CHURCH OF STEEL

Pastor Mark Warda

Woodland Church

Sunday, February 15, 2026

1.  Church unity is expressed as the Body of Christ

a.  The church is the Body of Christ and Christ is the head of the church.

(Colossians 1:18, NLT) “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.”

(1 Corinthians 12:12, NLT) “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 12:27, NLT) “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

b.  You don’t merely attend Woodland Church. You are Woodland Church.

2.  Church unity is expressed without barriers.

(Ephesians 2:19-22, ESV) “…you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

a.  Christ’s love is stifled if we’re friendly with only those people whom we like, or only those who are just like us.

b.  The Holy Spirit will help us look beyond any barriers to the unity we are called to enjoy.

3.  Church unity is expressed as living stones in God’s temple.

(1 Peter 2:4-5, NLT) “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”

a.  As living stones in God’s spiritual temple, we are designed to fit together in unity.

(Ephesians 2:21, ESV) “…being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

b.  Every living thing is either growing or dying.

c.  As Christians of Woodland Church, we ought to grow.

4.  Church Unity is expressed by strengthening one another.

a.  We are strengthened through accountability.

(Proverbs 27:19, NIV) “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

b.  We are strengthened through good works.

c.  We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to overcome our sin nature.

(Romans 8:5-6) “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

d.  We are strengthened through fellowship.

(Ephesians 4:15, NLT) “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”

(1 John 1:7, NIV) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

(Ephesians 5:27, NIV) “and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

GROWTHWORK

1. Make a commitment attend church weekly.

2. Meet someone you don’t know in church.

3. Ask how you can serve in a ministry.

4. Participate in our 40 Day Fast.