Established by Jesus
"On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
- Matthew 16:18
I have noticed that it has become popular of late to critique the church. I read about one church that did a 2011 Easter campaign in which they put up signs all over town that read, "Church sucks." Supposedly the idea was to attract would-be churchgoers to their website. But I was actually offended by it. How dare anyone say that church sucks? Who are they to say that about the church?
Do I think the church is perfect? No. Do I think the church has flaws? Yes, because people like me are in it. But I also know the Bible says that Jesus loves the church (see Ephesians 5:25). So I would never speak critically of that which Jesus loves.
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Some are disillusioned by the church today. They are bitter with the church and complain about the hypocrites who are in the church. But there is no such thing as a church without hypocrites, so we need to stop looking for it. Instead, we need to realize that Jesus established the church, and as followers of Christ, we are to be a part of it.
The church is the only organization that Jesus ever started. He said of the church, "On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Every believer needs to be an active part of the church, because it is in the church that we learn about God together. It is in the church that we worship together. It is in the church that we find accountability to one another. It is in the church that we discover and use our spiritual gifts.
You simply cannot be the Christian that God has called you to be without being a part of the church.
