Because the Lord is building His church out of living stones—people—the great works He is building will not be completed quickly, or easily. Those who leave during the process, before the body of Christ has become what we are called to be, will not likely be part of the church at the end. They will more likely be part of those who persecute it. 

         However, not all who leave a local body of believers are leaving the Lord’s will. We must leave room for the Holy Spirit to place members of the body of Christ where they belong. Some are in a good church, but not the right one for them, and the Holy Spirit needs to move them. 

         Some have received all the teaching and training they could from one church, and the Spirit is moving them so they can get teaching that is not available in their previous church. We must keep in mind that we are all one church—His body—and leaving one congregation for another does not mean we are leaving His body, or His will. 

         The Lord showed us in the beginning that MorningStar’s home church in Fort Mill, South Carolina, was to be a place of training for certain gifts and ministries, and that when our members had gotten what they needed from us, He would move them to their ultimate place. In this way we have been used to populate many congregations in our region. It’s always somewhat bittersweet when they leave. However, we are a “sending church,” so this is a sign we’ve done our job.

         We do have a core of faithful people, many of whom have been with us for many years. They not only help give our body stability, but they help equip the people God sends to us. 

         A person’s church family can change from time to time, but the point is that we all need one. We are told in I John 1:7 that if we “walk in the light as He is in the light,” we will have koinonia somewhere. It could be in a large church, or with just one or two other believers, but we should be growing in a deep and vital relationship with God’s people somewhere.

         As a person grows from infancy, they begin to understand how the different parts of their body function and become more skilled at using them. So should a church body. Just as a hand is joined to the wrist and arm, we too will start to become more strongly linked to other believers. Because we are a family, we may be grow close to people with different functions than ours, the way we would in a family. The metaphors of how we are a body, a temple, a field, a priesthood, an army, or a city on a hill all help remind us to develop as we should. These metaphors may not be perfect fits for modern life, nor are they meant to be. 

         Likewise, there may be times when the Lord’s focus for us can change. He may for a time emphasize being the bride of Christ so we grow in worship and love for the Lord. Then, later, He may emphasize developing as an army for missions, or some other aspect of our calling. This is why it is crucial for us to be connected as we should in the body, but our connection to the Head is the most vital. Every part of our physical body gets its commands directly from the Head, though these can come through the other members. We must all know the Lord’s voice and follow Him. 

         As we mature in our church body relationships, all of this will make more sense. We must keep in mind that these metaphors are meant to give us a general understanding of how we are to grow together, and we must not become so rigid they hinder our real and vital relationships with the Lord and His people. If we follow the Lamb, we will become all we are called to be in an edifying, practical way. 

         The body of Christ is made up of people, and we should expect all relationships to be challenging at times. However, if we hold fast to our relationships within the body of Christ when they are being challenged, they can become even deeper, richer, and more fruitful.

© 2024 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.