Do you love the church?  Have you noticed that often peoples' notions of love are twisted and false? It seems the old definition has been lost and forgotten.  There was a time when people understood love to include sacrifice, forgiveness, commitment, giving of time, dollars, and effort.  It is difficult for most people today to rightly conceive of loving the church.  Not only has the meaning of love been skewed but the concept of the church has been contorted and mangled beyond recognition.

Many new or recent converts to the Christian faith, as well as some long time Christians, do not have a biblical view of what God intends for the church to be.  One of the most important things on God’s current agenda is the church.  What is God’s Divine design for the church?  What is His eternal plan for it?  What should be your part in His plan?

King David had a genuine affection for the people and place of worship.  Once he boldly and passionately prayed: “Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where your honor dwells…in the congregations will I bless the Lord.”

Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College (1795-1817) wrote this:

                                                      I love thy kingdom, Lord,

                                                      The house of Thine abode,

                                                      The church our bless’d Redeemer

                                                      Saved with His own precious blood

                                                      I love Thy church, O God:

                                                      Her walls before Thee stand,

                                                      Dear as the apple of thine eye,

                                                      And graven on Thy hand.

                                                      For her my tears shall fall,

                                                      For her my prayers ascend;

                                                      To her my cares and toils be giv’n,

                                                      Till toils and cares shall end.”

In our BBN–BI courses we have two great courses to help you better understand God’s intentions for the church.  We hope you will select one or both of these to study in the near future: Course # 11900, The Essence of The Church, Dr. Erwin Lutzer; # 00600, The Study of The Church, Dr. Manford G. Gutzke.