The church is Jesus’ idea. His project. His plan. His means of furthering the ministry He began, and His way of establishing His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

To be a follower of Jesus is to be a part of the Church. The church is not a building, but a people. It includes, but is more than, any one local gathering, denomination or fellowship of churches. The Church is comprised of every follower of Jesus around the world throughout every generation. We are a community whose commonality is Jesus Christ. And every person in the Church is valuable and essential.

My decision to follow Jesus is personal, but not private. My faith is individualized, but not isolated. I am a part of something much bigger than “me and Jesus.” I am a part of the Church. The Church is Jesus’ masterpiece. We are His family. We are His army. We are His body, and we are His bride.

The Church began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon a small group of Jewish followers of Jesus who had gathered in prayer, inspired by their resurrected Messiah. That same day, 3,000 people were added to the Church through faith in Jesus. Since then, the Church has experienced explosive growth and had profound impact all over the world.

Sadly, the Church has lost its way at times and in particular places, forsaking its divine mission for political power or financial gain. There are individuals within the Church who have lived duplicitous lives and brought harm to others while marring the reputation of the greater body of Christ. Wherever the Church has been, it has left both divine and human fingerprints.

It was the Church that confronted racism and slavery, promoted justice, recognized the value of women, and emphasized care and compassion to the poor and marginalized. It was the Church that made significant advancements in scientific research and philisophical reasoning. It was the Church that expressed its worship through art, music, and literature. It was the Church that championed reading, education, and lifelong learning by establishing local schools and universities. It was the Church that understood the importance of law, governance, and an individual’s rights. The contributions of the Church ought not to be minimized; but the work of the Church is far from finished.

In these last days, it is imperative for the Church to reclaim our identity and renew our commitment to Jesus and His mission. We, the Church of Jesus Christ, must be unified, empowered, and on assignment.