By Apostle Leigh Collins

What is church?  What is it meant to be?  Many of us grew up in church, but it didn't change our lives.  Many of us don't want to hear about church.  Yet the church was instituted by Jesus Himself and if understood correctly, it will be the most revolutionary move this world has ever seen.

Heb 9:15-18  And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.  (16)  For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  (17)  For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.  (18)  Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.

Mat 16:15-18  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  (16)  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  (17)  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  (18)  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Someone had the revelation of who Jesus was.  At that revelation Jesus introduces the church!  He thought, "Ok, NOW I can reveal it."

If Christ's fullness has not been revealed to you, you will not understand church.  I've heard many people say negative things about the church.  Today they are all backslidden and their lives are in a mess.  Some were very dear to me.  But I can't relate to them anymore.  They lacked the revelation of Christ and tried to understand the new covenant church with the carnal mind.

Don't be swayed by powerful personalities.  Some of them are very weak in the spirit.  It must be birthed in your spirit.  If we don't have a revelation of who Christ is, how can we be His body.

Mat 16:19-20  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  (20)  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

What is the church?  In the original Greek manuscripts the word "ecclesia" was used for "church".  Ecclesia literally means "called out ones".  The church is a chosen group of people called out of darkness into His glorious light.  Some say we are called out of the church!  No! We are called out of the world into the church.

Jesus did not say "I will build my synagogue" or " my temple" as was the custom of the day.  But He said "church".  He introduced a new group of people, people called out of the old into the new.

Reform the church to reform the land.  How is the spiritual building of the church built?  It's not built on Peter, but on the revelation of Jesus Christ.  And the gates of hell will not prevail against His church.  It will not dominate, over-power or overcome the church.  Gates speak of a city, town, principality, etc.

The church is built on a foundation.  When you come to a building, you don't say, "What a lovely foundation!"  You appreciate the building, not the foundation.  The church is built on the doctrine of the apostles and on Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone. 

How to enter into this church. 

Heb 12:22-24  But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,  (23)  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,  (24)  to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

We shouldn't be longing for heaven one day.  We have come.  We are there.  It's available to us.  We must enter through the veil.  That veil is a local body, a local church.  We're responsible for the revelation that we receive.  Then we need to act on it. 

I received revelation because of the accuracy of the word which is preached here.  Sow handsful of purpose into people's lives.  You can only be added to a church.  You cannot join it.

Heb 10:19-20  Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  (20)  by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

You enter through His flesh, His body, a local body of believers.

Joh 2:19-21  Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  (20)  Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"  (21)  But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Arise O God.  Have mercy on Zion, the church.  The church is glorious.  Let them see the church of the Firstborn registered in heaven, the church that Jesus initiated, the church built on the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Let this government also see the church as a glorious church.  Thank you for the grace.  Let the church in general also see the church registered in heaven.