Church ekklesia a Relationship

CHURCH (ekklesia): A RELATIONSHIP

According to John 4:20-24 the church (ekklesia) is not a place, time or event but rather a relationship. First, it is a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ by His Spirit. Secondly, it is a relationship with believers through edifying. Thirdly, it is a relationship with the world through personal relational witnessing.

One of the most significant attributes of the early New Testament church was that they understood and lived out the example Jesus set before them of the ekklesia being a relationship as He exemplified with the Father. The emphasis of the early New Testament church was upon relationship and not upon a place, time or event. The early New Testament church allowed Jesus to live His life through them. They not only knew about the Lord but they knew HIM and they chose to be joyfully obedient to whatever He commanded. Another attribute was the simplicity of the early New Testament church. It was not complicated, structured nor organized but rather it was a simple, flexible, living organism. The early New Testament ekklesia was a family living the Christ Life together as brothers and sisters with God as their Father. The early New Testament ekklesia was a Body with many members and yet One with Christ as the Head empowered and gifted by His Holy Spirit.

In order for us to continue to walk out His Life in the ekklesia today, we must desire and follow the example of the early New Testament church by understanding the following important concepts we learn in Scripture:

Purpose- This is rooted in their understanding of who they were and for what reason they even existed as the ekklesia.
Precepts- These were the commands from the Lord revealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit for the ekklesia to obey.
Principles- These were the underlying reasons for being who they were and doing what they did as the ekklesia.
Practices- These were the actual ways the early ekklesia “fleshed out” their understanding of who they were and what they were to accomplish as the ekklesia.
Patterns- These were the examples taught and lived out by Jesus and the apostles for the ekklesia to follow.

It is important to note that the New Testament ekklesia “got it” RIGHT and “did it” RIGHT! We cannot improve upon His ekklesia but must obediently follow His example as Builder of His Church.