Over recent weeks we’ve been exploring the theme ‘God’s idea of Church’.
We’ve seen how Jesus came to bring God’s kingdom to earth. All of us, whether we know it or not, ache for the day His kingdom will be fully revealed. Creation aches with us (Romans 8:18–25).
And so everything God does on earth is a step in this grand task. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom, and it has been constantly unfurling throughout history as men and women hear his call and set out to follow him together.
So Jesus builds his Church in this context. In Church we join God in His work. We should seek to do what He’s blessing rather than ask Him to bless what we’re doing. For us, no individual church is the centre of gravity; rather, God is, and the rule of His kingdom should dictate how we do church.
Churches will be fruitful in as much as they come from Jesus’ initiative (John 15:1–17) and faithful in as much as they continue to be true reflections of the eternal kingdom. So before we jump ahead to organise things, we have to start with who God is, what He’s up to, and what His kingdom is like. Then we’ll start to get a picture of what that should look like in our flesh-and-blood, week-to-week relationships in rainy England, sunny Tenerife, or wherever He calls us.
“We should seek to do what He’s blessing rather than ask Him to bless what we’re doing.”
anon
Each church should be a microcosm, or small-scale example, of the kingdom.
Think of a long, thin magnet, maybe a metre long. At one end is a North pole and at the other, a South pole. Poles either attract or repel. However, if you were to cut the magnet in half, the new ends would become North and South as well. No matter how small you cut the sections, each would have a North and a South.
Keep this in mind when pondering pictures of the kingdom in the Bible. Scripture gives us a magnificent glimpse of the finished, wonderful creation. This eternal kingdom is so real, but because it’s so vast and profound it can be hard to grasp in rational terms. For instance, Revelation 21:2 describes a city that is also a bride. However, whatever we see there is what we should also see imperfectly reflected in smaller gatherings, because Jesus is with us there too, even when only two or three of us gather.
God’s idea of Church is a radical foundation that has shaken up all our lives and made us do many things we wouldn’t have dreamed of. The Church is founded on the apostles and prophets as described in Scripture (Ephesians 2:20). It’s the job of prophets and teachers today to see with new eyes how God desires to practically build each church on this foundation today.
As we talk, study, and seek God for His way forward for us, let’s ask the Spirit to reveal God’s dreams to us. Let’s pray for Him to inspire our ‘prophetic imagination’.
Thank you for this post, Aidan. I especially appreciated your point that “the Church is founded on the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20) and that it’s the job of prophets and teachers today to see with new eyes how God desires to build each church on this foundation.
I’m an independent worship artist, and I wanted to share something with you that I think fits with what you’re teaching here. I recently released a song called “Healer, Hear Us”—a corporate worship prayer built on James 5 and the Gospels.
Here’s the burden behind it: the church has learned to sing big and pray small. We’ll preach that God is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”—and then someone gets sick and suddenly we start hedging everything. James 5 doesn’t read like an optional tradition to me. It reads like a prescription. So I wrote a song that helps the church actually *do* it.
The chorus anchors us in who God is—Jehovah Rapha, still the healer, still the Great Physician—and then keeps it honest with that Mark 9 cry: “We believe; help our unbelief.”
I think a church that’s rediscovering its apostolic and prophetic foundation needs worship music that actually prays for healing—not with hype, but with faith. That’s what I was trying to write.
If it resonates with you, I’d be honored if you’d share it or feature it for your readers. You can listen here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1lcl6Ql4Qvi2oPrmtyjWoh
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mAA2FipEjjVEcX4HPvi0iCj0Wp7-G7O0o
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/let-us-sing-your-praise/1835361902
Grace and peace from across the pond,
David Wyatt
The Twice Found
jdavidwyatt.com