There are many beautiful church buildings in the world, and when we think of the church, we often think about these places of worship. However, the church is actually not a building at all; it is the family of God!
God, who is our Father, adopted us into His family when He sent His son Jesus Christ to save us by dying on the cross for all of our sins.
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1
"He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."
Ephesians 1:5-6
When you become a Christian, you become a member of God's eternal family. Every Christian on earth is your brother and sister!
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 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."
Ephesians 2:19-22
As humans, God designed us to thrive in a community. We are not meant to do life on our own, but with fellow believers who can encourage us, lift us up in prayer, and come alongside us in our walk with God while we do the same for them. We find this community in our local church.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts," Acts 2:42,46
"not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:25
In conclusion, while some people may say that it's not important to meet with our fellow brothers and sisters, God tells us that it is essential! We encourage you to find a local Bible-believing church to become a part of and thrive as God intended. The support of God's loving family makes a significant impact on our lives!