#173 | Becoming the Church | Bishop Claude Alexander

Can you have Jesus without the church? The answer is an unequivocal and resounding, "No." Travis welcomes Bishop Claude Alexander to the show as they discuss how we are becoming the church, how we have to allow room to process, not give up on the church but press on, and seek to be unified because that is one of the greatest signs to the world that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It's a fun conversation between two men who deeply love Jesus' church and want to see it not only survive but thrive.

Bishop Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. has pastored The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 1990. Originally a congregation of 600 members, The Park is now home to more than 9,000 members.

Bishop Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He began pastoring his first church in 1987 and was ordained a bishop in 2008. Bishop Alexander has gained increasing presence in the media, reaching a potential audience of more than 2 million viewers each week through his live-streamed sermons.

Bishop Alexander is ranked among the 75 most influential persons in Charlotte by Charlotte Magazine. He is co-chair of the Community Building Initiative, a nonprofit organization that works to achieve racial and ethnic inclusion and equity in the Charlotte Mecklenburg community. He has served on the boards of several organizations over the years, and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, the Executive Board of the Joint College of Bishops and the Board of Directors of Christianity Today. He was also recently elected president of Hampton University Ministers’ Conference.

Bishop Alexander and his wife, Kimberly, have been married since 1993. They have two school-aged daughters — Camryn and Carsyn.

Check out Bishop Alexander's website.

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Takeaways:

• The church is a dynamic community that encompasses both immense joy and profound pain, reflecting the complexities of human experience.
• True understanding of God is often revealed through communal experiences rather than in isolation, emphasizing the importance of fellowship.
• In the journey of faith, we must acknowledge our imperfections and strive towards being the church that God calls us to become.
• Revival is not merely about achieving perfection but about recognizing and embracing Jesus' work in our messy realities as we grow together.
• Discipleship begins with baptism, which symbolizes our commitment to God and marks the transition from self-led lives to lives led by Him.
• The essence of the church lies in our collective commitments to each other and to God, which serve as a testament to the world about His faithfulness.