“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” -  Ephesians 4:15-16

God places us in a church as a part of the body where Christ is the head, and we are the parts.  The parts are interdependent, and God speaks through the parts to benefit the whole.  One of the ways we hear God speak most clearly is through the church. 

The Grace of Church

Walking into the service this spring morning I’m shrouded in grief from my empty womb. We miscarry our child. I know the death of a grandparent, but this loss is so personal. This is our baby, the sibling of our firstborn. I feel raw and exposed and a little envious of my two best friends. Their babies seem blissfully safe inside of them. What have I done wrong to lose my baby?

I should stay out of the choir loft this morning, but singing soothes my soul. I’m quiet as I gather my choir robe and rehearse the warm-up song. I keep my eyes to the ground and concentrate on vocal technique.  I will myself to hold it together, but I’m not a good pretender. We take our places in the choir loft.  Feelings of sadness and grief overwhelm me as tears roll down my face. I keep singing. 

 As we leave the platform and go to the choir room, sobs roll from my stomach as my friends surround me. They hold me, care for me, cry with me, and love me.  They take turns praying words of life over me. Some recite scripture and others acknowledge my grief.  The body of Christ comes together in the most beautiful way to care for me.

Surely Christ is in our midst, in this mangled mess of tears, snot, and hugs. God uses the body of Christ to speak words of support and comfort over my grieving heart.  My friends direct my wounded heart to God’s goodness, and their words of compassion feel like a hug from heaven. 

As I return to the pews, I listen to the pastor’s message, and his words are just what I need to hear this day. When I come with an open heart to receive, God always speaks through the church.  Sometimes it's a message from the pastor or a kind gesture of a friend, but it all points me to God’s voice. 

Christ is the Head of the body

As much as the church is maligned and judged for its failures, it can also be a beautiful place. God created the church to be the redemptive tool of the world, with Christ as the Head and the body, with all its different parts working together to bring redemption to the world.

Henry Blackaby, in Experiencing God, says this about the church:

“A church is a body. It is the body of Christ! Jesus Christ is present as head of a local church and every member is placed in the body as it pleases God.  The Holy Spirit manifests Himself to every person for the common good. The whole body is fitted together by the Father. Members are enabled and equipped by the Holy Spirit to function where the Father has placed them in the body. The body then functions to build itself up into the Head and every member comes to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  God made us mutually interdependent. We need each other.  What one lacks the other will supply.”

Jesus is the Head of the church and Jesus is always listening to His father.  As pastors submit to Christ’s authority, they spend time in prayer to hear from God for their specific body. That’s why when we listen to a message, we wonder how did our pastor knows we need this? A humble submitted leader desires to hear from God for the body.

Every member is placed as God pleases in a body.  It’s important to ask God where He would like us to attend church.  As we pray and listen, God directs. He’ll lead us to a place where we can use our gifts to serve.  We each have unique gifts in the body.  Some are hands, feet, eyes, knees, or legs.  We can’t say one part is more important.  All the parts are needed to make the body whole, and when your part is missing the church is weakened.

We need each other.  God uses other people to speak into our lives, in the way of encouragement, teaching, or Biblical correction. Now, in a healthy church, these are all done with humble hearts to bring harmony and unity. Blackaby said, “God has made us mutually interdependent.”  In the body, our friends have something we need, and vice versa. The church is less about ”me” and more about God and ”we.” As we give, serve, grow, and build authentic relationships, each part becomes stronger as the body becomes healthier so it can show the hurting world, the goodness of God.

Let’s pray:

Dear God. Please place me in a healthy church where I can use my gifts to encourage the other parts of the body.  Help me remember to take my place in the body because I need people and they need me.  Please speak to me through the church.  I want to hear from the pastor and the rest of the body.  Help me come with an open heart to receive from You. Amen.

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