"What is the Church?" The natural progression of life is decline. If we don't pay attention to our own spiritual lives or our life together as a church, we know things will naturally move in the wrong direction, towards decline or falling apart. In that context, it's important to remember that "Church" is not our buildings, or our worship services, but people of Jesus. The church is people, called out by the Holy Spirit, assembled together to be the body of Jesus in the world. The church is also a political institution under the leadership of Jesus, owing our allegiance to Jesus. So we are called to be politically active in Jesus' kingdom, acting to advance the kingdom of God. What kind of actions does Jesus want us to take? What's his agenda for us?

Jesus makes his agenda clear in the Great Commandment, the Sermon on the Mount, and The Great Commission. This is the constitution and bylaws of Jesus's kingdom, emphasizing active engagement, representing Jesus in the world in our physical selves, and guiding others to embrace Jesus's life as a blueprint. That's what makes being a Christian so compelling - because Jesus teaches us how to live in this life-giving relationship with God and each other. Living as Jesus's people in the world leads us to loving actions in every aspect of our lives, and love is what fuels our behavior as citizens of God's kingdom. So ask God to make you a better lover - especially of the people close around you every day.