It appears that the word "church" derived from the Greek kuriakos, which means belonging to the Lord. The Greek ekklesia and the Latin ecclesia are of particular interest. Ecclesia is the word from which we derive the idea of ecclesiastic, or church matters. Ekklesia is the Greek word, rendered "church," that the Holy Spirit used to designate God's people. The word Ekklesia was already in the Greek vocabulary, prior to the writing of the New Testament.

In common Greek usage, ekklesia denoted an assembly. This is easily understood when we realize that the collective noun ekklesia is made up of two words--klesis (a calling) and ek (out); hence, a calling out.

• In Acts 19: 32,39,41, Ekklesia is used in its common sense and translated "assembly."
  
  
• Moulton and Milligan stress the use of ekklesia in the Septuagint and comment that "it is the LXX term for the community of Israel" (The vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, pg. 195).
  
  
• Another work remarks, "Congregation or community of Israel, especially in its religious aspect as the people of God" (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pg. 651).
  
  
• In his famous sermon (Acts 7:38), Steven, speaking under inspiration, used ekklesia to speak of God's community.

As we develop our study, we will find that the New Testament assigns to the word ekklesia a richer meaning than it previously enjoyed.

What is the church, or ekklesia? As we examine the Scriptures, we discover what God's ekklesia actually is.

The words church and kingdom apply to God's people, church from the standpoint of the called out, and kingdom from the perspective of those over whom Jesus reigns. In Jesus' statement to Peter, during which He promised to build His church, almost in the same breath, He said: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven..." (Matthew 16:18,19) I submit that Jesus, when he used "church" (ekklesia) and "kingdom" (basileia), was referring to the same people. The church came into existence in Acts 2, and Peter, the featured speaker, used the keys of the kingdom (he opened it by preaching the gospel, Acts 2:14ff.).

Please appreciate the biblical fact that if one is part of God's called out (the saved), one is subject to Jesus' reign. It was Jesus who said, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) The notion that Jesus can be one's Savior without being one's Lord is totally foreign to the Scriptures. It is, therefore, correct to say that the church is the kingdom.

• The church is Christ's body. To the Ephesian Christians, Paul wrote the following: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1:22,23)
  
  The fact that He is its head emphasizes the intimacy between Jesus and His church. The statement also articulates the idea of Jesus' authority. In the physical analogy, the body looks to the head for direction. The physical body, without the head, is out of control. In the same manner, the spiritual body, without its head, is out of control. Denominations are nothing more than bodies that do not have Jesus as their head. They do what they want to do and do not submit to Jesus' authority and headship. "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18)
  
  
• The church is Christ's bride. The Scriptures present the church as being married to Jesus. Paul told the Corinthians, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:11) In Paul's familiar analogy, it is evident that the church is Jesus' bride. "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body." (Ephesians 5:22,23)
  
  Denominationalism, by insisting that Jesus is married to all the extant, man-made religions, would have Him be a polygamist. However, Jesus promised to build one church, his church. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22,23} "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling." (Ephesians 4:4) Again, in the teaching that the ekklesia is His bride, we observe the intimacy between Jesus and His church.
  
  
• The church is the "pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). In his dissertation regarding the qualifications and appointment of elders and deacons, Paul spoke of the church as the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3). Hence, we understand that "church," in this case, alludes to the local church, with its organization and structure.

What the ekklesia is not. Any complete exploration of a term or concept necessarily involves both positive and negative consideration.

• The church is not simply an afterthought. Premillennial teaching would have us to believe that Jesus came to establish His kingdom and failed. As a substitute, or afterthought, Jesus then established His church. Not only is such a notion false, it also presents a weak God who is subject to the caprice of men. Jesus did, in fact, establish His church/kingdom (see Colossians 1:13).
  
  
• The ekklesia that belongs to Jesus is not a denomination. We never read of the church as part of a confederacy or group that was governmentally tied together by an overseeing board or headquarters. Elders were appointed in every local church, and each local church was self-governing (Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 5:1-3). The "seven churches of Asia" were simply seven local churches that met in the Asian area (Revelation 1:11). However, these churches did not share the same problems (Revelation 2,3). This fact is reflective of the independence of each of these churches.
  
  
• The church is not a party or clique. Paul cogently denounced the clique mentality (1 Corinthians 1:11-15). Paul's abhorrence of cliques and the party spirit is evidenced by the fact that he was actually glad that he had not baptized more of the Corinthians: "Lest any should say that I had baptized in the name of Paul." (1 Corinthians 1:14,15) Denominationalism is basically men rallying around other men. An example of this is the Lutheran church, which rallies around Martin Luther, even though he requested that men not do this.
  
  
• The ekklesia is not simply a social, humanitarian club. I know that in view of what is common in today's religions, it is difficult not to think of the church as a social club. However, it is degrading to consider Jesus' church as nothing more than a glorified social order that features fun and frolic. "But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:15)

A semantical consideration of the word ekklesia as it is used in the New Testament. In the Greek New Testament, the Greek word ekklesia is found 115 times, the first occurring in Matthew 16:18, the last in Revelation 22:16. Let us now consider some of the nuances and ideas presented by the different usages of ekklesia and thereby learn more about what the church is.

