Above and beyond any institution created by God, the church stands preeminent. This is not to say that other divine institutions (the home and civil authority) are insignificant, only to say that the church accomplishes the greatest of all purposes. In fact, everything about the church is the greatest. She has the greatest purchase price, the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28). She has the greatest memorial, the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-34). She has the greatest name, the name of Christ (Rom. 16:16). She has the greatest rule, the better covenant (Heb. 8-10). She has the greatest message, the gospel of salvation (Eph. 1:13). On and on the list goes of the greatness of the body of Christ. Because of her unique place in the world, Jesus once likened her to a city set on a hill that cannot be hid (Matt. 5:13-16). Even though He speaks of the individual disciple, collectively all disciples form the body of Christ and the church is therefore meant to have a place of influence in this world. The world is supposed to be a better place because of the church, but is it?

     Imagine that tomorrow there was no North Hamilton Church of Christ. The building was gone, as if it never existed. There is no group of Christians meeting in this local place. North Hamilton Church of Christ just vanished. For us, we are immeasurably sad to think that this would ever be the case; but, we must ask, what would the impact be on the community? Would people weep because the light of Christian influence is gone? Would people panic because the teachers of the pure Gospel of Christ are missing? Would the fatherless and widows lament because there is no one to tend to their needs? Would people troubled by sin fret because no one is left to show the way to Jesus? Would people practice immorality without guilt because the voice of opposition to ungodliness is gone? Or would the community continue as it has always done? Would things remain the way they are now? Would people notice we were gone?    

     These are questions we should be asking, because we exist to make a difference in the world. There was a time when the church was charged with turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6), when they were really setting things right. They were making a difference. Are we? If we cannot honestly say we would be missed by our community, then something needs to change. Christianity is not a self-centered religion, but a lifestyle shared by every person in the church that works to help a world lost in sin. We do have obligations to each other and even to our own selves, but we have obligations to our community also. Are we spreading the Gospel? Are we a force for good? Are we helping people? Would people be genuinely sad if tomorrow we were missing? We plan to be here for as long as the Lord allows, but let us do more that just exist. Let us make a difference. ~ David B. Smith