Church Is More Than a Building
The church is family. However, for much of my life, I would have defined church as a building or an event that happens on Sundays and Wednesdays. But if we are being precise, you don’t go to church—you go to be with your church. Just like you wouldn’t say, “I’m going to family,” but rather, “I’m going to be with my family.” This misunderstanding of church as a place instead of a people is one reason many have pulled away, seeing church attendance as optional rather than essential to their discipleship to Jesus.
The Church Is a Family
Discipleship means listening to and obeying Jesus—to be with Him, become like Him, and do what He did. But we can’t do what Jesus did without belonging to a believing community. One of the most powerful metaphors Scripture gives us for the church is family:
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” – Ephesians 2:19
The church is not just a gathering of individuals; it is a family of disciples who listen to and obey Jesus, making more disciples. This family is on a mission—to advance the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the good news and doing good works in His name.
Understanding Church: The Greek Word Ekklesia
The New Testament uses the word ekklesia to describe the church. It means “a called-out assembly or congregation.” Unlike the individualized faith that Western culture often promotes, biblical faith is both personal and shared.
Consider what happens in a family when one member decides to live independently of the rest—ignoring responsibilities, making decisions that negatively impact others. The same principle applies to the church. We are meant to live in community, shaping and being shaped by one another as we follow Jesus together.
Embracing the Strength of Submission
One of the hardest, yet most life-giving aspects of being part of God’s family is submission. Unfortunately, submission is often misunderstood. It is not about control or oppression; it is about choosing to align ourselves under God’s authority and the structure He has put in place for our good.
What Is Biblical Submission?
The Greek word for submission, hypotassō (ὑποτάσσω), means “to place under, to arrange under, to yield, or to submit.” It conveys voluntary alignment under authority, not forced subjugation.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42
Jesus Himself submitted to the Father’s will. Likewise, believers are called to submit:
- To God (James 4:7)
- To one another (Ephesians 5:21)
- Within various relational structures—marriage, family, government, and the church (Ephesians 5:22-24, Hebrews 13:17, Romans 13:1)
In first-century Greco-Roman culture, submission often implied a rigid hierarchy. But in Christianity, Jesus redefined submission as mutual love and service:
“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:42-45
Why Submission Matters in the Church
Submission to God’s order brings life, not oppression. But due to past abuses of authority in some churches, many are hesitant about submission. However, just as we wouldn’t dismiss all teachers because of a few bad ones, we shouldn’t dismiss the structure God has designed for the church because of a few who have misused their authority.
There are approximately 380,000 Christian churches in America. For every pastor who has misused their authority, there are countless others faithfully serving, loving, and leading well. Authority in the church—when exercised biblically—serves people, builds them up, and improves their condition.
Submission in Action
- In families – Parents guide their children not to control them, but to protect and help them flourish.
- In marriages – Husbands, submission isn’t a Bible verse to manipulate your wife. If that’s your approach, repent! You are called to use your authority to serve your wife and children.
- In church families – We submit to one another, not out of obligation, but out of love and a desire to build each other up.
The Greatest Act of Submission
The ultimate example of submission happened 2,000 years ago on Golgotha, when Jesus laid down His rights as God, left His throne, and submitted to death on a cross for our sake.
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” – Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus submitted not to us, but for us, so that we could be redeemed and made part of God’s family. That’s why biblical submission is not about control—it is love in action.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
We Submit Because Jesus Submitted
At its core, submission is not about power—it is about giving life. Jesus used His authority not to dominate, but to serve. When submission is practiced as Jesus intended, it strengthens families, marriages, and churches.
We don’t submit because we are forced to—we submit because Jesus has set us free from the oppression of always needing our own way. In the family of God, submission is a gift that fosters unity, growth, and love.
So, let’s embrace the church not as a place we go, but as a family we belong to—a family built on the life-giving submission of Jesus Himself.