1. What is the Church? (1)

2. The Importance of the Church
It is the church that God purchased with the blood of his own Son (Ac 20.28)
It is that which Christ loves, nourishes and cherishes (Eph , 29)
Christ will present it blameless to Himself one day in the future (Eph 5.27)
It is Christ’s principle work in the world today (Mt 16.18)
It is the recipient of Christ’s gifts (Eph 4.12)

3. Meaning: English Comes from a Greek word, kuriakon
From it is derived the Scottish kirk and the English church
Term comes from a word meaning “belonging to the Lord”
The Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11.20)
The Lord’s Day (Rev 1.10)
Came to be used of people who belong to the Lord

4. Meaning: Hebrew Qahal means assembly
Translated by ecclesia in the Greek OT (LXX)
Not necessarily a religious assembly (Gn 28.3; , Ps 26.5)
Not even an assembly of human beings (Ps 89.5)
Most often use refers to the gathering or assembly of the congregation of Israel (Ex and many others)

5. Meaning: Greek secular
Means assembly
Used to refer to political gatherings, not religious
Did not refer to the people, but to the meeting
In other words, when they were not in the meeting, there was no assembly

6. Meaning: Greek NT
The people are called the ecclesia, whether actually gathered together or not
But the meaning is simply an assembly, the word has no theological overtones
That is, from its etymology, reference is often made to the idea of called out ones – this is not the meaning of the wor

7. NT Usage Character or nature of the assembled group
Reason or focus that draws the group together

8. Acts 19.39, 41 Group = heathen citizens of Ephesus
Purpose = political meeting
Citizens of a free city in the empire had the right to form a legislative assembly three times a month
This particular assembly was illegal, not a regular meeting

9. Acts 7.38 Group = Israelites Purpose = receive God’s law through Moses
Involved all Israel, not exclusively believers

10. Eph 1.22-23 Group = Christ’s church, all believers
Purpose = to form Christ’s body
Comes about through the ministry of the Spirit at salvation (1 Cor 12.13)
Includes every believer of all time (Heb 12.23)
Does not need to be assembled to be considered a body
Proper term: universal church (not invisible)

11. Rm 16.5, 1 Cor 16.19, Col 4.15, Phile 2
Local gatherings, meeting in houses
Considered churches whether actually in meeting or not
Made up of all those who publicly professed faith in Christ in a local area
Focus of these groups:
Geographical convenience
Profession of faith in Christ
Practice of baptism and Lord’s supper
Group functions like worship and teaching