1 Corinthians 3:¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 

The apostle Paul planted several churches in multiple locations over many years. As such he didn’t stay in one place too long. When he left a particular church to continue his ministry, he left other leaders in charge, which makes sense. And since these churches were in different countries with different cultures, customs, languages, and so on they weren’t all the same. However, there was one consistent characteristic in all of them:

¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 

The foundation of all the churches was Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the salvation of all who believe in the Son of God. This was the central message everywhere. The methods and structures used to communicate the message would vary, but the message was the same. It still is.

As I’ve mentioned in this space many times, we are in the process of seeing a new church (here and around the world) emerge from the effects of the pandemic. This new church is not exactly like the former church. How could it be the same when the world has changed so much in such a short time? Don’t get me wrong, there will be many familiar things. But there will be new and different things as well. However, whatever new ministry expressions or experiments emerge in our future, the central “foundation” is Jesus Christ.

Lord let it be so. Amen.