Why do Christians gather on Sunday mornings? Does it matter where we gather? Who is welcomed at these meetings? What should we be doing when we gather? In this message, Pastor Jamie shares who we truly are as "the church".

History of the word "church":

Ekklesia: not a religious term. It means a gathering, a congregation, or an assembly of people.

In the first English translations, ekklesia was correctly translated as "congregation." But in 1611 the King James Version unfortunately opted for "church" instead, based on the German word "kirche".

The church is not a building, but a gathering of believers. Its not somewhere you go, its something you are.

Samaritan woman at the well who asks where to worship- The temple or the mountain?

John 4:20-21;24

The location of worship is not as important as the way you worship.

The question isn't "WHERE do I worship God? but HOW should I worship God?"

True worship is the result of knowing the one you worship, not where you worship Him.

 You are the location where Christianity takes place.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

God is jealous for you like religious people are jealous for their holy sites.

Act 7:48 

There are no sacred places, only sacred people.

What is a church?

A church is an intentional gathering of people who follow Jesus.

Intentional

Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

If you're gathering with believers less and less these days, you're going the wrong way. If you're going everywhere but church, you're going the wrong way.

"Successful people do consistently what normal people do occasionally." Craig Groeschel

Gathering

Church is a collective noun, meaning it describes a group.

Hebrews 10:25 

You can be a Christian by yourself, but you can't be church by yourself.

Jesus never discipled individuals, he always discipled groups.

Jesus had groups of 3, 12, 70 , 120 , & 500.

Online viewing is good as an exception. But watching a church service online is like watching a video of a fire—you can see the light but you can't feel the warmth. You're getting teaching, but you're missing out on gathering.

People who follow Jesus:

Church is not where you meet with friends; its where you meet with family. You don't choose your family—God gives them to you, and your family often aren't people you're naturally drawn to.

Colossians 3:11 

It doesn't matter who someone has been, it only matters who they are now.

"Christ is all and in all" - Jesus is the point of everything, so find the Jesus in people when they annoy you.

The biggest threat to the church is not from outside of the church, but from within. Its disunity.

John 17:21 

Galatians 3:26-28 

Put on Christ. Wear your Jesus jersey. Prioritize Jesus over all other labels.

Are you embracing your church family?