Every Christian, at some point, wrestles with a simple but vital question: What’s my part in building the Church?
Am I just supposed to show up on Sundays, sing the songs, and go home? Or is there something deeper God is calling me to do?
To explore that question, I want to start with a story—not about a preacher, a theologian, or a famous missionary—but about one of the most influential people in the history of the Christian faith.
The Usher Who Changed the World
About 90 years ago, two teenage boys wandered near a tent revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. The place was packed, the air thick with heat and music and movement. The boys peeked in but saw there wasn’t a single empty seat. Shrugging, they decided to leave.
But an usher—just a volunteer—stopped them.
He asked if they’d like to stay, and when they said yes, he found a way to squeeze them in. That’s it. That’s all he did. But in doing so, he changed the course of history.
Because one of those boys was Billy Graham.
The usher’s name is lost to history. No fame. No recognition. Just a man doing his job faithfully. And yet, through that small act of service, God reached millions.
That’s what happens when ordinary people pick up their brick and start building.
Seeing the Need
The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells a similar story of quiet, determined faithfulness. Nehemiah, living far from his ancestral home, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins. So he went to King Artaxerxes and asked permission to return and rebuild.
When he arrived, Nehemiah surveyed the devastation and then called his people together:
“You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire.
Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”
(Nehemiah 2:17–18)
The people responded, “Let us rise up and build.”
That’s the turning point. The wall was never rebuilt because the people suddenly grew more talented or better resourced. It was rebuilt because someone saw the need, named it, and invited others to act.
The need itself became the call.
If we want to build God’s Kingdom today, the same truth holds: you can’t fix what you don’t see.
The Church isn’t a product to be consumed—it’s a people to belong to. It’s not something we attend; it’s something we are. And if that’s true, then the question isn’t “What can the church do for me?” but “Where is the need, and how can I help?”
Because the need is still the call.
Having a Mind to Work
When the people got to work, Nehemiah records this beautiful line:
“So we built the wall… for the people had a mind to work.”
(Nehemiah 4:6)
That’s all it took—a willing mind.
No miracles, no shortcuts, no special training. Just people who cared enough to get their hands dirty.
If you set your mind on building the Kingdom, God will give you the opportunity. But if you set your mind on nothing, that’s exactly what you’ll accomplish.
Work ethic is contagious. When people see others serving faithfully, it becomes the culture. A culture of service becomes a culture of impact. And impact always leads to transformation.
Do you see a crack in the wall? Don’t wait for permission—start building.
Every Brick Matters
Eventually, the wall was finished.
“So the wall was completed… and all the nations around us saw these things and perceived that this work was done by our God.”
(Nehemiah 6:15–16)
Every person played a part. Every stone mattered.
If even one family had refused to lift a trowel, the wall would have been incomplete. The same is true in the church today. Faithful service isn’t filler work—it’s the very fabric of God’s Kingdom.
Every act of kindness, every small task, every unnoticed contribution has eternal weight. The wall only stands when every brick is in place.
What It Means for You
So what’s your brick?
Maybe it’s mentoring a student who needs encouragement.
Maybe it’s serving behind the scenes, setting up chairs or running sound.
Maybe it’s leading a small group, preparing meals, visiting seniors, or caring for kids.
Maybe it’s seeing a gap nobody else has noticed—and stepping in to fill it.
There are as many kinds of bricks as there are believers. But each one matters.
If you call Jesus Lord, then the church is not for you. The church is you. You are the bride of Christ. You are commissioned. You are called.
The more we do, the more we can do. Build a culture of good priorities, hard work, and Gospel focus. If you’re willing to put in the work, God will bless it.
Just keep building—one faithful brick at a time.
And one day, when the wall stands complete and the work is finished, you’ll hear the words every servant longs for:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Because the One who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
That’s His promise—and it’s worth putting in your pocket to remember whenever you wonder if your brick really counts.
It does.
Every single one does.