Be the Church | Jul. 26, 2026 | Ps. Dan Stauffer | Next Level Relational Netwrok

The church is an active, living body designed to do the heavy lifting. To be the church means engaging directly in the strenuous effort required to bring people into the presence of Jesus. When the crowds block the way and the barriers seem insurmountable, true faith digs through the roof to find a way. True faith operates not just for the individual self, but it stands in the gap and has faith for others. Jesus sees this collective, determined faith and responds with profound authority, declaring that sins are forgiven.

To be the church means moving forward with absolute conviction despite the inevitable critics. There will always be teachers of the law questioning the authority of Jesus and the methods of grace. Yet, the mission remains fixed entirely on ultimate life-change. A clean stable produces no harvest, but embracing the heavy lifting and the messiness of ministry brings forth the power of God. The ultimate authority of the Son of Man is demonstrated on earth through the forgiveness of sins and the physical, undeniable restoration of broken lives.

To be the church means the congregation goes home radically different than how they came. Paralyzed individuals get up, take their mats, and walk out in full view of the community. This visible transformation astonishes the world, causing everyone to praise God. The ultimate result of being the church is that surrounding onlookers witness undeniable life-change and are irresistibly drawn to Jesus.