“God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”
~ Apostle Paul, Ephesians. 1:22-23, NLT
The Church of Christ is full. This church is not a building, an edifice crying out for an active congregation, a designated historical site that has seen better days, or a diminished group of people struggling to keep their organization together.
The Church of Christ is the power and presence of God active everywhere.
This church is filled with the perfect man of God’s creating.
It is the edifice of Spirit that majestically proclaims, “God is absolute.”
It is the light of Truth that illuminates spiritual reality.
It is the might of Mind maintaining health, order and harmony throughout God’s creation.
It is the Life of God giving all creatures strength, being and existence.
Church is not an empty void to be filled, but a spiritual idea to be expressed.
It is not a material building needing endless physical care, but a spiritual expression of Love bringing God’s care to all mankind.
Church is never sick or weak for it reflects the infallible health of God.
Church never lacks, for it reflects the teeming abundance of God’s wisdom and understanding.
There is no sin, disease or death in church. It is Christ’s presence that knows no suffering, pain or sorrow.
Everyone who attends Christ’s church feels the comfort of divine Love, finds health in the truth of being and witnesses the smile of heaven.
There is no anger, resentment, barbed criticism, harsh judgment, prejudice, discrimination or angling for power in the Church of Christ. It is a place of mutual support, brotherly love, comforting embrace and praise.
Thought is not focused inward in this church, but outward, to God, to spiritual reality, to living and demonstrating Love without walls.
True church is the most desirable place to be on Sunday, and Friday, and Tuesday, and every other day of the week.
Church is not a physical address, but a state of Mind. It is not a place to go among many other options to be. It is the only place to be. It is God’s presence. It is God’s body, the All-in-all, the sum totality of existence and being.
God’s church is full, all the time, and in every way. And anyone who attends it, sees this fullness all around and rejoices in its blessings.
The Message translates the Bible verse I quoted above as, “The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence” (Ephesians 1:23).
Dear Evan.
This is a great one.
We appear to have lost many churches here in the UK.
This really does fill the gap. I must keep this one.
Many thanks.
Ted.
Dear Evan,
This is wonderful Truth. I remember all those years back introducing you as “Evan,” and I heard about it. However, you presented our all-time favorite lecture.
My profoundest thanks for this inspiring and healing message of God’s church, here and everywhere, to be prayed, worshiped, and lovingly lived. Thank you for this meaningful post and for your many sharings, filled with blessings.
thank you for your posts and inspiring iideas.
D.
Thank you so much for this very clear and true view of what church really is. It has come at just a time it was needed
Dear Evan
What a wonderful exposition of Mrs Eddy’s definition of CHURCH…a lovely view of the unstoppable activity of Love.
Good morning Evan and everyone. As Mrs. Eddy said, “the Church is the structure of Truth and Love”. If we analyze it, it appears that at every step, and every day we see in the world the works of Truth and Love, two concepts that never mean their effects … then beyond the impression that the church building causes us , your Spirit floods the universe day by day. Blessings.
WOW! This post exemplifies Mrs Eddy’s: “Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony.” (SH p 418)
Each sentence serves as both a meditation and the basis of a treatment for the Church Universal and Triumphant. Thank you!
Thank you, Evan- this is great and a right understanding of true church.
Thank you so much Evan. This is such a timely and inspiring message. I have printed it and will be reviewing and praying to deepen my own understanding and demonstration of church. Thank you for the groundwork!
With many churches holding their annual meetings in Nov. this message is so helpful and timely. What a beautiful vision of church. Thank you.
Thank you, Evan, for this enlightened and uplifting view of the universal church.
This message is so precious and appreciated.
Very grateful for this insightful post, Evan. Thanks so much!
I am church?
Yes you are
Your Mind is the key
Your heart is the door
Thanks so much for this. Three CS churches have closed in my area in the last 2 years. If ok with you I am going to print this out for our members as they too will love it.
Oh certainly, feel free to use it as you are inspired.
Dear Evan- this post is awesome and so needed!! Thank you for the gift!!
Sally, interesting you should post “I am church?” Because recently when studying Revelation when I finished reading about the seven churches I went to S&H and read MBE’s definition of church and realized that we ARE church- WE are “The structure of Truth and Love.” We “rest upon and proceed from divine Principle.” And in that sense we express church. Then, of course, Mrs. Eddy expounds further on church’s all encompassing outreach.
Thank you especially for giving here the acknowledgement that church is not focused inward but outward to God, spiritual reality, lived and demonstrated. I have found it most interesting that I get to see more love demonstrated and lived, when I insist for my own experience of church and for the world that love is all, even when walls of opinion, hurdles of discouragement and criticism and stumbling blocks that trip up our confidence in Christ appear to be in the way. Isn’t that what Mary Baker Eddy said of Jesus’ experience in the tomb – that there were rock ribbed walls in the way and a stone to be removed – and the Christ emerged triumphant, indestructible, to live ever presently with us? We are made more confident to live love for all the world as we share what we gain not just with each other in this forum but at all times and under all circumstances. Thanks to everyone.
