WHEN you think of the word church, what do you think of? Does church look like a nice, neat white building on the corner? Is it gathering every Sunday for a service? Is it more trendy, with the buzz of electric music and a casual atmosphere? Is it from the traditional years of high church experiences, complete with formal choirs and liturgical robes? If we do a survey of what church means to different people, we will, most likely, come up with many different answers. Seldom do we ever step back and consider, what is church in the eyes of God - especially in the eyes of eternity? Often we look around at the church and take special note of the people who are misrepresenting what church is supposed to be about. If we don’t look at the church with right eyes, it is easy to look around and feel discouraged, as if the church is progressively falling apart. The truth about the church, however, is that it is never falling apart. Despite the best-laid attempts to destroy it, the church is an eternal entity, something that has been within God’s plan since the very beginning. As we, too, have become a part of God’s plan through our salvation, we are also a part of the church, in relationship with God and other believers. The entire book of Ephesians outlines the church’s purpose from beginning to end: in eternity, in membership, in grace, in the work of the apostle, in belief, in leadership, in everyday life, in marriage, and in our encounter with the world. Covering the depth of eternity from past to present to beyond, Dr. Marino delves deeply into the significance of the church for believers. A powerful read, this book will help each and every believer develop a love for the church, seeing her relevance in their everyday lives, and growing in purpose and participation of the Gospel with each moment of growth through God’s grace. Read along to see for yourself that the church is neither in ruins, nor lost, nor perishing…because she is truly beautiful, adorned by God for His purpose.
