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A dictionary defines church as a building for public and especially Christian worship or a body or organization of religious believers. The English “church” is from the Old English word “cirice,” derived from West Germanic “kirika,” which in turn comes from the Greek “kuriakē,” which means “of the Lord.” So, the church can have many meanings but mainly the church is “Of the Lord.” 

If you want to know more about the church look at Jesus, study Jesus’ teaching, be a disciple of Jesus. I believe this is the foundation every church should rest upon. Jesus was preparing his disciples then and now for a mission. That mission is called the church. Listen to what Jesus said in the first chapter of Acts:

“In just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

• You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

• You will receive power from the Holy Spirit.

• You will be my witnesses, telling people everywhere.

Richard Avery describes the church in a song: “I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we’re the church together!”

1. The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people.

2. We’re many kinds of people, with many kinds of faces, all colors and all ages, too, from all times and places.

3. Sometimes the church is marching, sometimes it’s bravely burning, sometimes it’s riding, sometimes it’s hiding, always it’s learning.

4. And when the people gather, there’s singing and there’s praying, there’s laughing and there’s crying sometimes, all of it saying:

Trying to follow Christ without the help of the Church and The Holy Spirit is like trying to guide a sailboat across the Atlantic Ocean with no wind or current. You can push against the mast of the boat and make it rock. If you push strenuously, over and over you can make the boat rock and even create a few waves. Seeing the waves will make you think you are making progress and you work harder but you are still going nowhere.

The source of our strength, our peace, our comfort, our stability all lies with the grace offered through Jesus Christ and carried out by God’s church and God’s Holy Spirit. Mark Batterson in “Please, Sorry, Thanks” writes that we should be seeking answers to the following:

• How do you cultivate intimate relationships?

• How do you make amends for the mistakes you’ve made?

• How do you overcome trauma?

• How do you find true happiness?

• How do you shift the atmosphere at home?

• How do you change thee culture at work?

• How do you win friends and influence people?

I believe you can find the answers to those questions by strengthening your connection with God guided by the church. 

“I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we’re the church together!”

Rev. Larry E. Davies can be reached at larrydavies@vaumc.org.