Defining “Church”

   I recently looked up the definition of the word ‘church.”
   Dictionary.com, Macmillian and Merriam Webster said, “a building used for public Christian worship.” The Cambridge Dictionary added, “a Christian religious organization.” The Free Dictionary added, “Ecclesiastical power as distinguished from the secular”. The Urban Dictionary said, “expression to show approval of a situation.” Vocabulary.com said, “A church is where you go for a public religious service. On Easter, some people go to church to pray.”
   The New Testament translates the Greek word “ἐκκλησία” (ekklesia) as ‘Church.’ This word, derived from the compound “ἐκ” (A primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative) and “καλέω” (to call or be called by name) means “an assembly of the people convened at the public place.” Similarly, the Greek word for Synagogue, derived from the compounding of σύν (a primary preposition denoting union) and ἄγω (to lead by laying hold of, and this way to bring to the point of destination) means “to gather together, assemble, collect, gather, or meet.”
   The “church” is not a building at all. It is people who gather together in a public place for a specific purpose.
   The apostle Peter wrote the church is “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9). He is quoting from Exodus 19:6, where God calls Israel, “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Moses also wrote, “you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” (Deut 7:6)
   During the months of August & September 2019, I will write several short blogs about the church. I will look at what it is, what it is not, and hopefully raise awareness so people of the church, or synagogue, or mosque or temple can understand there is a perception problem and better explain who they are and what they do within their local communities.