Define the Word Church Where and when was the First ?

[mrghost]

The Church is in bad need of a Clear solid DEFINITION As to What it is: and What it is Not.

The Early Church and Gatherings Of the Followers and Beleivers of JESUS CHRIST

DEFINITION When Jesus meet with the 500 right before His Ascension, was that the start of the Church, A assembled group of believers, watching as he rose up and they all stared up into the sky, And the An angel appeared and said why stand ye here, don't you know that in the same manner as you seen Him leave So shall He return.
Or was it Mark 16:12 and then Mark 16:14..... I did not recall reading anything about stained glass or pews or at the conner of sunset and Vine. A PA system or a water fountain.

We know the early first Church OF Jesus Christ is not Stone, Brick,Wood, Plaster,Marbel,Motar,lighted signs,

But a gathering of Believers, generally two or More, Where Jesus is Present.

There is much debate on this issue, You greek scholars out there we need your help. To clarify what the Church is or isn't. Where and When Did the Church of Jesus Christ Begin, I would love to hear your View.

The Scriptures Matt 18: 18-20 needs interpeting by some one who knows Greek very well. For the paragraph lumps all kinds of stuff together, which needs to be pulled apart.

Please if you know...Greek or Have a Greek Dictonary then please help clarify this Passage...

We know from History that the early gatherings were small cells, small in numbers, In Homes, roadways, inns, Sometimes right out around a tree. Around lakes, Hills, wherever they could assemble, without fear of being thrown to the lions. do to persecution.

So is the Church a Building or an assembly ?

Me I take it for: where two or more are gathered together in my name (An Assembly ) There I am in the Midst of them. Matt 18:20 it is parapharsed many ways.

So is it possible that you and I gathered Here talking and proclaiming Christ, That Jesus is around here Somewhere. ? Somebody said He was over at Admin..LOL Taking care of business.

Please Help Clarify These, Define Jesus's Church.....ABOUT THE EARLY CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR AND KING, OUR REDEEMER.

Bless you in the Name of Jesus...Mrghost...:cool:

[heron]

The temple had sections -- inner, outer, courtyard... where different levels of activity happened. People hung out and talked in the outer areas, and I think the tables of moneychangers were put there for convenience, because it only made sense to provide for those who were there.

The additions we place in our own churches arrive with a similar innocent mindset. Donuts to welcome the guests and feed those who are staying all morning. Bathrooms for building codes (and other obvious reasons), choir robes to prevent awareness of social status, libraries to encourage continual learning, a sound system so the singers aren't shouting, toys to occupy toddlers during long services...

We have build so much convenience into our churches that they become second homes. But like you said, Jesus didn't just meet people in the synagogue -- he met them where they were.

He could have set up a booth at the beach of Galilee, but He declared by His actions that the most important place for Him to be at a given moment, was healing one person, or doing the dirty work casting out demons... helping people in the trenches.

Then He sent people out.

The comfort of churches is important to our families, but once our children reach a stage where they feel like they are adults (is that five? I'm thinking eleven), then we should be open to holding services at soup kitchens and nursing homes, where kids can feel a part of something worthwhile and bigger... and see their parents as models in serving.

This was engraved outside the inner sanctuary (estimated during Jesus' time):

No outsider shall enter
the protective enclosure
around the sanctuary. And
whoever is caught will
only have himself
to blame for the
ensuing death

(-:

Temple Warning Inscription
Jean Baptiste (http://www.kchanson.com/PTJ/templewarning.html#Frey)Frey (http://www.kchanson.com/PTJ/templewarning.html#Frey) (1936-52) Vol. 2
http://www.kchanson.com/PTJ/templewarning.html

The Gentiles were previously welcome in the Outer Courts before Ezekiel's temple. http://www.templemount.org/ezektmp.html

Depending on which temple, there were ten entrances and 3-5 gates. (Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Ps 100:4 ) (http://www.studylight.org/desk/?query=ps+100:4&translation=lit&st=1&new=1&sr=1&l=en)


"The total circumference of the temenos or sacred precincts, was 1,540 m., and the total area = c. 144,000 sq. m." (M. ben-Dov, In the Shadow of the Temple, 77). The entire temple structure covered a huge area, and sacrifices were organized there, so going to the temple was different than going to church is today.

There are some great descriptions and pictures of the temple here:
http://www.abu.nb.ca/Courses/NTIntro/InTest/JerTem.htm

[Timuchin]

Yer singing to the choir! A good book on how the Roman Empire abolished New Testament assemblies and forced everyone to go to these big temples is:
"The Healing Reawakening" by Francis MacNutt.

Saint Patrick had enormous fruitfulness through his Celtic church model.

