expectant people hoping to meet a God they can only hope exists or to return to a God they walked away from. Picture a people hungry to know God and to find forgiveness and wholeness.
These are pictures of the church in action. Not the buildings but the people.
Friday, November 1 at 7pm we will gather for a Worship, Prayer and Dedication service - the first of what we pray are many services where we simply focus on Jesus and giving our lives fully to Him.
Sunday, November 3 at 9AM & 11AM we will gather for our first weekly services together.
The building will not be finished. You will see things that need some work still. It may take a while to get there.
Jesus is not finished building His church. There are people to add and He is preparing them to take this new journey with Him. There are hearts to be changed; He is not finished with us. There is a lot of work for Him to do in us.
But He is faithful and true and will complete the work He began in us. He is the Master Builder and He is building His church - one person at a time.
The renovation continues - the renovation of our lives.