Sunday School Lesson

01 May 2011
DEFINITION of the New Testament Church
The word “church” is used 115 times
(“church” = 80 times in 79 verses; “churches” = 37 times in 36 verses) in the KJB.
 In 114 of those passages the Greek word translated “church” is “ekklesia.”
 (In Acts 19:37, the Greek word “hierosulos”, meaning “a robber of a sacred place,” is translated “church.”)
It is used in three ways in the New Testament:
1. Israel in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). The Jewish citizens.
In the Old Testament, the word “ekklesia” refers to the Jewish convocation, whenever the Jews
would be called out from their homes, and they would gather in the temple or in the tent or in the
tabernacle for the purpose of WORSHIPPING God. (In the Old Testament the word
“congregation” is used 363 times in 330 verses and the word “assembly” is used in 44 verses.)
2. A political assembly (Acts 19:32-41).
This is the assembly of Greek citizens whenever they would be called to gather for the
purpose of talking about POLITICS.
3. Christ’s assembly (Matthew 16:18). The New Testament Church is an “ekklesia” of the
Lord Jesus Christ – a called-out, organized assembly founded by the Lord Jesus Christ.
 The New Testament Church did not exist in the Old Testament. It is for that reason
that it is called the New Testament Church.
 It is not even the continuation of the Jewish assembly.
□ It is altogether new because it was ESTABLISHED and FOUNDED and
STARTED by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
□ If the ekklesia already existed in the Old Testament then there was no reason why
Jesus Christ has to establish another one.
 Now, we believe that the Lord Jesus Christ established only one kind of Church.
Of the 115 New Testament references to the “church” 111 refer to Christ’s assembly.

THE MEANING OF CHURCH. “Ekklesia” means a “called-out assembly” or a “congregation of

people for a specific purpose.” The idea of the New Testament Church is more than just an assembly
or a congregation. When we talk about the New Testament Church, we must understand what it
refers to. We believe that a church of Jesus Christ is:
 a congregation of saved and baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel;
 observing the ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord’s Supper);
 governed by His Laws and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word;
 that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are
clearly defined in the Scriptures.
 We believe the true MISSION of a church is found in the Great Commission.
□ First, to make individual disciples (evangelism);
□ Second, to build up the church (baptism);
□ Third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded (discipleship).
We do not believe in the reversal of this order.
 We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individual or organizations and that the One and Only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy
Spirit;
 that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the
furtherance of the Gospel that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its
co-operation on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of
the local church is final.
We emphasize the idea of the New Testament Church more than just the term “church” because there are many
existing organizations today that are called churches. And we must know the difference between the New
Testament Church and that of other churches that are known to exist today.
The Greek word “ekklesia” is composed of two Greek root words and they are “ekk” and “kaleo.”
 The Greek word “ekk” means “out of” and the word “kaleo” means “to call.”
 These two words put together make that word “ekklesia” to mean “a called-out assembly.”
The word “ekklesia” is used throughout the whole Bible, even in the Old Testament, but they do not always refer to
the New Testament Church.
USAGES OF THE WORD “CHURCH”
A. WRONG USAGES
1) CHURCH IS NOT A BUILDING.
2) CHURCH DOES NOT REFER TO A RELIGION OR SECT.
3) CHURCH IS NOT A DENOMINATION OR HIERARCHY.
4) CHURCH IS NOT A GATHERING OF AT LEAST TWO OR THREE PEOPLE.
Another wrong use of the word “church” is when it refers to any kind of a gathering. Modern theologians try to use
the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when He said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there
Am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20) They say, “That is the simple form of a church.” It is not! First of all, if it is,
then who is the pastor and who are the members? Not all gatherings can be considered as a church. It may be called
a religious gathering. It may be composed of representatives from many churches but it cannot be called a church.
We should know the difference between an ordinary religious gathering and that of a New Testament Church.
A New Testament Church is an organized assembly with existing rule or law that governs them. We do not believe
that “where two or three are gathered together” is the simplest form of a church because it is not.
5) CHURCH IS NOT A “UNIVERSAL INVISIBLE CHURCH”
Many theologians use the word “church” to refer to a theory – the “universal invisible church” theory. This theory is
a misnomer because there is no such thing as a universal, invisible church. And if it is an assembly, it must be local,
and not universal. So the term “universal invisible church” is an incredible thing. It is preposterous.
Just like the term “Roman Catholic Church.” “Roman” means “of Rome” (local) or “belonging to Rome.”
“Catholic” means “universal,” (all over the universe) and the word “church” means an “assembly.” How can you
ever assemble if you’re a universal Rome? It cannot be. So the term “Roman Catholic Church” is a misapplied term.
Well of course, the idea of the “universal invisible church” is even more preposterous than that, because, how can it
be an assembly when it is universal? And how can it be an assembly when it is invisible? Sometimes they would use
that word there in the Book of Hebrews where the Apostle Paul speaks about the general assembly in Heaven
composed of glorified saints. Now, even the general assembly in Heaven will not be invisible. How can we ever
assemble in Heaven if we do not see each other? And this assembly in Heaven will be localized with the Lord, not
scattered throughout the universe. We will be gathered around the throne of Jesus Christ. But of course the general
assembly is not convened yet. This is in the future when all the saints shall be gathered together in the presence of
the Lord Jesus Christ – that is the time when this general assembly will convene. And the place of venue is in glory –
in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, not throughout the universe.

