The word church is used well over one hundred times in the New Testament. It is obviously a very important word, but what, exactly, does it mean? Is the church merely a place for worship? Is it the sum of all the religious denominations? Or, is it something more personal and spiritual? And furthermore, how important is the church? And, does Jesus have a church to which we must belong in order to be saved?
Friend, I want to speak to your heart today—not about a building, a denomination, or a tradition—but about the church. Not just any church. I’m talking about the church Jesus built—the one He called His own, the one He died for, and the one you and I must be a part of if we want to be saved.
You see, when most people think of “church,” they think of a steeple, pews, or a cross on the wall. But that’s not how Jesus described it. The church isn’t a building made of stone or wood—it’s a people, a spiritual body made up of those who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light. The word in the Bible—ekklesia—means exactly that: the called out.
I want you to know that Jesus has a church, and He built it on the truth that He is the Son of the living God. That church began on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, when Peter preached Jesus as Lord, and sinners asked, “What must we do?” His answer was clear then, and it’s still clear now: “Repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of sins.” And when they obeyed, God didn’t tell them to choose a denomination—He added them to the church. His church. The one body. The body of Christ.
That church still exists today. It’s not tied to a brand, a man-made creed, or a denominational headquarters. It’s made up of baptized believers—people who belong to Christ and wear His name. Not Paul’s, not Luther’s, not Wesley’s—just Christ’s.
Now, let me speak plainly: if you’re saved, then you’re in Christ—and if you’re in Christ, you are in His church. And if you’re not in His church, then you’re not in Christ. That’s not my opinion. That’s what the Bible says. The church is the body, and Christ is the Savior of that body. Not bodies—body. One body. One church. One Lord. One faith. One baptism.
I hear people say, “Give me Jesus, but not the church.” But how can you have Jesus and not love what He loves? He gave Himself for the church. He bought it with His blood. It was part of God’s eternal plan before the world began. It’s not a backup plan. It’s the plan. The church is the wisdom of God on display, a family of believers brought together across every nation, tribe, and language by the blood of Christ. It’s a spiritual house, a kingdom, a temple, a body, a family—and you’re invited into it.
But I must also warn you: this body must be unified. Division is not from God. Denominationalism—splitting up Christ’s body into separate groups with different names, beliefs, and practices—is not biblical. In fact, it’s condemned. The Bible doesn’t celebrate division; it pleads for unity. Jesus prayed for it. Paul commanded it. And I call you to it.
You cannot divide what Jesus died to unite. You cannot wear a man-made name and still bring glory to Christ. You cannot create your own version of the faith and expect God’s approval. If you want to glorify God, then you must return to the Bible, do all things in the name of the Lord, and become just a Christian—nothing more, nothing less.
So let me ask you:
Are you in the church Jesus built?
Are you wearing His name?
Have you obeyed the gospel He gave?
Are you standing on the Word, or on tradition?
Friend, the truth is simple, powerful, and freeing:
The church is the saved.
It is essential.
And it must be one.
I pray that you’ll obey that truth. Not for me. Not for tradition. But for your soul.
Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
That truth is found in His Word, in His church, and in His name.
Will you come to Him today?
To God be the glory.
