God’s design for the body of believers
Every summer, I rent a cabin at a local Christian Retreat and Conference Centre for my granddaughter and me. We spend a few days together swimming, playing games, and having fun one-on-one.
Each Sunday, they host a different speaker at the church for guests staying at the Centre. One Sunday, I mentioned to my husband that I’d like to attend their service instead of my own local church.
My husband responded, “Are you allowed? You’re not camping there until next month. You may not be welcome.”
I went anyway.
My experience with church is that anyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a member of the congregation or even a member of the denomination.
Sadly, that’s not everyone’s experience. Some people see the church as an institution, a building where intolerance, bigotry, and exclusion reign. A place where like-minded people come to shun the world.
But God’s design for the church was for a place of belonging. The body is to be a visible expression of something bigger — to be evidence of Jesus’ resurrection, living proof of the resurrection. We, the body, are to gather together as tangible evidence that Jesus is alive.
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2–3 NIV)
Acts 2:1–31 tells the story of the first Pentecost when the church was birthed. It was an invitation from Jesus to belong before you believed.
The church is meant to be a safe place to work out what we believe about God. A place where we can come in with all the baggage to encounter love — not human love but from the throne of grace.
The church is meant to be a blessing to the community around us. Acts 2:42–47 explains what it means to be a fellowship of believers:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42–47 NIV)
The church’s mission is to be a blessing, to be a light to those who don’t yet know Him. The body is to be living proof of the resurrected Jesus.
I’m glad I had the courage to attend the service at the Conference Centre. It blessed me and confirmed my belief that anyone is welcome at church.