The Body of the Church: Each Part Matters

The greatest gift God has given us is our relationship with Jesus Christ. The true living example of what He initially designed us to be; loving, caring, generous, selfless, genuine, unique, and talented individuals. This makes the body of the church.

Jesus was able to effectively speak to others, to heal the sick, bring others back from the dead, to relate to others through his experiences and to create perfected work through his craftsmanship as a carpenter. Jesus did these things in order to glorify God. To bring God the glory so that God’s children would recognize Him as their Heavenly Father.

When God created each one of us, He too knew well in advance what talents we would each need to glorify Him. So each one of us were given abilities, talents, and gifts to use to glorify God. These talents are not just there to serve as a stepping stone for a worldly job, but also to serve the body of the church.

I know you are probably wondering, what is the body of the church? And that is a great question! The “body” of the church is made up of the members of the church; individuals who believe in Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ is seen as the “Head”. The theology behind this symbolism is biblically sound and can be found in various pieces of scripture throughout the Bible. Paul wrote,“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” Ephesians 1: 22-23.

Scripture gives us an understanding of our role as followers of Christ within the church body. In Romans 12: 4-6 the body of the church is described by Paul in his letter to the Romans, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”

The Body of the Church: Each Part Matters

How Are We Unified?

We as a church body are unified through the relationship we all have with Jesus Christ and are all brothers and sisters because we are in Christ. God wants us to be close, unified, and help one another. When the church body becomes close, it magnifies each other’s gifts; it gives us an opportunity to see other sides of each other that we can’t always see at a distance.

When the moment arises and we can clearly see these God-given talents and strengths in one another, we should always encourage that brother or sister to continue using their gifts. We should lift each other up and support one another’s talents because it will only create a stronger unity among the body of the church. As Peter shared in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 

We also need to recognize the importance of this unity. True unity is the only way the church can function to its full Godly potential. It truly takes the whole body to take on its true form.“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

Find Our True Identities

As each of us serves the church we draw closer to God, thus growing closer to our true selves. This is because we lose our selfish desires and surrender our love and time to Him. This process removes our manmade identity and you begin to see and feel your true self. Paul explains this in Ephesians 4: 22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

This is why fellowship is so important. As we spend time with each other and encourage each other, it becomes easier to put off our old selves and put on the new. If we are just coming to church on Sunday mornings and spending the other six days a week out in the world, it is easier to fall back in our old ways of life then to move forward into the new.

There are many different ways to engage in fellowship with your church body. You can do this through church dinners, prayers nights, and most importantly small group courses. When you join a small group, you are doing more than just growing personally in your relationship with Jesus Christ, you are also growing in your relationships with those who are in your group.

As we spend time in fellowship, we fill up with the word and the Holy Spirit. This allows us to go out into our week as a bright shining light for Christ. If you are looking for ways to be a light outside of church, check out this article 7 Ways to Be a Light Outside of Church and spread the love of Jesus all week long.

Have Faith In One Another

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes.They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17: 5-8

As we take on different roles and responsibilities within the church we should support one another, but more crucially we need to trust in God. We should have faith that each one of us has been drawn to these roles in the church because of our talents and skills. Just like the body, the foot has a separate and special function from the hand. Each member of the body too has a special function, but it is not up to us to decide if that function is being used properly. Through prayer and our faith, God will lead each member in the right direction. Allowing each member to serve God to their fullest potential.

Which Part Are You?

Where in the church body do you fit in? Are you a teacher? Do you enjoy leading others? Are you an organizer? Do you enjoy planning or hosting? Are you creative or musically inclined? These are all questions you can ask your self before looking into different positions, roles and tasks within your church.

Socializing during fellowship and attending church functions can help you gain a sense of where you fit it. But praying to God where you belong is the best advice I could give another Christian. He knows where you can flourish in your church because He knows you better than anyone else! So if you feel you are being called to become a part of your church body so you can fully use your skills and talents, don’t hesitate! See where you can help and let the Lord guide you. For you should “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3: 5-6. 

Leah Lincoln

Hello Friends! My Name is Leah Lincoln and I am the co-founder of Abide and Seek, which is mine and my husband’s Christian Blog. I write articles based on my past experiences and point of view as a Christian woman in hopes to help others find their everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ. Although I am a follower of Jesus, I have a background in science which I feel only enhances my understanding of God’s creation. I am a stay at home mom who enjoys watching our 2 year old son grow and learn something new each day and we just welcomed home our newest child this past December! A sweet little girl! My passions include writing to inspire others, crafting and creating art, tending to and saving animals, gardening, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee with the company of good friends and family.