Note for users of the Exchange Church phone apps : you may need to click on the title above to see the whole post

"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and You in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent me and loved them even as You loved me." John 17:22,23, ESV

Throughout the Bible, we see that God is a relational God.  From the very essence of His being - three-in-one; Father, Son & Holy Spirit all in relationship - to His covenants with His people, to amazing grace made available to all who receive His love, God is all about relationship.

And a vital part of how He wants us to be in relationship with each other is His established Church.  I'm not talking about tradition or structure, this is about family.  Sure a family is going to have tradition and structure, and it's going to need some organisation in order to function effectively, but more importantly a family is a place to be loved unconditionally, to learn how to relate to one another, to have the freedom to wrestle with tough questions, and quite simply, a place to live.

Talk of the Church age being over misses the point that the church age is over when Jesus returns.  Until that amazing day, the Church is where our relationship with God is nurtured by practicing relationship with others who love God.  It's only in getting these relationships healthy that we can effectively build relationships with those who don't really know how much God loves them and longs for them to also be part of His family.  It's what we were made for.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they'll be as unified and together as we are - I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that You've sent me and loved them in the same way You've loved me." John 17:22,23, MSG