Church is not so much a place to go to as it is a family to which we belong. We do not gather together to honor God through our activities, we gather together to honor God through our love for Him and for His people.
A real church possesses loving and sacrificial leadership. Spiritual shepherds must prepare to persevere through much opposition and pain as they serve God in the church.
We have many reasons to thank God for the church. However, no church can survive apart from the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in her midst. The existence and health of the church rests upon the experience of the Holy Spirit converting men and women from darkness to light.
Life in Christ brings trials and hardships, but Jesus promises deliverance to those who persevere. All believers should expect hardships, and we must examine ourselves to know whether we are prepared for the path that awaits us.
