[323 words]
The sole business of the church is souls. The church is souls in love with God and one another. The church is souls weeping and rejoicing together, laughing and praying together, eating and singing together. The church is souls looking upward, in praise, inward in penitence, outward in practice, and forward in promise. The church is hearts knit together whose spirits share together. The heart of the church is the heart of life.
The word “church” in the Greek New Testament literally means “assembly” which indicated “community and brotherhood.” The church must live up to its name by its practice. The church does not exist to beautify the neighborhood, but to personify brotherhood. The church is not a physical building of brick or wood, but a spiritual house of men and women in fellowship with God and one another.
The huge redwood trees of California amaze mankind. They are the largest living things on earth and the tallest trees in the world. Some of them are 300 feet high and over 2,500 years old. One would think that a tree so large must have a tremendous root system that reaches down hundreds of feet into the earth. But not so! The redwoods have a very shallow root system. If one was to get down on his knees and examine the redwoods root system he would find that all the roots intertwine. They are locked to each other. When the storms come, the winds blow, and the lightening flashes, the redwoods still stand. They are not alone for all the trees support and protect each other. Each tree is important to all the other trees in the grove. This vivid illustration should teach us the necessity of meaningful involvement with each other.
The church is souls in fellowship. Without Christ, the church is nothing, and without fellowship, the church is useless. By our love, we must show the world what a difference Jesus makes!
Calvin Warpula
via Nettleton church of Christ
Jonesboro, AR