I get asked a lot of questions about church–both from people in the church and out of the church.

People often want to know how the church works (people in the church) and who runs the church (people on the outside).

Those are valid questions. You may want to know the same.

After my sermon last weekend about “What Makes the Church a Church?”, I received an old description of what makes a church. It is very good. It went like this.

This is My Church

It is composed of people like me, We make it what it is.

It will be friendly, if I am.

Its pews will be filled, if I help to fill them.

It will do great work, if I work.

It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.

It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship if I bring them.

It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit–if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these.

Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things I want my church to be.

That is a picture of a New Testament church. You and I are the church.

It will be as we are and as we do.