Why does the church exist? Recently, this question has been taking up much of my reflection time. At its heart, the church is not a human invention, but God’s creation. Born of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and sustained by the Spirit, the church is God’s chosen community—called to glorify the creator, proclaim Christ, nurture believers through the Holy Spirit, serve the world, and embody hope.
The church is first and foremost a worshiping community. We gather to sing, to pray, and to remind one another of the goodness of God, encouraging each other to step out of our comfort zone and into faithful living. Therefore, worship is not confined to the sanctuary—it extends into the world through faithful living – acts of charity and justice. That means we are no less worshipful when we do our acts of charity and justice than when we sing and pray. Isaiah reminds us that we are created “for glory of God” (Isaiah 43:7), and Paul affirms, “to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations” (Ephesians 3:21). Every prayer, song, and every act of charity and justice done in faith declares that God is at the center of all life. It is not for us to choose one over the other, but for us to be faithful in all facets of worship.
During my tenure at American Baptist Home Mission Societies, formerly National Ministries, I encountered numerous congregations struggling to remain open. As Director of Congregational Transformation, I visited churches that were struggling to keep their doors open. One day, I found myself whispering a prayer: “Lord, if your church is the vessel by which the world is to be redeemed, why are so many churches struggling to survive?”
The answer came quietly but firmly: “The church isn’t struggling—the institution is.” That realization has stayed with me ever since. The true church—the Body of Christ—is alive, sustained by the Spirit and anchored in the resurrection. What falters is not the gospel but the human structures we sometimes confuse with the church itself.
For the church to thrive, it must be flexible enough and brave enough to follow the Spirit of God wherever She may lead. The Spirit blows where She wills, and the communities that listen, adapt, and move with the Spirit remain vibrant. Worship cannot be bound to buildings or traditions alone; Worship must be lived out in a world that is in dire need of both Charity and Justice. This kind of Worship will continually point us back to Christ, who lives and leads His people.
The church exists because Christ lives. We are His body, His dwelling place, His chosen people. When we remember that, we discover that the life of the church cannot be threatened by decline because we follow the resurrected Christ who has lived, died, and now lives again.