You Are God's Building: Growing the Church Together

God is building a people, and He is inviting us to be part of what He is doing. That’s why we gather: to join His building project and to let Him build us. We come to be shaped into the likeness of Jesus, to be strengthened, trained, and equipped for our role in His house. Scripture shows that Christ is the only foundation, and we must take care how we build, because our work will be revealed and tested. The Word of His grace is able to build us up and give us an inheritance, and even when our earthly tent is destroyed, God has a building eternal in the heavens. This means nothing done in Him is wasted, even beyond death.

We are no longer strangers but members of God’s household, being fitted together into a holy temple. God intends to dwell in us by His Spirit, and when we yield to Him, He works wonders and advances His building. He also provides gifted leaders to equip the saints so the whole body can do the work, grow into unity and maturity, and stop being tossed around by every wind of teaching. Every joint supplies something—no one is extra—and your part matters, whether seen or unseen, big or small.

God’s global aim is that the earth would be filled with His glory and with the knowledge of His glory. Prayer is essential in this work because there is an enemy who opposes our building. We also need to guard our motives. We are not building to make a name for ourselves, like Babel; we are lifting up the name of the Lord. And God is doing this right here in Freeport. Size does not limit Him. He is building a people who will represent His love, truth, compassion, and power. Let’s show up, yield ourselves, and supply our part so that His dwelling is clearly seen among us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God is building a people God isn’t just constructing meetings; He’s forming a people who represent Him. When I show up, I’m stepping into His ongoing work rather than asking Him to step into mine. That mindset shifts church from event to participation. It’s an invitation to belong and to build. [00:49]
• 2. Build on Christ with care Christ alone is the foundation, and motive and method matter because fire will test our work. Gold and straw can look similar in a brief season, but fire reveals substance. This frees us from performing for people and calls us to integrity before God. Build for endurance, not applause. [04:37]
• 3. Every joint supplies something vital God designed the body so that each person brings a needed supply—gifts, presence, encouragement, prayer. When one part withholds, the whole body feels the lack; when each part offers its grace, the body grows. Your small, steady faithfulness is a structural beam in someone else’s growth. [14:20]
• 4. Pray to sustain the building Prayer is not a filler; it is structural. Opposition will try to distract, divide, and discourage, but praying in the Spirit fortifies faith and keeps the work aligned with God’s heart. Without prayer, we may build faster; with prayer, we build truer. [20:20]
• 5. Refuse Babel; lift God’s name Unity and skill are good, but the aim matters. Babel shows that self-exalting goals attract God’s resistance, while God-exalting goals receive His presence. Seek visibility for Jesus, not notoriety for ourselves, and He will establish what we cannot. [24:34]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:18] - Why we come to church
• [00:49] - God is building His church
• [01:22] - Called to be like Jesus
• [02:17] - Church as training and equipping
• [02:49] - Christ the only foundation
• [04:37] - Works revealed and tested by fire
• [05:31] - The Word of grace builds us
• [07:11] - Our earthly tent and eternal house
• [09:25] - Members of God’s household
• [11:46] - Indwelling Spirit and transformation
• [12:44] - Fivefold ministry for equipping
• [14:20] - Every joint supplies
• [18:55] - God’s plan: fill the earth with glory
• [20:20] - Building through prayer
• [24:34] - Babel: how not to build
• [28:25] - God is building in Freeport
• [29:15] - Blessing and Amen

1. In 1 Corinthians 3:10–14 Paul contrasts building materials (gold, silver, precious stones vs. wood, hay, straw). What does Paul say will reveal the true quality of each builder’s work?
2. The claim "One reason we come to church is to be part of what God is doing—He is building a people who represent Him" appears in the message. What specific expressions of that building purpose are named (what the people will do or show)? [00:49]
3. Acts 20:32 is cited: "the word of his grace is able to build you up." Where in your life do you most need the Word to build you up now—knowledge, character, endurance, or something else? (This is an observation about need and text; no sermon reference required.)
4. The reading from Genesis 11:1–9 (Babel) highlights motive: "Let us make a name for ourselves." What details in that story show the difference between good unity and sinful ambition? [24:34]

1. If "no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus," how should that shape choices about ministries, programs, or personal service in the church? [03:47]
2. Paul says each one's work will be tested by fire and the one whose work endures will receive a reward. How should the reality of testing change the way a person evaluates success and approval in ministry? [04:37]
3. Ephesians 4:11–16 links gifted leaders and "every joint supplies" to the body growing into unity and maturity. How does the image of "every joint" change the way a person thinks about small or unseen contributions? [14:20]
4. Prayer is described as structural in the building process, because there is an enemy who opposes the work. What does it mean for prayer to be "structural" rather than optional in the life of a local church? [20:20]

1. God is building a people to represent His love, truth, compassion, and power. What is one concrete way you can show one of those marks (love, truth, compassion, or power) in Freeport this week? [00:49]
2. "Take heed how you build" — examine your motives for serving. Where have you been most tempted to seek approval, reputation, or a name instead of lifting up God’s name? What is one practical step to correct that motive? [03:47]
3. The work you do will be revealed by fire; build for endurance, not applause. Which current habit, program, or ministry in your life needs a shift from short-term visibility to long-term faithfulness? What change will you make in the next 30 days? [04:37]
4. Every joint supplies something vital. Name a small, regular contribution you can commit to that would help another person in the body (examples: a weekly call, a devotional sent, babysitting, consistent hospitality, prayer for one person). How will you start this week? [14:20]
5. Prayer fortifies the building against opposition. Choose one specific area of the church’s life (outreach, unity, a ministry, a leader, a family) and set a personal prayer plan for it this month—when and how will you pray? [20:20]
6. Refuse the Babel impulse to "make a name for yourselves." Where might your gifts or ambitions be steering you toward personal glory rather than God’s glory? What is one accountability step you can put in place to keep the aim God-exalting? [24:34]
7. Size does not limit God’s building work. If you feel small or the church feels small, what is one way you will still participate confidently in God's building program this week? [28:25]