Written by Dr. Pearl Kupe
Article originally published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
The Bible compares the life of a believer to the construction of a building. As followers of Christ, we must be built up so that we can also build in the Kingdom of God. Our foundation must always be Jesus, not man. 1 Corinthians 3:11 says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Our foundation is important
As believers, the Word says we are God’s building, “Ye are God’s building … As a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation”
(1 Cor 3:9-10). Foundations are critically important. The first feature of a building that will stand the test of time is a solid, permanent foundation. Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Any building that has a weak or faulty foundation will inevitably fall down after a certain period of time. The Bible gives us a parable about the wise builder (Matt 7:24-27) who builds his house on solid rock so that when storms, floods, and winds hit, the house remains standing strong. We saw a practical example of this in Nepal recently during devastating floods. A single, green-painted house stood strong during the floods and was not swept away.
How are believers built up?
Believers are built up with the Word of God. Acts 20:32 says, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up.” We are also expected to build ourselves up in our faith (Jude 20). We have both personal and collective responsibilities for our spiritual growth and must read and apply the Word of God to ensure that it takes place. “Rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith” (Col 2:7).
We are built up so we can build
Our mandate is to build, but it will be hard to do so when we ourselves are not built up. We live in a generation that loves to tear others down and cancel people. This is contrary to the mandate given to believers to build others up. Charlatans and wolves must be exposed for their deception, but we must not forget the primary mandate of building others up – our families, communities, and nations.
Build others through the Word of God
We build others up through the Word of God. We also build others up through edifying words. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”
Correct in truth and love
We build others up by bringing correction that is spoken in truth and love. Revelation 3:19 says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”
Build our children
As parents, we must build our children up. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” We train, equip, and activate our children so that they too will be built up and become Kingdom builders.
Build the Church
A key part of the fivefold ministry offices mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 is to teach, train, equip, and build up believers to do the work of the ministry. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
Build our communities
We build our communities up by observing the admonition that Jesus gave in Matthew 25:35-40 when He said: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me … Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Building up communities is not the sole responsibility of governments. As the Church, we must participate in the building up of our communities.
Build our nation
Nations will be misaligned when believers do not rise up as sons of God to take the nation by the hand and build and guide her. Isaiah 51:17-18 says, “Awake, awake! Rise up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes people stagger. Among all the children she bore there was none to guide her; among all the children she reared there was none to take her by the hand.”
This article appears in the October 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 25/09/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
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