I remember two different construction projects from when I was young. One was the time that my dad and I built a new doghouse for our dog. My dad planned the house, cut it out, and did most of the work of putting it together (I held the boards for him as he nailed them). Since the job required a bit of skill, I really wasn’t able to do much. (Please refrain from snide remarks about that not having changed much!)

Later my dad wanted the old, rotted out doghouse torn down. That was my project! Tearing down didn’t require any special skill, especially since my dad wasn’t interested in salvaging the wood. It was just a matter of swinging away with the hammer.

Church life is much the same, isn’t it? Building the church up takes some skill. It takes purpose and dedication. Tearing the church down is just a matter of swinging away.

We, of course, are called to be builders. Paul writes to the Romans: “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” (Romans 14:19) So what do we need to do to be builders? Let’s let the Apostle Paul give us some suggestions:

1. Promote peace in the body. That’s what Romans 14:19 says. When the church enjoys peace, it can grow (Acts 9:31); when the members are fighting among themselves, the body is slowly devoured. (Galatians 5:15)
2. Seek the good of others. When each of us seeks his own good, edification does not occur. Paul writes: ““Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24) And to the Romans he says: “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:1-2)
3. We should encourage one another. In I Thessalonians we read “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We should each examine our speech and see if we are building up or tearing down. Are we encouraging our brethren or discouraging them? Paul tells the Ephesians in 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” I’ve often wondered just how quiet things would get if we only spoke words of edification.
4. Use our gifts for the good of the body. We build the body up through our acts of service. Paul described this process to the Ephesians: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 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.” (Ephesians 4:11-12, 16) He told the Corinthians: “So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12)
5. The most edifying of all is love. In I Corinthians 8:1, Paul says, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” It is love that will lead us to do the things necessary for the building up of our brothers.

As Christians we are all dependent on one another. If my brothers are not being built up, my own growth will be stunted. But if we all seek to build one another up, we will be amazed at the things that God will do among us.