When we are called to follow Jesus, we are also called to belong to the Body of Christ—the church. The church is not an event to go to, the church is a community to belong to. In this series, learn what it means to belong to a community of believers.

If you are saved by God's grace, you belong to God's family.

Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household.

God has made room for more to belong and so should we.

Acts 2:36-41 

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, "Be saved from this corrupt generation!" So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 

We includes me, but we is not just me. We is what a church is and how a church is to operate. 

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. 

Your spiritual well-being depends on your connection with Christ through His body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I'm not a hand, I don't belong to the body," it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 24 Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 

Love is the most important ingredient in the spiritual life and growth of the Body of Christ.

1 John 4:7-12 

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. 

Love works for the good of others.

Galatians 6:9-10 

Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.