First, I suggest that we see a clear distinction between the church universal and the local church. The church, as presented in Matthew 16:18, is the church universal, or simply the called out of the entire earth. God has only one family, Jesus having only one bride. Only the saved are in this church, the church universal. "That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)

In contradistinction, we read of the "seven churches that are in Asia" (Revelation 1:11) (cp. 1 Corinthians 1:2; 4:17). There can be, and are, hypocrites and pretenders in some local churches (Matthew 13:36-43,47-50).

God, by means of baptism, adds to the church universal, and man joins the local church. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."(1 Corinthians 12:13) "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:26,27) "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:27) The church in the aggregate cannot be divided, but the local church can be, and often is (1 Corinthians 1:2,11).

• The church viewed in one area. We read, "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things." (Acts 5:11) Considered in its context, church or ekklesia is here applied to the local church in Jerusalem (in the Greek New Testament, Acts 5:11 is the first occurrence of ekklesia in Acts).
  
  
• Churches (plural) in a number of areas. "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria," we are told, "and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Acts 9:31). Thus, we see the word "Church" applied to local churches, in different areas.
  
  
• The unassembled church in one area. Some teaching says that there is no church unless it is assembled. However, the Scriptures do not support this. "And when they were come, and had gathered the church together," the historian informs us, "they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." (Acts 14:27) Notice that the church in Antioch of Syria existed before it was assembled. Otherwise, how could they "gather the church together"? Those who came "together" would constitute the assembled church, but the verse recognizes the church in its unassembled state, before its members came together.
  
  
• The assembled church in one area. The noun ekklesia is used spiritually in keeping with its basic secular meaning. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth," Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" (1 Corinthians 14:23). The expression "come together into one place" refers to the assembled local church. The idea of the assembled church is a little plainer in the language, "For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it." (1 Corinthians 11:18). When Paul wrote, "let him keep silence in the church," he was not referring to the church universal or the unassembled local church, but to the assembly. "And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church." (1 Corinthians 14:35).

There continues to be a movement that believes the word ekklesia, in all of its 115 Greek Testament occurrences, should always, and only, be translated "assembly." This contention is implausible. How can you gather an "assembly" together; and how can the "whole assembly" be come together? (Acts 14:27; 1 Corinthians 14:23) We read of Paul, before he turned to Christ, "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison." (Acts 8:3) How was Saul destroying the church? We are told that he "entering into every house, and hauling men and women committed them to prison." In this instance, it would be unacceptable to translate ekklesia as "assembly." Paul was not destroying the assembly by waiting until the Christians had assembled. Rather, he was searching them out in their private houses.

We also see, in this case of "church," the distributive usage. "Church" is used for the individual members who comprise the local church. There is even the distributive use of "church" involving the assembly. I say this because we see the assembled local church, but an action performed in the assembly is performed by individuals. "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup." (1 Corinthians 11:27,28)

"Church" is used to describe the local church/churches that are not fully organized. I know this because of the language, "So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." (Acts 14: 23) The churches in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch were viewed as churches before they had elders.

"Church" is used to describe a local collectivity of God's people in a fully organized state. We read: "Paul and Timotheus...to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." (Philippians 1:1) The language, "all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi" refers to the church; hence, the fully developed local church.

Last of all, "church" is used regarding the local church, functioning as an organized entity. In this sense, "church" is used corporately. In the teaching Paul gave in I Timothy, chapter 5, we have a perfect example of the difference between individual and collective action (the entire church). Consider the language: "If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." (1 Timothy 5:16)

The only way the church can fulfill the duty of relieving those widows spoken of in the context is by functioning corporately by activating the treasury. While money is in the hands of individuals, it remains their money, but when the individuals contribute to the local treasury, the money ceases to belong to them. "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:1-4) "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:1,2)

Beloved, "church," or ekklesia, means all of the above, and fully viewed, "church" includes all that we have studied.

Is there a better way than "church" to translate ekklesia? Many believe that ekklesia should be translated "congregation." However, "congregation" has essentially the same meaning as "assembly," and we've already noted the implausibility of always rendering ekklesia "assembly." But some insist that the word "church" is so misused that we should avoid it. The fact that some people misuse a term does not justify totally abandoning the word. In fact, if we used this criterion, I don't suppose there would be a term we could use. "Church" is generic and flexible enough that it seems to fit all the instances where ekklesia is used in a spiritual climate.

As we have seen, "church" is often radically different from the common thinking. Today, considering the "church" to be people who submit to and obey their King is considered radical. Yet, the basic idea is that the New Testament church is viewed as a "kingdom" (Matthew 16:18,19). In view of the merging, modern family in which there is equal headship, many Americans do not think of the church (the family) as being subject to her head, Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding, as Christ's body, the church is subject to her head, Jesus (Ephesians 1:22,23).

The church universal, when considered numerically, is singular (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:4). This same unity is seen in Paul's teaching "everywhere in every church" (1 Corinthians 4:17). There were no denominations (different churches, teaching different doctrines, cp. Ephesians 4:5) such as we have today. Even when we view the "church" as the organized called-out, functioning as an entity, in a local arrangement, we observe that it is a self-governing body, working under the oversight of the local overseers or elders (1 Peter 5:1-3; Hebrews 13:7,17). It is important for us to understand the ekklesia, or church, because only saved people are in the church, and it is the church that will be presented without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:23,27).

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Brother Martin presented a good study of the word church. I assume that we also know that the church is not the building where it meets! (KMG)