by F. L. Anderson
In Christianity we use words or phrases which are not found in scripture. Phrases like, “I’m going to church, give your heart to Jesus, once saved always saved or our church body” - none of these phrases are found in the Bible. These phases are just ideas for sermons on issues in the Church.
Up until about the early 1970’s, our grandparents and great grandparents use to say, “I am going to Church meeting,” on whatever day they would gather together with other believers. They understood that the place in which they were meeting was just that, a place to meet and assemble. They understood that they themselves were the Church.
The idea behind such phrases was originally founded in scripture, but over time, we’ve added to their meanings. A long period of conditioning has created man made doctrines and believers who now assume that these catch phases and cliches are Biblical. Assuming that certain things are true without questioning or researching has gotten the Church into a lot of trouble. Over time our words and phrases get packaged and re-packaged like an on going ad campaign.
Scripture never uses the words, “Go to Church” because you cannot go to something you are. The early Church and our great grandparents understood this. We, on the other hand do not. Our lack of understanding and training in this area has caused severe, widespread damage. “But it’s just words.” Yes, but the words we use express what we really believe, and we live according to how we believe.
The word Church in the Bible is the Greek word ekklesia, which means, “the called out ones.” The word also has with it the meanings of a family, a people, an assembly hence the scripture “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” Heb. 10:25. The Church is a people. (Two or three or more gathered together).
Unfortunately, since the early 70’s, the Church has become a function that we do rather than what we are. It has become an event instead of it being who we are. The word church has lost its meaning of family; the word has lost the meaning of us being a people. Going to church has become a weekly activity that we do, a weekly activity, that we have lessened to an hour and a half episode. It’s like going to the theatre, or going to school, going to work, or going to the grocery store. As for me and my house, We’re not "Going to Church” anymore!