Introduction

Christ is the head of His church.

• Matthew 16:18
• Acts 11:20-26
• Acts 20:28
• Ephesians 5:23-30

Let’s be precise and kind with our words.

• Proverbs 15:1-4
• “Legalist” - Romans 3:20; Matthew 15:9; II Thessalonians 1:8
• “Anti-”
• “Conservative” / “Liberal”
• “Institutional” / “Non-institutional”

We’re not interested in trying to prove points based on tradition or bias.

• John 12:48

We’re interested in Biblical truth.

It’s important to continually study this topic.

What does “church” mean?

The word “ekklesia”

• Matthew 16:18
• “the ‘called-out ones’ of God” (Mounce)
• “properly, ‘a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an assembly’” (Thayer)
• “a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)” (Strong)
• The word “group” is a good parallel to ekklesia.

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: secular group

• Israel in wilderness - Acts 7:38
• Riotous mob - Acts 19:32, 41
• Legal court - Acts 19:39

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”:

• Singular: Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:4 (Ephesians 1:22-23)
• Plural: Acts 15:41; Romans 16:16

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: universal spiritual group

• Ephesians 5:23-29
• Hebrews 12:18-24
• Matthew 16:13-20