The Local Church

The Care in the Body of Christ

As a fourth generation Christian, the term “Christian” became a Sunday religion and custom for me. Jesus Christ and God were just letters and words I spoke out of practice and habit. I never really had any feelings about God; nor did I experience Him. “Church” was just a term that denoted a building I went to in order to pay my respects to God every Sunday. However, hallelujah, God is definitely sovereign and merciful.

It was during my college years that the Lord showed me the importance of faith and the matter of the local church. My grandmother, who loved the Lord to the uttermost, contracted liver cancer in 1998. Everyone in the family searched far and wide for the best doctors and best medicines in hope to cure her. I felt anxious, restless, and as if my existence on this earth would no longer be meaningful without my grandmother as my light. Just when I felt as if I was in utter darkness without any sense of direction, I prayed. The Lord comforted me in my darkest hour and hid me in His presence. That was the first time I had ever experienced the reality of God. My faith was strengthened, and my spirit, an organ meant to contact God, was enlivened. During this time of turmoil, I happened to visit my friend in another local church nearby; I heard the brothers' and sisters' earnest prayers for my family. I was very touched. The church is no longer a building where I go and pay my respects; rather, God showed me that it's a group of people joined together for His expression on the earth today (Ephesians 1:22-23). A sister shared with me that we are all important to God; when one member is facing a certain situation, the whole Body will also go through the same thing (1Corinthians 12:12). I have never experienced such oneness before. This feeling continued even after I transferred from a southern California junior college to the University of California at Davis. The brothers and sisters are such blessings to me. They took care of me as if I was their own child. I praise the Lord every day for bringing me to and preserving me in the local church.

M.C. | Back to List

Home Beliefs Revealed History Testimonies Recognition Contact Us Links