Uncovering Church

Who is the church and what is she called to do?

First and foremost, the church is a gathering of those whose spirits have been quickened, whose lives and futures have been completely redirected. That’s who she is—far more than a building, a sermon, a weekly offering.

And what is she called to do as a result of who she is called to be?

Over the centuries, the church has accumulated a lot of programs and priorities—many of which help us carry out our mission; some of which distract us from our essence. And when we’re distracted from the essence of what Jesus has called and created the church to be, we fail to build up believers (Ephesians 4:12), to “season” our culture with a taste of God (Matthew 5:13, The Message) and to bring glory to God (Matthew 5:16).

That lack of seasoning in our postmodern culture is prompting Christians all across the country to ask probing questions about the essence of church. About what really matters. About what is nice but not essential.

All because the world so desperately needs to get a taste of God from a clear picture of Christ’s body at work.

So, what is church? On which biblical elements must we focus most of our time and attention if we wish to be all that Jesus envisioned? What other familiar elements have served us well but shouldn’t garner so much of our attention and resources?

Different people cite different texts to support their theological models, including the EFCA leaders in this issue. But listen in as they talk about an exciting process—the process of drilling down into the never-changing, always-relevant Word of God to determine the essence of what it means to be a vibrant, Jesus-centered body in a world that so desperately needs it.