- Jesus is the head of it (Mat 21:42)
- People get added to it and it is like a family (Ephesians 2:12-19)
- Jesus is the establisher of the foundation (goals and intent), foreseen by prophets, implemented by people with apostolic callings (Ephesians 2:20)
- The people that make up the group are all equally wedge into it together (Ephesians 2:21)
There seems to be a metaphor here that the church (people) is growing up, together, and the metaphor is that we are parts of this building that is being constructed. This is cool to me for two reasons: (1) we can see here how someone might miss the metaphor bit and think an actual building IS the church - which possibly explains how we mistakenly say things like "I am heading to the church." If you are part of the church, then that sentence perpetuates a non-relational expectation that "church" is about a building where we go, and (2) constructing a building requires a plan at the minimum, with rooms built to serve different purposes. Imagine an entire house of bathrooms. That is ridiculous. And so it is important that the one constructing the building be in charge of what room get built where. Could you imagine a bathroom deciding it was a kitchen? Recall the expression, don't poop where you eat?
Now it is your turn. And remember... we are only getting started, and there will be a million other topics! But this is a foundational one. Do you have thoughts on these scriptures? Do you have other scriptures that the Holy Spirit is showing you that are helping to define church community? Add a comment and be ready to discuss?
