"Jesus Christ is the only hope for the future; the local church is a human institution that God may or may not work through." So says religious pollster George Barna. On Tuesday, December 13th we will consider Jesus' assessment of the church that will lead in a distinctly different direction. This will be in the context of considering the Nature and Government of the church (Berkhof chapters 23-24) are up next. Berkhof comes from a slightly different perspective on matters such as these, but also has a lot to offer for our consideration so read with an eye for both.