Doing Church

Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. (Heb. 3:6)

​What is the church?  Where does it exist?  Is the church a building?  Does the church exist inside of believers?   Does it exist inside of every believer?  These are important questions to ask because these days, and because of the Covid pandemic, the whole idea of church has become muddied and very confusing to many people.  Though the ban on gatherings has been lifted in many states, many Christians continue to “do church” at home and watch the church service online.  The argument goes that church is wherever we worship God and “where two or more are gathered”, there Jesus is in our midst (Matt 18:20).  First, while we can worship God anywhere, anywhere we worship God is not church.  Second, while all believers compromise the Church of God, not every believer is the Church in and of himself.  Thirdly, Jesus makes his statement in Mathew 18:20 within the context of church discipline, not corporate worship.  Rather, the author of Hebrews tells us that “Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope” (3:5-6).  Christ is faithful over God’s house and “we are that house.”  Notice he does not say ‘each believer is the house of God’, but that “we [collectively, corporately, the gathered saints] are his house.”  The very word “church” implies the gathering together of all of God’s people in a single location for worship.  The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is a compound word comprised of ek = out or outside + kaleo = to call.  Hence, ekklesia literally means ‘those who are called out or outside,' those who gather outside of their homes.  Those who are called out from their homes to gather.  The invisible Church is comprised of all believers around the world and throughout the ages.  However, the visible church is comprised of local believers gathering together in one location for corporate worship.