What is Church?

church are the people who are called out, Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

As you said For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

What is church? Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more....

Sorry, can't resist!!

Church can also be just one person. It's always the people!

Lol!

I've gone through a period where I didn't go to a church (building / house of worship) for few years straigth.

I felt the same like I didn't lose anything. Maybe because, it didn't matter.

G12, I agree with your Biblical view of what a church is. Just yesterday I found this blog post where George Fox was complaining about the church-as-building point of view. He called them “steeple-houses” to make it clear that “church” was the assembly of God’s people, not a particular building. That was in 1648!! BTW here is the blog post if you want to read it: George Fox at a steeple-house in 1648

The church is the people of God which is referred to in the Bible either in a universal sense, or localized.
The local church I belong to likes to remind ourselves of this by singing the following hymn at the beginning of our worship service:

Jesus, where'er thy people meet,
there they behold thy mercy-seat;
where'er they seek thee thou art found,
and every place is hallowed ground.

2 For thou, within no walls confined,
inhabitest the humble mind;
such ever bring thee when they come,
and, going, take thee to their home.

3 Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few,
thy former mercies here renew;
here to our waiting hearts proclaim
the sweetness of thy saving name.

4 Here may we prove the power of prayer
to strengthen faith and sweeten care,
to teach our faint desires to rise,
and bring all heaven before our eyes.

5 Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear:
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
and make a thousand hearts thine own!
--William Cowper 1767

I think that church is a time and place where you go to be with God,to pray and spend time with God.

Gabriel12 said:

Is it a building? A body of people? An organized agenda? A beautiful choir? What I believe it to be is a place of 2 or more joined in Christ. That is all. Not on a specific day or hour. At anytime, two, share His the word. Am I right? Or is there more to it?

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Sure, if you only want 1 friend to share the Word with and put a check mark that you technically did have church. It wouldn't be common but minimum another person to call it fellowship. So technically marriage would cover that?

Since there's a lot more people that are part of the body of Christ that's outside building walls,and there is strength in numbers, there is a difference between having just one people in comparison to being in a community. That why people pay good money to be in organizations, in concerts, in social events, for memberships. Heck that's why people ironically come to the forums in the first place, no one comes here to talk to just one person. I'll go as far as that is part of the reason why our life after this will be that much glorious because you will be in a situation where not just one person, but EVERYONE will be in one accord.Where we wouldn't want to limit to one other person, because everyone is speaking the same talk, the same mindset, the same spirit. That is powerful.

There's value in being part of an organized assembly with a structure that shares the same common mission, vision, and goals. Biblical, i see way more verses encouraging it than dismissing it. You can achieve more, there are more resources, and more opportunities to talk to others outside your own view of life, and you get to help others out as well. Even Jesus saw fit to not only have 1 disciple, but 12 close ones, and several others.

The word Church has multiple definitions.

1. It is the Christian people of God.
2. It is the building where the Christian people of God meet.

The church can be just one person. It is those who have been called out of the world for faith in Christ.

Gabriel12 said:

Is it a building? A body of people? An organized agenda? A beautiful choir? What I believe it to be is a place of 2 or more joined in Christ. That is all. Not on a specific day or hour. At anytime, two, share His the word. Am I right? Or is there more to it?

Click to expand...

"The Church" is the Body of Christ whether physically congregated or not. They are those in the Kingdom of God across the globe and those who have passed. It is made up of people who proclaim Jesus Christ of Nazareth as their KING!