Build Your Church

Written By Betty Predmore

EPHESIANS 4: 1-16

September 25

I am now a part of my church choir. We practice every week and perform several times throughout the year. Our first performance was last Sunday. One of the songs we sang was Build Your Church. The first part of the song goes like this:

On Christ alone, our Chief Cornerstone
No other foundation can we build upon
Not philosophy nor the wisdom of man
All other ground is sinking sand

Upon this rock, You build Your Church
And the gates of hell will not prevail
When we bind and loose, we proclaim Your truth
And in Jesus' name, we will not fail
Never fail, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, He's building a church now, now, now

(Elevation Worship & Maverick City Musick)

I am reminded of this song when I read today's passage. Paul is speaking to the Ephesians about building their church. He is not talking about constructing a building from the ground up. The BUILDING is not the CHURCH.

The PEOPLE are the CHURCH. He is speaking about how they treat each other:

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love.

He is letting them know how important unity is within their body of believers:

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

Paul is reminding them that they will all have responsibilities within their church:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

As believers united together, the Ephesians (and Christians of today) were to believe that God is above all and through all and in all. What does that mean? Above all is his overruling care (transcendence). Through all and in all shows his active presence in the lives of those who believe, and the world in its entirety. As a CHURCH, this is how they should be seeing God.

Paul mentions that God "led captivity captive." This is a reference to Psalm 68:18, where we see God portrayed as a conqueror who is marching to the gates to take his tribute from the fallen city. Paul uses this as the example of Christ's victory through his crucifixion and resurrection, which gave him dominion over Satan. At his ascension into heaven, he gave gifts to the church which are to be used to build it up.

What happens when a church body unites in love, patience, knowledge, and giftings?

We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever, they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

He goes on to say:

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

And that, my friends, is how you BUILD YOUR CHURCH!

Betty Predmore

Betty Predmore is a writer, blogger, speaker and ministry leaders. She is the founder of Mom-Sense, Inc., a ministry designed for mentorship, connection and service to women of all life circumstances. Through this ministry, women are encouraged and supported with scripture and life application. Mom-Sense helps women overcome life struggles through small group classes with biblical curriculum, individual counseling, bible studies, and other areas of support.

Betty also directs the Imperial Valley Life Center, which is a non-profit faith-based pro life women’s resource center. She has a passion for saving the unborn and supporting mothers through pregnancy and motherhood.

Betty loves to speak at events, sharing the love of Jesus with other women. She does this through practical life application mingled with God’s word, and sprinkled with humor. Having experienced a broken home, divorce, abuse, grief, single motherhood, blended families, and adoption, she uses the broken places and movement of God in her own life to share His word in an inspiring way. She enjoys sharing her blogs on social media as a way of reaching out on a broader spectrum. Betty has many speaking topics which can be found on her website: www.bettypredmore.com

As an author, she has had the opportunity to impact women and reach deep into their hearts with her words of inspiration and encouragement. Through Pondering Virtue and Whispered Grace, she has created wonderful tools for the woman who is seeking direction in her spiritual walk.

Betty serves on the writing team of A Wife Like Me, and is also a contributor to Moms Encouraging Moms and Gift of Thorns. Her blogs have appeared in several magazine publications throughout the years including Southern Faith Magazine, Purposeful Life, and Aspiring Woman Magazine.

While Betty thrives on her ministry opportunities, her greatest blessings come from being a wife to Jim and a mama to their wonderful collection of children, who bring joy, laughter, and an occasional tear to her days.


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