What is the church?

The Church in the book of Acts exists for the world into which the Holy Spirit has placed it, not for itself. We have been trained to think from the inside out, and therefore end up with churches that think about themselves as the reason for and end result of the “ministry.” Churches that capture the nature of the Church as described and documented in the New Testament, start their thinking not with the church, but with the place into which God has placed them. Their key question is: what does God want for these people? Their singular response is: He wants every man, woman and child in this place to have the repeated opportunity to hear, understand and respond to Jesus Christ. And, for those who respond positively, to be incorporated into the life of faith, and the ministry of the purpose of the Church.

Just thinking outloud...