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==Main article==The Bible uses the term church in both a local and universal nature. Mostly the word refers to local churches, for example, the church in Rome or Antioch. Quite often it is spoken about the plural. On a few occasions the New Testament uses the word in a general or universal sense.
The word "Throughout church" is derived through Middle and Old English ciricehistory, circe from the starting with [[GreekAugustine]] κυριακον (δωμα) Lord's (house). However, most English versions the church has sometimes been spoken about in terms of the New Testament use "invisible church" as opposed to the word "visible church" . The invisible church basically means the community or collection of true believers in Jesus regardless of denominational affiliation. The term visible church is used to translate refer to the physical countable members or leaders that make up a church or group of churches. Many Protestant churches tend to emphasize the invisible church, and view this as something quite distinct from the visible church. The Roman Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches that the invisible church and visible church are very closely connected, although there is recognition that some elements of the invisible church can be present outside the visible Roman Catholic church.<ref>[[ecclesiaCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]] (Greek ἐκκλησία "congregation: [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church], assembly"2007, a word originally used without specific reference to religious gatherings)second and third question.</ref>
In English, ===[[Mission of the word church]]=== The church's mission can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting, but is sometimes used summarized as to refer bring glory to a building or group God through humanity mirroring God’s own holy character of buildings. It is also used to refer to a love<ref>[[denominationStanley J. Grenz]] that places , ''[[Theology for the leadership Community of all congregations in a central locationGod]]'' (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, such as the "Roman Catholic Church". It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches2000), such as ".489.</ref>. This involves:# Honourable worship to God# Building up of each other within the church today...." # Reaching out into the world through service and evangelism
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{{quote | text=The church is not a building. Nor is it an organisation or human institution. The church is simply the people whose sins have been forgiven through their faith Jesus Christ... (An extract from the book [[Once a Catholic]] by [[Tony Coffey]])}}
{{Infobox_Contents |
topic_name = Church/ Ecclesiology
[[Image:Christians at lourdes.jpg|thumb|center|Christians at [[Lourdes]].]] |
subtopics = [[Nature of the church]]* [[Mission of the church]]* [[Church Terms Index]]* Contemporary Ecclesiology Issues and Terminology - [[Megachurch]], [[Home church]], [[Emerging church]], [[Incarnational church]]* [[Church building]]
* [[Church history]]
* [[Denominations]]
* [[World-wide church directory]]
* [[Church Terms Indexservice]]|* opinion_pieces = [[MegachurchChurch (discussion)]] | opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}
* {{ebd}}
* [[What is the Church? (G.G.)]]
* [[The Theology of the Church (AmericanCatholic)]]
* [[The Church (justforcatholics.org)]] |
}}
The word '''church''' is used in many different ways. The '''church'''Synopsis:is the Christian community of believers, that is, it is the people. Sometimes the word '''church''' A is also used to refer to a [[church building]] is a (the building used in [[Christian]] [[worship]]) or a [[church service]] (the weekly meeting of a group of Christians in a church building) or to a church [[denomination]]. '''Ecclesiology''' means the study of the doctrine of the church. ===Etymology=== The Greek word ekklesia ([[Εκκλησια]]) is translated as "church " in English. This word ekklesia was used in ancient [[Koine Greek|Greek]] to mean "gathering" or "assembly" in a political sense. In the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the [[LXX]], the word ekklesia occurs over 200 times (usually as a translation from the Hebrew word qahal), most commonly to refer to the assembly of the covenant people of God. In the [[New Testament]] the word ekklesia occurs in the [[gospels]] only twice ([[Matthew 16:16]] and [[Matthew 18:20]]), but it occurs many times elsewhere in the [[New Testament]]. From the Greek root ekklesia, the English word Ecclesiology is derived, which is the study of the doctrine of the church. The English word "church" itself is actually derived from the Old English word "cirice" (which is related to the [[Greek]] word "κυριακή" which means "of the Lord") ===Uses of the word "church" in common English=== TIn English, the word "church" means different things to different people in different contexts. It can be used in reference to a gathering of people for a religious meeting. It is also sometimes used to refer to a building or group of buildings, and occasionally it refers to an entire [[denomination]]. It can also be used in an institutional sense to refer to all churches, such as "... the church today...." ===[[Nature of the Church]]=== There are a variety of understandings about what the church actually is. The context in which the word [[ekklesia]] (church) is used in the Bible suggests that it was not originally intended to mean a building or an organization, but instead was intended to primarily mean a congregation or meeting of God's people. Thus the church, although consisting of the community of believers, is not simply the Christian community of believers, but also includes activity. Furthermore, although consisting of people, the church is not simply an instution created by people.In [[Matthew 16:18]] Jesus spoke about building '''his''' church and later, in [[Matthew 18:20]] he spoke about being present among the church: ''{{Bible verse|matthew|16|18|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 16:18): ''{{Bible verse|matthew|18|20|lang=WEB}}'' (Matthew 18:20)
===[[Church building]]===
George Mueller
: An unvisited church will sooner or later become an unhealthy church.
Ignatius of Antioch
: Where the bishop, there the church (''Ubi episcopus, ibi ecclesia.'')
Eugene de Mazenod
: To love Jesus Christ means to love the church
== References ==
<references />
==Video==
<YouTube>
title=The First 1000 Years of Christian Church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOoPcHxPhU
&rel=1
embed_source_url=http://www.youtube.com/v/LKOoPcHxPhU
&rel=1
wrap = yes
width=500
height=400
</YouTube>
==Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church Wikipedia - Church]
* [http://sharingknowledge.org/wb/pages/bible-teachings/fundamental-doctrines.php Sharing knowledge - Church]
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[[Category:Theology]]
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