As a church we are currently in a building campaign to Buy A Brick.  Our goal is to build a House of God in which to meet for worship and fellowship.  This is a very worthy goal and God’s blessing has been upon our efforts to build a place of worship.  However, I want us to think about another type of “building.”   Not a construction of bricks and mortar, but the building up of the Church eternal—the body of Christ.   To examine this subject, I want to ask three questions: What makes a healthy church?  What makes a church a dynamic witness in the world?  

What does God expect from all believers?

To answer these questions, one must examine closely what is recorded in the letters written to the various New Testament churches.  As one journeys through the New Testament epistles, one major concept keeps jumping off the pages of Scripture.  Again and again the writers instruct believers about what they are to do for one another.  Paul, particularly, uses the Greek word allelon (meaning “one another”) nearly forty times to instruct Christians regarding their mutual responsibilities to their fellow believers.  

In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul describes the building up of believers using the beautiful analogy of the human body.  This great first-century church planter made it crystal clear that the “body of Christ” will never become a growing and dynamic community reflecting Christ’s love unless “each part does its work.”  God’s plan is that “the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16).

Paul called the individual member of the Church a “joint” (KJV) or a “supporting ligament” (NIV).  The human body is made up of joints and ligaments perfectly fitted to hold the body together and enable it to work effectively.  If you do not believe this is important, just ask a person who has had a shoulder, or even a finger, dislocated!  When each person in the body of Christ works together like the joints and ligaments of the natural body, the Church is strengthened.

It is important to note that we have organized our church program so that true “body function” takes place.  When a church is small, it is easy to give opportunity for people to participate when the whole church meets on Sunday. However, as a church grows, it becomes more difficult.  That is why we have designed our small group ministry which we call “Carecells.”  A Carecell meets weekly in homes and is led by lay leaders. It is designed to complement the larger meetings of the church when we meet for worship, celebration and learning the Word of God.  It is in these small groups that real Body function takes place.  Without this experience, we are out of harmony with what the Bible teaches about every part being necessary for the body of Christ to build itself up in love.

Every member must ask himself: What can I do as a joint or supporting ligament to strengthen my church body?  We need every individual to function as a working part under Christ’s direction.  Often people have the mistaken impression that the larger the church, the less my help is needed.  Actually, the opposite is true. We have many unmet needs in our Body.  I believe that all of these needs can be met if every member exercises their gifts to build up one another.   Are you doing your part?