For years, I have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to reconsider what everyone refers to as the church.I am neither an architect nor a builder, even though I have built several churches in the literal sense of the word in my missionary work. I would therefore like to clarify here that the church is not a building, but rather the gathering of those who have been redeemed in Christ. This is how I invite you to understand the word throughout this book.My purpose today is to conduct a practical analysis of what we call the local church on the one hand, and the universal Church or Body of Christ on the other.
