As I often say, “Words matter, and so do the definitions.” Just because we both speak English does not mean we use every English word the same way. Examples are plenty when we look at the differences between British and American English, but there are many much closer to home. For example, when I say the word “Coke,” what do you imagine? Probably Coca-Cola. But where I grew up, Coke is a generic term for any sweet, carbonated beverage. You might want a Dr. Pepper Coke, or even a Sprite Coke. But this confuses others.
Now, let me ask you about a word we all use: Church. What do you imagine when I say that word? A building? An organization? A hierarchy? Clergy and laity? When I say the word church, I mean the people—corporately. While I may use the word for the building or organization, that is only because I need to be understood. If I refer to the church building as “The facility” or “the campus,” it seems a bit pretentious.
Why does this matter? It matters because it helps us to understand Christ’s priorities. He said that he would build his church (Matthew 16:18). Though many books have been written about the rock in that passage, we also need to consider what church meant and should mean today. The Greek word behind our word church is not found in that passage. Our English word church comes to us through German (Kirche). Scotland still uses the word, Kirk. That German word comes from the Greek kyriakon, meaning “belonging to the Lord” and may originate in the concept of “house of the Lord.” The problem is that this can be confusing. We forget that the people gathered in assembly and filled with the Spirit are the house of the Lord. This concept is seen in the Greek word translated into English as “Church”: ekklesia.
The ekklesia was the legal assembly of a town’s citizens. This was the democratic body of all those who had a right to attend, debate, and vote in the legal matters of a town. We see this referenced in Acts 19:39, where the town clerk tells the crowd to end their riot and bring their charges to the court, or wait for the regular assembly. He was telling them to follow proper jurisprudence by bringing their complaints to the town’s ekklesia.
The church is the people of God, assembled. Notice I did not say “a person.” While each person is a representative of the church, they are not the church itself. The people together are the church. Scripture describes us individually as stones building the house of God (1 Peter 2:4f). We as individuals are not the house; we are the building materials. Scripture also refers to the church as a flock, which the elders are to protect as shepherds (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). The term “flock” denotes a group or gathering. A shepherd protects the flock by protecting the sheep. The problem in many churches is that we get so busy trying to protect and grow the flock (the gathering) that we forget to protect the individual sheep within it.
This is how so many have been abused and hurt in churches. Often, in misguided attempts to protect the association, the individual is sacrificed. The organizational church has been seen as more important than a single believer. When this happens, the church forgets one important fact. Jesus said the good shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one lost sheep (Matthew 18:12). He will risk the 99 to protect a single sheep. The world will sacrifice one for the many, but the Lord would risk all for the one.
Examples of this are plenty. Consider how many churches have covered up or excused abuse—even disgusting abuse—to protect the reputation of their organization. I recently read an article about predatory leaders in a major denomination who were never disciplined, and the accusations were hidden for fear of harming the denomination’s reputation and reducing donations. The fact that vulnerable people were being hurt was considered secondary (if considered at all) to the needs of the church.
The world says the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It would also tell us to sacrifice a few for the good of the whole. But the Kingdom of God does not work this way. In Kingdom economics, the many and even the whole risk to save the few or the one.
In Christ,
Pastor Ken