What exactly is "church"?

Very interesting question! What I can glean from the Bible and from what various denominations have said is that it is an assembly of believers in which the Gospel is preached and the sacraments administered. There may be a question about assemblies that are properly constituted versus those that are not, but since you wanted a bare-bones answer, I think this may be close to it.

I think I need to start searching outside of the typical church model.

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Why?

Read your Bible, friend, and seek a Bible-only fellowship of believers. I often recommend the site at www.biblecounsel.net to see something of what God intends for His testimony in the world. Look up always and trust God and His immutable Word.

designer mom said:

Can someone please give me the bare bones minimum definition of "church"? I think I need to start searching outside of the typical church model. What are the minimum requirements for something to still be considered a biblical "church"? Thanks!

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What Jesus left his Father to gather:
"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph 5:31-32)

He gave his life (Calvary), people began to receive it (Acts 2:4, 33, 39) ... that's how you become a member of The Church (1 Corinthias 12:13)

The typical church model has replaced this with other "gospels" such as "pray the sinners prayer", confess "the apostles creed" etc.

They have looked and gone outside the original, you need to (re)discover the original!

True, NJA! One should forget about religious reasoning and hold to the pure Word of God for all truth for the soul. One might well start with reading the verses in John 1; John 3; John 14 (and also note the prayer of the Lord Jesus in John 17). I see many seekers after God just relying on their reasoning or ideas of others, rather than reading the four Gospels and the Epistle to the Romans to get a good foundation.

As to the "Church" definition, it is the "Bride" of Christ ---the redeemed souls who trust and live for Him. Church comes from the Greek word meaning "pertaining to God" which was coined by the translators to describe the Assembly God ordained (called "ecclesia" in Greek --assembly).
So, we have the full description given as "called out assembly pertaining to God".

designer mom said:

Can someone please give me the bare bones minimum definition of "church"? I think I need to start searching outside of the typical church model. What are the minimum requirements for something to still be considered a biblical "church"? Thanks!

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We are the Church of the living God. Church is not a place you go but it is what we are. We are God's elect and chosen and faithful, we are to reflect his light upon a dark world that men may be exposed to truth.

Matt 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

JAM2b said:

Matt 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

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What did Jesus mean by "in my name".
He meant, in his authority and power, not just call yourselves Christians and presume to represent him.

1 Corinthians 11-14 details what should & shouldn't happen at those meetings ...

"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (14:37)

JAM2b said:

Matt 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

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That verse refers only to the assurance we have that God will always be with his people and not forsake them. It is not one of the many Scriptural passages that recommend the assembling together of believers for worship, the administration of the sacraments, instruction in the World, etc., i.e. "church."

NJA said:

What did Jesus mean by "in my name".
He meant, in his authority and power, not just call yourselves Christians and presume to represent him.

1 Corinthians 11-14 details what should & shouldn't happen at those meetings ...

"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord" (14:37)

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Well said. May God bless you.

I wouldn't know about bare bones minimums but a Church is a place where God lives. It is an independent moral agent, holding forth the Word of God against every creed and institution of humankind, obeying the Word of God above all else. It really should be a threat to wayward ruling powers by exhibiting radical peacefulness, but that's another thread

The person who started this thread has long-gone.

Oh, DUH!!! LOL

designer mom said:

Can someone please give me the bare bones minimum definition of "church"? I think I need to start searching outside of the typical church model. What are the minimum requirements for something to still be considered a biblical "church"? Thanks!

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HERE IS WHAT A BIBLICAL CHURCH CONSISTS OF (Acts 2):

A PREACHER APPOINTED BY GOD NOT MEN
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

A PREACHER WHO KNOWS AND USES THE OLD TESTAMENT
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

A PREACHER WHO PREACHES THE TRUE GOSPEL (SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH)
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

A PREACHER WHO PREACHES CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED
22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Acts-2-24/
A PREACHER WHO PROCLAIMS THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

A PREACHER WHO KNOWS MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

A PREACHER WHO PREACHES THAT JESUS IS BOTH LORD AND CHRIST
32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

A CHURCH WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS SINNERS
37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

A CHURCH WHERE REPENTANCE, FAITH, AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST ARE ALL PROCLAIMED
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

A CHURCH WHERE SINNERS ARE SAVED AND BAPTIZED IMMEDIATELY
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

A CHURCH WHERE SOUND BIBLE DOCTRINE IS TAUGHT
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine

A CHURCH WHERE THERE IS TRUE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
and fellowship,

A CHURCH WHICH OBSERVES THE LORD'S SUPPER WEEKLY
and in breaking of bread,

A CHURCH WHICH PRAYS TOGETHER AND STAYS TOGETHER
and in prayers.

A CHURCH WHERE GOD'S PRESENCE IS EVIDENT
43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

A CHURCH WHICH IS OF ONE MIND AND ONE ACCORD
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

A CHURCH WHERE THE NEEDS OF THE SAINTS TAKE PRIORITY
45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

A CHURCH THAT WORSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS DAILY
46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

A CHURCH WHICH GLORIFIES GOD AND BRINGS SINNERS TO SALVATION
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

designer mom said:

(1)Can someone please give me the bare bones minimum definition of "church"? I think I need to start searching outside of the typical church model.
(2)What are the minimum requirements for something to still be considered a biblical "church"? Thanks!

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(1) Maybe. It will < possibly > make it feasible, God willing, if you start finding and doing hebrew and aramaic and greek word studies of the Bible. This is kind of like pre-k , so it cannot be skipped, to know God's Word, unless He permits it without this step. (it is entirely up to Him).

(2) at this point it is probably impossible to make this known. (it cost too much for most people to find out and to admit, and it would be wrong to tell anyone when it is not time)

Ephesians 2
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
.
Begin with "I am church" and find other people to be church with.