Apostles’ Creed Week 11: The Church

Oct 28

Introduction

In the coming weeks, we’re going to walk slowly through one of the oldest, most widely embraced confessions in the history of the Church—the Apostles’ Creed. This ancient creed is more than a set of beliefs; it’s a narrative. It tells the story of God, the story of the gospel, and the story we are invited into.

The Kansas City Underground holds this creed as a foundational confession. It’s a declaration of trust, a form of spiritual formation, and a shared language that binds us together with the global Church across time and culture.

Each week, we’ll sit with a single line or phrase. You’ll engage Scripture, linger in reflection, and respond in prayer. This is not a study to rush through, but an invitation to abide with truth until it shapes your imagination and your life.

If you want to dive deeper into the meaning behind each line, we highly recommend The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism by Ben Myers. It’s a short but powerful companion that can enrich your journey.

Apostles’ Creed

Read the following line from the Apostles’ Creed:

“I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.”

After confessing belief in the Holy Spirit, the Creed immediately turns to the Church. And that’s not an accident. The Spirit doesn’t just fill individuals. The Spirit forms a people.

“I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.” This is a confession that we don’t follow Jesus alone.We are part of a global, historic, Spirit-filled family.

Let’s break it down:

“Holy” – Not because we’re perfect, but because we’ve been set apart by God. The Church is His, called to reflect His love, justice, and mercy in the world.

“Catholic” – This word can trip people up, but it’s ancient. It simply means “universal.” We’re not talking about the Roman Catholic Church specifically. The word catholic here means the whole Church—across every time, place, and culture. It reminds us that the Body of Christ is bigger than any one denomination or tradition.

“The communion of saints” – This isn’t about statues or stained glass. It’s about shared life. We are connected to all who belong to Jesus—the living and the dead, the near and the far. The Church is a communion, a fellowship, a family.

To confess this is to say: I belong. I am not alone.

My faith is part of something bigger than me. This is important in an age of individualism—when faith is often seen as a private journey or a personal brand.

The Creed calls us back to shared life. To a Church that spans continents and centuries. To a communion of saints that includes the persecuted in North Korea, the joyful worshipers in Africa, the hidden house churches in Iran, and the microchurches in Kansas City.

This week, we remember: Belief makes us family.

And we are not just called to believe—we are called to belong.

Scripture Readings

Matthew 16:13–19 – Jesus declares, “I will build my church.”
Acts 2:42–47 – The shared life of the early Church.
1 Corinthians 12:12–27 – One body, many parts.
Ephesians 2:19–22 – Citizens, members of God’s household.
Hebrews 12:1–2 – Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.

Reflection

The Church is not just a building. It’s not just a weekly event. It’s a people. A body. A family.

And not just the people in your local gathering or microchurch.

The holy catholic Church is the whole family of God—past, present, and future.

Those who have gone before us, those who walk alongside us, and those who will come after us.

We are not just connected to the people we know—we are connected to the communion of saints.

To the persecuted, the hidden, the thriving, the struggling.

To believers across cultures and centuries who confess the same Jesus, who walk the same road. And that belonging shapes how we live. In an individualistic world, this line calls us back to community.

In a divided world, it calls us back to unity. In a lonely world, it reminds us that we are never alone.

This is the Spirit’s work—to make us one body, across boundaries, across time.

Consider

Before continuing on to the prayer prompts, considering journaling your answers to the following questions:

How do you view the Church? Is it a building, a service, or a family?
Do you live like your faith is connected to others—or do you keep it private?
Where do you need to embrace the shared life of the communion of saints more fully?
How does belonging to the global Church stretch your imagination for what the Church can be?
Where can you practice shared life more intentionally—in your microchurch, neighborhood, or relationships?

Prayer Prompts

Let these prompts guide you into gratitude, unity, and shared belonging.

Worship: Thank God for the global, historic, Spirit-filled Church. Celebrate the diversity and unity of the body of Christ. Let Ephesians 2 or 1 Corinthians 12 shape your praise.
Confess: Where have you treated church like a product, not a family? Where have you resisted community? Name it. Ask the Spirit to grow your love for the Church.
Receive: Imagine yourself surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12). Let their faith inspire you to keep going.
Commit: Ask the Spirit to show you one way you can live more deeply into shared life this week—whether through encouragement, generosity, or presence.
Intercede: Pray for the global Church. For unity in diversity. For the persecuted and the free. For the microchurches in Kansas City and the underground churches across the world. Ask that we, as a network, would reflect the beauty of the communion of saints—living in shared mission, love, and faithfulness.