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Forum: Theological Expressions
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House Church (again!) (Christopher Yip)
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Clarifications (RTC)
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The NT Model is not Normative, Not Meant to be. (Christopher Yip)
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Not normative? On what basis? (RTC)
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And Normative on What Basis? (Christopher Yip)
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On basis that such was NT practices everywhere in first 300 years (RTC)
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Is that therefore biblical? (Christopher Yip)
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Yes it is (RTC)
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Holds no water (passerby)
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You use wrong cup (RTC)
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pick up the same dictionary and please enlighten us what it says about Church(n/t)
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Church is building for Christian worship (RTC)
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Hee...Hee...Can't you even see the obvious contradictions to your arguments???(n/t)
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Hi Anon,
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biblical?
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Let's see if you pass the biblical test (RTC)
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Easton Bible Dictionary says...
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Thayer's Greek Definition of Ekklesia (Christopher Yip)
Date: 2001, Jun 05
From: RTC

It seems to me that both house churches and public assemblies were co-existing in the apostles' time. In all the references below, the same Greek word ekklesia is used. ++The public assemblies were the gathering of the various house churches in the locality. Such public assemblies were the exception and not the norm. These public assemblies are also called church as are the various house churches. The context determines the scope of the word. However, these public assemblies weren’t institutional churches in any sense of the word. They had no denominational names, no buildings, no salaried pastors, no hierarchy, no pews, no pulpits, no sermons, no membership rolls etc. They weren’t cell churches meeting in homes and coming together each week for a celebration, as some would like to read into it. What we have in the NT are house churches (already experiencing deep church life) coming together for some purposes, usually to hear an apostle teach or to make some decisions concerning the church. But what we have today is the opposite, we have large institutional churches (devoid of deep church life) that have to implement cells to meet such a need or else face a declining membership. In Acts 2:6, 2:46, 3:11-26, 5:12-16, 17:19-34 and others, the church deliberately gathered in such public places as synagogues, temple courts and the Areopagus; places where lost people were sure to see and hear their evangelistic/ apologetic message. Note the content of the messages preached in these large, public meetings. Note that unconverted sinners were present. Contrast this logical strategy of taking the gospel where the lost folks are with our pathetic practice of preaching "salvation" messages to rooms full of churched people, in church buildings, at Sunday "worship" services. The New Testament strategy to preach the gospel where there are lost folks is clearly better. In any case, the point still stands that the institutional church cannot appeal to Scripture to justify its existence. The verses you quoted do not negate what I have been saying all along in this forum. All these verses do not lend any support for dividing the Body of Christ into denominational institutions. As for the dictionary reference you quote, note that only the following is consistent with the NT teaching on the church, 1d. in a Christian sense 1d1. an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting 1d2. a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake 1d3. those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body 1d4. the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth 1d5. the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven Here’s something from the NIV Expository Dictionary, We know a little of the form of the local NT ekklesia. Early believers did not meet in public buildings ("churches") for at least the first 120 years of the Christian era. The typical meeting of the church was in a home. When such a congregation met, "everyone [had] a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation" (1 Co 14:26). Individuals shared, and others would "weigh carefully what [was] said" (1 Co 14:29). In part because of the relatively small size of the group, the people could "all prophesy in turn so that everyone [might] be instructed and encouraged" (1 Co 14:31). Such sharing remains essential to the very existence of the church as the community of faith. Christians are not to "give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing." Instead, as individuals in community we are to "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Heb 10:24-25). The relatively small size of the congregation in the early church had advantages, but it also had disadvantages. On the positive side, individuals were not isolated members of a silent mass, seated on wooden pews, observing. Each person was expected to contribute and to serve others with his or her spiritual gift(s). Each would also be served by the concern of the community and spurred on to personal growth and commitment. On the negative side, the smaller groups could become factions--splinter groups, seeking separate identity by following some leader or by emphasizing a particular doctrine (cf. 1 Co 1:10-17; Col 2:16-19). (note: institutional churches are not immuned to this as well and it seems that there aren’t that many disadvantages!). The corrective to this is seen in the NT's stress on love and on the unity of the body of Christ (e.g., Eph 4:1-6).