I love the ideas here. Yes, I believe we are the church just as I believe Christ is the church. And, just as Evan states above, “Church is not a physical address, but a state of Mind. It is not a place to go among many other options to be. It is the only place to be. It is God’s presence. It is God’s body, the All-in-all, the sum totality of existence and being.” It can be in a living room, on a street or out in nature – it is everywhere. It has no limitations. It is expressed every day of the week everywhere. When I think of church I think of the ideas of Truth and Love, not a pulpit made of gold. It is Truth and Love that holds the attention and not a beautiful building. Just as a beautiful idea of God expresses beautiful qualities regardless of the exterior. It goes beyond being nice – it is seeing other’s as God’s man regardless of all material labels. A material label might be one’s religion or position in life or gender or race or species or… We live in church always – by expressing Truth and Love.
SO timely a subject, indeed. We are all such sincere students of this revolutionary religion,
Christian Science, and most likely, all members of Christian Science branch churches.
So we all know the challenges, and of course the blessings!
Yes, I too, struggle about church. What it is, really, in the world, in my life, all of it?
I “get,” to a degree, that it is inside me…about me…about me as God’s idea, this is…and
thus an inherently “subjective” experience. When I look closely at this fact, I see what I need to do to “improve” my church, my church experience, that is. Not easy, of course, because mortal mind wants me to look OUT, at “them,” at the others who seem to be shaping my church experience: Mrs. ____ or Mr. _____ who just can’t seem to …. agree with…me, on various subjects relating to church! But I am soon reminded to acknowledge the truth about them, us, all of it. And most of all about the One Mind, divine Love, Who is actively structuring (adverb/active!) Church each moment. Church is a divine Energy! Certainly not A Box Down The Street!!
Well, this is a Huge Subject, but I felt like chatting a little about it.
I thank you for your inputs. And yours, Evan, most certainly!
:<)))
Church is all life
Church is all beings
Church is all unbelievers
as well as those in the fold
No one excluded
No thing excluded
The Temple is a
State of Mind
within the Heart of God
Very good, Maximo, thank you for that inspired poem!
Wow, Evan…another most beautiful blog! So much Gratitude.
I love this! It has me going back and revisiting one of your articles that I’ve always loved: “No small church,” from the September, 1995 Christian Science Journal. Thank you for all you share.
Thanks so much, Evan, for a very timely and much needed, thoughtful definition of true church. It is helpful in my thoughts about my current church and my former church which was totally destroyed by fire this past summer (building only – of course, the church can never be destroyed).
So grateful, Evan, for your insights you have shared about CHURCH. Our church has disbanded and I have been trying to understand how it is that we won’t be missing CHURCH in our lives…..that it will always be part of our daily lives thru our expression of it wherever we are. wherever we go on our daily tasks. So many people have asked what will I do without a church family. So your sharing is helping me to get a clearer sense of why I won’t be missing out on CHURCH FAMILY and CHURCH SERVICES.
Thank you.
Great post. A keeper and study tool for sure.
Oh thank you very much Evan for this so timely post, as other commenters already said.
Also in Germany churches closed in important bigger cities, and I am sad about this.
Often I had the following thought about real church based on MBEddies vision of church from SH: “…whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.” I understand that every single Christian Science Healing, every testimony of God`s power that healed us, every christly deed, every good we do in Christ`s name rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle, and therefore expresses “Church”.
And we must never give up to fight in Christ`s name for our so excellent cause to hold up our churches, than we have God`s allpower on our side and will win!
I am grateful having the privilige to be a part of this wonderful, the whole world encompassing loving and healing CHURCH 🙂
This is so timely, Evan. Members as well as congregants are asking why does it seem that the pews are not full? There seems to be a concern by so many. In some cases, people think that advertising in the newspaper and social media would do the trick so to speak and fill our churches. It is the Christ that draws one to Christian Science as it did me over 30 years ago. Thank You.
Thank you, Evan, for all the good work you do! Your sharing of so many topics with all of us is greatly appreciated. I love the reminder that church is the only place to be and that it is God’s presence active everywhere while living and demonstrating Love without walls.
I was so grateful that when I moved to Bainbridge Island that they had a Christian Science church and also a reading room. I feel like I hit the jackpot! I’m always filled with such joy to attend each Sunday. Our soloist is so inspirational. She exudes love each Sunday. The readers are so real and expressive. This church meets all of my meeds
Thanks, Evan. I consider your comments on true church right up there with Ivimy Gwalter’s, in Church: A Living Power… “Since Truth, Love, Principle are synonymous with Mind, this lifts our sense of church at once to the realm of infinite Mind or divine consciousness. To Mind’s cognizance of what is going on within itself.”