And he is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in everything he might be preeminent.
– Colossians 1:18

My wife and I attended the Church Ministries Conference in Grand Rapids this past weekend.  The speaker for the general sessions was Jim Jeffery, president of Baptist Bible College and Seminary.  In one session he spoke about the church as a Body with Christ as the Head.  As he discussed the verse above, he asked this probing question:

Is Christ the functioning head of your church or merely a figure head?

In other words, are we seeking and submitting to his leadership, or is he merely some kind of mascot?  Is he really preeminent in our church?  Does his will take first place among us?  Or are we running the show all the while paying him lip service? 

Good questions…