John Wesley went back to the New Testament church model and had great fruitfulness. See: "John Wesley: Holiness of Heart & Life" by Charles Yrigoyen.

[Blue Olive]

Visit Dictionary.com for definitions. The derivation of the word is there too.

Also, Wikipedia.org has some data that you can look at. It's interesting that churches were around for thousands of years before Christianity. A few years ago, I visited what was said to be a thousand-year-old church that I found was relatively intact. The walls were inscribed with ancient Greek writing.

[tom_the_rocker]

The idea that a church is a building is simply not true, the church is a people. In Revelation, I want to point out two images of the church described by John.

The first I point out is in Rev 7:9 which is the great multitude

The other is in Rev 21:9b-10 +22 " 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me a the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God... I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple"

Also, Rev 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come' "

As seen in Rev 21:22, it's not about building but it's about our purpose:bow:

[mrghost]

What is the Church Of Jesus, Jesus told Peter upon Peter He would Build His Church
I guess Peter has a Hunchback By now carrying all those Pews around.
Where was the first Church of Jesus. When and where were the First Church of Our Jesus Christ.
This new Church that Jesus Has Formed is unlike any Church on Earth.
People and fellow Christians need to know the difference between the two. Because the difference is staggering.
Mrghost.....:cool:.....:pray:......:bow:

[Johnnz]

The Greek word for church has the meaning of called out. It refers to refers to people rather than buildings, which are not very responsive when called.

It is generally agreed that the church was born at Pentecost,when the promised Holy Spirit was given to bring the life of Jesus to mankind.

John
NZ

[tom_the_rocker]

Greek for church was 'ecclesias' which is where the words ecclesiastical come from yeah?

[Johnnz]

Right

John
NZ

[Wade Smith]

As someone else alluded, the word "Church" is actually a pagan term, used by all sorts of religions for thousands of years.


Stephen, in his preaching and defense, used the word "Church" in reference to Israel. (Acts 7:38).


So even in a Biblical context, it is not correct to say that the "church" was founded in the New Testament.

According to Stephen, even the Old Testament believers at Sinai were part of the "Church".

Salvation has always been through faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the Cross, even when all they had were prophetic typologies of that work.

While it could be an enitre thread just on that subject, one can read all the laws in leviticus and the passover, and find that they parallel the cross to such an absurd degree that there is nothing left wanting.


some key things present at the cross that were present in the sacrificial rituals and cleansing rituals.

Cedar wood - the cross itself
scarlet - the robes they put on Jesus to mock him
Hyssop - when they gave him vinegar to drink
bones were not broken - passover lamb



Basicly, old testament believers had the same beliefs we have today, they just didn't have a "name" and didn't know who the mother was going to be, but they knew, through the law, that the "Seed of the woman" refered to God himself being manifest in the flesh.

The apostates, such as most of the pharisees and sadducees, no longer believed this, but the common people did.

[Johnnz]

As someone else alluded, the word "Church" is actually a pagan term, used by all sorts of religions for thousands of years.


Stephen, in his preaching and defense, used the word "Church" in reference to Israel. (Acts 7:38).


So even in a Biblical context, it is not correct to say that the "church" was founded in the New Testament.

According to Stephen, even the Old Testament believers at Sinai were part of the "Church".

Salvation has always been through faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the Cross, even when all they had were prophetic typologies of that work.

While it could be an enitre thread just on that subject, one can read all the laws in leviticus and the passover, and find that they parallel the cross to such an absurd degree that there is nothing left wanting.


some key things present at the cross that were present in the sacrificial rituals and cleansing rituals.

Cedar wood - the cross itself
scarlet - the robes they put on Jesus to mock him
Hyssop - when they gave him vinegar to drink
bones were not broken - passover lamb



Basicly, old testament believers had the same beliefs we have today, they just didn't have a "name" and didn't know who the mother was going to be, but they knew, through the law, that the "Seed of the woman" refered to God himself being manifest in the flesh.

The apostates, such as most of the pharisees and sadducees, no longer believed this, but the common people did.


Acts 7:38
38 He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us. NIV

Although the word ekklesia is used in that verse the word can also refer to a Jewish meeting in a synagogue. Outside of Scripture it could refer to a variety of meetings or gatherings of people. Christian teaching has long held that the church was founded at Pentecost, as promised by Jesus (I will build my church). Specifically it was formed when, for the first time in history God dwelt within His people, not a building. Relationship with God was now open, and not dependant on an intermediary priestly service. Its use in the NT is clearly related to the work of God through Jesus.

That it relates more to people and their functions rather than any building is quite consistent in the NT.

John
NZ