Chapter 10: The Church

When we are the Church as Christ commands us to be, we change and so does the world. (pg. 156)

The Church is a reclamation project, reestablishing God's rule in the midst of a world still mostly under Satan's sway. (pg. 147)

In this chapter, Colson identifies the Church as the body of Christ. He criticizes modern Christians' consumer attitude towards Church attendance, emphasizing that the Church isn't a building, but that Christians are the Church. He identifies four identifying marks of all churches. One is that the Church preaches from the Word of God. Another is the practice of sacraments, or outward signs of inward grace, the two that are practiced in all churches being the Eucharist and baptism. A third is discipline, declaring that the church is responsible to deal with sins and shortcomings. A fourth is community, that the Church should bear each other's burdens. Finally, Colson emphasizes the need for the Church to go out and play a part in its community; its focus should be on missions as much as on worship.

Also see: Evangelicals and Catholics Together