Devotional

There are many biblical metaphors of the church. The church as a family, the church as a building, the church as a vine, the church as an army, but one of the most powerful metaphors is the church as a body. Simply put, the church is made up of different parts that form one body together. God’s design for salvation is not only that we go to heaven when we die, but that we are being built together into a kingdom, and this kingdom is bonded spiritually. We rely on each other. As we exercise our giftings and abilities in unity, we can produce much more for the glory of God than we could otherwise achieve alone. I sometimes like to think of the church as a kind of jigsaw puzzle, each piece is important.

Some might say “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” And whilst that is theologically true, what that statement overlooks is our place in the body of Christ. It is not so much what you need to be a Christian but more, what do you bring? For some, the word fellowship means little more than friendship, a gathering, somewhere to belong. But the way the Bible uses the word fellowship is more like partnership. We commit to one another for the purpose of a common vision. This is true fellowship and what the church is all about.

Brett