WHAT IS GOD BUILDING IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA?

“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.” – Ephesians 2:20-22

It is common for Paul to use multiple metaphors to make a point. In Ephesians 2, he describes the church as a kingdom, family, and building. In the building metaphor, Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. But what is God building in Northwest Florida and around the world?

There are many shows where people come in and completely transform a house or apartment from plain to beautiful. God is also in the construction business. His building skills, however, are beyond our wildest imagination.

God’s construction project is the church – not just physical buildings, but the fellowship of all people who believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the chief cornerstone, which determines the other stones’ position in a structure. Without Him, it loses its reason for being. The question is, why did God decide to put so much effort into building it? Did God build His church to give us a place to meet each Sunday? Did He build His church to help the less fortunate in our communities? Or did He build it so believers can encourage each other in their faith?

The church’s purpose is to be the believer’s spiritual family. Through the church, God takes people with different personalities and gifts, unites them as a single body, and equips them to care for each other and reach the world. We were not meant to live the Christian life alone; surrounded by the church’s biblical teaching and loving community, we find our own purpose in life.

Acts 2:42 explains the internal function of the church: “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.“ Yes, the church has often failed in this mission, but God knew this would happen when He started the construction project. After all, he’s dealing with imperfect people. Nonetheless, He loves us. He wants to build His church family. For this to happen, He uses His church body to show the world who He is.

All we want for people on the Emerald Coast and the world is for them to encounter Jesus—really encounter Him. We want them to see the living God—how loving, kind, active, and present He is in our lives because we believe everybody needs and should hear about the transforming love of Jesus.

Discussion Question:

How do you answer the question, what is church?
What do you like about the church? What do you dislike?
What can we do this week to build the church?