Who Is Building A Church?

I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Matthew 16:18

Here we go! It is so exciting to be a part of a church that is growing and taking steps of faith and obedience towards a greater vision to reach the lost. Over the past five years I have seen God’s faithfulness and blessing in innumerable ways but only really recently do I see how He is preparing us for a great move of His Spirit. He is calling you and I to join Him on the wall and be a part of the great work of the Kingdom.

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 16 that it is HIS church, and that HE will build it. Lest we think that by our own ingenuity, skill, might, or even money that WE will build His church, the Bible affirms His headship over the body of Christ.

Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “God … appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body…”
Jesus is the head of our church. It isn’t the pastoral leadership, the elder board, the paid staff, or any of the ministry leaders. Thankfully there are no power- or ego-driven leaders among us, but those who have followed Jesus’s example of servant-leadership. God has placed Jesus as head of His church and in this local expression of the body of Christ, Jesus is LORD!

With this new building project, we aren’t subcontractors hired to build a dream home while the ‘General Contractor’ Christ sits back in the office. We aren’t employed to work for a work-today, get-paid-today company where we have little vested interest in the final outcome of the project, just out to do quick work and get quick money. Nor are we to ignore the work and call in sick and cut corners and expect God to do it all Himself, while we sit on the wayside and complain, “those aren’t MY boxes!” Jesus will build His church, which is you and I, yet to accomplish this task He uses you and I!

Psalms 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” We desire to build up the house of God, the people of God, and we acknowledge that this is by the hand of God. If we wanted to promote our own name, our own philosophies or knowledge, or build a church in our flesh for our own selfish desires, then we would be laboring in vain. If we wanted to reach the city of Sarasota for our popularity, and not the gospel, those who pray as watchman over the lost in this area will be doing so in vain. Is your heart to reach the lost, to save the city? Have you been an active part in being a watchman, or in being a part of the work in God’s kingdom? Will you take your place on the wall?

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)