Must emphasized, God is the architect of the Church        We must recognize that the Church was determined in the mind of God before the foundation of the world; before man and woman existed (Ephesians 1:9; 3:10, 11).  God being the architect of the Church has the one and only true pattern, plan, and blueprint for His Church.  The very idea of this glorious instrument in His hands was His idea.  This is not something that man thought or conceived.  It must be remembered that God has the idea of the Church.  We must concede what God has designed.  The Church is not the ingenuity of man; it has its origin in the Mind of God. The concept and understanding of this instrument of our Almighty God must be understood in the mind of every believer and follower of the cross of Christ.  Let’s consider the meaning and usage of the word “church.” It comes from the Greek work “ekklesia.”  The meaning in simple form means “the called out ones.” When you study scripture, there are references throughout where God has called out different ones.  When the Greek used this word they often referred to an assembly of free citizens who were called out from their homes, businesses, etc. to assemble together to give consideration to matters of public interest.  When Jesus used or referred to the church or assembly of those called out by God, the concept was already in place as a people called out “the ekklesia.”  Again the use of “ekklesia” is not new for Jehovah God has always summoned His “ekklesia” in the Old Testament to receive His instructions, commands and blessings.  When Israel’s twelve tribes encamped around the tabernacle according to God’s plan.  When the trumpet was blown, they assembled before the door of the tabernacle as the people of God, as the “ekklesia” the called out ones, to receive God’s directions. In the New Testament along the word “ekklesia” is used 114 times and of this use, 110 times the use is referred to as the “called out one” of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ established the usage of the “ekklesia” and refers to “His Church” (Matthew 16:18). When Jesus says “My Church” this differentiates these believers of Christ from other groups or company of people.  Yes, we are free citizens of the heavenly kingdom summoned by Christ to tell the gospel and assemble together for study, worship, praises and fellowship (Philippians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 1:24-26; 2 Peter 1:10). In the New Testament, the Church is never referred to as a building, a house or place of worship.  Jesus Christ the foundation of the Church never had in mind when he spoke “ekklesia” the called out ones, a building or temple as His Church.  In our modern usage we are constantly referring to the Church as such.  It is a tragedy to view the Church as a building or natural place of facility of man’s making. When the writers of the King James Version of the bible translated Acts 19:37 “robbers of the Churches” the Greek word used was not “ekklesia” but another word from the Greek meaning “temple.”  The true “ekklesia” church cannot be robbed.  The Church is God’s people built together into a spiritual house and not a material building (Romans 16:5).   The true Church is a building for God’s habitation (Ephesians 16:5).  To miss the true Church and glorify the building as the true Church is a terrible mistake.  It is as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day who admired the stones of the temple rather than the God who made the stones (Mark 13:1; Matthew 24:1,2). The people of God may meet in a building or house but the Church is not a material or natural structure.  It is a danger to place all our energies and time into glorifying a facility and miss placing our energies and time on the true spiritual house that God is dwelling in (Hebrews 3:6).  Seriously, the place where the people of God meet is only an auditorium for the Church.  It is a shed for the sheep.  We must not consider the “sheep shed” as more important than the “sheepfold.” Jesus Christ “His Church” is not a denomination, sect or organization.  When we speak of “our church” or “the church” this should never be considered as a concept to declare the totality of “His Church.”  We must remember the Church belongs to Him, Christ owns the Church, He purchased it with His own blood, designed it, built it and makes claim to it in all ages.  Christ is the one that placed the New Testament’s structure and order in the Church.  Being the source of our faith, Christ has established a divine instrument of God in the earth to fulfill the mission of God through this designed order and structure.  We have been entrusted with this order, pattern, and structure and are held accountable for what we have done with this trust.  Having a divine origin and structure, the church is a living and spiritual organism that demands us to be unified as one in mission with our Lord. Jesus declared in Matthew 18:19, “Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (that is, come together, harmonize, made one) about anything and everything, whatever you ask, it will come to pass and be done for us in the Name of our Father in heaven.”  We are a body of believers that are marked by agreement among our brethren and its constituency.  THE CHURCH IS ONE BODY with many members.  The church is one flock with many sheep.  The Church is one vine with many branches.  The Church is one family with many brothers and sisters.  The Church is one army with many soldiers. Jesus describes the nature of the Church; Jesus only related to the Church in specific terms on two occasions and yet in those places He implied a great deal about what the nature of the Church was to be.  In Matthew 16:15 – 19 we find these words: “He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.  And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Minister's Book Discounts Bible Doctrines of the New Testament Church Theology Systematic and Biblical ($15.99)