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

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll” (Revelation 22:18-19).

Truth.

Here’s the thing about truth. Truth is truth. Truth does not depend on anything else to make it true. All by itself, truth is true.

Now, you can disagree with the truth. You can really dislike the truth. You can hate the truth. But none of that changes the truth.

Truth.

Truth is true whether you agree with it or not. You can disagree and dislike the truth all you want. But you’re still wrong and the truth is still true.

Now, every place I used the word “truth”, replace it with “the Bible” and read this again. Because that’s what the Bible is – the Truth.