What Is the Church and Why Does It Matter? Understanding the Body of Christ
The church is more than a building, a Sunday service, or a religious tradition. It is a living, breathing community of people united by faith in Jesus Christ. Drawing from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, this post explores what the church truly is, why unity matters, and how every believer plays a vital role in something much bigger than themselves.
What Was the Church Like Before Jesus?
To understand the church today, it helps to understand where it came from. In the Old Testament, God chose the nation of Israel as His people. The presence of God was housed in the temple, a physical structure where only the high priest could enter the innermost room. A thick curtain separated the presence of God from everyone else.
The Jewish people held onto a hope that a Messiah would come, restore Israel, and rebuild what had been lost. But as the Old Testament closes, things looked bleak. The temple had been destroyed, the nation was in exile, and there were 400 years of silence before Jesus arrived on the scene.
How Did Jesus Change Everything?
When Jesus came, He was not the warrior king the Jewish people expected. He came as a servant. He died on a cross, and through His death and resurrection, He did something radical: He gave access to the Holy Spirit to everyone who puts their faith in Him.
At the moment of His death, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. The presence of God was no longer confined to one place. It became available to all people, everywhere, through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is the foundation of the church age we are still living in today.
What Does Paul Say About Unity in the Church?
In Ephesians chapter two, the Apostle Paul writes to a diverse group of believers and makes a bold declaration:
"Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family." - Ephesians 2:18-19
In Paul's day, the world was sharply divided. To Jewish people, there were Jews and then there was everyone else, referred to as Gentiles. Romans looked down on Jews. Jews despised Romans. These were not minor cultural differences. They were deep, painful divisions rooted in history, politics, and religion.
Paul's message cut through all of it. Jesus has removed every barrier. Every person, from every nation and background, now has equal access to God.
What Does It Mean to Be "Multi-Ethnic but Unicultural"?
Unity does not mean uniformity. People can hold different political views, come from different countries, speak different languages, and still be one in Christ. What unites the church is not sameness. It is a shared belief in Jesus and a shared love for God and people.
Jesus Himself said it clearly. It is not division that shows the world we follow Him. It is love.
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13:35
Differences in culture, background, and perspective are not weaknesses. They are strengths when held together under the love of Christ.
What Is the Church Built On?
Paul continues in Ephesians with a powerful image of the church as a building:
"Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." - Ephesians 2:20-22
In ancient construction, the cornerstone was the first and most important block placed. It set the direction and orientation for everything else. Jesus is that cornerstone. Every believer is built around Him.
When someone places their faith in Jesus, they are not just joining a religion. They are becoming a dwelling place for God Himself. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in each believer. This is what Stephen, the first Christian martyr, declared when He said the Most High does not live in temples made by human hands. God no longer lives in a building. He lives in His people.
How Does Each Person Fit Into the Bigger Picture?
Every believer is a building block. And those building blocks connect to something much larger than any one person or congregation.
The Individual: Each person grows in their faith through prayer, Scripture, community, giving, and serving. The Holy Spirit produces fruit in us as we draw closer to God, including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
The Local Church: Individual believers come together to form a local church. Each person contributes their unique gifts, experiences, and perspectives to build something greater than themselves.
The Regional Church: Local churches support and strengthen one another. Larger, more established churches invest in smaller ones. Resources, training, and encouragement flow in all directions.
The Global Church: The local church connects to a worldwide movement. The momentum of the church today is growing rapidly in the Global South, across South America and Africa, with believers sending missionaries and resources back to regions where the church has grown cold.
Can One Person Really Make a Difference?
Abraham never saw the full fruit of what God promised Him. God told Him His descendants would be like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Abraham had two sons. He did not live to see the nation of Israel grow into what it became. But his faithfulness echoes through history to this day.
The same is true for every believer. The eternal return on the investment of a faithful life may not be fully visible on this side of eternity. But it is real, and it matters.
Local faithfulness makes a global impact. Showing up, serving, praying, giving, and loving your neighbor are not small things. They are the building blocks of something eternal.
What Practical Steps Can You Take to Be Part of the Church?
There are several ways to engage more deeply in the life of the church and grow as a follower of Jesus:
Prayer: Commit to regular, intentional prayer, both personally and with your church community.
Scripture: Read and meditate on the Bible. God has given us His Word to draw us closer to His heart.
Community: Join a small group. Do life with other believers. Let unity be built through shared experience and honest relationship.
Serving: Use your gifts to contribute to your local church. There is a place for everyone.
Giving: Jesus said where your treasure is, your heart will be also. Giving is an act of trust and an expression of where your priorities lie.
Life Application
This week, identify one specific way you can take a step further into the life of your local church. Whether that is joining a serving team, attending a small group for the first time, committing to give, or simply showing up consistently, take that one step. Do not wait for the perfect moment. Local faithfulness is how global impact is made, one block at a time.
Ask yourself these questions as you reflect:
Am I treating the church as something I attend, or something I am actively a part of building?
What gifts, experiences, or perspectives has God given me that I have not yet offered to my church community?
Is there a barrier, whether cultural, relational, or personal, that is keeping me from experiencing true unity with other believers?
What is the one next step God is inviting me to take in my faith right now?
The church is not a building. It is you, your neighbor, and every believer across the globe, joined together with Jesus as the cornerstone, being built into something that will outlast any structure made by human hands.
