To celebrate our 80th anniversary, we collaborated with John Guerra to create a song that expresses the church’s call to be agents of hope and healing in a world facing displacement, poverty, and injustice. I wrote it. Watch the music video, read John’s reflections on why he believes the true identity of the church lies in following Christ’s example of selfless and sacrificial love, and listen to the release of “Let Us Be the Church.” Let’s celebrate.
Earlier this year, I was asked to consider writing a song to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World Relief. The prompt was: “We want a song that recognizes the current displacement crisis and celebrates the fact that God has placed the Church as a ready agent. Above all, we want a song that recognizes the current crisis of displacement and celebrates the fact that God has placed the Church as a ready agent. Above all, we wish for a song that recognizes the current crisis of displacement and celebrates the fact that God has placed the Church as a ready agent. I want to emphasize the Bride of Christ stepping into the identity of being a woman.”
As I thought about this invitation, I couldn’t help but think about the current state of “church” in America. The word “church” is complex. For some, that means buildings. For others, it means community. It may be a painful word, or it may be a word that brings back precious memories.
In 2024, Sunday morning church attendance in the United States will reach an all-time low and continue to decline. In some churches, partisan politics is more common than the Lord’s Prayer. There are as many denominations as there are flavors of ice cream. Not to mention the scandal of abuse and cover-up. God, please help us!
But is this all God’s people do in this world? There are many reasons why the answer to that question is a resounding “no”, and World Relief is one of them.
As I learned more about World Relief, its mission and history, I was encouraged and inspired. World Relief continues the lineage of service to the poor, outcasts, widows, and orphans for which the early Church was known.
The ancient historian Josephus said: “I believe that when it became clear that the poor were neglected and ignored by the pagan priests, the ungodly Galileans (Christians) observed this fact and devoted themselves to charity. “They support not only their poor, but our poor as well…” It was from this rich soil of service, worship, and sacrificial dedication that the church grew.
This was and is the purpose of world salvation.
The song “Let Us Be the Church” is a reminder, an accusation, and a prayer. We are God’s people, saved and redeemed by God’s grace. God is at work in the world, and we are called to be a part of that work.
let us be the church
Written by John Guerra
(Section 1)
Father, you have placed a prayer on our hearts.
for the mission of your kingdom everywhere,
To be doers of your word, and to be a people of good deeds, whom you have prepared.
The fruits of faith are pure and undefiled.
To serve orphans and widows in distress,
to protect myself from pride
and remain in trials and temptations.
(before chorus)
Your kingdom come.
May your will be done.
Lord, let us be your hands and feet.
Let’s unite and serve.
(chorus)
Let us be a church too.
Let’s be brave.
Let us see Christ among His people.
bring hope
By the power of the Spirit,
For the love of Jesus Christ.
Let us be a church too.
Let us be a church too.
(Section 2)
Please teach me how to love and how to live.
Teach me to show up when no one else will.
as a child of your mercy
May the love of Christ within us be revealed.
Oh, may the love of Christ be manifest in us.
(chorus)
Oh, let’s make it a church.
Let’s be brave.
Let us see Christ among His people.
bring hope
By the power of the Spirit,
For the love of Jesus Christ.
Let us be a church too.
Oh, let’s make it a church.
(bridge)
Set us apart as your servants in this world.
Set us apart, O Lord.
Because we see you in the faces we serve.
Oh Lord, we see You.
Oh Lord, we see You.
(chorus)
Let us be your church.
Let’s be brave.
May the world see Christ in its people.
let me bring you peace
By the power of the Spirit.
For the love of Jesus Christ.
Oh, let’s make it a church.
Let’s be brave.
May the world see Christ through His people.
let me bring you peace
by the power of the Spirit
For the love of Jesus Christ,
until work is finished
And everything will be right.
Oh, let’s make it a church.
Let us be a church too.
Let us be a church too.
Our testimony is just as important as our actions. As James said, “Faith without works is dead.” St. Athanasius said, “Until you find Christ in the face of the beggar at the door, you will not find him in the Eucharist.” We were once beggars at the door, but Christ stopped for us. So we join in the Savior’s work.
These difficult times require us to “rebuild the ancient ruins and build up the ancient foundations” (Isaiah 58:12). We need to be reminded of where God is actually working. We need to be reminded of how this whole project started by Jesus Christ began with selfless and sacrificial service.
It is our hope that “Let Us Be the Church” will serve as a reminder of that mission, an encouragement to those who listen, and a reflection of the highest calling and action in the world of world salvation.
You can join World Relief and make a difference through the love of Christ in communities around the world.
John Guerra is a devotional music singer-songwriter based in Austin, Texas. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Guerra began playing guitar and writing songs at an early age. In 2020, he released his independent production “Keeper of Days”. Guerra began to describe his style as “devotional music” (a term he coined to refer to his musical style), with “less Sunday morning worship music and more Monday morning devotional music.” It was expressed as “.
His 2023 album Ordinary Ways received critical acclaim and won Album of the Year at the Gospel Coalition’s annual roundup. His songs have been described as “modern psalms with the seriousness of George Herbert, the pious doubt of R.S. Thomas, the keen insight of Christian Wiman, and the determined vulnerability of St. Augustine’s Confessions.” There is. (Father Zach Coons, Mockingbird Magazine). In addition to songwriting, Guerra also composed the music for Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life (2019) with his wife Valerie. He’s currently touring, writing his next album, and always enjoying tacos with his wife and daughter in the peaceful Texas hills.