B. CORRECT USAGE: “Church” As The New Testament Church

Whenever the word “church” is mentioned in the New Testament, it refers to a New Testament Church – whether it be in
an ABSTRACT sense or in a PARTICULAR sense.
1) The word “church” can be used GENERICALLY (generally) or in an ABSTRACT way. If you are not
referring to a particular church, you say, “I would like to go to church.” But you are not referring to any
particular church you wish to attend. So in that case you are using the word “church” GENERICALLY.
You may say, “Whenever I finish my course in the Bible Seminary, I’m going to establish a church.” Now
where is that church? It’s not yet in existence. You are using the word “church” there in an ABSTRACT
sense because it is not yet in existence, it is futuristic. So you are using the word in an abstract sense. But
whether it be used generically or in an abstract sense, the meaning is still the same. IT IS AN ASSEMBLY-
a LOCAL ASSEMBLY. And if it is not yet in existence, it will exist someday when it is convened.
2) The word church may also be used concretely or PARTICULARLY.
All the generic and the abstract and the futuristic usage of the word “church” can only become concrete
when it refers to a particular assembly like when you say, “I am a member of Metro-Laguna Baptist Church
in Calamba City.” You are now referring to a particular organized assembly in a given place and so you are
using the word “church” in a particular sense.
Even under the law of language, the meaning of the word “church” does not change. It is always an
ASSEMBLY, LOCALIZED, and VISIBLE because it is composed of visible people meeting at a specific
place. How would you like to be a pastor of an invisible church?
Actually, the universal invisible church is only an idea. It only exists in the mind. There is no real existence. They have
no corporeal existence. That is why we do not believe in this idea. Some people try to subscribe to this idea because they
do not want responsibility. You see, if you belong to the universal invisible church, you do not have to attend the
services; you can just stay at home and pray your own way, read your Bible in your own time, and maybe listen to the
telecast of some religious program. Anyway, you belong to the universal invisible church and you have no obligation to
attend church whatsoever. Not only that, but you have no obligation to give your tithes because if you belong to a
universal invisible church, they are not in existence. So you do not give your tithes and you rob God of His tithes and
offerings while you use it for your own purpose.
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Resources:
Basic Baptist Beliefs, Harold Rawlings
Baptist Distinctives, A Treasury of Tatay Abante and Bishop Reuben Abante’s Biblical teachings
Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity, Dr. David W. Cloud