Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church Explained
What is the church? Is it a building? Is it a collection of like-minded people? A combination of both? These are common and very valid questions that may leave you with a variety of different answers, depending on who you ask.
Ecclesiology can be defined as the study of the church. Ecclesiology comes from the Greek word ἐκκλησία (ekklesia), which means, a gathering or a calling out to a meeting. From this, the church are those who have been called out of the world and into an everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ, the head of the church.
There are three important questions that come to mind when I think about the study of the church…
Where, when, and how did the church begin?
What can an understanding of church history mean for those who know Christ?
Why is any of this relevant for those who are following Christ?
In Acts chapter 2, Luke writes about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, like the blowing of a violent wind, filling up the room in which the earliest group of Christ followers were gathered. From this moment, God used the Holy Spirit, in the lives of people to begin a movement. Spreading the good news of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.
Local churches began to pop up all over the world as a result of this monumental occasion at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Simply page through the book of Acts and the remaining pages of the New Testament and you will see the different churches and church leadership structures that emerged in various cities and towns.
With each church community that arose came a different set of challenges and problems for the earliest Christ followers. The apostle Paul, in many of his letters to these early church communities, addressed such problems and gave them clear directions on structure, communication, and growth strategies. These decisions that were made in the 1st-century church world, have greatly shaped and influenced local church structure in our world today.
An understanding of how and why Paul addressed the many issues that plagued early church communities has helped modern-day church pastors and leaders determine how they should lead and govern present-day church communities. Not only can much be learned from the mistakes that have been made by the early church but Christ followers should be encouraged by how God constantly used imperfect, broken people, to transform the world and culture. A work that God is still doing today in the local church and in the people that choose to follow Him.
Why is this relevant for a Christ follower?
Well, Christ followers are quite literally the church, and also, called to be a vibrant piece of building up the local church, which is part of the universal church. Christ followers have much to gain and offer from their involvement with the local church body.
First, Christ followers become part of a new family as they become part of the church. Tony Merida in his book, “Love your Church”, put it this way, “When we come to faith in Christ, we get not only a new relationship with our Father but new family members too (1 Timothy 3:15, 5:1-2; Galatians 6:10)”. This new family becomes a vital part of how Christ followers learn and will grow in their faith. Perhaps some, who have never had a supportive family, gain great encouragement from their new adoption into a family of people that have centered themselves on the radical, life-altering love of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, in uniting with a new family of local church members, Christ calls his followers into a purpose and mission that far exceeds any earthly purpose that one could create for themselves. In Romans 12:1, Paul states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” I’m struck by Paul’s use of the word “urge” in this verse. In a vast majority of Paul’s New Testament writing, there is a sense of urgency to drop everything and focus on reaching people with the greatest story that’s ever been told, the story of Jesus Christ. The sharing of this story, and its life-changing capabilities, is the central mission of all who call themselves the church.
Lastly, Christ has called his church to be a vibrant hope to the rest of the world. Jesus said in Matthew 5,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16
Often as I think about this verse, I reflect on just how much a small amount of light is able to illuminate a very dark room. Light has power. It doesn’t take as much light as we would think to really make an impact. The ripple effect of Christ followers letting their light shine in the darkness could mean justice for the oppressed, hope for the hopeless, healing for the hurting, and ultimate gospel-centered renewal of our towns and cities.
I was recently at a professional baseball game as “the wave” began to break out during the 6th inning. At first, it only started with a small section of the crowd, maybe 3 or 4 people with a vision. By the time I noticed the wave in the 6th inning, nearly the whole stadium, of about 23,000 fans were involved. What started with a minuscule group of fans with a vision, in an unknown corner of the stadium, ended up with an enormous group of committed fans uniting together for a common purpose.
I believe this is a vision that is attainable for all who follow Christ and find themselves a part of the church and a part of a local church. A group of people (no matter the initial size), committed to a vision, to making Christ known, banding together to let their light shine. Praise God for the beautiful hope and mission of the church that is to bring attention and glory to the beauty, wonder, and majesty of Jesus Christ our Lord.
