Ekklesia

Christian community can be many things. In the New Testament, the word “ekklesia” is used in the basic text to describe the community of believers. Literally translated, this means something like “called out ones”. The congregation or church is the called out one, i.e. a group of people who know they have been called. This calling is from God and not an achievement of our own. Those called out are the recipients. They came to faith and saw themselves and their community as being “called out”. Who called? Christ or God. Paul, for example, describes believers as “called by Jesus Christ” and as “beloved of God, called saints who are in Rome” (Romans 1:6-7).

The term Ekklesia is often used to make it clear that not all people are called. It is a selection that has been called out, not all of humanity. Although the church is to become complete (cf. Romans 11:25, “until the full number of the nations comes in”), this does not mean that all people in the world will then “believe”. Although the church or congregation is open to other people, its nature is not to welcome everyone. This statement will probably offend many, because people often think that the church is there to reach all people. However, this assumption confuses several things.

• No, not all people are called into the church. The congregation is by definition a partial selection, called “the called out ones”. It is God who calls and calls.
• Yes, the church has a task that is greater than itself, even for other people.

Theological challenges

Common challenges in the interpretation of the church are characterized by doctrine:

1. One interpretation is that the church or congregation is a lifeboat. This idea arose against the background of the doctrine of hell, according to which all people who have not made a decision for Jesus in this life are “lost”. Whoever believes is saved and then belongs to the church. The church or congregation is not a group of people called by God, but people who have chosen Jesus for themselves and through this “achievement” they escape hell. So whoever believes will be saved and “has achieved it”. Entering the church is also the achievement of the final goal. After that, it’s no longer exciting because you’ve already reached the supposed final destination.
2. Another interpretation is that the church or congregation is the kingdom of God on earth. This idea comes from the interpretation that God is establishing his kingdom here and now through the church. God is working and things are not yet as they should be, but we are on the way there. It is the task of the church to bring the kingdom of God into the world and thus contribute to the realization of the kingdom of God. In other words: God needs us so that He can reach His goal. Although this view also seeks support from the Bible, the significance of the church as the “called out ones” is merely the preliminary stage and leads seamlessly to the liberation of all humanity. When this happens, the term “called out ones” naturally no longer has any meaning, because all people should be brought together into this kingdom of God and there is no longer a partial selection (note: here the terms “kingdom” and “church” become confused). This idea was made possible by replacement theology, according to which today’s church replaces the people of Israel. Although this is rarely taught today, this is where the alignment and confusion of the Kingdom of God with the Church comes from. This has far-reaching consequences for the interpretation of the New and Old Testaments.
3. There is, of course, a third view. This is the interpretation that the church (“ekklesia” or “called out ones”) has its own task for a certain time, based neither on doctrines of hell nor on replacement theology. The community is formed until the selection is complete. Not all people in the world are called, but a “called out one” is formed who, when ready, has a task to fulfill. In this view, the church is not the final destination, but merely an intermediate goal. The community is something like a tool that is formed today and used in the past. The aim is not to save all people today, nor to establish a theocracy.

According to this third view, the church is one tool among many. Israel is also an instrument and an ekklesia, a called-out multitude, a called-out people. Not all nations are called, but Israel is called. Israel and the church today both have a task. The tasks are not identical and everyone is prepared for their own task.

Community of people

In a completely unspectacular way, the church can also be seen as a simple community of people. Of course, these people have something in common and that may have everything to do with what is mentioned above. Underneath this, however, lies a basic human need: the desire for community. We are geared towards encounters. The church is also, or perhaps above all, a human community.

I meet other people at church or in the community. We work on topics together and learn from each other. You become human in the encounter. The characteristics can be very different based on the teachings of the community, the subculture. You can approve or disapprove of this. However, the basic prerequisite remains that people meet. I assume that people are made for encounters. We meet because we are human.

The community is therefore also something that corresponds to us as human beings. This community is not “divine” because people meet. It is a human characteristic that is good because it is how we function and learn. So if we are called into a community, just as the church as “Ekklesia” is a called-out flock, then this characteristic is desirable because we are human. It could have been completely different, but it isn’t.

The church as a community of people thereby answers essential needs and also creates the opportunity to make a significant difference in the world, in society and for each other. The community is good because we are human. What connects us and perhaps aligns us together is only a second level. I keep these two levels separate so that the human element is not lost. The human aspect of the church is good, and this needs to be mentioned again and again in contrast to overly pious and detached life plans.

If we can see it this way, then it also becomes clear that the original churches did not simply meet “just to study the Bible”, but also had communal manifestations (Acts 2:42). There was also the “fellowship of service” (2 Corinthians 8:4), in which a common task was carried out. People were also used for practical tasks throughout Scripture (Numbers 3; Deuteronomy 1:1-15; Acts 6:1-3). The organization of the community was never “only spiritual”, even if the reason for the community was a common spiritual orientation.

Considering practical things was also Paul’s concern (Phil 4:8-9). The apostle also writes:

“As for these [Wahrheiten], I have decided that you should insist on them, so that those who have believed in God may set their minds on standing up for noble works. This is excellent and useful to people.”
Titus 3:8

Being empathetic is not simply part of good manners, but corresponds to and responds to our humanity:

“We must rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”
Rom 12:15

Community as a living space

From the previous considerations, one could also say that the community is a living space. This is where we meet. We could think of other terms for this:

• Workshop of faith
• Practice field
• Common ground
• Travel company

We can control how we see our own community. Some only use biblical terms to think about it. However, if we understand what we are talking about, we become free to use other terms. Words shape our understanding and can also open doors to further understanding. If we find new words, we can also imagine a future that is supported by love and grace and oriented towards God-given humanity. Or would we have to formulate this in a different way?

I have summarized some further thoughts in the following video:

Deepening

Discuss the following assertions and questions:

• (No) Church without Christ
• Faith is human
• What connects us and what divides us?
• Words or deeds?
• I go to church because …
• I no longer go to a church because …
• All it takes is Bible study for me to feel like a Christian.
• My feelings get in the way of my faith
• Faith = feeling?
• Freedom and church do not go together
• What can a community look like where I am happy to be a part of it?
• I need a church building for my faith
• Tradition and ritual are a good thing because …
• What has shaped my understanding of faith the most to this day?