What is the Church?
Most Christians realize that the church is not a building where they congregate but the people themselves, all the believers in Jesus Christ. In this way, people don't really "go to church" because they are the church.
When Peter confessed to Jesus that he was the Christ, Jesus responded by saying, "I will build my church." It is Jesus who builds his church, not men. He is the Master Architect of his church, not men. And he himself is the cornerstone of the church, not men's doctrines. No other foundation can be laid but Jesus Christ.
But today many people are attempting to define their own churches. They believe they can start a church and define it by their own doctrinal traditions. Or they seem to think the "church" is whatever "church" they choose for themselves. They might choose this church because they themselves have chosen to be the authority on whether any particular church has the right doctrines and they choose the one they deem to have the right doctrines. They might choose this church because the Pastor tickles their itching ears telling them what they like to hear. Or they may choose this church because the Pastor's sermons entertain them or amuse them in some way. Or perhaps the church music entertains them. People choose various churches for various reasons, and they are usually selfish reasons.
Many others affirm for themselves that their own particular religious group is "the true church." What they perceive to be the true church might be defined by a set of doctrines or it might be defined by the establishment of a heirarchy of authorities. But it is not men who define the true church; it is Jesus Christ.
Neither is the church defined by a heirarchy of authorities who send out instructions. When Jesus washed his disciples feet he gave them an example of how to be leaders in the church. Jesus himself did not come to be served but to serve. The greatest among Jesus' disciples is the one who serves just as Jesus served. The leaders of Jesus' church are not those who lord over others as ecclesial authorities who tell everyone what they should do but those who lead the flock by their own example of serving others. Every disciple is led by the Spirit of Jesus who is their Teacher and Lord and a church leader is one who serves, not one who lords.
The organized church system out there in the world is not of God. They are all led by men who collect your money to teach you their lies and affirm to you that their lies are the truth. This church system of many denominations fails to teach you that it is not their doctrines which define the truth but the Spirit of Truth dwelling in the faithful which defines the truth. And so they do not make disciples of Jesus but disciples of men, disciples of themselves, men seeking the approval of men rather than the approval of God Most High.
The true church Jesus is building is the "pillar and foundation of truth" in this world because it is defined as that body of believers in whom the Spirit of Truth dwells and those who walk by the Spirit of Truth such that they love others not just in word and tongue but in work and truth. The truth is the testimony of their own walk, the witness of Jesus Christ in their lives, not a paper and ink creed expressing doctrines of men.
There is only one church, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ. Jesus is building his church and he is the chief cornerstone. The church is the unity of all the faithful together and the unity of all the faithful with Jesus Christ. The church by definition is the Temple of God and the true church is found wherever the Holy Spirit of the Living God dwells. We are living stones of God's Temple and as a holy priesthood we offer up ourselves as sacrifices to God. Jesus defines the church not earthly men and his church is defined as those people in whom he lives.
Where two or three are gathered, Jesus is there in the midst of them. Disciples of Jesus, those who are truly led by the Spirit of God, should meet together whenever possible to share the Lord's Supper and to encourage one another, to build one another up, to spur each other onward to walk just as Jesus walked.
