07 Aug What is a Church?
The word ‘church’ is used in the English language in many different ways.
For example it is used to describe a building. You might hear someone giving directions, saying ‘the old stone church is just across the river.’
Or, it can be used to describe a denomination or organisation. You might receive a formal letter from the Anglican Church of Australia, or the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. In that usage a church is system of management.
Or the word church can be used to describe an event. You might ask your neighbour, ‘would you join us for church this morning?’
Most believers who have been a part of a regular congregation can answer the question. The church is the people.
However it is a touch more specific than saying it is people. For example, it is believers who are the church. And it isn’t just any group of believers who are the church, but a specific group. Here is how the New Testament sees it.
‘to the church of Ephesus write…’ (Rev 2:1)
The church of Ephesus in that example was all the believers of Ephesus. But in the city of Ephesus there were multiple groups that met in houses and in various locations. So while there are many ‘churches’ there is one ‘church’ and it is all the people who believe in the Lord in that one place.
So yes, in our usage of English there are many things we say are churches, or refer to as church, but there is one Church, and it is all the Lord’s people. Together we are the Church.
And THAT is a wonderful thing. It means we belong to many others, and they belong ot us all. It means Christ is the Lord of us all, he is the head of the church and we are the body. It means our differences make us stronger, and our love joins us together.
May the Lord give grace for us to be the Church and to serve Him all the more.
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