God’s Church has been around for a long time. It comes in all different shapes and sizes. Maybe you have seen a church or maybe you have attended. But what is God’s Church? Why is it important? This month we are looking into the history and importance of the Church through our new series called God’s Community - The Church!

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CHURCH: GOD’S MASTER PLAN

GOD WANTS A FAMILY

(Ephesians 2:19 TLB)  Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God's very own family, citizens of God's country, and you belong in God's household with every other Christian.

EKKLESIA - “THE CALLED-OUT ONE’S”

(Ephesians 2:21-22 TLB) We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God. (22) And you also are joined with him and with each other by the Spirit and are part of this dwelling place of God.

(Ephesians 3:3, 5 NLT) As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me…. (5) God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.

CHURCH IS GOD’S PLAN

(Ephesians 3:6 NLT) And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.

ONE BIG EXTENDED FAMILY, WITH MANY UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS

(Hebrews 10:25 TLB) Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

(Psalm 92:13 NIV) Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.

GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN WAS YOU FLOURISHING IN A CHURCH

(Ephesians 3:10-11 NLT) God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (11) This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT) Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (21) Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

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Connect Group Questions:

• What does it mean to be part of God’s family? (Ephesians 2:19)
• How does being “called out” by God make you feel? (Ephesians 2:21-22 TLB + Ephesians 3:3, 5 NLT)
• Why is the church important to God’s plan? (Ephesians 3:6)
• How can being in a church help you grow?
• How can you help with the church’s mission?

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