By Chad West 

A friend of mine is in a band and was at some churchy event recently and said that the MC stood up and said, “Okay, how many churches do we have here tonight?” My friend said that he was thinking, “Uh… one.” He then said that he looks forward to the day when that’s not taken as a sarcastic, clever remark and people really understand that we are one. THE Church of Jesus. 

It’s true, you know. There may be thirty buildings in town that people call a church, but it just ain’t so. There’s not one holy brick in that place; not one piece of heavenly insulation in the ceiling. It’s the people, the people of God, his sons and daughters, his bride: we are the church—those who have accepted Jesus free gift of Salvation. And we are one—whether we like it or not. 

So, why don’t we just give it up? The permanent smiles and the endless dreams of seventy-foot steeples. The lighted signs with the snappy one-liners and the tote boards full of numbers. Why don’t we just come out of our stained-glass worlds and be followers of Jesus—all of us. Together. Because you’re my brother and you’re my sister if you know Him. We’re family. We’re His Church. “If your heart is as my heart, give me your hand.”