Church

What image of “church” do you

have?
 Roots in ancient Greece
 Εκκλεσια/ekklesia
 Term used to refer to any public gathering
 A political rally could be an ecclesia.
 Students gathered together to study could be
an ecclesia.
 A stadium full of fans attending a sporting
event could be an ecclesia.
 People who gather to pray could be an
ecclesia
 Christian adaptation
 Christian Usage
 The early Christians adopted the term for
its own usage
 “called out”
 In its earliest usage, it referred to a
movement  Building
 “House” churches
 Urban setting
 “pagan”
 Inclusive communities
There is more than one kind of
church
Simple
Elaborate
New
Old
Large
Small
 Why these differences?
 Do these differences reflect different
understanding of “church”?
What makes a church?
Is this a church?
Is this?