“The Preface” by Dave Bessey

The life we are living now is the “preface” for our etetnity. You have an opportunity to truly learn as walk through this life here in the earth realm to mature in character, life is merely a grain of sand in a universe of sand grains. It is not about us or past or future. It is about now and where you stand in Christ.

This message is eventually going to be part of my preface for the book “REACH - The Apostolic Advance”. It is about Christ Jesus as the pattern, the only pattern or model for building. He is center of everything. The question is what is wrong with the Body of Christ, His army?

Diagnosing the Body — Returning to Christ as the Pattern.

In recent months, I have walked through a physical battle that revealed far more about the Body of Christ than any commentary or leadership manual could have shown me. After severe illnesses , intestinal complications, and weeks confined to a bed, I awoke one morning unable to lift my right arm. The pain was sharp, the nerves compressed, and my mobility nearly absent. Naturally, the immediate conclusion was that my muscles needed to be worked, stretched, and pushed until they responded. But it was not a muscular issue at all. The real problem was lymphatic congestion.

Fluid had gathered where it should have been flowing. Pressure built on nerves already weakened by exhaustion. Inflammation wrapped itself around joints that had once moved without effort. My strength diminished as movement faded. This was not a surface problem. It was a deeper systemic one.

In that moment of pain and clarity, the Holy Spirit spoke gently and unmistakably: “This is what My Body looks like when man tries to fix what only Christ can diagnose.” That single sentence reshaped my understanding of the Church. We are often quick to adjust what is visible without addressing the deeper issues that hinder spiritual health. We enhance what can be seen, yet ignore the internal obstructions—identity, maturity, humility, holiness, discipleship, purity, and connection to Christ the Head. No amount of external correction can heal what is blocked at the source.

Christ alone understands His Body. Scripture confirms repeatedly that He is the Builder, the Cornerstone, and the standard of alignment. Ephesians 2:17–22 reminds us that the entire structure of the Church grows only as it is joined to Him:

“He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”

Ephesians 4:7–16 reveals the blueprint for maturity, teaching us that the goal of every believer is to grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭16‬ ‭WEBUS‬‬

“But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.” Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and some teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all “REACH” the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.”

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First though, Corinthians 12:18-31 affirms that Christ Himself assigns roles, places members, and governs His Body. When we attempt to diagnose the Church apart from Him, we misinterpret symptoms and mistreat the deeper disease:

1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭18‬-‭31‬ ‭WEBUS‬‬

“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now they are many members, but one body. The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant modesty, while our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.”

Much of modern Christianity is occupied with appearance rather than formation of Christ in us. It emphasizes expression, but not transformation. It elevates personal fulfillment or purpose , yet diminishes surrender to Christ. It produces believers who are active, yet spiritually congested; visible, yet immature; busy, yet detached from Christ Himself. My own healing began when I stopped focusing on the wrong problem. The same is true of the Church: healing begins when the deeper spiritual blockages heart and mind are removed and Christ’s life begins to flow freely through us again.

The apostolic advance exists for that reason: to call the Church back to Christ’s original design, to return us to the pattern He established, and to help each believer grow into the fullness of maturity.

May every obstruction yield to His presence. May every area of weakness become a testimony of His strength. And may you rediscover what it means to be aligned with the Builder, restored by His hand, and matured by His life.

We return to Him.

We build by Him.

We mature in Him.

And in Him alone, the Body finds its health.

— Dr. David A. Bessey, ThD

REACH International Ministries - Philippines