Churches

The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia for “belonging to the Lord,” and with an understanding of holy people, especially people who are gathered for worship. Ekklesia in Greek had an original meaning of assembly of citizens who enjoyed full civil rights. Thus, the word “church” can mean the Lord's holy congregation. The idea of church is the abiding presence of God's definitive and fully articulated Word, who is Jesus, to the world. Since the Word was with God and in God, Jesus founded the church through his very reality. For many, the church is the central context of religious and spiritual influence.

In the Christian sacred scriptures, the New Testament, it is Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ or Messiah of history, who calls his followers into community. This is not a small secret church just for an elect few, but for all, especially sinners and those on the fringes of society. Jesus called people to belong to the Kingdom of God, and left behind the celebration of a memorial meal, the breaking of the bread. Many Christians see in the Gospel of Matthew (16:18), the foundation of the church with Peter as the first leader of this new community. It is Peter who is given the power to “bind and loose” and the keys of power to this new church.

The Pauline writings or letters in the New Testament show the meaning of church as a local community and a theological entity and not an organization. Paul had many difficulties spreading the [Page 82]early message of Jesus to the gentiles or non-Jewish people. But despite all these problems, Paul still stayed connected to the original community at Jerusalem. For the early believers, there were house churches where people gathered for the breaking of the bread. When Paul uses the term “church,” he really means the universal church that is realized and represented in small local communities.

Most Christians would agree that Jesus did found a church, or that he laid the foundations for one. He gathered followers around himself, that is, apostles and disciples, for the purpose of preaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. It is clear that Jesus intended to pass on some type of leadership and power to Peter and others after his life, death, and resurrection. Finally, at the Last Supper Jesus intended for his followers to continue on and “do this in remembrance of me.”

The early community of believers struggled with many issues for many centuries. One needs to remember that the early church was outlawed and underground until around the year 300. The Council of Nicea in 325 put down on paper many theological beliefs concerning God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the idea of church. Nicea proclaimed that there are four marks of the church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Each of these marks has profound theological and historical meaning. Thus, the church becomes both a sign and instrument of the mission of Jesus, to establish the Kingdom of God. There is a strong missionary element to bring the message to all nations.

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