Church is not a building

 Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV

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.

As I was talking with my girlfriend last night, we were discussing the major snow storm that was set to hit us before morning.  I told her how much I hoped I would be able to make it to church.  Oh, how I love this friend who is always so blunt and honest with me!  She said ''Church is not a building Melissa.''  I thought about that until I went to bed.  And, when I awoke to a mass of snow and notification of our church cancellation, I was compelled to find out what church was really was.....

Many people understand the church as a building but that is not what it was intended to be.  The word ''church'' comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means ''assembly" or "called out ones".  The church is the body of Christ of which He is the head.  It is made up of all believers.  Isn't that a megachurch?!!!! I don't think there's a building anywhere that could hold us all, praise God!!

To sum it up, the church is not a building or a denomination, it is the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 states, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

Local churches (local bodies of believers) are gatherings of the universal church (all those who have a personal relationship with Christ) where the universal church members can come together to encourage, teach and build one another up in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior!!

So, church is not a building.  Paul writes in Romans 16:5 to "greet the church that is in their house." and Matthew 18:20 states, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”   So, just because you can't make it to "church" doesn't mean you can't have "church".  Gather your family together and join in worshiping Jesus and teaching your children about this most wonderful God we serve.  Blessed is the (snow filled) day the Lord has made!!!!