The Importance of the Foundation of the Church

The foundation is the most important structure item in your house or building, yet no one ever sees it.  We wish to hide it with decorative brick or paint if it is visible.  The issue is, foundations are boring and not for "public view."

The foundation is the first thing a builder will do.  He will dig appropriately to the depth he needs to, but no more because this is hard work.  But the depth and width of the foundation will restrict what you can build immediately and in the future. In a structure, the foundation is unchangeable once put in.  You can add more foundation to the side, but the original width and depth are set unless one tear down the whole structure.

The foundation is just as vital to the church.  Theogoligally, Christ is the foundation of the church and of every believer.  Paul said in I Corinthians 3:11 "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

The Message reads: "Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ."

We are not about laying a new foundation in the church for Christ is our true, solid foundation. 

"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand."

But for the local church Jesus is building (Matthew 16: 18), it is ever fluid and manageable. But just like a natural building, the philosophical and practical foundation of a local church is just as vital and promising, or restricting.

The depth and width of this mysterious foundation of the church will always determine the sustainability of its growth and function.  A church can grow (numerically and spiritually) greater than the foundation can seemingly support, but that growth cannot be sustained unless there is a deepening and widening of the foundation. 

Unlike a natural building, the foundation of the church is ever-changing.  You can constantly be adding to the depth and width of the foundation so the height of the building can go taller without it ultimately collapsing.

On Wednesdays in this blog, I will examine some of the issues of the foundation of the church.  These practical elements such as its leaders, worship, small group ministry, fellowship, discipleship, and missions.

But it matters not how high the church goes, if it crumbles God is not glorified.  But when the leaders and members will simultaneously pay attention to strengthening the foundation of the church and be reaching out to others to join God's church, then the church will flourish and God will be glorified.

No one wants to live, work, or give their lives to a structure that ultimately collapses. 

And that is the ultimate goal.  In fact, our mission statement states: "Rainsville First Baptist exists for glorifying God by transforming lives through the Gospel and discipleship."