Just as a family is not a house, the Church is not a building. The New Testament does not call for the establishment of special buildings. The New Testament Church met in public places, such as the Temple in Jerusalem, and in each other's homes. Even despite the Jews' cultural tendency to build synagogues, the New Testament does not record one instance of the erection of a Christian building.
Using the word "church" in reference to a building has taken its toll on the Church. Imagine what would happen to our country if the army built a building and called it an "army." And then imagine that the army went from defending the country 24-hours a day to simply "going to army" once a week to listen to miltary songs, and to listen to a slide-show presentation on how to operate a machine gun. We would lose wars! This is what has happened to the Church. We have ceased to be the Church, and instead opted for "going to church."
Alternatives to the word church as a building:
|
|
The Church is also not a formal institution. The word translated church in the New Testament, ekklesia, can also be translated as assembly or congregation. The Church is not just an organization of professional clerics, but the community of all believers.
