Think Again!

78 • Think Again: Transformation That Yields a Return on God’s Investment

• A process of growing up in every way into the Head • A coordinated body with each part working properly • A body building itself up on love Like a great music conductor, he orchestrates the body of Christ to function in harmony, according to the creative vision of the Composer. He takes our various gifts and coordinates them together for functionality. Every counter action of the enemy is to disrupt this integration, to destroy the harmony of the orchestra. The Spirit superintends the fourfold description of the Church found in the Nicene Creed: We believe in one holy, catholic, apostolic church. 44 The Church is one because he integrates the one body to the one Head. The Church is holy because it is the temple indwelt by the Spirit. The Church is catholic (universal) in that it includes people from every tongue, nation, tribe, and people, all invited by the Spirit to join. The Church is apostolic because he guides her into truth, preserving her from error through the apostles writings in the Bible. In all these actions, his intent is to make us one. Forging identity is never meant to start and end with you individually. You play your part, but it is always for the benefit of the community. Any healing that you experience is primarily meant for the body’s healing. Healing is for the community, and comes through the community. The Spirit’s help will often come through the local church, through other believers. Bridging the Gap We tend to think about the gospel story as though it ended at Jesus’s resurrection and ascension. But we need to remember that God’s work continues with the Spirit’s work at Pentecost. Between Jesus’s departure (ascension) and his return (parousia), the Spirit superintends the work of Christ on earth. The Spirit bridges the