The Church BST

I have been with fifteen thousand people singing to stunning contemporary rock, and with two people praying in silence. I have heard how Christ transforms lives, and how Christian friends encourage each other along. I have prayed the Lord's Prayer with people from thirty-five nations, each in our own language, and discussed with them how the gospel impacts the differences that so recently have led to war. I have met people from countries I could not place on a map, and we have treated each other as we truly are - closer than blood relatives in Christ. Time after time I have thought, 'I wish every church could be like this'. Often I have thought, 'I wish our church could be like this'. Perhaps you share that dream as well.

Church is made up of people, and God's people at that. Indeed, the English word, 'church' comes from the Greek word, kyriakon, meaning 'the Lord's'. The Bible begins and ends with God dwelling with his people, from Adam and Eve in the garden, to untold billions in the great city garden in Revelation. And at each step, God gathered his people together, to speak to them, hear from them, and change them to be more like him. Jesus came to gather his reluctant people, and one day he will send his angels to gather us all. God gathering his people is what the Bible calls 'church'.

The awful opposite of being gathered as one of God's people is to be scattered as one of his enemies, lonely, loveless and lost, for ever.