“And his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4b).

People often wonder how they can recognize the voice of God over all the voices that vie for their attention and allegiance.

The voice of God is not as difficult to recognize as one might think. The voice of God sounds exactly like the Bible. If it’s God speaking, God will not contradict and go against what God has spoken through his word.

And here’s the rub. I think most of us already know this. But the reason why we ask this question is because we don’t like what the Bible says. We really want to do something other than what the Bible says. So we ask around for opinions from friends and colleagues – most who don’t know Jesus and, certainly, do not live submitted lives to Jesus. And when they give us advice that sounds more like what we actually want to do, we wonder if God might not be speaking through others.

You want to know what God sounds like? Read your Bible. God sounds exactly like the Bible.

In the 1890s there was a small Baptist church in Mayfield County, Kentucky. 

The church had two deacons who were constantly arguing and bickering over some issue or the other. One of them put up a small wooden peg on the back wall so the pastor could hang up his hat. When the other deacon discovered the peg, he was outraged. “How dare you put a peg in the wall without first consulting me!” The people in the church took sides and the congregation eventually split. 

Today the residents of Mayfield County still refer to the two churches as Peg Baptist Church and Anti-Peg Baptist Church.

What does that have to do with Jesus? What does that have to do with the mission of the church to make disciples and grow faithful disciples who share God’s love with all people? What does that have to do with anything resembling the purpose of the church?

Churches today would never get sidetracked by things like that, right?

Right?

ecclesia

That’s the Greek word for church.

ecclesia is a compound word made up of two Greek words:

• ek – out of
• kaleo – to call

ecclesia literally means “the called out ones” or the “called out congregation”.

Notice – the church is a singular noun but you cannot have a church that is made up of a single individual. That’s an impossibility.

The church is the “called out ones” or the called out congregation”. The very word church implies many individuals gathered and called out for a purpose. That’s why Jesus promised, “Where two or more gather in my name, there I am. with them” (Matthew 18:20).

So all who think they can be lone ranger Christians. Sorry. That’s an impossibility. There ain’t no such thing as a solitary Christian.

The church only exists when two or more are gathered in Christ’s name. That’s why the only way you can be church is to be a part of called out gathered people.

A single bee is not a swarm
A lone wolf is not a pack
A solitary ant is not a colony
And, you by yourself, are not the church

By: Mark Penrith