edification or building, each other up.

THE CHURCH

Ecclesia is the Greek word for "gathering" or "church."

The word and concept of "church" have much baggage. However, we believe that it is the vehicle of the mission to the world, and a covenant community that pledges to be family to one another.

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We believe that the local church consists of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. The primary task of the church is rescue -- the giving of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. 
(Ephesians 2:19-22 and 5:19-21; Acts 1-8 and 2:42, Hebrews 10:23-25)

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It says, “Ecclesia in the New Testament can encompass any number of believers.

- It can be used of small groups that met in homes
(Rom. 16:5).

- It encompasses all believers living in a large city
(Acts 11:22),

- or a large geographical district, such as Asia or Galatia.”

- It goes on to say, “The typical meeting of the church was in a home. When such a congregation met ‘everyone [had] a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation’ (1 Cor. 14:26).

- Individuals shared and others ‘weighed carefully what was said’  (1 Cor. 14:29).
..such sharing remains essential to the very existence of the church as a community of faith... Each person was expected to contribute and to serve others with his or her spiritual gift(s).”

In Hebrews 10:25 it says, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.” The church is an assembly of people coming together for the purpose of looking to Jesus, praising the Lord, to receive direction from the Lord, to follow through with that direction. The primary purpose of the early New Testament church was edification. They met together for the purpose of building each other up in the faith.

The early church was an evangelistic church. People were scattered everywhere, sharing their faith in Jesus Christ, and as they did, the Lord added to the church—not to a building— but added to the people of God as they repented and believed.

Then they assembled themselves together to encourage one another, to exercise their spiritual gifts, to serve one another, and to have a time of fellowship with one another by sharing a meal together.
 When they were together, they exercised their spirituals gifts to edify one another. Then they would go out and preach the Word, and the whole cycle would begin again.

 They believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and they assembled themselves together. It didn’t matter where they assembled. It could’ve been in a building or someone’s home. It could’ve been many people, or it could’ve been a small number of people meeting in homes. It didn’t really matter, as long as they met together in the name of the Lord for the purpose of exercising their gifts, to encourage one another, and to fellowship with one another with the end result being edification or building, each other up.