The ChurchPower point “The Church”

When I look up the word “Church” on my computer dictionary WordWeb I find the following definitions:

  1. One of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
  2. (church service) a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty"
  3. A service conducted in a house of worship; "don't be late for church"
  4. The body of people who attend or belong to a particular local church; "our church is hosting a picnic next week"

Merriam-Webster offers the following:

1.a building for public and especially Christian worship

2.the clergy or officialdom of a religious body

3.often capitalized: a body or organization of religious believers: as

a: the whole body of Christians

b:denomination<the Presbyterianchurch>

c:congregation

4.a public divine worship<goes tochurchevery Sunday>

5.the clerical profession<considered thechurchas a possible career

It is evident that in this day and age the word Christian is implied by the word “church.’ And I would say that to the majority of people who consider themselves to be Christian they are the ones to whom the word church applies. However, I want us to consider for a moment that word Christian and what comes to the mind of the people of this world when they hear the word church and/or the word Christian. [Click slide 2] I call this circle “Christendom.” Of course the first and foremost group that would come to the mind of most of the people of the world when they hear the word [Click ] Christian or church would be Catholic (1.2 billion according to the Vatican). [Click ] In 2010 it was estimated that there were 2.2 billion people who claimed Christianity to be their religion. I have only included 23 of the approximately 35,000 organized groups that claim to be Christian. I have not studied the specific, doctrinal teaching of every group that calls themselves Christian, but of those [Click ] I have investigated it is possible that over 90% are not truly Christian in accordance with God’s Word.

  • [Click slide 3] What does the Greek word ekklesia mean? In the New Testament it is [Click ] translated either “assembly” or “church.” [Click ] According to Strong’s Concordance ekklesiameans a calling out, [Click ] a popular meeting, [Click ] especially a religious congregation, such as an assembly in a Jewish synagogue, [Click ] a Christian community of members on earth, [Click ] Saints in heaven, [Click ] Muslims gathering in a mosque, [Click ] the barangay captain calling out the counselors for a meeting.
  • [Click slide 4] Ekklesia is found 122 times in the New Testament. [Click ] It is translated “assembly/assemblies” 5 times [Click ] and “church/churches” 117 times. Ekklesia is found 65 times in Paul’s 13 epistles. [Click ] Of the 65 times ecclesia, translated “church,” as found in Paul’s epistles it means the spiritual body of Christ ONLY 14 times; 9 times in Ephesians, 2 times in 1 Corinthians, and 3 times in Colossians. [Click ] That means that in all of the other 103 times ecclesia appears in the New Testament it DOES NOT mean the “spiritual body of Christ.”
  • To use the word church when referring to a local gathering of members of the spiritual body of Christ is legitimate. However, I believe for the sake of clarity we should use the term spiritual body of Christ when we are speaking of all of those throughout the world who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal savior since the first century A.D. until today.
  • Words are important and therefore the communicator must be certain his meaning of a word is communicated clearly to the listener. I think when we use the word church an adjective, or adjectival phrase must be used. The phrase “spiritual body of Christ” is one such adjectival phrase. [Click slide5 ] Another adjective that could be used is the word “biblical.”
  • The Biblical Church defined and Described:

[Click ] The biblical church is not a building.
[Click ] The biblical church is not an organization.
[Click ] The biblical church is a spiritual entity.
[Click ] The biblical church does not have members.
[Click ] The biblical church has disciples (learners).
[Click ] The biblical church is local, regional, and universal.
[Click ] The biblical church consists of born-again Christians.
[Click slide 6] The biblical church has a sovereign: Jesus Christ as its Head.
[Click ] The biblical church is the Body of Christ: born-again Christians.
[Click ] The biblical church has a Shepherd: Jesus Christ.
[Click ] The biblical church has an Under-Shepherd: Pastor-Teacher; Bishop.
[Click ] The biblical church is an unregistered church.
[Click slide 5] The biblical church is non-taxable.
[Click ] The biblical church is not aligned with the State or Federal Government.
[Click ] The biblical church takes its marching orders from the Bible, not the government.
[Click ] The biblical church functions only with a Pastor-Teacher and Deacons.
[Click ] The biblical church must practice discrimination

[Click ] 1 Corinthians 11:1-3

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

[Click ] The biblical church does not have employees.

[Click ] Romans 12:1-8

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

[Click ] Ephesians 4:7-13

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

[Click ] The biblical church has servants/ministers.
[Click ] The biblical church pays no salaries.
[Click ] The biblical church provides love-gifts.