The Controversy of Defining the Christian Church
Jesus’ Assembly of “Called Out Ones” in Biblical and Modern Context
Matthew 16:18 (KJV) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The word “Church” ἐκκλησία (Ekklesia) as used by Jesus and the Apostles means an assembly, which according to Strong’s and Thayer’s Greek Lexicons means “a gathering of citizens CALLED OUT from their homes into some PUBLIC place” or “people convened at the PUBLIC place of the council for the PURPOSE of deliberating (a social contract, a law, an order, a judgment, or a declaration of war or some other action).”
This word should be easily understood by anyone.
A school assembly happens when all teachers and students are CALLED OUT of their classrooms into a PUBLIC place for the PURPOSE of hearing or doing something in common, such as listening to the PRINCIPAL’s announcements.
A fire drill assembly happens when all people CALLED OUT of their private offices into a PUBLIC place for the PURPOSE of receiving direction from the FIRE MARSHAL or whoever is responsible for the emergency.
Congress qualifies as an assembly as senators and representatives are CALLED OUT of their states into a PUBLIC building in Washington D.C. for the PURPOSE of negotiating and passing laws that affect the nation.
The act of assembling is PUBLIC and has a PURPOSE. Obviously it does not mean a “fellowship” or “a nice night around food and the Bible,” which is what many Christians have reduced the word to.
Is it possible for a home to be a church? Yes, I would say it is possible to have Congress in session in a home, but it would be rare. (We will look at the rare occasions that have been made common below.)
The Lord and the apostles would have understood the word ἐκκλησία in its cultural, historical and linguistic context. There are many implications to a contextual understanding of the word ἐκκλησία:
1. It involves being CALLED OUT. We can allegorize this and claim all Christians are spiritually “called out” of sin, but that would render the word nearly meaningless as the Christian by himself would be in a perpetual state of being “called out”. The New Testament shows there is a physical calling out as well. The New Testament believers met not only weekly but daily in some cases.
Acts 11:26 (KJV) And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they ASSEMBLED themselves with the CHURCH, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
In the Greek, two words were use: συνάγω (synago) and ἐκκλησία (ekklesia). They “synagogued themselves with the church,” or they “churched with the church.” Even though there is some truth to being called out of the world, we are not in a state of perpetual assembly. We are to assemble physically from time to time under an ordained leader.
Note the very word συνάγω (synago) implies a meeting called for and led by a leader, as it can be translated as “to assemble, to lead together, to lead into” (Strong’s definition).
2. The Lord was challenging the world’s assemblies, councils, courts, and government with His own assembly. He was not trying to hide His church in private gatherings. He wanted His church to take a public role by “assembling.”
3. The apostles would have associated the word ἐκκλησία with the Sanhedrin—the assembly of chosen rabbis CALLED OUT of their tribes or regions into a PUBLIC place in Jerusalem for the PURPOSE of judging a religious or legal mater.
4. The Lord and the Apostles met in public places regularly. The Lord customarily preached in synagogues during the Sabbath, and so did Paul whenever he was invited. Sometimes they held open air meetings.
To be a recluse in a home meeting with no one or with your family and a few friends would not fit the normal definition of an “assembly.” One notable exception would be under communism when the law became an enemy to Christian assembly, then Christians “assembled” in homes out of lack of venue, not out of choice.
The same holds true under Islamic dictatorships where sharia prohibits evangelism and conversions, thus “Muslim Background Believers” (MBBs) have to meet in hiding or in homes.
Another notable exception is when someone rich has a very large home, such as the one provided on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:3). However, not many people have a home with a “Room” upstairs that comfortably holds 120 adults and uncounted numbers of children and servants. Not one room in my house fits 100-200 people. I met only one Christian in Singapore whose home had such a room, built for purpose. He also had a personal tennis court and high security walls with a full time guard. Thank God when rich Christians can turn their homes into a church that can accommodate more than their family and a few friends. Since this is rare, Christians tend to pool their resources to buy, build or rent public assembly halls.
5. The modern situation where Christians sit at home, drink, eat, read, pray without any ordained leadership does not fit the New Testament definition of “Church.” Only under duress, such as the 2020-2023 Global Lockdown, would such home “fellowships” possibly qualify as a “public assembly with a public purpose.” Christians got used to this lockdown and isolation and many did not come back into public gatherings with a leader calling for a public agenda or purpose.
6. The validity of Online Church may be subject to debate, but it fits the definition of ἐκκλησία better than most home “fellowships.” The purpose of an assembly (such as the New Testament Church) is not primarily fellowship or a hang out, but to come out of isolation, present yourself in a public meeting, and fulfill the governmental purpose that is organized or guided by a leader (a principal, a pastor, a House Speaker, etc.)
7. The act of “assembling” always has a PURPOSE greater than a pot luck dinner and social interaction, though those are needed blessings. When I hear the word “assemble,” I hear taking smaller parts and making them work together for a greater purpose, guided by a leader. We “assemble” a shelf, a bicycle, or a machine by taking all the part OUT of their packaging and putting them together in a PUBLIC place so they would serve the manufacturer’s PURPOSE.
8. Private, leaderless gatherings have their place: food night, games night, study for exams night, project collaboration at the office, but they do not fit well what Jesus had in mind when He said He would “build His church.” What is Jesus doing? End Time Prophecy tells us clearly!
The Rock
He is building an alternative form of government that would challenge the “gates of hell” — a veiled symbol for the brutal, corrupt Roman Empire. The listeners were standing at a Roman resort town, Caesarea Philippi, when He said this. They were looking at a grotto (a rocky entrance) that was supposedly the place demons came out of the underworld. To contrast this Roman superstition, Jesus called Peter a rock (Petros) and Himself “this Rock” (Petra). Most English speakers do not realize there were two different words for “rock” in this verse. “The Rock” is a reference to the Messiah, as symbolized by “the rock” (Petra) Moses split (Exodus 33) and the “the rock” (Petra) that is God (Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:2, Psalm 18:2, 31, 46).
If there is any doubt Jesus’ purpose is to recruit and train His future leaders, who should be meeting publicly for the purpose of exercising public power, just read Matthew 16 in context. Here is the next verse after Jesus declared He would build His church.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
No, this is not spiritual or symbolic power only. Jews do not operate with such Greco-Roman dichotomies, nor do they separate the spiritual from the natural like pagan Gentiles do. Jesus wants to exert His spiritual and natural authority over the earth as a part of the Redemption and restoration of fallen man. His church is not meant to be a private affair that isolates believers. His church is the vehicle by which He calls them out for public service.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (KJV) 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the GOVERNMENT shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his GOVERNMENT and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his KINGDOM, to ORDER it, and to ESTABLISH it with judgment and with JUSTICE from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
There are not many things that mention “the zeal of the Lord”. The Lord is adamant about restoring His authority on Earth through His delegated authority in the Church. I believe there is a place for home churches, but if they become isolated places for Christians to be unaccountable to authority and the wider Body, then it’s unhealthy and possibly rebellious. It’s not acting in a way that fulfills Jesus’ desire that we “assemble” together as an “assembly”.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the ASSEMBLING of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
To be prepared for Jesus’ Return, we are to get out of isolation, meet in public places (online counts in court, politics, business and church), and for a purpose organized and guided by an ordained church leader. Let’s “church with the Church”!
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