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What pops into your mind when you hear the word "church"?
For many people, it's the image of a perfect and pristine chapel, painted white with a stately steeple and, of course, decorated and detailed with stainedglass windows. For others, it might be the figure of a grand cathedral studded with saintly statues. But by the Bible's definition, the church is much more than a building. Instead, the church is a precious gathering of principled people— Christians who have been called out of the world for a cause.

As we will see over the course of the coming month, the church is given three distinct descriptions in Scripture. God's Word refers to it as a body (Romans 12:4), a bride (John 3:29), and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). All of these carry a special function and are supposed to behave in a certain way. This is important to understand because I frequently find that people outside of the church are confused about what the church really is. If the church is not fulfilling its intended functions, then the world looks at this curious collection of Christians and concludes, "I don't get it."

Whether it's social activities, governmental involvement, or just plain entertainment, many churches are trying to be something that they think the world wants, forsaking their functions in the process. The reality is that when we try to adjust to what we think the world wants, we will never become what the world really needs to see. The church isn't a social club. It isn't a governmental agency. And it isn't an entertainment center. It is something much greater and glorious. As the coming month will reveal, it's a body, a bride, and a holy nation, which, when functioning as it should, is God's agency of change in a miserable and mundane world.

How does the worldly concept of the church and the biblical definition of the church differ?

Describe the church's functions.

Are you fulfilling these functions, and how can you do better?