We Are the Church!

June 23, 2025, Monday Message:

Hebrews 3:6 NLT: “Jesus Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”

In Heaven’s pecking order, Jesus sponsors the earthly faithful. When we knock on the pearly gates, we can point and say, “I’m with that one guy over there, the man seated just to the right of God!” Picture Jesus jumping up and welcoming you with open arms!

In the Bible, Jesus’ welcoming doesn’t mention any church building. And Jesus steers clear of including a specific denomination. Heaven isn’t about man-made rules or organizations. Heaven, the House of God, is always about people, specifically those who claim Jesus as God’s Son and Lord and Savior of their lives. And a Savior will do just what the name says. He will usher the faithful into his heavenly reality.

At my Sunday church, we’re frequently challenged: “Who is the church?”

The congregation shouts back, “WE are the church!” Not the building, not a denomination, but people! Believers are the church!

Today’s scripture was written as a response to backsliders, those who might lose their fire and backslide out of the fellowship. Following the Christian path isn’t always easy, but the reward at the end makes it worth our effort!

Today is the best day to take backsliding off the table. Let’s all commit or re-commit ourselves to knowing Jesus as Lord. Ask him to live in your heart today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Mission with a Church - 2

April 22, 2013 Monday Message:

Last week, we closed our discussion of church mission vs. buildings with some questions. Let’s explore.

1. Are church buildings good things, or bad things?

  Good things. Anything that facilitates ministry is a good thing. Being able to bring the unchurched to your building to hear solid Bible teaching is a prudent use of God’s resources.

  a) Should you contribute to the “building fund?”

  Sure. If a new building is the vision for your church, get onboard.

2. Is it better to be a church with no mission, or a mission with no church?

  A church with no mission is dead, or at least they missed the whole point of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:16-20 So if you had to choose, it would be far better to be on a mission for God than to establish a church that had no purpose. Hopefully, we can have both – a church with a purpose. God’s mission for you could include establishing a local church where one did not previously exist.

3. Does the church where you worship have:

  a) a building?

  b) a mission?

  c) both?

  By now we all know that it’s ideal to have both.

When Jesus started his ministry on earth, he had a job to do, a mission. He did not have a church. He called the 12 Apostles and the many other disciples, followers and believers who then became “the church.” The Acts 2 church didn’t have a building. But even though they met in homes, they were clearly on a mission from God.

Norton Lawellin

Join Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) Sunday, April 28. Lead Pastor Michael Pilla continues our journey in Luke 9:18-27. We meet in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. See you there!

NL

  

Mission with a Church - 1

April 15, 2013 Monday Message:

People tend to think of churches as brick and mortar buildings. “We worship there Sunday mornings, the youth group returns after supper, and the women meet on Wednesday.” But God isn’t concerned with buildings. Buildings will wear out and fall down in a couple hundred years anyway.

What God really wants is for you to get in the game, to get in on the mission, to impact His Kingdom for eternity. Follow the example of the believers when they first came together in Acts 2. Together, they were working on the mission they had been given: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19 They were sharing the Good News with everyone. Think about it - they had a mission, but no church, no building. In spite of that, it all seemed to work. 3000 new believers were baptized in the Acts 2 story.

Don’t get me wrong - buildings can facilitate our ministry by giving the community a place to gather, worship and hear God’s word. But the church building is just that – something that supports our mission and facilitates our work for the Lord. A building might be helpful as we work our mission, but it is not the destination.

Here are some questions to consider:

1. Are church buildings good things, or bad things?

  a) Should you contribute to the “building fund?”

2. Is it better to be a church with no mission, or a mission with no church?

3. Does the church where you worship have:

  a) a building?

  b) a mission?

  c) both?

Answers next week. Blessings as you walk with the Lord this week!

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, April 21, guest teacher Dan Pilla explains how to feed 5k people with 5 loaves and a couple of fish. 10:30am, Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF), in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. See you at church!

NL