What is the church? For today’s purposes it is important to understand that from the perspective of our leadership, and which is widely held in general, the church is not a building, it is not the workings of an institution, instead it is the people. An “Ecclesia” is a group of people called out from the population in general for a specific task or purpose. In the original usage it could mean anything from a political purpose, social purpose and so on. This is the word in the New Testament used to describe what we call the church. We are a people, called out from the mass of humanity by Christ, to fulfill the mission of Taking the Gospel to the Nations and Making Disciples of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”