Church site 1: The church

In an effort to keep some reading material appearing here while I'm sidetracked with the novelty of Facebook, I'm including a few things I wrote for an as-yet unlaunched church website...

What is the church?

Christians believe that ever since humans first rejected the God who made them, God has been working to establish a people for himself. This story is told throughout the books of the Bible. It started with the nation of Israel. Then, with the coming of Jesus the Christ, the people of God was redefined and participation was thrown open for all humanity. This is described in various ways: Jesus refers to it as the kingdom, Paul calls it the body of Christ, others talk about it as God's family.

That is what the church is: God's people. This means that "the church" is all the Christians on the planet, and "church" is any gathering of Christians. The church includes Christian believers from every region and culture, and it doesn't just happen on Sundays! It's a family, a global network of people. They are united by two things that define the church:

• A common faith in Jesus Christ as their rescuer, king and friend
• God's Spirit living in each of them, helping them to live their lives for God

Without its people, the church wouldn't exist. At the same time, Christians need the church. When someone becomes a Christian, they become a part of God's family. If a Christian believer plans to continue and grow in their faith, it is vital that they meet regularly with others in this family. The church is an essential source of encouragement for Christians. It is in community with other Christians that faith can be nurtured and flourish