The Church: Not Just a Building Why the Body of Christ Matters to Jesus

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The Church: Not Just a Building

Why the Body of Christ Matters to Jesus

By Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

출처 https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/the-church-not-just-a-building/

듣기 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgBe3I40Xas

What does “Let’s go to church” mean to you? Or “Let’s have church”?

What was Jesus’ intention /when He said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18, NIV)?

When people say, “Let’s have church,” they’re talking about a service—as in, “We’ve got to go /to church /once a week.”

But that’s not the way () God looks at it.

Church is not a building.

The church is a group of people.

The Greek word is ecclesia—a group of people /called out from a larger group /to belong to God.

They have come /together /as the family of God, with the same Father,

and they’re all fellow members of this group.

What brings [us] /together and makes [us] [part of the church]?

New birth through Jesus Christ.

Being born again, being cleansed of our sin, surrendering our lives to Christ.

That’s His church­.

The church is visible but invisible.

In local places—Brooklyn, New York, for example—there is a local church,

and we can see groups of believers /there /on certain streets /at certain times.

But then there’s the invisible church, made up /of all the people /around the world //who belong to Christ.

China, Africa, Puerto Rico—the church of Jesus Christ is everywhere.

Colossians 1:18 gives [us] [some insight] /about Jesus and the church:

“He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.”

Ah, so the church is a body.

And Jesus is the head of the body.

The invisible body is made up /of members //who obey the dictates and directions of the head.

A person’s brain can say, “Raise your right hand,”

and the person’s hand and arm cooperate /to carry out the purpose of his or her brain.

The body analogy is important,

because it reminds [us] [that Jesus has a purpose for this earth, for His people, and for His honor and glory]:

to spread the gospel.

How is His purpose carried out?

Like any person’s is—by His head /directing His body.

That’s why the health of a church and the vibrancy of Christians are so important!

Who else will carry out [the will of God but His body]?

But how can we carry out [His purposes] /if we’re paralyzed, sick, weak, or undernourished?

What if churches are starving or barely hanging on or even dead—no love, no power, no vibrancy?

A weak church means that God’s purposes on earth will be hindered.

Here’s another truth: there is only one church.

I have one head, but I don’t have three bodies.

The church has one head too—Jesus—and He has one body.

We’ve got to learn [to appreciate other believers].

Every member of the body carries out [a different function].

Without my hand, I can’t sign a check or a contract.

But without my feet, I won’t get /to the desk /to sign that contract.

The hand works /with the feet.

The body of Christ works /the same way.

Not everyone is a preacher, a missionary, a choir member, or a children’s teacher.

Not everyone has a gift of prayer or can give large amounts of money.

That’s why the Bible says that every member has been put /in the church, in that one body, to work together.

There is no black church.

There is no white church.

There are no denominations.

There’s one church, and we’re all in it.

If we really want to grow in our faith and be pleasing to God, we need to appreciate all Christians

—even those //who didn’t grow up /like we did.

When I first went /into the ministry, I had great disillusionment

/because I met ministers who, I realized, didn’t care [what God was doing /anywhere but in their own circles].

One minister told me, “Why are you telling me /about a pastor in Argentina?

He’s not one of us”—meaning his microscopic denomination.

Let’s love and encourage [each other] /more.

We’re on the same team.

This is not the Patriots, the Bears, and the Rams.

We’ve got to work /together.

We can make a difference today.

Let’s start praying for believers, even those //who are not in our groups.

Let’s talk less about our own circles and more about Christ and His church

and the great things () God has in store for us /as we love and serve /together, lifting up [the name of Jesus Christ].

Prayer

Lord, we lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ /all around the world.

We pray for those //who are not in our groups.

Bless their churches, and help [us] [to work as a team for Your glory].

If this encouraged you, you can receive [Pastor Cymbala’s weekly blog post] /by email here.

For More Encouragement

• Listen to the full message by Pastor Jim Cymbala: “Not Just a Building (The Church)”
• Enjoy other resources to help you draw closer to God: “The Church of Jesus Christ” and the BT Prayer Center (praying for the body of Christ)
• Visit Pastor Cymbala’s Facebook page