Building Together: Edify People, Build the Church, Shape the City

Introduction

Brendan White opens his message with a simple conviction: God never builds only buildings. He builds people, he builds his Church, and through his Church, he touches cities. He offers three building sites to walk through together this Sunday: edify people, build the Church, and build cities. Three bricks placed side by side to build what Jesus is building.

Message Outline

1.Edify people

Brendan shares a memory from his Christian school: a teacher, Mr. Solfield, gave him a book with a short note inside: "God is going to use you, God is going to work through you." He never forgot those words.
Later, while still young, someone in a gathering spoke to him: "You are going to build the Church, you are going to live in Europe." It was not new, but it confirmed what God had already placed in his heart.
His conviction: God sees more in us than we sometimes see in ourselves. In the Church, we can learn to believe the best for one another.
Jeremiah 1:4-7: God calls a young boy, and Jeremiah responds "I am too young." We often have our legitimate reasons—too young, too old, I come from this or that background—but God sees beyond what we see.
Bartimaeus, blind, cries out to Jesus; people rebuke him, but he cries out all the more. Jesus calls him and heals him. Jesus wants to heal, set free, and edify people.
In Luke 5, men carry a paralyzed man on his stretcher, climb up on the roof, break through it, and lower their friend down to Jesus. Jesus sees their faith and heals him. A picture of what happens when a community edifies and brings people to Jesus.
A man who persecuted the Church was named Saul. Jesus transformed him into Paul who went on to build the Church. God sees in our lives what we do not yet see.
To edify practically: tell people they are loved, they are accepted, that God has great plans for them. Speak words of life, draw out their potential.
Edifying does not mean flattering. It means helping people grow in maturity, to know Jesus better. Sundays, welcome evenings, Connects, and evening courses are all places for that.

2.Build the Church

A defining memory: in 1996, at Bible college in Australia, Pastor Gary Clarke, who would later become his pastor in London, asked his students to write down their dream. Brendan wrote: "I want to build a church in Europe." Gary looked at him and said: "That, you will do with me." Much later, it became a reality in France.
We do not just attend Church, we are the Church. Every member plays a role in making this Bride more and more beautiful.
Pray for the buildings and the campuses. Have faith that God opens real estate doors at the right time and in the right way.
Jesus said he would build his Church (Matthew 16). We want to build what Jesus builds. We are living stones; he is the foundation.
Ephesians 4:16: "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
1 Corinthians 14:12: among spiritual gifts, Paul urges us to eagerly desire those that build up the Church. Everyone finds the place where their gift can edify.
Do not forget the mission. After 20 years, with the ups and downs, it is easy to lose sight of it.
Luke 2: Jesus, at 12 years old, found in the house of God, says: "I must be about my Father's business." Even as a young boy, he knew his mission.
Matthew 16: "Who do people say I am?" Peter responds: "You are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus: "Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven." The Church is born from a revelation received from the Father.
Ecclesia: a people called together to be his Church. Acts 2: the early Church was one in heart and mind, devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer; the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

3.Build cities

Recent stories: a visit to Lyon, another to Lausanne. Each time, the joy of seeing what God is doing in those cities.
Paris: a great, magnificent city, with many people and much history. Brendan sees it as ground to build on.
Acts 16:4: Paul and Silas went from city to city, bringing the Word of God, preaching, and building churches.
Jeremiah 29: pray for the peace and prosperity of the city where God has placed you. Believe that God will make a difference through his Church.
Make a difference where you are: in your family, your company, your workplace, your neighborhood. Be the hands and feet of God in this city.
This year, look for a concrete way to serve the city where you live, especially through a social impact project carried by the Church.
Matthew 28: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The mission starts locally, but it looks toward all nations.

Key Takeaways

God does not only build buildings: he builds people, his Church, and through it, he touches cities.
God sees more in you than you see in yourself—and he expects you to see that in the brother or sister sitting next to you.
You are not just present at church: you are the Church, a living stone laid on the foundation that is Jesus.
Spiritual gifts are not given for their own sake; they are given to build up the Church. Eagerly desire those that build.
Praying for the city where God has placed you, seeking its good, making a tangible difference in your family and your work: that is where the mission begins.

Personal Application

Who in my circle at church have I taken the time to edify with my words in recent weeks? Whom can I speak a word of life over this week, telling them what God sees in them?
What "legitimate reason" (too young, too old, not trained enough, not the right background) am I still offering to God as an excuse not to answer his call?
Am I only present at church on Sunday, or am I playing my part in building the body? Have I found the place where my gift can edify?
What is my personal revelation of who Jesus is today? Am I living the Church's mission as a conviction received from the Father, or merely as a habit?
How am I going to concretely serve the city where God has placed me this year—in my family, my company, my neighborhood, or through a project carried by my local church?

Cited Verses

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Brendan White mean by "building together"?

He refers to three simultaneous building sites that support one another: edifying the people around us, growing the local church, and serving the city where God has placed us. The Church is not a place we consume but a people who build together, each person being a living stone laid on the foundation that is Jesus.

Why start with "edifying people" before talking about the Church and the city?

Because that is how God acted in Brendan's own life: a teacher, Mr. Solfield, wrote in a book "God is going to use you," and a prophetic word later confirmed his call to build the Church in Europe. A building Church always begins with individuals who receive words of life and a vision of what God sees in them.

Practically, how do I serve the city where God has placed me?

The pastor invites each person to look, this year, for a tangible way to make a difference: in their family, their company, their workplace, their neighborhood, or by getting involved in a social impact project carried by the local church. Prayer for the city, according to Jeremiah 29:7, remains the first brick—asking God for peace and prosperity for the place where you live.

to take notes and ask questions.