More about building people than building building

Recently our roof was badly damaged in a storm. (see pic below) People have asked 'how's the church' or say 'that's awful what happened the church'. And even though we use the term church interchangeable with the building, let us not forget what the church is, for the church is doing great.

At Good News Church we are more about building people than building buildings. So even though our building may have been damaged, the storms can huff and puff all they want and even do damage to our physical building, but we are ultimately made up not of physical resources but relational resources - relationship with God our father though Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and relationship with each others as brothers and sisters in community. It is family bonds in Christ that holds us together as Jesus builds his living temple with living stones. So for now we meet in the local Cobh Community Center (See pic below).

 When Jesus said I will build my church he didn't have buildings in mind but people. People gathered together under his rule and saving grace. People who live in community with each other as they develop in the love relationship of the trinity, the eternal community of love. It's more about family, where God is our loving father and we have been adopted in and born again as his children though the gift (grace) of  Jesus and his salvation work of sacrificial death and resurrection. It is in this grace of Jesus that we can begin to bask in Abba's love and fellowship intimately with the Holy Spirit. His Spirit calls us out of the worlds systems and to come together as one body united in Christ as brothers and sister. Out of this place we are to love not only God but one another and begin to experience heavenly community on earth. As we gather we also are encouraged and empowered while motivated by the heart beat of the Father's love, to proclaim to the world and our neighborhood Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the King and Saviour. We gather together as a congregation to worship the King of kings and to be commissioned to carry out his kingdom business into the earth. it's not about buildings but about people, the true building blocks of his 'Church'.

The word 'church' that is spoke of in the teachings of Jesus in both Matthew chapter 16 verse 18, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." and in Matthew chapter 18 verse 17, "If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;" is the Greek word 'Ekklēsia.' This word Ekklēsia was not a religious or spiritual term but a very natural everyday used term meaning 'a gathering of people'. The root is ECC meaning 'Out' and KALEO meaning 'Call', so in its most basic from it is those who are 'Called Out', or 'Called Out Ones', it was used to indicate a civil body of people that had been called out to deal with issues of the city. Its term was used to refer to the governmental assembly of the city of Athens. But it was also used in local towns concerning any summoned people to deal with issue of governance of the town.

So a church as spoke of by Jesus in Matthew chapter 16 is a people called out of the world who personally acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, the King above all others and are gathered onto doing his kingdom business. We also see how the church is relational not only towards Jesus as Lord but also as shown in Matthew chapter 18, relational towards each other.

The church is about people connected in community by faith in Christ our Lord and Saviour. Buildings are but a tool to facilitate this faith community and its functions. Church is a people gathered onto Christ Jesus (that is king, messiah Jesus) in saving grace, love of the Father and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. A people living out the command to love, forgive and accept each others as brothers and sisters in Christ as a family. A people who's commission is to proclaim Jesus as the true king over every one's life and who has come to save us spirit, soul and body. Proclaiming the Good News of wholeness in Jesus and his Kingdom (Romans 1:16). The work of the church's ministry is dethroning rulers in the minds of the people and making disciples of Jesus Christ  - their true king. (See Matthew 28:19-20)

At the root of our Ecclesiology (study, function and purpose of church) should always be people in faith relationship with Jesus Christ (Messiah) and relationship with each other, this is a firm foundation - then we are building something on rock.

In fact that relational bond is what makes us be one church in two locations and by God's grace soon to be three, Cobh 10 am, Cork City Center 7 pm and soon 12:30 am North-Side Cork. For we are about building people more than building building, we are more about building a family of faith, hope and love, where Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.