In the midst of all that is written or spoken about the church, often overlooked is the truth that the church must be defined to a large extent by its practice of assembling. The Greek word which is translated church over 100 times in the New Testament is also translated assembly three times when the context is a secular assembly. Think with me!
Some have observed that, literally or etymologically, the word means “called out”; these have therefore focused on a change of identity or state–Christians are called out of the world into Christ. We must be careful lest we miss the collective nature of the noun. Plato uses the same word when he writes about the jury of the residents of Athens who will try Socrates. The jurors did not cease being what they were (residents of Athens), but rather because of that identity they were called apart and called together for a special task. Christians are called out of the world, yet are in the world. Christians are called out of individualism into shared existence. Note that the “called out” nature of a Christian cannot be applied singularly. I cannot become church by myself. Being a Christian is more than the truth that I am “called out”. Assembly is a collective noun. Church is a collective noun, and is thus something I am with others, something I cannot be without others.
The New Testament has many descriptions of the church, but those are not my subject today. If the meaning of the word church is assembly, then the church demonstrates and lives out its nature when it assembles. Because church is assembly, those who are part of the church assemble. Those who do not assemble are not part of the church (assembly). If I do not assemble with the church, I am not part of the assembly (church). We have made the church an organization and institution to such an extent that we have defined participation in the church by baptism or membership on a list or other things. But the truth is that the church’s nature is best seen when it assembles. I am church when I assemble. I am part of the church when the body is not assembled because of the fact that when the church does assemble I am present. (The challenges of our world and society, illness and work conflicts and “providential hindrances” I will leave for another day.)
Think! Assembly is collective. I cannot be church in isolation. I cannot assemble by myself. I certainly can never be an assembly by myself. I cannot be part of something (assembly, church) in which I never participate. If I am not present, I am not assembled and I am not a part of the assembly. The actions of the assembly are communicative. The church admonishes itself, sings to itself, prays collectively (not individually), hears the Word together, shares (a communicative verb), and fellowships (another communicative verb). The church is united (one), not only because of its mutual acceptance of truth, but because of its mutual, reciprocal speaking and edifying and sharing.
Those who seldom or never attend are not part of the church, regardless of whether they have officially jumped through some hoop in the past. In the practice of assembling, the church demonstrates its nature, and goes forth empowered by its renewing experience of the presence of Christ in this world (seen through others). It’s Sunday Again: as the church assembles, we will know with renewed confidence who we are and what is our nature, and we will go forth from assembly recommitted as disciples of Jesus our Lord.