We have a theme for the new year at Vanceburg Christian Church—“God’s 2020 Vision for the Church”. This year we will focus on what the Bible says about the church.

In January, we have a 3-week series of sermons planned. The title of the series is “Let’s B the Church”. In the next few weeks we will talk about three words that describe the church; all three words begin with the letter “B”—Body, Building and Bride.

The Bible says that the church is the body of Christ. It functions much like the human body, with many different parts working together for the good of the body. We have different gifts and talents, and God uses the uniqueness of each church member to complement what other members add with their own contributions. With all the members working together, the church becomes all that God intends for it to be. Ephesians 4:15-16 says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

The Bible also says that the church is like a building. According to Ephesians 2:20-22, the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

So while the church is not the building where the members meet, it is like a building, built on the firm foundation of Jesus and his apostles and prophets. As people are added to the church, they become a part of this dwelling in which God lives.

Finally, the church is the bride of Christ. Many people try to say “Yes” to Jesus while saying “No” to the church, but the Scripture does not leave us with that option. The church is the beautiful bride of Christ! In spite of the imperfections of each congregation, the blood of Jesus washes the church clean and through his power Jesus is able to present us as his wonderful bride!

Because of this, marriage is intended to be a beautiful picture of the sacrificial love that Jesus has for his church. We read in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

There you have it. The church is a body, a building and a bride. If you are a part of the church, let’s “B” the best church we can be! If not, I urge you to seek out a Bible believing church and find your place in God’s wonderful story of salvation in Jesus.