God's Idea

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said. "The Church is Christ existing as community." 

The Church is God's idea. It is the visible, physical representation of Christ on earth. It is not the man's creation. Oh, there are problems and concerns within the Church that were created by man, but the Church is how Jesus chooses to show Himself to the world until He returns.

Those who say they are Christians and want nothing to do with the Church, are saying, "God, I don't like Your idea! I want to say I am a part of the Body of Christ, but I choose to be amputated from it. I want a religion on MY terms, not Yours!" The isolated-by-choice Christian is in rebellion, not just to God's idea, but to God Himself. This person will see limited personal growth, minimal spiritual fruit, and will actually hinder true advancement of Kingdom of God in their own circle of friends and family. Yes! God loves the individual, but when Jesus returns, He will be coming for the Church, not for a bunch of individuals who want nothing to do with His Beloved.

God expects followers of Jesus to dwell in loving community, where worship, discipleship, service to others, and evangelism is evidence and testimony to the world that they are loved by their Creator. We have often heard and perhaps even said, "All you need is Jesus!" If that were true, Jesus wouldn't have established the Church. We need the Church! It is God's idea.