Who Builds the Church?

The Wednesday feature of the Worldly Saints blog is a Scriptural meditation whereby I take a verse or passage I have been pondering lately and seek to edify my readers with it’s promises, encouragements, warnings, rebukes, etc.

Paul wrote in I Corinthians 3:10, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.”

Notice even though there are always builders for a church, there is nothing special about them. Paul admitted it was “the grace of God given to” him allowing him to help build the church.

In Romans 15:18, Paul added, “ForI will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience – by word and deed.”

And in Ephesians 3:7-8, Paul told that church,

“⁷Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given me, to preach to the Gentiles unsearchable riches of Christ.”

Paul understood the source of his ability to build – God. And he will be quick to acknowledge it is upon that foundation that we are to build in the next verse.

God equipped Paul to be the “skilled master builder” for the Corinthians. The word “master builder” comes from the Greek word architecton, which is where we get our English word “architect.” It refers to someone that not only designs a building structure but then oversees it being built.

You see, the Corinthian church had to start somewhere; it had to start with someone’s calling and vision to plant a church in this carnal city. Paul was there when they had their 1^st worship service and then remained for eighteen months to watch it be built and see Apollos take over the leading of this flock. And Paul was “good” at it; he was “skilled,” but it was God’s skill imparted to Paul.

Paul helped lay “a foundation” for “someone else” to build on. In some ways, Paul is downplaying Apollos’ role. I want you to notice something in our passage. Paul reminds us that many people help build the church:

• Someone (vs. 10)

• Each one (vs. 10, 13)

• No one (vs. 11)

• Anyone (vs. 12, 14-15, 17)

There are many who build and build on what had been built and so on. Every believer contributes to the building.Because this building is not for the elders or pastors only, you understand why Paul says in vs. 10, “Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” Every pastor, leader and member builds on what comes before him and does so cautiously.

Who builds the church? All of us! You have officers in the church who lead this charge, but we all build. Paul says in I Corinthians 14:26,

“What then brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”

In the context (I Cor 12-14), Paul is discussing spiritual gifts. Thus, Paul is saying, “Your gifts – no matter what they are – are to be used to build up the church.”