We are the Body: August 2023 Scripture Writing Plan

Have you had the privilege of watching a newborn baby grow into an adult?

You endure the sleepless nights, often treasuring those peaceful moments when that soft little head nestles into your shoulder. You take lots of deep breaths through the threenager stage, enjoying the babble of that developing voice while trying to not to hyperventilate through those unexpected tantrums. You gently guide them into puberty, praying that you’ve prepared them well and praying they’ll come to you with questions and problems. Then there’s the challenging teen years, helping them navigate the transition into adulthood. You try to maintain critical boundaries and parental authority, all while trying to allow them to make their own decisions.

There are highs and lows in every stage.

Hopefully, as time passes, you witness a growth in maturity, a depth of character, and a genuineness of love.

Like a growing child, the church must develop as well. There are several places in the New Testament where the church is referred to as a “body.” Jesus is the head of the church, and, like a body responds to a brain, the rest of us should follow His lead. The Apostle Paul wrote:

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Ephesians 4.15-16, ESV

Notice a few key points from these verses:

1. Jesus is in charge. This is not up for debate. It’s not supposed to be charismatic leaders, social or political movements, or even worldly ideologies. Jesus is in charge. If the church is following someone else, it isn’t the body of Christ.
2. We are supposed to work. If you are part of the church, you’ve got a job to do. It doesn’t matter how young (or old) you are; there is something you–yes, you!–can do to help the church. Some people are great encouragers. Some excel in hospitality. Everyone can pray… even from a hospital bed! The church will not grow if the parts of the body aren’t working.
3. We are supposed to come together. That means we get together, both in worship services and outside the four walls of a church building! Imagine if all your own body parts were disconnected. What if your arm never connected with your shoulder or your hand never connected to your arm? How on earth could you get anything accomplished? In the same way, we will accomplish more as the body of Christ when we join together.
4. Love and truth is essential. We speak truth with love. We work with love. We build with love. Love and truth are like oxygen and blood; the body cannot survive without them. If we try to love without truth or teach truth without love, the body will atrophy.

For this month’s scripture writing, we will be writing through Ephesians 4 and 5 to consider some of the actions and attitudes we should have as the body of Christ. We’ve spent the past few months focusing on aspects of Christ’s nature and how we ought to imitate Him. As the church, we should work together to imitate Him as a group. I hope you’ll join us this month as we meditate on and write out this section of scripture!

To download a Printable PDF of this month’s plan, click the link below:

To download the Kids’ Copying and/or Tracing sheets, click the links below:

New to Scripture Writing? Not sure how to get started? Check out this post on How to Use Scripture Writing Plans.

Need some daily encouragement? Be sure to stop by the Elihu’s Corner Facebook Page or Instagram Feed (@elihuscorner)!

As always, special thanks to Liz Smith and Sara McBroom for their help with these plans each month! I am so grateful to work alongside these two sisters in Christ.