Most people think church as being a building for gathering or as a large organization built around a concept, but the concept of church got twisted when man reintroduced a government into it. Man likes to form governments while the Father says His is the only government we need. The two don't mix as Luke 16:15, Romans 12:2 clearly shows, and it doesn't require middlemen other than Jesus.
The original 'church' (or Way) was 'community', an assembly of like minded individuals of the Kingdom living together and abroad who supported each other physically and spiritually. A bad taste these days in the mouths of commune hating Christians, but this is how Jesus saw us living in harmony, by keeping it small and simple, loving each other as we would be loved.
There was no intention to turn it back into another priestly dominated synagogue setup, but of course the gentiles had no problem later in making it over in their own image built upon all the previous institutions of man they had ever known. There is a lot to be said for non-institutionalised scripture following communities. Unfortunate indeed that institutional churches call it heresy for man to follow scripture and the governance of God, instead of the self serving governance of the institution they try so hard to protect.
©... timothyu
The original 'church' (or Way) was 'community', an assembly of like minded individuals of the Kingdom living together and abroad who supported each other physically and spiritually. A bad taste these days in the mouths of commune hating Christians, but this is how Jesus saw us living in harmony, by keeping it small and simple, loving each other as we would be loved.
There was no intention to turn it back into another priestly dominated synagogue setup, but of course the gentiles had no problem later in making it over in their own image built upon all the previous institutions of man they had ever known. There is a lot to be said for non-institutionalised scripture following communities. Unfortunate indeed that institutional churches call it heresy for man to follow scripture and the governance of God, instead of the self serving governance of the institution they try so hard to protect.
©... timothyu