By Hannah Brzozowski
When you think of the church, I bet a lot of things come to mind. Maybe you think of that one time you went to a wedding or maybe you've gone to a church building three times a week since the moment you came out of your mom. Maybe for you, it means hurt... or it means community - or maybe a little bit of both.
Wherever you're at, as a Christian, it's pretty important part of our faith. But, what should the church look like? Let's take a look at four different images we see through out the Bible to answer that question.
1. The Church looks like a body.
In Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, Paul writes about the importance of each person in the church and uses the image a body to illustrate his point.
For a moment, think of your own body. Each part of your body functions to help you live the best life. You have your fingers that help you grab things. You have legs that get you places you want to go. Your heart pumps blood throughout your body to keep you alive. All of these function together to help the body survive and thrive. Each part has it's job to complete.
Just like our own body parts, we all have different gifts. We all thrive in different ways. Some of us might love to preach. Others might enjoy serving in the background. Others might be gifted to teach the kiddos. While others might be ready to host someone at any moment. There are so many different personalities and gifts in the church.
What does that mean for you? It means that you should figure out what your gifts are, if you don't know already. Try out different roles in the church and see where you thrive. For instance, for me, I've tried out preaching in the past couple of years. At first, I was terrified but now that I've done it a couple of times, I'm excited for my next message.
2. The Church looks like a building.
This one is probably the most obvious. Whenever you think of church, you probably already think of a building. This one is probably the most obvious image to you but I think it goes way beyond a physical building.
In Ephesians 2:19 it says: "So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 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."
The apostles (Jesus' closest followers) and the prophets (those who spoke for God in the Old Testament times) built a foundation for us and we are each a piece of that building with Jesus being the cornerstone. He is the starting point and we are all put in place from him.
3. The Church looks like a family.
We were created to be with others. People need community. More than just community, we benefit when we grow in our faith together. There's something special about coming together in the same room every week, with mostly the same people, and worshipping God together. I can't quite explain it but once youe experience it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
When Jesus talked about his brothers and sisters, he was talking about this special community of faith called the church. Ideally, the church is there for each other through thick and thin, like a blood related family should be.
You'll often find that it's the church that is making you a meal when you're going through a hard time. Who throws you that baby shower when you have no one else in town? The church. Through the highs, we celebrate. Through the lows, we weep together. Like God, the church is there through it all (at least we should be).
4. The Church is a beacon.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14-16
In movies, you often see the church depicted as a place of hope. The character walks in and sits down, typically depressed about something. Then, the pastor or priest, walks over and asks some insightful questions and gives a bit of advice. Why does Hollywood depict the church like this? Because this what people have experienced themselves.
The church is place that you should be able to find answers and hope for life's toughest questions. It should be that beacon in the storm, helping people find Jesus in the midst of the hardest parts of their life. It's why people will often come to church when they have lost a loved one or are going through a divorce. People want that hope, that light that the church offers.
As you reflect on these images, I'd encourage you to reflect on your own church journey. Do you have a home church now? Do you contribute time to the church you're in? Are you invested relationally with the people there?
If you're looking for a church, we'd love for you to check out Anchor. You can plan your visit now by clicking the button below.