The world needs the real Jesus. All too often religion masks the real Jesus
in customs, traditions and bureaucratic institutions that care more about the
perpetuation of their own organizations than advancing the good news of the
Gospel and making disciples of Jesus.
There has been one church for over 2,000 years. The church is the Body of Christ; it is not an
institution. When Jesus told the
Apostle Peter he would ‘build his Church” he was referring to a people, not a
denomination. The word translated “church” comes from the Greek term
ekklesia (“upon this Rock I will build
my ekklesia” Matt 16:18), which is formed from two Greek words meaning “an
assembly” and “to call out”, or perhaps simply “called out ones.” To summarize Jesus teaching in Matthew 16:18,
the New Testament church is a body of believers who have been called out from
the world by God to live as his people under the authority of Jesus Christ.
When we are united in the faith we are “One Church”. We are One Church when we focus and teach the
essential truths of the Gospels, the essential faith. It is in this essential
truth and faith that we find revival, spiritual birth and unity. The essentials bring life and hope to all who
believe.
