When God said:

"Let's Go Build A Church"

By Adam Jones

READ

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

TO THINK ABOUT

Jesus said he would build his church and it would be an unstoppable force on earth.  So much so, that even the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  Jesus is telling us that evil itself will put all its might against his church. Evil will never stop throwing punches at the bride of Christ, but Jesus will protect and fight for his bride.  Jesu s will prevail to make his church powerful, beautiful and a force on earth to bring his kingdom.   

There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right.  Its beauty is indescribable.  Its power is breathtaking.  Its potential is unlimited.  It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community.  It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused.  It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, and the disillusioned.  It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world.  Whatever the capacity for human suffering, the church has a greater capacity for healing and wholeness.  

Matthew Parris is a newspaper columnist for the Times of London and a self-described atheist. He wrote an article titled “As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God.”  Parris, born and raised in Africa, admits that saying this runs counter to his beliefs, but he cannot ignore the difference that he sees in African Christians and in African churches.
 
“I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular aid workers, government projects, and international aid efforts.  These alone will not do.  Education and training alone will not do.  In Africa, Christianity changes people’s hearts.  It brings a spiritual transformation.  The rebirth is real.  The change is good…The Christians were always different.  Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appears to have liberated and relaxed them.  There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world—a directness in their dealings with others—that seemed to be missing in traditional African life.  They stood tall. As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God.”  - Matthew Parris

As a Christian, I truly believe the church is the hope of the world.  It is what Africa needs, Citrus County needs and it is what you need… 

TO APPLY

1. What in your life do you love simply because someone in your family loves it? Your love for it catches fire because you see them loving it.
2. How is loving Jesus and loving his church two sides of the same coin?
3. How does one cultivate a greater love for Christ’s church?  
   
   

PRAY

Jesus, sweet Jesus, helps us to not only build your church, but to joyfully love it all the days of our lives. Amen